43/29. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2344a — Signs of Age in the Prophet’s Hair
His Grey Hairs
Prophet Muhammad Old Age Hadith and White Hair
Sahih Muslim : 2344a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2344a
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ، سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سِمَاكِ، بْنِ حَرْبٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ سَمُرَةَ، سُئِلَ عَنْ شَيْبِ النَّبِيِّ، صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ كَانَ إِذَا دَهَنَ رَأْسَهُ لَمْ يُرَ مِنْهُ شَىْءٌ وَإِذَا لَمْ يَدْهُنْ رُئِيَ مِنْهُ .
Jabir bin Samurah Narrated from:
Jabir b. Samura was asked about the old age of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). He said: When he oiled his head nothing was seen (as a mark of old age) and when he did not apply oil something (of the old age) became visible.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2344aIn-book reference : Book 43, Hadith 141USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 30, Hadith 5788
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2344a
This hadith gives a careful and simple answer about the old age of Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. Jabir b. Samura was asked about the Prophet’s grey hair, and he explained what he had seen. When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم applied oil to his head, no sign of old age was visible. When he did not apply oil, something of it could be seen. The core point is not a broad ruling, but a close physical description from someone who observed him. It helps readers searching for a hadith about the Prophet’s white hair understand that the visible sign was slight and depended on whether his hair was oiled.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Companions carefully preserved even small physical details about the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- The report describes a slight sign of old age without adding more than what was seen.
- The use of oil made the visible whiteness less noticeable in this narration.
