36/22. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 4019 — Five Tests and Their Consequences
Punishments
Hadith About Five Tests: Public Sin, Zakah, Justice, and Rule
Sunan Ibn Majah : 4019
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 4019
حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَبُو أَيُّوبَ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَقَالَ " يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ خَمْسٌ إِذَا ابْتُلِيتُمْ بِهِنَّ وَأَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ تُدْرِكُوهُنَّ لَمْ تَظْهَرِ الْفَاحِشَةُ فِي قَوْمٍ قَطُّ حَتَّى يُعْلِنُوا بِهَا إِلاَّ فَشَا فِيهِمُ الطَّاعُونُ وَالأَوْجَاعُ الَّتِي لَمْ تَكُنْ مَضَتْ فِي أَسْلاَفِهِمُ الَّذِينَ مَضَوْا . وَلَمْ يَنْقُصُوا الْمِكْيَالَ وَالْمِيزَانَ إِلاَّ أُخِذُوا بِالسِّنِينَ وَشِدَّةِ الْمَؤُنَةِ وَجَوْرِ السُّلْطَانِ عَلَيْهِمْ . وَلَمْ يَمْنَعُوا زَكَاةَ أَمْوَالِهِمْ إِلاَّ مُنِعُوا الْقَطْرَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَلَوْلاَ الْبَهَائِمُ لَمْ يُمْطَرُوا وَلَمْ يَنْقُضُوا عَهْدَ اللَّهِ وَعَهْدَ رَسُولِهِ إِلاَّ سَلَّطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ عَدُوًّا مِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ فَأَخَذُوا بَعْضَ مَا فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ . وَمَا لَمْ تَحْكُمْ أَئِمَّتُهُمْ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَيَتَخَيَّرُوا مِمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ بَأْسَهُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ " .
`Abdullah bin `Umar Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) turned to us and said: ‘O Muhajirun, there are five things with which you will be tested, and I seek refuge with Allah lest you live to see them: Immorality never appears among a people to such an extent that they commit it openly, but plagues and diseases that were never known among the predecessors will spread among them.They do not cheat in weights and measures but they will be stricken with famine, severe calamity and the oppression of their rulers. They do not withhold the Zakah of their wealth, but rain will be withheld from the sky, and were it not for the animals, no rain would fall on them.They do not break their covenant with Allah and His Messenger, but Allah will enable their enemies to overpower them and take some of what is in their hands. Unless their leaders rule according to the Book of Allah and seek all good from that which Allah has revealed, Allah will cause them to fight one another.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4019In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 94English translation : Vol. 5, Book 36, Hadith 4019
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 4019
This Hadith about five tests gives a serious warning to the Muhajirun. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned five matters: open immorality, cheating in weights and measures, withholding Zakah, breaking the covenant with Allah and His Messenger, and leaders not ruling by the Book of Allah. The narration links each with hardship, such as disease, famine, oppression, loss to enemies, and fighting among people. The explanation should stay close to the text and not turn it into claims about every specific event today. The Hadith teaches that public sins have public effects. It also shows that worship, trade honesty, covenants, Zakah, and just rule are all part of a healthy community.
What we learn from this hadith
- Open immorality is warned against in the narration.
- Cheating in weights and measures is linked with hardship and oppression.
- Withholding Zakah is mentioned as a cause of rain being withheld.
- Leadership that leaves the Book of Allah is linked with conflict among people.
