65/68.1. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4918 — Humility and Arrogance
"Cruel, and moreover base-born (of illegitimate birth)." (V.68:13)
(68) Surat al-Qalam (The Pen) (68) سورة ن وَالْقَلَمِ - بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Hadith About People of Paradise and People of Hellfire
Sahih Bukhari : 4918
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4918
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ مَعْبَدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ حَارِثَةَ بْنَ وَهْبٍ الْخُزَاعِيَّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ كُلُّ ضَعِيفٍ مُتَضَعِّفٍ لَوْ أَقْسَمَ عَلَى اللَّهِ لأَبَرَّهُ، أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَهْلِ النَّارِ كُلُّ عُتُلٍّ جَوَّاظٍ مُسْتَكْبِرٍ ".
Haritha bin Wahb Al-Khuza`i Narrated from:
I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying. "May I tell you of the people of Paradise? Every weak and poor obscure person whom the people look down upon but his oath is fulfilled by Allah when he takes an oath to do something. And may I inform you of the people of the Hell-Fire? They are all those violent, arrogant and stubborn people."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4918In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 438USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 440
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4918
This Hadith about humility and arrogance gives a strong contrast. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked if he should tell the people about the people of Paradise. He described every weak and poor obscure person whom people look down upon, yet if he swore by Allah, Allah would fulfill his oath. Then he asked if he should tell them about the people of Hellfire. He described violent, arrogant, and stubborn people. The Hadith does not praise weakness for its own sake, nor does it give a license to look down on anyone. Its clear message is that Allah may honor people whom society ignores, while pride and harshness are dangerous traits.
What we learn from this hadith
- People who are looked down upon may have a high place with Allah.
- Violence, arrogance, and stubbornness are condemned in the Hadith.
- Outward social status is not the measure of true worth.
