68/26. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 5305 — Heredity and Care Before Doubting a Child
If a husband suspects his paternity to a child.
Hadith About Heredity, Child Color, and Avoiding Rash Doubt
Sahih Bukhari : 5305
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 5305
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ قَزَعَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وُلِدَ لِي غُلاَمٌ أَسْوَدُ. فَقَالَ " هَلْ لَكَ مِنْ إِبِلٍ ". قَالَ نَعَمْ. قَالَ " مَا أَلْوَانُهَا ". قَالَ حُمْرٌ. قَالَ " هَلْ فِيهَا مِنْ أَوْرَقَ ". قَالَ نَعَمْ. قَالَ " فَأَنَّى ذَلِكَ ". قَالَ لَعَلَّهُ نَزَعَهُ عِرْقٌ. قَالَ " فَلَعَلَّ ابْنَكَ هَذَا نَزَعَهُ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! A black child has been born for me." The Prophet asked him, "Have you got camels?" The man said, "Yes." The Prophet (ﷺ) asked him, "What color are they?" The man replied, "Red." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Is there a grey one among them?' The man replied, "Yes." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whence comes that?" He said, "May be it is because of heredity." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "May be your latest son has this color because of heredity."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5305In-book reference : Book 68, Hadith 54USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 63, Hadith 225
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 5305
This hadith about heredity shows the Prophet answering a sensitive family concern with calm reasoning. A man was troubled because a black child had been born to him. Instead of shaming him or letting suspicion grow, the Prophet asked about his camels, their colors, and whether a grey camel appeared among red ones. When the man said that such color may come through heredity, the Prophet applied the same idea to the man's child. The explanation stays close to the text: visible traits can appear because of lineage. This hadith is often searched as the black child hadith, heredity in Islam hadith, or paternity doubt hadith. Its tone teaches patience before judging family matters.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet handled a sensitive question with calm dialogue.
- Different physical traits can appear through heredity.
- A person should avoid rushing into suspicion based only on appearance.
- Simple examples can help remove doubt and protect family dignity.
