16/22. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1438c — Every Soul Must Be Born
The ruling on coitus interrupts ('Azl)
Every Soul Will Be Born Hadith Explained
Sahih Muslim : 1438c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1438c
حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَسْمَاءَ الضُّبَعِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا جُوَيْرِيَةُ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنِ ابْنِ مُحَيْرِيزٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أَنَّهُ أَخْبَرَهُ قَالَ أَصَبْنَا سَبَايَا فَكُنَّا نَعْزِلُ ثُمَّ سَأَلْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ لَنَا " وَإِنَّكُمْ لَتَفْعَلُونَ وَإِنَّكُمْ لَتَفْعَلُونَ وَإِنَّكُمْ لَتَفْعَلُونَ مَا مِنْ نَسَمَةٍ كَائِنَةٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ إِلاَّ هِيَ كَائِنَةٌ " .
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported: We took women captives, and we wanted to do 'azl with them. We then asked Allah's Messen- ger (ﷺ) about it, and he said to us: Verily you do it, verily you do it, verily you do it, but the soul which has to be born until the Day of judg- ment must be born.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1438cIn-book reference : Book 16, Hadith 148USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 8, Hadith 3373
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1438c
This hadith about azl reports that Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said they took women captives and wanted to practice azl. They asked Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم about it. His answer repeated, You do it, you do it, you do it, then he said that no soul that has to be born until the Day of Judgment will fail to be born. The repeated wording gives the report a strong tone. The message is tied to Qadar: human planning does not remove what Allah has decreed. A careful explanation should not turn this into a broad ruling beyond the text. The hadith answers the question as it was asked.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Companions asked about azl instead of relying only on their own choice.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم repeated his response for emphasis.
- The report states that every soul decreed to be born will be born.
- The hadith points to Allah's decree over birth and life.
