78/43. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 6042 — Respect, Modesty and Marriage Conduct
"...Let not a group scoff at another group.."
Hadith About Respect and Not Mocking Others
Sahih Bukhari : 6042
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 6042
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زَمْعَةَ، قَالَ نَهَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يَضْحَكَ الرَّجُلُ مِمَّا يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الأَنْفُسِ وَقَالَ " بِمَ يَضْرِبُ أَحَدُكُمُ امْرَأَتَهُ ضَرْبَ الْفَحْلِ، ثُمَّ لَعَلَّهُ يُعَانِقُهَا ". وَقَالَ الثَّوْرِيُّ وَوُهَيْبٌ وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنْ هِشَامٍ " جَلْدَ الْعَبْدِ ".
`Abdullah bin Zam`a Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade laughing at a person who passes wind, and said, "How does anyone of you beat his wife as he beats the stallion camel and then he may embrace (sleep with) her?" And Hisham said, "As he beats his slave"
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6042In-book reference : Book 78, Hadith 72USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 73, Hadith 68
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 6042
This Hadith about respect teaches two direct manners. First, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم forbade laughing at a person because of something that comes out from the body, meaning a passing of wind as stated in the translation. This protects people from shame and mockery. Second, he strongly questioned how a man could beat his wife with harshness and then later embrace her. The wording points to the contradiction between severe treatment and close marital life. The Hadith is often searched as a hadith about not laughing at others and a hadith about wife beating. A safe explanation should stay with the text: it condemns mockery and challenges harsh conduct toward a wife.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم forbade laughing at someone for passing wind.
- Mocking a person over an embarrassing matter is not from good manners.
- The Hadith questions harsh beating of one’s wife.
- Respect should be maintained in both public manners and family life.
