30/10. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1720a — Wise Judgment of Sulaiman
Differences between mujtahids
Hadith About the Wise Judgment of Sulaiman and the Two Women
Sahih Muslim : 1720a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1720a
حَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنِي شَبَابَةُ، حَدَّثَنِي وَرْقَاءُ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " بَيْنَمَا امْرَأَتَانِ مَعَهُمَا ابْنَاهُمَا جَاءَ الذِّئْبُ فَذَهَبَ بِابْنِ إِحْدَاهُمَا . فَقَالَتْ هَذِهِ لِصَاحِبَتِهَا إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ أَنْتِ . وَقَالَتِ الأُخْرَى إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ . فَتَحَاكَمَتَا إِلَى دَاوُدَ فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلْكُبْرَى فَخَرَجَتَا عَلَى سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ فَأَخْبَرَتَاهُ فَقَالَ ائْتُونِي بِالسِّكِّينِ أَشُقُّهُ بَيْنَكُمَا . فَقَالَتِ الصُّغْرَى لاَ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ هُوَ ابْنُهَا . فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلصُّغْرَى " . قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَاللَّهِ إِنْ سَمِعْتُ بِالسِّكِّينِ قَطُّ إِلاَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ مَا كُنَّا نَقُولُ إِلاَّ الْمُدْيَةَ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying: While two women had been going along with their two sons, a wolf came and made away with the child of one of them. One of them said to her companion: It is with your child that it (the wolf) has run away The other one said: It has run away with your child. They brought the matter to (Hadrat) Dawud (David) for decision and he made a decision in favour of the elder one.They then went to Sulaiman b. Dawud (may there be peace upon both of them) and told them (the story). He said: Bring me a knife so that I may cut him (the child) (into two parts) for you. The younger one said: No, it can't be, may Allah have mercy upon you, he (the child) belongs to her (the elder). So he gave a decision in favour of the younger one. abu Huraira said: If ever I heard of the word as-sikin at all, it was that day. We called it by no other name but al-Mudya.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1720aIn-book reference : Book 30, Hadith 26USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 18, Hadith 4269
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1720a
This Hadith is commonly searched as hadith about Prophet Sulaiman and two women. The story tells of two women with their sons. A wolf took one child, and each woman claimed the remaining child was hers. They first went to Dawud, who judged for the elder woman. Then they went to Sulaiman. He asked for a knife and said he would divide the child between them. The younger woman immediately objected and said the child belonged to the elder woman, asking that he not be harmed. Sulaiman then judged in favor of the younger woman. The Hadith shows wise judgment through a test that revealed care and mercy.
What we learn from this hadith
- Wise judgment may uncover the truth through careful handling.
- The younger woman’s mercy helped reveal her connection to the child.
- A judge may need insight, not only claims from both sides.
- Concern for life and safety appears clearly in the younger woman’s response.
