1/56. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 124a — Shirk as the Gravest Wrongdoing
Sincerity of Faith and its Purity
Shirk Is Great Wrongdoing: Hadith on Belief and Wrongdoing
Sahih Muslim : 124a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 124a
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ وَوَكِيعٌ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ { الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ} شَقَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَالُوا أَيُّنَا لاَ يَظْلِمُ نَفْسَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَيْسَ هُوَ كَمَا تَظُنُّونَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ كَمَا قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لاِبْنِهِ { يَا بُنَىَّ لاَ تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ{
`Abdullah Narrated from:
When this verse was revealed: " It is those who believe and confound not their belief with wrongdoing" (vi. 82), the Companions of the Messenger of Allah wore greatly perturbed. They said: Who amongst us (is so fortunate) that he does not wrong himself? Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remarked: It does not mean that which you presume It implies that which Luqman said to his son: O my son, do not associate anything with Allah, for indeed it is the gravest wrongdoing (xxxi. 13).
[1] Al-An‘âm 6:82. [2] Luqmân 31:13.Reference : Sahih Muslim 124aIn-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 234USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 1, Hadith 226
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 124a
When the verse about those who believe and do not mix their belief with wrongdoing was revealed, the Companions felt worried. They understood wrongdoing in a broad way and asked who among them did not wrong himself. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected that fear by explaining that the verse did not mean what they thought. He pointed to Luqman’s words to his son: do not associate anything with Allah, for shirk is the gravest wrongdoing. This hadith about shirk and iman teaches careful understanding. It also shows the mercy in prophetic teaching. A verse that felt heavy became clearer when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم explained its intended meaning.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Companions were concerned when they heard the verse about belief and wrongdoing.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم clarified that the wrongdoing meant shirk in this context.
- Luqman’s advice is used to explain that associating partners with Allah is grave wrongdoing.
- Questions about difficult verses should be answered with clear guidance.
