16/22. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1438g — Azl and Pre-Ordained Birth
The ruling on coitus interrupts ('Azl)
Hadith About Azl, Pregnancy, and Qadar
Sahih Muslim : 1438g
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1438g
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عَوْنٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ بِشْرٍ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، . قَالَ فَرَدَّ الْحَدِيثَ حَتَّى رَدَّهُ إِلَى أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ ذُكِرَ الْعَزْلُ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " وَمَا ذَاكُمْ " . قَالُوا الرَّجُلُ تَكُونُ لَهُ الْمَرْأَةُ تُرْضِعُ فَيُصِيبُ مِنْهَا وَيَكْرَهُ أَنْ تَحْمِلَ مِنْهُ وَالرَّجُلُ تَكُونُ لَهُ الأَمَةُ فَيُصِيبُ مِنْهَا وَيَكْرَهُ أَنْ تَحْمِلَ مِنْهُ . قَالَ " فَلاَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ لاَ تَفْعَلُوا ذَاكُمْ فَإِنَّمَا هُوَ الْقَدَرُ " . قَالَ ابْنُ عَوْنٍ فَحَدَّثْتُ بِهِ الْحَسَنَ فَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لَكَأَنَّ هَذَا زَجْرٌ .
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri Narrated from:
Mention was made of 'azl in the presence of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) whereupon he said: Why do you practise it? They said: There is a man whose wife has to suckle the child, and if that person has a sexual intercourse with her (she may conceive) which he does not like, and there is another person who has a slave-girl and he has a sexual intercourse with her, but he does not like her to have conception so that she may not become Umm Walad, whereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: There is no harm if you do not do that, for that (the birth of the child) is something pre- ordained. Ibn 'Aun said: I made a mention of this hadith to Hasan, and he said: By Allah, (it seems) as if there is upbraiding in it (for 'azl).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1438gIn-book reference : Book 16, Hadith 152USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 8, Hadith 3377
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1438g
This hadith about azl gives more detail than the shorter reports. Azl was mentioned in the presence of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, and he asked why it was done. The people explained two situations: a man with a wife who was nursing and feared pregnancy, and a man with a slave-girl who did not want her to conceive. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered that there was no harm if they did not do it, because birth is tied to qadar. Ibn 'Aun also mentioned that Hasan understood the wording as carrying a tone of warning or rebuke. The main lesson is not to think azl can overrule what Allah has already ordained.
What we learn from this hadith
- People mentioned practical reasons for practising azl.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم redirected the matter to Allah’s decree.
- The birth of a child is described as something pre-ordained.
- Hasan’s comment shows that some early listeners sensed warning in the wording.
