1/89. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 208a — Warning on Mount Safa
Regarding the saying of Allah, the most High: "And warn your tribe of near kindred."
Hadith About the Prophet’s Warning on Mount Safa
Sahih Muslim : 208a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 208a
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ { وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ} وَرَهْطَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِينَ . خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى صَعِدَ الصَّفَا فَهَتَفَ " يَا صَبَاحَاهْ " . فَقَالُوا مَنْ هَذَا الَّذِي يَهْتِفُ قَالُوا مُحَمَّدٌ . فَاجْتَمَعُوا إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ " يَا بَنِي فُلاَنٍ يَا بَنِي فُلاَنٍ يَا بَنِي فُلاَنٍ يَا بَنِي عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ يَا بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ " فَاجْتَمَعُوا إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ " أَرَأَيْتَكُمْ لَوْ أَخْبَرْتُكُمْ أَنَّ خَيْلاً تَخْرُجُ بِسَفْحِ هَذَا الْجَبَلِ أَكُنْتُمْ مُصَدِّقِيَّ " . قَالُوا مَا جَرَّبْنَا عَلَيْكَ كَذِبًا . قَالَ " فَإِنِّي نَذِيرٌ لَكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَىْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ " . قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبُو لَهَبٍ تَبًّا لَكَ أَمَا جَمَعْتَنَا إِلاَّ لِهَذَا ثُمَّ قَامَ فَنَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ السُّورَةُ تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَقَدْ تَبَّ . كَذَا قَرَأَ الأَعْمَشُ إِلَى آخِرِ السُّورَةِ .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
When this verse was revealed: " And warn thy nearest kindred" (and thy group of selected people among them) the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) set off till he climbed Safa' and called loudly: Be on your guard! They said: Who is it calling aloud? They said: Muhammad. They gathered round him, and he said: O sons of so and so, O sons of so and so, O sons of 'Abd Manaf, O sons of 'Abd al-Muttalib, and they gathered around him.He (the Apostle) said: If I were to inform you that there were horsemen emerging out of the foot of this mountain, would you believe me? They said: We have not experienced any lie from you. He said: Well, I am a warner to you before a severe torment. He (the narrator) said that Abu Lahab then said: Destruction to you! Is it for this you have gathered us? He (the Holy Prophet) then stood up, and this verse was revealed:" Perish the hands of Abu Lahab, and he indeed perished" (cxi. 1).A'mash recited this to the end of the Sura.
[1] It refers to Ash-Shu‘arâ 26:214, as for the addition after it, An-Nawawî said: “It was Qur‘ân revealed then its recitation was abrogated.”Reference : Sahih Muslim 208aIn-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 414USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 1, Hadith 406
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 208a
This hadith about the warning on Mount Safa gives a vivid scene. After the verse “Warn thy nearest kindred” was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) climbed Safa and called out loudly. The people gathered and recognized him as Muhammad. He asked them if they would believe him if he warned of horsemen coming from the mountain. They answered that they had not experienced any lie from him. Then he gave the real warning: he was a warner before a severe torment. The hadith also mentions Abu Lahab’s harsh reply and the revelation of the opening of Surah al-Masad. The core lesson is that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used known trust and clear speech to call people to take the warning seriously.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) warned his people openly after the verse was revealed.
- His people acknowledged that they had not known him to lie.
- The warning was direct and serious, not hidden or unclear.
