17/10. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1457a — Lineage
The child is for the bed and suspicion must be avoided
The Child Is for the Bed: A Hadith on Lineage
Sahih Muslim : 1457a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1457a
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّهَا قَالَتِ اخْتَصَمَ سَعْدُ بْنُ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ وَعَبْدُ بْنُ زَمْعَةَ فِي غُلاَمٍ فَقَالَ سَعْدٌ هَذَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ابْنُ أَخِي عُتْبَةَ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ عَهِدَ إِلَىَّ أَنَّهُ ابْنُهُ انْظُرْ إِلَى شَبَهِهِ وَقَالَ عَبْدُ بْنُ زَمْعَةَ هَذَا أَخِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وُلِدَ عَلَى فِرَاشِ أَبِي مِنْ وَلِيدَتِهِ فَنَظَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى شَبَهِهِ فَرَأَى شَبَهًا بَيِّنًا بِعُتْبَةَ فَقَالَ " هُوَ لَكَ يَا عَبْدُ الْوَلَدُ لِلْفِرَاَشِ وَلِلْعَاهِرِ الْحَجَرُ وَاحْتَجِبِي مِنْهُ يَا سَوْدَةُ بِنْتَ زَمْعَةَ " . قَالَتْ فَلَمْ يَرَ سَوْدَةَ قَطُّ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحٍ قَوْلَهُ " يَا عَبْدُ " .
A'isha Narrated from:
Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas and Abd b. Zam'a (Allah be pleased with them) disputed with each other over a young boy. Sa'd said: Messenger of Allah, he is the son of my brother 'Utba b. Abu Waqqas as he made it explicit that he was his son. Look at his resemblance. Abd b. Zam'a said Messenger of Allah, he is my brother as he was born on the bed of my father from his slave-girl.Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) looked at his resemblance and found a clear resemblance with 'Utba. (But) he said: "He is yours O 'Abd (b. Zam'a), for the child is to be attributed to one on whose bed it is born, and stoning for a fornicator. Sauda bint Zam'a, O you should observe veil from him." So he did not see Sauda at all. Muhammad b. Rumh did not make a mention (of the words): "O Abd."
[1] “The stone” and they say that its meaning is “nothing.”Reference : Sahih Muslim 1457aIn-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 46USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 8, Hadith 3435
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1457a
This hadith about the child is for the bed describes a dispute over a young boy. Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas said the boy was the son of his brother Utba and pointed to resemblance. Abd b. Zam'a said the boy was his brother because he was born on the bed of his father from his slave-girl. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم looked at the resemblance and saw a clear likeness to Utba, but he still ruled for Abd b. Zam'a with the words: the child is to be attributed to the one on whose bed it is born. He also told Sauda bint Zam'a to observe veil from him. The hadith teaches careful judgment, legal attribution, and caution where resemblance creates doubt.
What we learn from this hadith
- Lineage was judged by the bed on which the child was born, not by resemblance alone.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم noticed resemblance but still gave a clear ruling.
- Sauda was told to observe veil, showing caution where doubt remained.
- Disputes over family ties should be handled with fairness and care.
