36/1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1979a — Harm Caused by Intoxication
The prohibition of Khamr, which may be made from the juice of grapes, dried dates, unripe dates, raisins and other things that intoxicate
Hadith About Intoxication and the Harm Done to Ali’s Camels
Sahih Muslim : 1979a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1979a
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّمِيمِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، حُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، قَالَ أَصَبْتُ شَارِفًا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي مَغْنَمٍ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ وَأَعْطَانِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم شَارِفًا أُخْرَى فَأَنَخْتُهُمَا يَوْمًا عِنْدَ بَابِ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ وَأَنَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَحْمِلَ عَلَيْهِمَا إِذْخِرًا لأَبِيعَهُ وَمَعِيَ صَائِغٌ مِنْ بَنِي قَيْنُقَاعَ فَأَسْتَعِينَ بِهِ عَلَى وَلِيمَةِ فَاطِمَةَ وَحَمْزَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ يَشْرَبُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْبَيْتِ مَعَهُ قَيْنَةٌ تُغَنِّيهِ فَقَالَتْ أَلاَ يَا حَمْزَ لِلشُّرُفِ النِّوَاءِ فَثَارَ إِلَيْهِمَا حَمْزَةُ بِالسَّيْفِ فَجَبَّ أَسْنِمَتَهُمَا وَبَقَرَ خَوَاصِرَهُمَا ثُمَّ أَخَذَ مِنْ أَكْبَادِهِمَا . قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ شِهَابٍ وَمِنَ السَّنَامِ قَالَ قَدْ جَبَّ أَسْنِمَتَهُمَا فَذَهَبَ بِهَا . قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَى مَنْظَرٍ أَفْظَعَنِي فَأَتَيْتُ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَعِنْدَهُ زَيْدُ بْنُ حَارِثَةَ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ الْخَبَرَ فَخَرَجَ وَمَعَهُ زَيْدٌ وَانْطَلَقْتُ مَعَهُ فَدَخَلَ عَلَى حَمْزَةَ فَتَغَيَّظَ عَلَيْهِ فَرَفَعَ حَمْزَةُ بَصَرَهُ فَقَالَ هَلْ أَنْتُمْ إِلاَّ عَبِيدٌ لآبَائِي فَرَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُقَهْقِرُ حَتَّى خَرَجَ عَنْهُمْ .
'Ali bin Abi Talib Narrated from:
There fell to my lot along with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) an old she-camel from the spoils of Badr. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) granted me another camel. I made them kneel down one day at the door of an Ansari, and I wanted to carry on them Idhkhir (a kind of grass) in order to sell that. There was with me a goldsmith of the tribe of Qainuqa'. I sought to give a wedding feast (on the occasion of marriage with) Fatima with the help of that (the price accrued from the sale of this grass).And Hamza b. 'Abd al-Muttalib was busy in drinking in that house in the company of a singing girl who was singing to him. She said: Hamza, get up for slaughtering the fat she-camels. Hamza attacked them with the sword and cut off their humps and ripped their haunches, and then took out their livers. I said to Ibn Shihab: Did he take out anything from the hump? He said: He cut off the humps altogether.Ibn Shihab reported 'Ali having said: I saw this (horrible) sight and it shocked me, and I came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and there was Zaid b, Haritha with him and communicated to him this news. He came in the company of Zaid and I also went along with him and he went to Hamza and he expressed anger with him. Hamza raised his eyes and said: Are you (not) but the servants of my father? Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) turned back on his heels (on hearing this) until he went away from them.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1979aIn-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 1USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 23, Hadith 4879
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1979a
This Hadith about intoxication describes a painful event faced by Ali b. Abi Talib. He had two old she-camels, one from the spoils of Badr and another given by Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. He planned to use them to carry Idhkhir grass and sell it to help with the wedding feast for Fatima. While Hamza was drinking in a house, a singing girl urged him to slaughter the camels. Hamza attacked them, cut off their humps, ripped their haunches, and took their livers. Ali was shocked and told the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم came and showed anger, but when Hamza spoke in an intoxicated state, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم withdrew. The text shows the damage, pain, and loss connected with drunken behavior.
What we learn from this hadith
- Intoxication in this report is linked with harmful action and harsh speech.
- Ali sought help from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم after seeing damage to his property.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم responded to the harm and expressed anger at what had happened.
- When Hamza was clearly intoxicated, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم stepped back and left.
