43/13. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2309c — Kindness in Service
His Good Manners
Kindness to Servants Hadith from Anas
Sahih Muslim : 2309c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2309c
وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لأَحْمَدَ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ لَمَّا قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَدِينَةَ أَخَذَ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ بِيَدِي فَانْطَلَقَ بِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَنَسًا غُلاَمٌ كَيِّسٌ فَلْيَخْدُمْكَ . قَالَ فَخَدَمْتُهُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْحَضَرِ وَاللَّهِ مَا قَالَ لِي لِشَىْءٍ صَنَعْتُهُ لِمَ صَنَعْتَ هَذَا هَكَذَا وَلاَ لِشَىْءٍ لَمْ أَصْنَعْهُ لِمَ لَمْ تَصْنَعْ هَذَا هَكَذَا
Anas Narrated from:
When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to Medina, Abla Talha took hold of my hand and brought me to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said: Allah's Messenger, Anas is a prudent young boy, and he will serve you. He (Anas) said: I served him in journey and at home, but, by Allah, he never asked me about a thing which I did as to why I did so, nor about a thing which I did not do as to why I had not done that.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2309cIn-book reference : Book 43, Hadith 72USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 30, Hadith 5722
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2309c
This kindness to servants hadith gives more detail about how Anas came to serve the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم. When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم came to Medina, Abu Talha took Anas by the hand and brought him to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. He described Anas as a prudent young boy and asked that he serve him. Anas then said that he served the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم both during travel and at home. He swore that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم never asked him about something he had done, asking why he did it that way, nor about something he had not done, asking why he had not done it. The hadith shows kindness over time, in both private and travel settings.
What we learn from this hadith
- Anas served the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in both travel and at home.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not use harsh questioning with Anas in the way described.
- The narration shows patient treatment in long-term service.
- Abu Talha trusted Anas and brought him to serve the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
