33/18. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1856b — Hudaibiyah Oath
It is recommended for the army to swear allegiance to the ruler when intending to fight, and an account of Bay'at Ar-Ridwan beneath the tree
Hudaibiyah Oath Hadith: We Pledged Not to Run Away
Sahih Muslim : 1856b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1856b
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ لَمْ نُبَايِعْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الْمَوْتِ إِنَّمَا بَايَعْنَاهُ عَلَى أَنْ لاَ نَفِرَّ .
Jabir Narrated from:
While swearing fealty to the Prophet (ﷺ) we did not take the oath to death but that we would not run away (from the battlefield).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1856bIn-book reference : Book 33, Hadith 105USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 20, Hadith 4577
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1856b
This Hadith gives a short and focused wording of the Hudaibiyah oath. Jabir says that when the Companions pledged to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, they did not pledge to death. Rather, they pledged that they would not run away. This is a key phrase for anyone searching for Hudaibiyah oath Hadith, we pledged not to run away, or Sahih Muslim 1856b. The report is brief, so the explanation should stay brief in meaning. It teaches that the oath was about firmness and not fleeing. It also shows why exact Hadith wording matters. A reader should not mix this wording with other reports unless the report itself says so.
What we learn from this hadith
- The pledge in this report is described as a promise not to run away.
- The Hadith clearly says it was not an oath to death in this wording.
- Short reports can still protect an important point with exact words.
