30/1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1711a — Claims, Property, and the Defendant’s Oath
Oath should be sworn by the defendant
Hadith About Claims and Oaths: The Defendant’s Oath
Sahih Muslim : 1711a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1711a
حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَرْحٍ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لَوْ يُعْطَى النَّاسُ بِدَعْوَاهُمْ لاَدَّعَى نَاسٌ دِمَاءَ رِجَالٍ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ وَلَكِنَّ الْيَمِينَ عَلَى الْمُدَّعَى عَلَيْهِ " .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
Ibn Abbas reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying: If the people were given according to their claims, they would claim the lives of persons and their properties, but the oath must be taken by the defendant.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1711aIn-book reference : Book 30, Hadith 1USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 18, Hadith 4244
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1711a
This hadith about claims and oaths gives a simple rule for disputes. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that if people were given whatever they claimed, some would claim the lives and properties of others. So the oath must be taken by the defendant. The teaching protects people from bare claims that are not checked. It also shows that legal speech is not a game, because claims may touch life and property. For users searching for oath on defendant hadith or proof and oath in Islam, the meaning is clear from the text: a claim alone is not enough, and the person facing the claim has a role through the oath.
What we learn from this hadith
- Claims should not be accepted only because someone says them.
- False or unchecked claims can affect lives and property.
- The defendant’s oath has a clear place in judgment.
