82/4. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 6603 — No Soul Misses Its Decree
"And the Command of Allah is a decree determined"
Hadith About Birth, Decree, and the Creation of Souls
Sahih Bukhari : 6603
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 6603
حَدَّثَنَا حِبَّانُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَيْرِيزٍ الْجُمَحِيُّ، أَنَّ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيَّ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، بَيْنَمَا هُوَ جَالِسٌ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم جَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِنِ الأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا نُصِيبُ سَبْيًا وَنُحِبُّ الْمَالَ، كَيْفَ تَرَى فِي الْعَزْلِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَوَإِنَّكُمْ تَفْعَلُونَ ذَلِكَ، لاَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ لاَ تَفْعَلُوا، فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَتْ نَسَمَةٌ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَخْرُجَ إِلاَّ هِيَ كَائِنَةٌ ".
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri Narrated from:
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: That while he was sitting with the Prophet (ﷺ) a man from the Ansar came and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! We get slave girls from the war captives and we love property; what do you think about coitus interruptus?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Do you do that? It is better for you not to do it, for there is no soul which Allah has ordained to come into existence but will be created."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6603In-book reference : Book 82, Hadith 9USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 77, Hadith 600
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 6603
This hadith about birth and decree records a question about coitus interruptus. A man from the Ansar asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about it in a specific setting involving captives and concern for property. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered, asking whether they did that, then said it was better not to do it. He then gave the key teaching: there is no soul that Allah has ordained to come into existence except that it will be created. The hadith focuses on Allah's decree over life coming into being. It should not be stretched beyond its wording. The main lesson is that human action does not block a soul Allah has written to exist.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered a question about coitus interruptus.
- He said it was better not to do it.
- A soul written by Allah to exist will be created.
- The hadith points to Allah's control over life and birth.
