74/6. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 5590 — Declaring Forbidden Things Lawful
The one who regards an alcoholic drink lawful to drink, and calls it by another name
Hadith About Declaring Alcohol and Other Forbidden Acts Lawful
Sahih Bukhari : 5590
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 5590
وَقَالَ هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ حَدَّثَنَا صَدَقَةُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ بْنِ جَابِرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَطِيَّةُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ الْكِلاَبِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ غَنْمٍ الأَشْعَرِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو عَامِرٍ ـ أَوْ أَبُو مَالِكٍ ـ الأَشْعَرِيُّ وَاللَّهِ مَا كَذَبَنِي سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " لَيَكُونَنَّ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَقْوَامٌ يَسْتَحِلُّونَ الْحِرَ وَالْحَرِيرَ وَالْخَمْرَ وَالْمَعَازِفَ، وَلَيَنْزِلَنَّ أَقْوَامٌ إِلَى جَنْبِ عَلَمٍ يَرُوحُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِسَارِحَةٍ لَهُمْ، يَأْتِيهِمْ ـ يَعْنِي الْفَقِيرَ ـ لِحَاجَةٍ فَيَقُولُوا ارْجِعْ إِلَيْنَا غَدًا. فَيُبَيِّتُهُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَضَعُ الْعَلَمَ، وَيَمْسَخُ آخَرِينَ قِرَدَةً وَخَنَازِيرَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ".
Narrated Abu 'Amir or Abu Malik Al-Ash'ari: that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful. And there will be some people who will stay near the side of a mountain and in the evening their shepherd will come to them with their sheep and ask them for something, but they will say to him, 'Return to us tomorrow.' Allah will destroy them during the night and will let the mountain fall on them, and He will transform the rest of them into monkeys and pigs and they will remain so till the Day of Resurrection."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5590In-book reference : Book 74, Hadith 16USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 69, Hadith 494
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 5590
This hadith contains a strong warning. Abu Amir or Abu Malik Al-Ashari reports hearing the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم say that some people from his followers would consider illegal sexual intercourse, silk, alcoholic drinks, and musical instruments as lawful. The narration then describes people near a mountain who turn away a needy person by telling him to return the next day, followed by punishment from Allah mentioned in the text. Since the wording is severe, the explanation should not soften or add to it. The core message is that treating forbidden matters as lawful is a serious issue, and alcohol is named clearly among those matters.
What we learn from this hadith
- The hadith warns against treating forbidden acts as lawful.
- Alcoholic drinks are named among the things people would wrongly allow.
- The report also mentions turning away a needy person and a severe punishment.
