0/6. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 42 — Hold Firm to the Sunnah
Following the way of the Rightly Guided Caliphs
Hadith About Following the Sunnah in Times of Conflict
Sunan Ibn Majah : 42
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 42
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ بَشِيرِ بْنِ ذَكْوَانَ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ زَبْرٍ - حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ أَبِي الْمُطَاعِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْعِرْبَاضَ بْنَ سَارِيَةَ، يَقُولُ قَامَ فِينَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فَوَعَظَنَا مَوْعِظَةً بَلِيغَةً وَجِلَتْ مِنْهَا الْقُلُوبُ وَذَرَفَتْ مِنْهَا الْعُيُونُ فَقِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَعَظْتَنَا مَوْعِظَةَ مُوَدِّعٍ فَاعْهَدْ إِلَيْنَا بِعَهْدٍ فَقَالَ " عَلَيْكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ وَالسَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ وَإِنْ عَبْدًا حَبَشِيًّا وَسَتَرَوْنَ مِنْ بَعْدِي اخْتِلاَفًا شَدِيدًا فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِسُنَّتِي وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ الْمَهْدِيِّينَ عَضُّوا عَلَيْهَا بِالنَّوَاجِذِ وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَالأُمُورَ الْمُحْدَثَاتِ فَإِنَّ كُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلاَلَةٌ " .
'Irbad bin Sariyah Narrated from:
One day, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up among us and delivered a deeply moving speech to us that melted our hearts and caused our eyes to overflow with tears. It was said to him: 'O Messenger of Allah, you have delivered a speech of farewell, so enjoin something upon us.' He said: 'I urge you to fear Allah, and to listen and obey, even if (your leader) is an Abyssinian slave. After I am gone, you will see great conflict. I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah and the path of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, and cling stubbornly to it. And beware of newly-invented matters, for every innovation is a going astray.'"
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 42In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 0English translation : Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 42
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 42
This Hadith is a well-known hadith about following the Sunnah, especially when people face conflict and disagreement. The Prophet gave a moving reminder that made the hearts soft and the eyes tearful. When the companions asked for final advice, he urged them to fear Allah, listen and obey, and hold tightly to his Sunnah and the path of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. The Hadith also warns against newly-invented matters in religion, calling every innovation a going astray. The message is practical and direct: when confusion appears, the safe path is to stay close to the Prophetic way and avoid religious changes that are not from it.
What we learn from this hadith
- Taqwa is the first foundation of religious guidance.
- The Sunnah is a path to hold firmly during conflict.
- The path of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs is linked to Prophetic guidance.
- Newly-invented matters in religion are warned against in this narration.
