20/3. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1504d — Allah’s Condition
Al-Wala' (Right of inheritance) belongs to the one who manumits the slave
Barira Hadith on Allah’s Condition and Wala
Sahih Muslim : 1504d
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1504d
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ، بْنُ عُرْوَةَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ دَخَلَتْ عَلَىَّ بَرِيرَةُ فَقَالَتْ إِنَّ أَهْلِي كَاتَبُونِي عَلَى تِسْعِ أَوَاقٍ فِي تِسْعِ سِنِينَ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ أُوقِيَّةٌ . فَأَعِينِينِي . فَقُلْتُ لَهَا إِنْ شَاءَ أَهْلُكِ أَنْ أَعُدَّهَا لَهُمْ عَدَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَأُعْتِقَكِ وَيَكُونَ الْوَلاَءُ لِي فَعَلْتُ . فَذَكَرَتْ ذَلِكَ لأَهْلِهَا فَأَبَوْا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ الْوَلاَءُ لَهُمْ فَأَتَتْنِي فَذَكَرَتْ ذَلِكَ قَالَتْ فَانْتَهَرْتُهَا فَقَالَتْ لاَهَا اللَّهِ إِذَا قَالَتْ . فَسَمِعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلَنِي فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ فَقَالَ " اشْتَرِيهَا وَأَعْتِقِيهَا وَاشْتَرِطِي لَهُمُ الْوَلاَءَ فَإِنَّ الْوَلاَءَ لِمَنْ أَعْتَقَ " . فَفَعَلْتُ - قَالَتْ - ثُمَّ خَطَبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَشِيَّةً فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ " أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَمَا بَالُ أَقْوَامٍ يَشْتَرِطُونَ شُرُوطًا لَيْسَتْ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ مَا كَانَ مِنْ شَرْطٍ لَيْسَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَهُوَ بَاطِلٌ وَإِنْ كَانَ مِائَةَ شَرْطٍ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ أَحَقُّ وَشَرْطُ اللَّهِ أَوْثَقُ مَا بَالُ رِجَالٍ مِنْكُمْ يَقُولُ أَحَدُهُمْ أَعْتِقْ فُلاَنًا وَالْوَلاَءُ لِي إِنَّمَا الْوَلاَءُ لِمَنْ أَعْتَقَ " .
A'isha Narrated from:
Barira came to me and said: My family (owners) have made contract with me (for granting freedom) for nine 'uqiyas (of silver) payable in nine years, one 'uqiya every year. Help me (in making this payment). I said to her: If your family so desires, I am prepared to make them the full payment in one instalment, and thus secure freedom for you, but the right of inheritance will vest in me, if I do so.She (Barira) made a mention of that to her family, but they refused (except) on the condition that the right of inheritance would vest in them. She came to me and made mention of if She ('A'isha) said: I scolded her. She (Barira) said: By Allah, it is not possible (they will never agree to it). And as she was saying it, Allah's messenger (ﷺ) heard, and he asked me, I informed him and he said: Buy her and emancipate her, and let the right of inherit- ance vest in them, for they cannot claim it (rightfully) since the right of inheritance vests with one who emancipates (the slave; therefore, these people have no right to lay such false claims). And I did so.She ('A'isha) said: Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) delivered a sermon in the evening. He extolled Allah and praised Him with what He deserves, and then said afterwards,: What has happened to the people that they lay down conditions which are not found in the Book of Allah? And the condition which is not found in the Book of Allah is invalid, even if its number is one hundred.The Book of Allah is more true (than any other deed) and the condition laid down by Allah is more binding (than any other condition). What has happened to the people among you that someone among you says:" Emancipate so and so, but the right of inheritance vests in me"? Verily, the right of inheritance vests in one who emancipates.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1504dIn-book reference : Book 20, Hadith 10USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3587
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1504d
This detailed Barira Hadith shows A’isha offering to pay Barira’s full contract in one instalment and emancipate her. The owners refused unless the wala remained with them. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told A’isha to buy and emancipate her, while making clear that they could not rightfully claim the wala because it belongs to the one who emancipates. Later, he gave a sermon and asked why people make conditions not found in the Book of Allah. He said such conditions are invalid even if they are many. The main search phrase is Barira hadith on conditions not in the Book of Allah. The message is about correcting a false condition and keeping the rule of wala where it belongs.
What we learn from this hadith
- The right of wala belongs to the one who emancipates.
- A false condition does not become valid by being repeated.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم publicly corrected the wrong condition after the case was raised.
