65/20.3. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4738 — Adam Overcomes Musa in Argument
The Statement of Allah the Exalted: "...So let him not get you both out of Paradise, so that you be distressed." (V.20:117)
Hadith About Adam and Musa Argument
Sahih Bukhari : 4738
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4738
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ بْنُ النَّجَّارِ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " حَاجَّ مُوسَى آدَمَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ أَنْتَ الَّذِي أَخْرَجْتَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ بِذَنْبِكَ وَأَشْقَيْتَهُمْ. قَالَ قَالَ آدَمُ يَا مُوسَى أَنْتَ الَّذِي اصْطَفَاكَ اللَّهُ بِرِسَالَتِهِ وَبِكَلاَمِهِ أَتَلُومُنِي عَلَى أَمْرٍ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَىَّ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَنِي أَوْ قَدَّرَهُ عَلَىَّ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَنِي ". قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " فَحَجَّ آدَمُ مُوسَى ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Moses argued with Adam and said to him (Adam), 'You are the one who got the people out of Paradise by your sin, and thus made them miserable." Adam replied, 'O Moses! You are the one whom Allah selected for His Message and for His direct talk. Yet you blame me for a thing which Allah had ordained for me before He created me?." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) further said, "So Adam overcame Moses by this Argument."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4738In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 260USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 262
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4738
This hadith about Adam and Musa is another wording of the debate about divine decree. Musa told Adam that he was the one who brought people out of Paradise by his sin and made them miserable. Adam replied that Musa was the one Allah selected for His message and direct speech. Then Adam asked whether Musa blamed him for a matter Allah had ordained for him before He created him. Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said that Adam overcame Musa by this argument. The core topic is qadr, or divine decree, as stated in the report. The explanation should stay within the text. The hadith does not invite people to ignore responsibility in daily life. It records this specific argument and the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم conclusion about it.
What we learn from this hadith
- Allah’s prior decree is central to Adam’s reply.
- Musa’s special rank is mentioned in Adam’s answer.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم stated that Adam overcame Musa in the argument.
- The hadith should be understood from its specific wording and setting.
