27/5. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1654b — The Power of Saying Insha Allah
Saying: "If Allah wills" when swearing oaths and at other times
Hadith About Saying Insha Allah Before Major Plans
Sahih Muslim : 1654b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1654b
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبَّادٍ، وَابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَرَ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ حُجَيْرٍ، عَنْ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " قَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ لأَطُوفَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى سَبْعِينَ امْرَأَةً كُلُّهُنَّ تَأْتِي بِغُلاَمٍ يُقَاتِلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ . فَقَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ أَوِ الْمَلَكُ قُلْ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ . فَلَمْ يَقُلْ وَنَسِيَ . فَلَمْ تَأْتِ وَاحِدَةٌ مِنْ نِسَائِهِ إِلاَّ وَاحِدَةٌ جَاءَتْ بِشِقِّ غُلاَمٍ " . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " وَلَوْ قَالَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ . لَمْ يَحْنَثْ وَكَانَ دَرَكًا لَهُ فِي حَاجَتِهِ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Sulaiman b. Dawud, the Messenger of Allah, observed: I will have an intercourse with seventy wives during the night; all of them will give birth to a male child who will fight in the cause of Allah. His companion or the ang I said to him: Say," If God wills." But he (Hadrat Sulaimin) did not say so, and he forgot it. And none of his wives gave birth to a child, but one who gave birth to a premature child. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Had he said Insha' Allah (if God so will). he would not have failed and his desire would have been materialised.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1654bIn-book reference : Book 27, Hadith 33USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 15, Hadith 4067
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1654b
This Hadith is a clear lesson about saying Insha Allah when speaking about the future. Prophet Sulaiman, son of Dawud, planned to visit seventy wives in one night, hoping that each would give birth to a son who would fight in the cause of Allah. He was told to say, “If God wills,” but he forgot and did not say it. The result was not what he hoped for. Only one wife gave birth, and the child was premature. The main teaching is simple: even strong plans and good hopes remain under Allah's will. This is why the phrase Insha Allah is not just a habit. It is a sign that a believer knows Allah controls the final result.
What we learn from this hadith
- Tie future plans to Allah's will by saying Insha Allah.
- Good aims still need humility before Allah's decree.
- Forgetting this phrase affected the outcome in the report.
- A reminder can come through a companion or an angel, so it should be taken seriously.
