37/26. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2111a — Who Is More Wrong Than One Who Imitates My Creation
The Prohibition Of Making Images Of Living Beings, And The Prohibition Of Using Images That Are Not Subjected To Disrespect In Furnishings And The Like; The Angels (Peace Be Upon Them) Do Not Enter A House In Which There Is An Image Or A Dog
Imitating Allah's Creation Hadith and the Challenge to Create an Atom
Sahih Muslim : 2111a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2111a
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ وَأَلْفَاظُهُمْ مُتَقَارِبَةٌ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ، قَالَ دَخَلْتُ مَعَ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ فِي دَارِ مَرْوَانَ فَرَأَى فِيهَا تَصَاوِيرَ فَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ ذَهَبَ يَخْلُقُ خَلْقًا كَخَلْقِي فَلْيَخْلُقُوا ذَرَّةً أَوْ لِيَخْلُقُوا حَبَّةً أَوْ لِيَخْلُقُوا شَعِيرَةً " . وَحَدَّثَنِيهِ زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ، قَالَ دَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَأَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ دَارًا تُبْنَى بِالْمَدِينَةِ لِسَعِيدٍ أَوْ لِمَرْوَانَ . قَالَ فَرَأَى مُصَوِّرًا يُصَوِّرُ فِي الدَّارِ فَقَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ " أَوْ لِيَخْلُقُوا شَعِيرَةً " .
Abu Zur'a reported: I visited the house of Marwan in the company of Abu Huraira and he found pictures there. whereupon he said: I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Allah, the Glorious and Exalted, said: Who is a more wrongdoer than one who tries to create creation like Mine creation. Let him create an atom or a grain of wheat or that of barley. This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Zur'a and he said: Abu Huraira went to the house of Sa'ld or Marwan which they had built in Medina and he (Abu Huraira) saw a painter who had been painting pictures in his house, whereupon he told that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had said like this, but he made no mention of the words:" Let him create the grain of barley."
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2111a, bIn-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 155USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 24, Hadith 5275
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2111a
This hadith about imitating Allah's creation is reported through Abu Huraira. He entered a house with Abu Zur'a and saw pictures, or in another wording saw a painter painting pictures. Abu Huraira then quoted Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, who reported that Allah said: who is more wrong than one who tries to create creation like Mine? Let them create an atom, a grain of wheat, or a grain of barley. The message is sharp and easy to understand. A human may draw or paint, but the act of creating life and even the smallest created things belongs to Allah. For searches like imitating Allah's creation hadith, image makers hadith, and create an atom hadith, this narration gives the key wording.
What we learn from this hadith
- The report links picture making with trying to create like Allah's creation.
- Allah's challenge mentions creating an atom, a grain of wheat, or a grain of barley.
- Abu Huraira used the hadith when he saw pictures or a painter in the house.
