1/6. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 17a — Four Commands and Four Prohibitions
The command to believe in Allah and His Messenger (saws) and the laws of Islam, calling people to it, asking about it, memorizing it and conveying it to those who have not heard the message
Hadith of Abdul Qais Delegation: Four Commands and Four Prohibitions
Sahih Muslim : 17a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 17a
حَدَّثَنَا خَلَفُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي جَمْرَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - أَخْبَرَنَا عَبَّادُ بْنُ عَبَّادٍ، عَنْ أَبِي جَمْرَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ قَدِمَ وَفْدُ عَبْدِ الْقَيْسِ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا هَذَا الْحَىَّ مِنْ رَبِيعَةَ وَقَدْ حَالَتْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكَ كُفَّارُ مُضَرَ فَلاَ نَخْلُصُ إِلَيْكَ إِلاَّ فِي شَهْرِ الْحَرَامِ فَمُرْنَا بِأَمْرٍ نَعْمَلُ بِهِ وَنَدْعُو إِلَيْهِ مَنْ وَرَاءَنَا . قَالَ " آمُرُكُمْ بِأَرْبَعٍ وَأَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْ أَرْبَعٍ الإِيمَانِ بِاللَّهِ - ثُمَّ فَسَّرَهَا لَهُمْ فَقَالَ - شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلاَةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ وَأَنْ تُؤَدُّوا خُمُسَ مَا غَنِمْتُمْ وَأَنْهَاكُمْ عَنِ الدُّبَّاءِ وَالْحَنْتَمِ وَالنَّقِيرِ وَالْمُقَيَّرِ " . زَادَ خَلَفٌ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ " شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ " . وَعَقَدَ وَاحِدَةً .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
A delegation of Abdul Qais came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: Messenger of Allah, verily ours is a tribe of Rabi'a and there stand between you and us the unbelievers of Mudar and we find no freedom to come to you except in the sacred month. Direct us to an act which we should ourselves perform and invite those who live beside us.Upon this the Prophet remarked: I command you to do four things and prohibit you against four acts. (The four deeds which you are commanded to do are): Faith in Allah, and then he explained it for them and said: Testifying the fact. that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, performance of prayer, payment of Zakat, that you pay Khums (one-fifth) of the booty fallen to your lot, and I prohibit you to use round gourd, wine jars, wooden pots or skins for wine.Khalaf b. Hisham has made this addition in his narration: Testifying the fact that there is no god but Allah, and then he with his finger pointed out the oneness of the Lord.
[1] These are containers that Nabîdh , wine, or other drinks were made in. Ad-Dubbâ’ refers to gourds; Al-Hantam is a type of earthenware vessel the description of which they differ over, and some of that appears later; An-Naqîr is date-palm section or stump, or the like, which is hollowed out; and Al-Muqayyar is from Al-Qâr which is tar or pitch, meaning a vessel coated with pitch. There are other important texts dealing with these vessels. See the Book of Drinks.Reference : Sahih Muslim 17aIn-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 23USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 1, Hadith 22
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 17a
This hadith of the Abdul Qais delegation shows a group asking for clear guidance they could practice and teach to those behind them. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم commands them to do four things and forbids four things. He explains faith in Allah as testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing prayer, paying zakat, and giving one-fifth from booty. He also forbids them from using certain containers linked in the text with drinks: round gourd, wine jars, wooden pots, and skins or vessels for wine. The Hadith is about clear teaching, belief, worship, giving, and staying away from named prohibited drink vessels.
What we learn from this hadith
- The delegation asked for guidance they could practice and pass on to others.
- Faith is explained through testimony, prayer, zakat, and giving khums.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم gave both commands and prohibitions.
- The text names specific vessels that they were forbidden to use for drinks.
