36/20. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 4010 — Supporting the Weak Against the Strong
Enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil
Hadith About Justice: Support the Weak Against the Strong
Sunan Ibn Majah : 4010
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 4010
حَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ خُثَيْمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ لَمَّا رَجَعَتْ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ مُهَاجِرَةُ الْبَحْرِ قَالَ " أَلاَ تُحَدِّثُونِي بِأَعَاجِيبِ مَا رَأَيْتُمْ بِأَرْضِ الْحَبَشَةِ " . قَالَ فِتْيَةٌ مِنْهُمْ بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بَيْنَا نَحْنُ جُلُوسٌ مَرَّتْ بِنَا عَجُوزٌ مِنْ عَجَائِزِ رَهَابِينِهِمْ تَحْمِلُ عَلَى رَأْسِهَا قُلَّةً مِنْ مَاءٍ فَمَرَّتْ بِفَتًى مِنْهُمْ فَجَعَلَ إِحْدَى يَدَيْهِ بَيْنَ كَتِفَيْهَا ثُمَّ دَفَعَهَا فَخَرَّتْ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهَا فَانْكَسَرَتْ قُلَّتُهَا فَلَمَّا ارْتَفَعَتِ الْتَفَتَتْ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَتْ سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُ يَا غُدَرُ إِذَا وَضَعَ اللَّهُ الْكُرْسِيَّ وَجَمَعَ الأَوَّلِينَ وَالآخِرِينَ وَتَكَلَّمَتِ الأَيْدِي وَالأَرْجُلُ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُ كَيْفَ أَمْرِي وَأَمْرُكَ عِنْدَهُ غَدًا . قَالَ يَقُولُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " صَدَقَتْ صَدَقَتْ كَيْفَ يُقَدِّسُ اللَّهُ أُمَّةً لاَ يُؤْخَذُ لِضَعِيفِهِمْ مِنْ شَدِيدِهِمْ " .
Jabir Narrated from:
When the emigrants who had crossed the sea came back to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), he said: ‘Why don’t you tell me of the strange things that you saw in the land of Abyssinia?’ Some young men among them said: ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah. While we were sitting, one of their elderly nuns came past, carrying a vessel of water on her head. She passed by some of their youth, one of whom placed his hand between her shoulders and pushed her. She fell on her knees and her vessel broke.When she stood up, she turned to him and said: “You will come to know, O traitor, that when Allah sets up the Footstool and gathers the first and the last, and hands and feet speak of what they used to earn, you will come to know your case and my case in His presence soon.’” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘She spoke the truth, she spoke the truth. How can Allah purify any people (of sin) when they do not support their weak from their strong?’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4010In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 85English translation : Vol. 5, Book 36, Hadith 4010
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 4010
This Hadith about justice and supporting the weak tells a clear story. The emigrants described an old nun in Abyssinia who was pushed by a young man, fell, and broke her water vessel. She warned him that Allah would gather people and that hands and feet would speak about what they used to do. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم confirmed her words and said: how can Allah purify a people when they do not support their weak from their strong? The lesson is plain. A society should not allow the powerful to harm the weak without support or correction. The Hadith links justice, public responsibility, and accountability before Allah in a very direct way.
What we learn from this hadith
- The weak should be supported when they are wronged by the strong.
- The narration reminds people that deeds will be brought before Allah.
- A society is blamed when it leaves the weak without help.
- Justice is not only a private feeling; it includes standing with those harmed.
