84/3. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 6710 — Ramadan Expiation and Mercy
The man who helped another person to make an expiation
Ramadan Expiation Hadith: Mercy After a Serious Mistake
Sahih Bukhari : 6710
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 6710
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ هَلَكْتُ. فَقَالَ " وَمَا ذَاكَ ". قَالَ وَقَعْتُ بِأَهْلِي فِي رَمَضَانَ. قَالَ " تَجِدُ رَقَبَةً ". قَالَ لاَ. قَالَ " هَلْ تَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ تَصُومَ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ ". قَالَ لاَ. قَالَ " فَتَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ تُطْعِمَ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا ". قَالَ لاَ. قَالَ فَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ بِعَرَقٍ ـ وَالْعَرَقُ الْمِكْتَلُ فِيهِ تَمْرٌ ـ فَقَالَ " اذْهَبْ بِهَذَا، فَتَصَدَّقْ بِهِ ". قَالَ عَلَى أَحْوَجَ مِنَّا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا بَيْنَ لاَبَتَيْهَا أَهْلُ بَيْتٍ أَحْوَجُ مِنَّا. ثُمَّ قَالَ " اذْهَبْ، فَأَطْعِمْهُ أَهْلَكَ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
A man came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, "I am ruined!" The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "What is the matter?" He said, "I have done a sexual relation with my wife (while fasting) in Ramadan." The Prophet said to him?" "Can you afford to manumit a slave?" He said, "No." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Can you fast for two successive months?" He said, "No." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Can you feed sixty poor persons?" He said, "No."Then an Ansari man came with an Irq (a big basket full of dates). The Prophet said (to the man), "Take this (basket) and give it in charity." That man said, "To poorer people than we, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? By Him Who has sent you with the Truth! There is no house in between the two mountains (of the city of Medina) poorer than we." So the Prophet (ﷺ) said (to him), "Go and feed it to your family."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6710In-book reference : Book 84, Hadith 3USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 79, Hadith 701
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 6710
This hadith about Ramadan expiation shows a man coming to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم with fear after having relations with his wife while fasting in Ramadan. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not ignore the matter, but he also did not treat the man harshly. He asked him about the possible forms of kafarah: freeing a slave, fasting two continuous months, or feeding sixty poor people. When the man could not do any of these, a basket of dates was brought, and he was told to give it in charity. When he explained that his own family was poorer than others in Medina, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told him to feed his family. The hadith teaches accountability, honesty, and mercy in dealing with mistakes.
What we learn from this hadith
- A serious mistake in Ramadan should be admitted honestly and corrected.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم guided the man step by step according to what he could manage.
- Charity and feeding the needy are part of the expiation mentioned in the text.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم showed mercy when the man was unable and in need.
