35/8. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1978a — Four Serious Warnings
The prohibition of slaughtering a sacrifice for anything other than Allah, and the one who does that is cursed
Hadith About Sacrificing for Other Than Allah and Respecting Sacred Limits
Sahih Muslim : 1978a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1978a
حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَسُرَيْجُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ مَرْوَانَ، قَالَ زُهَيْرٌ حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ الْفَزَارِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مَنْصُورُ بْنُ حَيَّانَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الطُّفَيْلِ، عَامِرُ بْنُ وَاثِلَةَ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ مَا كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُسِرُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ فَغَضِبَ وَقَالَ مَا كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُسِرُّ إِلَىَّ شَيْئًا يَكْتُمُهُ النَّاسَ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ قَدْ حَدَّثَنِي بِكَلِمَاتٍ أَرْبَعٍ . قَالَ فَقَالَ مَا هُنَّ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ قَالَ " لَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ لَعَنَ وَالِدَهُ وَلَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ ذَبَحَ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ وَلَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ آوَى مُحْدِثًا وَلَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ غَيَّرَ مَنَارَ الأَرْضِ " .
Abu Tufail 'Amir b. Withila Narrated from:
I was in the company of 'Ali b. Abi Talib, when a person came to him, and said: What was it that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) told you in secret? Thereupon he (liadrat 'All) was enraged and said: Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) did not tell me anything in secret that he hid from people, except that he told me four things. He said: Com- mader of Faithful, what are these? He said: Allah cursed him who cursed his father; Allah cursed him who sacrificed for anyone besides Allah; and Allah cursed him who accommodates an innovator (in religion); and Allah cursed him who changed the minarets (the boundary lines) of the land.
[1] Muhdith and it may be read: Muhdath , the first is more popular as it appears in our text, and it refers to one who aids or harbors the criminal. The meaning of Muhdath is the innovated thing itself., for which “giving refuge” would mean accepting and abiding by it. See Minnat Al-Mun'im .Reference : Sahih Muslim 1978aIn-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 60USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 22, Hadith 4876
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1978a
This Hadith about sacrificing for other than Allah gives a clear set of four warnings reported by Ali b. Abi Talib. A man asked whether the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had told Ali something secret. Ali became angry and made it clear that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم did not hide private teachings from people. He then mentioned four matters: cursing one’s father, sacrificing for anyone besides Allah, accommodating an innovator in religion, and changing the boundary lines of land. The wording is strong, so the explanation should stay close to the text. The core message is respect for sacred limits: family honor, worship for Allah alone, religious safety, and honesty in land rights. Related search terms include Allah cursed hadith, hadith about land boundaries, and hadith about innovation.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not give Ali hidden teachings that were kept from the people.
- Sacrifice is to be for Allah, not for anyone besides Him.
- Cursing parents and changing land boundaries are treated as serious wrongs in this report.
- Helping an innovator in religion is warned against in the wording of the Hadith.
