24/3. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1623g — The Prophet Refused to Witness Injustice
It Is Disliked To Favor Some Of One's Children Over Others In Gift-Giving
I Cannot Bear Witness to Injustice: Fair Gifts to Children
Sahih Muslim : 1623g
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1623g
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " أَلَكَ بَنُونَ سِوَاهُ " . قَالَ نَعَمْ . قَالَ " فَكُلَّهُمْ أَعْطَيْتَ مِثْلَ هَذَا " . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ " فَلاَ أَشْهَدُ عَلَى جَوْرٍ " .
An-Nu'man bin Bashir Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had said: Have you, besides him, other sons? He said: Yes. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Have you given gifts to all of them like this (as you have given to Nu'man)? He said: No. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: I cannot bear witness to an injustice.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1623gIn-book reference : Book 24, Hadith 21USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 12, Hadith 3967
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1623g
This narration states the core of the lesson in very short wording. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked whether the father had other sons besides Nu'man. When he said yes, the Prophet asked whether he had given gifts to all of them like the gift given to Nu'man. He said no. The Prophet then said that he could not bear witness to an injustice. This is a simple hadith about fairness among children and justice in gifts. It is useful because the message is clear without a long story. The Prophet’s refusal to witness the gift shows that unfair treatment in this case was not a light matter. For parents, the lesson is to check fairness before giving a special gift.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet asked whether other sons existed.
- He checked whether all of them had received the same gift.
- He refused to witness the unequal gift.
- The narration teaches justice in family giving.
