65/66.1. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4912 — The Honey Incident and an Oath
"O Prophet! Why do you forbid (for yourself) that which Allah has allowed to you?..." (V.66:1)
(66) Surat at-Tahreem (The Prohibition) (66) سورة التَّحْرِيمِ - بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Hadith About the Honey Incident, Oaths, and Private Words
Sahih Bukhari : 4912
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4912
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَشْرَبُ عَسَلاً عِنْدَ زَيْنَبَ ابْنَةِ جَحْشٍ وَيَمْكُثُ عِنْدَهَا فَوَاطَيْتُ أَنَا وَحَفْصَةُ عَنْ أَيَّتُنَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا فَلْتَقُلْ لَهُ أَكَلْتَ مَغَافِيرَ إِنِّي أَجِدُ مِنْكَ رِيحَ مَغَافِيرَ. قَالَ " لاَ وَلَكِنِّي كُنْتُ أَشْرَبُ عَسَلاً عِنْدَ زَيْنَبَ ابْنَةِ جَحْشٍ فَلَنْ أَعُودَ لَهُ وَقَدْ حَلَفْتُ لاَ تُخْبِرِي بِذَلِكِ أَحَدًا ".
A'isha Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to drink honey in the house of Zainab, the daughter of Jahsh, and would stay there with her. So Hafsa and I agreed secretly that, if he come to either of us, she would say to him. "It seems you have eaten Maghafir (a kind of bad-smelling resin), for I smell in you the smell of Maghafir," (We did so) and he replied. "No, but I was drinking honey in the house of Zainab, the daughter of Jahsh, and I shall never take it again. I have taken an oath as to that, and you should not tell anybody about it."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4912In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 432USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 434
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4912
This Hadith about the honey incident tells of Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم drinking honey at the house of Zainab bint Jahsh and staying there. Aisha and Hafsa agreed that whichever of them he visited would say she smelled Maghafir on him. When this was said, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم explained that he had been drinking honey, not eating Maghafir. He then said he would not take it again and mentioned that he had taken an oath. He also told her not to tell anyone about it. The Hadith should be understood from its own wording. It teaches that family words can lead to serious outcomes, and oaths should be treated carefully.
What we learn from this hadith
- Private words in the family can have serious effects.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم clearly explained that the smell was from honey, not Maghafir.
- The narration shows that an oath was made in connection with this incident.
