82/1. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 6595 — The Angel in the Womb
Chapter
Hadith About the Angel in the Womb and Allah's Decree
Sahih Bukhari : 6595
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 6595
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " وَكَّلَ اللَّهُ بِالرَّحِمِ مَلَكًا فَيَقُولُ أَىْ رَبِّ نُطْفَةٌ، أَىْ رَبِّ عَلَقَةٌ، أَىْ رَبِّ مُضْغَةٌ. فَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَقْضِيَ خَلْقَهَا قَالَ أَىْ رَبِّ ذَكَرٌ أَمْ أُنْثَى أَشَقِيٌّ أَمْ سَعِيدٌ فَمَا الرِّزْقُ فَمَا الأَجَلُ فَيُكْتَبُ كَذَلِكَ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ ".
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah puts an angel in charge of the uterus and the angel says, 'O Lord, (it is) semen! O Lord, (it is now) a clot! O Lord, (it is now) a piece of flesh.' And then, if Allah wishes to complete its creation, the angel asks, 'O Lord, (will it be) a male or a female? A wretched (an evil doer) or a blessed (doer of good)? How much will his provisions be? What will his age be?' So all that is written while the creature is still in the mother's womb."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6595In-book reference : Book 82, Hadith 2USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 77, Hadith 594
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 6595
This hadith about the angel in the womb explains that Allah places an angel in charge of the uterus. The angel speaks at each stage, saying that it is semen, then a clot, then a piece of flesh. When Allah wishes to complete the creation, the angel asks whether the child will be male or female, wretched or blessed, what the provision will be, and what the lifespan will be. The hadith clearly connects creation in the womb with Allah's decree. It does not ask the reader to guess hidden matters. Instead, it teaches that these matters are written while the person is still in the mother's womb.
What we learn from this hadith
- Allah places an angel in charge of the womb.
- The stages of creation are mentioned step by step.
- Gender, provision, lifespan, and final state are written by Allah's command.
- Hidden matters belong to Allah's knowledge.
