24/3. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1623f — Do Not Witness Injustice in Family Gifts
It Is Disliked To Favor Some Of One's Children Over Others In Gift-Giving
Hadith on Justice in Family Gifts and Witnessing
Sahih Muslim : 1623f
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1623f
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي حَيَّانَ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ، ح. وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو حَيَّانَ التَّيْمِيُّ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، حَدَّثَنِي النُّعْمَانُ بْنُ بَشِيرٍ، أَنَّ أُمَّهُ بِنْتَ رَوَاحَةَ، سَأَلَتْ أَبَاهُ بَعْضَ الْمَوْهِبَةِ مِنْ مَالِهِ لاِبْنِهَا فَالْتَوَى بِهَا سَنَةً ثُمَّ بَدَا لَهُ فَقَالَتْ لاَ أَرْضَى حَتَّى تُشْهِدَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى مَا وَهَبْتَ لاِبْنِي . فَأَخَذَ أَبِي بِيَدِي وَأَنَا يَوْمَئِذٍ غُلاَمٌ فَأَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أُمَّ هَذَا بِنْتَ رَوَاحَةَ أَعْجَبَهَا أَنْ أُشْهِدَكَ عَلَى الَّذِي وَهَبْتُ لاِبْنِهَا . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا بَشِيرُ أَلَكَ وَلَدٌ سِوَى هَذَا " . قَالَ نَعَمْ . فَقَالَ " أَكُلَّهُمْ وَهَبْتَ لَهُ مِثْلَ هَذَا " . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ " فَلاَ تُشْهِدْنِي إِذًا فَإِنِّي لاَ أَشْهَدُ عَلَى جَوْرٍ " .
An-Nu'man bin Bashir Narrated from:
Nu'man b. Bashir reported that his mother bint Rawaha asked his (Nu'man's) father about donating some gifts from his property to his son. He deferred the matter by one year, and then set forth to do that. She (Nu'man's mother) said: I shall not be pleased unless you call Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as witness to what you confer as a gift on your son.(Nu'man said): So father took hold of my hand and I was at that time a boy, and came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). and said: Allah's Messenger, the mother of this son (of mine), daughter of Rawaha wishes that I should call you witness to what I confer as gift to her son. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Bashir, have you any other son besides this (son of yours)? He said: Yes. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Have you given gifts to all of them like this? He said: No. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Then call me not as witness, for I cannot be witness to an injustice.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1623fIn-book reference : Book 24, Hadith 20USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 12, Hadith 3966
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1623f
This narration gives more detail about the same lesson. Nu'man’s mother asked his father about giving some property to her son, and later she wanted the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم to witness the gift. The father brought Nu'man, who was still a boy, to the Prophet. The Prophet asked whether Bashir had any other son and whether he had given all of them a gift like this. When he said no, the Prophet said not to make him a witness, because he would not witness injustice. This is a clear hadith about unfair gifts to children. It teaches that a religious witness should not be used to support an unfair act. The strongest words in this text are about not witnessing injustice.
What we learn from this hadith
- A gift to one child was questioned because other children had not received the same.
- The Prophet refused to be a witness to injustice.
- Parents should be careful before asking others to witness family gifts.
- The narration links unfair gift-giving with injustice.
