67/97. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 5210 — Al-‘Azl and the Destiny of Souls
The coitus interruptus
Hadith About Al-‘Azl and the Divine Decree of Birth
Sahih Bukhari : 5210
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 5210
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَسْمَاءَ، حَدَّثَنَا جُوَيْرِيَةُ، عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنِ ابْنِ مُحَيْرِيزٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَصَبْنَا سَبْيًا فَكُنَّا نَعْزِلُ فَسَأَلْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " أَوَإِنَّكُمْ لَتَفْعَلُونَ قَالَهَا ثَلاَثًا مَا مِنْ نَسَمَةٍ كَائِنَةٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ إِلاَّ هِيَ كَائِنَةٌ ".
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri Narrated from:
We got female captives in the war booty and we used to do coitus interruptus with them. So we asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about it and he said, "Do you really do that?" repeating the question thrice, "There is no soul that is destined to exist but will come into existence, till the Day of Resurrection."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5210In-book reference : Book 67, Hadith 143USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 62, Hadith 137
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 5210
This hadith about al-‘azl and destiny reports a question asked to Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Abu Sa‘id Al-Khudri says they had female captives from war booty and practiced coitus interruptus with them. They asked the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) about it. He repeated, “Do you really do that?” three times, then taught that no soul destined to exist until the Day of Resurrection will fail to come into existence. The main point stated in the hadith is the power of Allah’s decree over the creation of souls. The narration does not ask the reader to guess extra details. It places the practice of al-‘azl next to the truth that what Allah has destined will happen.
What we learn from this hadith
- Every soul destined by Allah to exist will come into existence.
- The companions asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about a real practice.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered by directing them to belief in divine decree.
- The hadith should be explained through its stated words and setting.
