91/27. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 7018 — Avoid Claiming Final Honor
(Seeing) a flowing spring in a dream
Hadith About Not Claiming the Unseen for Anyone
Sahih Bukhari : 7018
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 7018
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَانُ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ خَارِجَةَ بْنِ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أُمِّ الْعَلاَء ِ ـ وَهْىَ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ نِسَائِهِمْ بَايَعَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَتْ طَارَ لَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ مَظْعُونٍ فِي السُّكْنَى حِينَ اقْتَرَعَتِ الأَنْصَارُ عَلَى سُكْنَى الْمُهَاجِرِينَ، فَاشْتَكَى فَمَرَّضْنَاهُ حَتَّى تُوُفِّيَ، ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاهُ فِي أَثْوَابِهِ فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ أَبَا السَّائِبِ، فَشَهَادَتِي عَلَيْكَ لَقَدْ أَكْرَمَكَ اللَّهُ. قَالَ " وَمَا يُدْرِيكِ ". قُلْتُ لاَ أَدْرِي وَاللَّهِ. قَالَ " أَمَّا هُوَ فَقَدْ جَاءَهُ الْيَقِينُ، إِنِّي لأَرْجُو لَهُ الْخَيْرَ مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي وَأَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ مَا يُفْعَلُ بِي وَلاَ بِكُمْ ". قَالَتْ أُمُّ الْعَلاَءِ فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ أُزَكِّي أَحَدًا بَعْدَهُ. قَالَتْ وَرَأَيْتُ لِعُثْمَانَ فِي النَّوْمِ عَيْنًا تَجْرِي، فَجِئْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَقَالَ " ذَاكِ عَمَلُهُ يَجْرِي لَهُ "
Kharija bin Zaid bin Thabit Narrated from:
Um Al-`Ala an Ansari woman who had given the Pledge of allegiance to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "`Uthman bin Maz'un came in our share when the Ansars drew lots to distribute the emigrants (to dwell) among themselves, He became sick and we looked after (nursed) him till he died. Then we shrouded him in his clothes.Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to us, I (addressing the dead body) said, "May Allah's Mercy be on you, O Aba As-Sa'ib! I testify that Allah has honored you." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'How do you know that?' I replied, 'I do not know, by Allah.' He said, 'As for him, death has come to him and I wish him all good from Allah. By Allah, though I am Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), I neither know what will happen to me, nor to you.'"Um Al-`Ala said, "By Allah, I will never attest the righteousness of anybody after that." She added, "Later I saw in a dream, a flowing spring for `Uthman. So I went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and mentioned that to him. He said, 'That is (the symbol of) his good deeds (the reward for) which is going on for him.' "
[1] See the footnote of Hadīth No.7003.Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 7018In-book reference : Book 91, Hadith 35USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 9, Book 87, Hadith 145
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 7018
This hadith about not claiming the unseen teaches careful speech about a person’s final state. Um Al-Ala cared for Uthman bin Mazun during illness until he died. When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم came, she said she testified that Allah had honored him. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked how she knew that. She admitted she did not know. He said death had come to him and that he hoped good for him from Allah, while saying that even he, as Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, did not know what would happen to him or to them. Later she saw a flowing spring for Uthman in a dream, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم explained it as his good deeds continuing for him.
What we learn from this hadith
- Do not claim certain knowledge of a person’s final state without proof.
- It is allowed to hope good from Allah for a deceased Muslim.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected speech that went beyond knowledge.
- A flowing spring in the dream was explained as ongoing good deeds.
