12/48. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1066a — Truthfulness in Hadith and Warning
Exhortation to kill the Khawarij
Hadith About Young People Reciting Qur’an Without Depth
Sahih Muslim : 1066a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1066a
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الأَشَجُّ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ وَكِيعٍ، - قَالَ الأَشَجُّ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، - حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ خَيْثَمَةَ، عَنْ سُوَيْدِ بْنِ غَفَلَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ إِذَا حَدَّثْتُكُمْ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلأَنْ أَخِرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ أَنْ أَقُولَ عَلَيْهِ مَا لَمْ يَقُلْ وَإِذَا حَدَّثْتُكُمْ فِيمَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ فَإِنَّ الْحَرْبَ خَدْعَةٌ . سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " سَيَخْرُجُ فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ قَوْمٌ أَحْدَاثُ الأَسْنَانِ سُفَهَاءُ الأَحْلاَمِ يَقُولُونَ مِنْ خَيْرِ قَوْلِ الْبَرِيَّةِ يَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ لاَ يُجَاوِزُ حَنَاجِرَهُمْ يَمْرُقُونَ مِنَ الدِّينِ كَمَا يَمْرُقُ السَّهْمُ مِنَ الرَّمِيَّةِ فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُوهُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُمْ فَإِنَّ فِي قَتْلِهِمْ أَجْرًا لِمَنْ قَتَلَهُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ " .
Ali said: Whenever I narrate to you anything from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) believe it to be absolutely true as falling from the sky is dearer to me than that of attributing anything to him (the Holy Prophet) which he never said. When I talk to you of anything which is between me and you (there might creep some error in it) for battle is an outwitting. I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: There would arise at the end of the age a people who would be young in age and immature in thought, but they would talk (in such a manner) as if their words are the best among the creatures. They would recite the Qur'an, but it would not go beyond their throats, and they would pass through the religion as an arrow goes through the prey. So when you meet them, kill them, for in their killing you would get a reward with Allah on the Day of Judgement.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1066aIn-book reference : Book 12, Hadith 199USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 5, Hadith 2328
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1066a
This hadith about young people reciting Qur’an without depth begins with Ali’s strong care for truthfulness in hadith. He said that falling from the sky was dearer to him than attributing to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم something he did not say. Then he reported that he heard the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم warn of people at the end of the age: young in age, immature in thought, and speaking with words that sound very good. They would recite the Qur’an, but it would not go beyond their throats. They would pass through religion like an arrow through prey. The hadith teaches both careful narration and caution against shallow religious speech.
What we learn from this hadith
- Ali showed strong fear of falsely attributing words to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- The warned group is described as young in age and immature in thought.
- Good-sounding speech is not enough without sound understanding.
- Qur’an recitation must reach beyond the throat into real guidance.
