43/15. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2318a — Mercy Toward Children
His Compassion Towards Children And His Humbleness, And The Virtue Of That
Hadith About Mercy Toward Children
Sahih Muslim : 2318a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2318a
وَحَدَّثَنِي عَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، وَابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، قَالَ عَمْرٌو حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ الأَقْرَعَ بْنَ حَابِسٍ، أَبْصَرَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُقَبِّلُ الْحَسَنَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ لِي عَشَرَةً مِنَ الْوَلَدِ مَا قَبَّلْتُ وَاحِدًا مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّهُ مَنْ لاَ يَرْحَمْ لاَ يُرْحَمْ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Al-Aqra' b. Habis saw Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) kissing Hasan. He said: I have ten children, but I have never kissed any one of them, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: He who does not show mercy (towards his children), no mercy would be shown to him.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2318aIn-book reference : Book 43, Hadith 86USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 30, Hadith 5736
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2318a
This Hadith about mercy toward children gives a short but strong lesson. Al-Aqra b. Habis saw Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) kissing Hasan. He said that he had ten children, yet he had never kissed any of them. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied: the one who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy. The text links outward affection with inward mercy. It does not present love for children as something hidden only in the heart. Rather, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) showed tenderness openly by kissing Hasan. The Hadith is often searched as man la yarham la yurham, and its message is direct: mercy should be shown, especially to children, through kind and gentle treatment.
What we learn from this hadith
- Mercy should be shown in real actions, not only felt inside.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) showed affection by kissing Hasan.
- Withholding mercy from children is warned against in the Hadith.
