84/5. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 6712 — The Sa Measurement
The Sa' of Al-Madina, and the Mudd of the Prophet (saws)
وَمُدِّ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَبَرَكَتِهِ وَمَا تَوَارَثَ أَهْلُ الْمَدِينَةِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَرْنًا بَعْدَ قَرْنٍ.
The Sa Measurement in Hadith: What Changed Over Time
Sahih Bukhari : 6712
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 6712
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ الْمُزَنِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْجُعَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنِ السَّائِبِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، قَالَ كَانَ الصَّاعُ عَلَى عَهْدِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُدًّا وَثُلُثًا بِمُدِّكُمُ الْيَوْمَ فَزِيدَ فِيهِ فِي زَمَنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ.
Al-Ju'aid bin `Abdur-Rahman Narrated from:
As-Sa'ib bin Yazid said, "The Sa' at the time of the Prophet (ﷺ) was equal to one Mudd plus one-third of a Mudd of your time, and then it was increased in the time of Caliph `Umar bin `Abdul `Aziz."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6712In-book reference : Book 84, Hadith 5USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 79, Hadith 703
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 6712
This hadith focuses on the Islamic measurement called Sa. As-Sa'ib bin Yazid said that the Sa during the time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was equal to one Mudd plus one-third of a Mudd according to the later measure being used in his time. He then mentioned that it was increased during the time of Caliph Umar bin Abdul Aziz. The hadith is short, but it is useful for anyone searching for Sa and Mudd measurement in hadith because it shows that people were aware of changes in measuring standards. The text does not give a modern weight or volume. It simply compares the older Prophetic measure with a later measure and records that a change happened.
What we learn from this hadith
- The hadith records a difference between earlier and later measuring standards.
- The Sa used in the Prophet’s time is treated as an important reference.
- Care in measurement matters when dealing with religious quantities.
- The narration keeps the discussion tied to known historical measures.
