65/2.6. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4480 — Faith Through Prophetic Signs
"Whoever is an enemy to Jibril (Gabriel)..." (V.2:97)
وَقَالَ عِكْرِمَةُ جَبْرَ، وَمِيكَ، وَسَرَافِ عَبْدٌ. إِيلْ اللَّهُ.Ikrima said, "Each of the words: Jabra and Mika and Saraf means 'slave'; and (the word) 'Il means Allah."
Hadith About Abdullah bin Salam and Prophetic Signs
Sahih Bukhari : 4480
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4480
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُنِيرٍ، سَمِعَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ بَكْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ سَمِعَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ، بِقُدُومِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ فِي أَرْضٍ يَخْتَرِفُ، فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ إِنِّي سَائِلُكَ عَنْ ثَلاَثٍ لاَ يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلاَّ نَبِيٌّ فَمَا أَوَّلُ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ وَمَا أَوَّلُ طَعَامِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَمَا يَنْزِعُ الْوَلَدُ إِلَى أَبِيهِ أَوْ إِلَى أُمِّهِ قَالَ " أَخْبَرَنِي بِهِنَّ جِبْرِيلُ آنِفًا ". قَالَ جِبْرِيلُ قَالَ " نَعَمْ ". قَالَ ذَاكَ عَدُوُّ الْيَهُودِ مِنَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ. فَقَرَأَ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ {مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِجِبْرِيلَ فَإِنَّهُ نَزَّلَهُ عَلَى قَلْبِكَ} أَمَّا أَوَّلُ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ فَنَارٌ تَحْشُرُ النَّاسَ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ إِلَى الْمَغْرِبِ، وَأَمَّا أَوَّلُ طَعَامِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَزِيَادَةُ كَبِدِ حُوتٍ، وَإِذَا سَبَقَ مَاءُ الرَّجُلِ مَاءَ الْمَرْأَةِ نَزَعَ الْوَلَدَ، وَإِذَا سَبَقَ مَاءُ الْمَرْأَةِ نَزَعَتْ ". قَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ. يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الْيَهُودَ قَوْمٌ بُهُتٌ، وَإِنَّهُمْ إِنْ يَعْلَمُوا بِإِسْلاَمِي قَبْلَ أَنْ تَسْأَلَهُمْ يَبْهَتُونِي. فَجَاءَتِ الْيَهُودُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَىُّ رَجُلٍ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فِيكُمْ ". قَالُوا خَيْرُنَا وَابْنُ خَيْرِنَا، وَسَيِّدُنَا وَابْنُ سَيِّدِنَا. قَالَ " أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَسْلَمَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ ". فَقَالُوا أَعَاذَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. فَخَرَجَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ. فَقَالُوا شَرُّنَا وَابْنُ شَرِّنَا. وَانْتَقَصُوهُ. قَالَ فَهَذَا الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَخَافُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ.
Anas Narrated from:
`Abdullah bin Salam heard the news of the arrival of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (at Medina) while he was on a farm collecting its fruits. So he came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "I will ask you about three things which nobody knows unless he be a prophet. Firstly, what is the first portent of the Hour? What is the first meal of the people of Paradise? And what makes a baby look like its father or mother?'.The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Just now Gabriel has informed me about that." `Abdullah said, "Gabriel?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Yes." `Abdullah said, "He, among the angels is the enemy of the Jews." On that the Prophet (ﷺ) recited this Holy Verse:--"Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel (let him die in his fury!) for he has brought it (i.e. Qur'an) down to your heart by Allah's permission." (2.97)Then he added, "As for the first portent of the Hour, it will be a fire that will collect the people from the East to West. And as for the first meal of the people of Paradise, it will be the caudate (i.e. extra) lobe of the fish liver. And if a man's discharge proceeded that of the woman, then the child resembles the father, and if the woman's discharge proceeded that of the man, then the child resembles the mother." On hearing that, `Abdullah said, "I testify that None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and that you are the Messenger of Allah, O, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ); the Jews are liars, and if they should come to know that I have embraced Islam, they would accuse me of being a liar." In the meantime some Jews came (to the Prophet) and he asked them, "What is `Abdullah's status amongst you?" They replied, "He is the best amongst us, and he is our chief and the son of our chief." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "What would you think if `Abdullah bin Salam embraced Islam?" They replied, "May Allah protect him from this!" Then `Abdullah came out and said, "I testify that None has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." The Jews then said, "Abdullah is the worst of us and the son of the worst of us," and disparaged him. On that `Abdullah said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! This is what I was afraid of!"
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4480In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 7USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 7
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4480
This hadith about Abdullah bin Salam shows a serious search for truth. He did not come with a light question. He asked about three matters that, in the text, he said only a prophet would know: the first sign of the Hour, the first food of the people of Paradise, and why a child may resemble the father or the mother. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered that Jibril had just informed him, then gave the answers. The hadith then shows Abdullah bin Salam openly testifying to Islam. It also shows the danger of judging a person by group feeling instead of truth. The same people first praised him highly, then insulted him after his Islam became known.
What we learn from this hadith
- Seeking truth can begin with sincere questions and careful listening.
- Prophetic knowledge in this report is tied to revelation through Jibril.
- A person's worth should not be changed by bias after they accept the truth.
- Faith may require courage when social pressure is expected.
