65/2.13. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4487 — Muslim Ummah as Witnesses
The Statement of Allah Jt: "Thus We have made of you [true Muslims— real believers of Islamic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad jR and his Sunna (legal ways)], a just (and the best) nation, that you may be witnesses over mankind, and the Messenger (Muhammad) will be a witness over you..." (V.2:143)
Hadith About the Muslim Ummah as Witnesses Over Mankind
Sahih Bukhari : 4487
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4487
حَدَّثَنَا يُوسُفُ بْنُ رَاشِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، وَأَبُو أُسَامَةَ ـ وَاللَّفْظُ لِجَرِيرٍ ـ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، وَقَالَ أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يُدْعَى نُوحٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَيَقُولُ لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ يَا رَبِّ. فَيَقُولُ هَلْ بَلَّغْتَ فَيَقُولُ نَعَمْ. فَيُقَالُ لأُمَّتِهِ هَلْ بَلَّغَكُمْ فَيَقُولُونَ مَا أَتَانَا مِنْ نَذِيرٍ. فَيَقُولُ مَنْ يَشْهَدُ لَكَ فَيَقُولُ مُحَمَّدٌ وَأُمَّتُهُ. فَتَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّهُ قَدْ بَلَّغَ ". {وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا} فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ {وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا} وَالْوَسَطُ الْعَدْلُ.
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Noah will be called on the Day of Resurrection and he will say, 'Labbaik and Sa`daik, O my Lord!' Allah will say, 'Did you convey the Message?' Noah will say, 'Yes.' His nation will then be asked, 'Did he convey the Message to you?' They will say, 'No Warner came to us.'Then Allah will say (to Noah), 'Who will bear witness in your favor?' He will say, 'Muhammad and his followers. So they (i.e. Muslims) will testify that he conveyed the Message. And the Apostle (Muhammad) will be a witness over yourselves, and that is what is meant by the Statement of Allah"Thus We have made of you a just and the best nation that you may be witnesses over mankind and the Apostle (Muhammad) will be a witness over yourselves." (2.143)
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4487In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 14USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 14
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4487
This hadith about the Muslim Ummah as witnesses describes a scene on the Day of Resurrection. Nuh will be asked whether he conveyed the message, and he will say yes. His nation will be asked, and they will deny that a warner came to them. When Nuh is asked who will bear witness for him, he will say Muhammad and his followers. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then links this to the verse about being a just nation and witnesses over mankind, while the Messenger is a witness over the Muslims. The hadith gives weight to the idea of truthful testimony. It also explains that the word wasat in this report means just.
What we learn from this hadith
- Prophet Nuh's delivery of the message is affirmed in the report.
- The followers of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم are described as witnesses in that scene.
- The Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم is described as a witness over his own followers.
- The hadith explains wasat as justice in this context.
