12/47. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1064e — Recitation Without Depth
The Khawarij and their attributes
Hadith About Qur’an Not Going Beyond the Throat
Sahih Muslim : 1064e
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1064e
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ يَحْيَى بْنَ سَعِيدٍ، يَقُولُ أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، وَعَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، أَنَّهُمَا أَتَيَا أَبَا سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيَّ فَسَأَلاَهُ عَنِ الْحَرُورِيَّةِ، هَلْ سَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَذْكُرُهَا قَالَ لاَ أَدْرِي مَنِ الْحَرُورِيَّةُ وَلَكِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " يَخْرُجُ فِي هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ - وَلَمْ يَقُلْ مِنْهَا - قَوْمٌ تَحْقِرُونَ صَلاَتَكُمْ مَعَ صَلاَتِهِمْ فَيَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ . لاَ يُجَاوِزُ حُلُوقَهُمْ - أَوْ حَنَاجِرَهُمْ - يَمْرُقُونَ مِنَ الدِّينِ مُرُوقَ السَّهْمِ مِنَ الرَّمِيَّةِ فَيَنْظُرُ الرَّامِي إِلَى سَهْمِهِ إِلَى نَصْلِهِ إِلَى رِصَافِهِ فَيَتَمَارَى فِي الْفُوقَةِ هَلْ عَلِقَ بِهَا مِنَ الدَّمِ شَىْءٌ " .
Abu Salama and 'Ata' b. Yasar came to Abu Sa'id al-Khudri and asked him about Haruriya, saying: Did you hear the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) making a mention of them? He (Abu Sai'd al-Khudri) said: I don't know who the Haruriya are, but I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: There would arise in this nation (and he did not say" out of them" ) a people and you would hold insignificant your prayers as compared with their prayers. And they would recite the Qur'an which would not go beyond their throats and would swerve through the religion (as blank) just as a (swift) arrow passes through the prey. The archer looks at his arrow, at its iron head and glances at its end (which he held) in the tip of his fingers to see whether it had any stain of blood.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1064eIn-book reference : Book 12, Hadith 192USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 5, Hadith 2322
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1064e
This hadith about Qur’an not going beyond the throat begins with Abu Salama and Ata asking Abu Sa'id about Haruriya. Abu Sa'id said he did not know who the Haruriya were, but he shared what he heard from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that a people would arise in this nation. Their prayer would make others view their own prayer as small, and they would recite the Qur’an, but it would not go beyond their throats. The image of the arrow passing through prey shows how quickly they would swerve through religion. The lesson is that impressive worship must be joined with true understanding and sound guidance.
What we learn from this hadith
- Abu Sa'id only reported what he directly heard from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- Outward prayer and recitation can look impressive but still lack depth.
- The Qur’an should affect the heart, not remain only at the throat.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم warned about people who would pass through religion like an arrow.
