43/42. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2373c — Prophet Respect
The Virtues Of Musa, Peace Be Upon Him
Hadith About Not Preferring the Prophet Over Musa
Sahih Muslim : 2373c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2373c
حَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ النَّضْرِ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَعَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ اسْتَبَّ رَجُلاَنِ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ وَرَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَقَالَ الْمُسْلِمُ وَالَّذِي اصْطَفَى مُحَمَّدًا صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ . وَقَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ وَالَّذِي اصْطَفَى مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ . قَالَ فَرَفَعَ الْمُسْلِمُ يَدَهُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ فَلَطَمَ وَجْهَ الْيَهُودِيِّ فَذَهَبَ الْيَهُودِيُّ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِمَا كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ وَأَمْرِ الْمُسْلِمِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تُخَيِّرُونِي عَلَى مُوسَى فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ يَصْعَقُونَ فَأَكُونُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ يُفِيقُ فَإِذَا مُوسَى بَاطِشٌ بِجَانِبِ الْعَرْشِ فَلاَ أَدْرِي أَكَانَ فِيمَنْ صَعِقَ فَأَفَاقَ قَبْلِي أَمْ كَانَ مِمَّنِ اسْتَثْنَى اللَّهُ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Two persons, one from amongst the Jews and the other from amongst the Muslims, fell into dispute and began to abuse one another. The Muslim said: By Him Who chose Muhammad (ﷺ) in the worlds. And the Jew said: By Him Who chose Moses in the worlds. Thereupon the Muslim lifted his hand and slapped at the face of the Jew.The Jew went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and told him about his affair and the affair of the Muslim. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Don't make me superior to Moses for mankind will swoon and I would be the first to recover from it and Moses would be at that time seizing the side of the Throne and I do not know (whether) he would swoon and would recover before me or Allah would make an exception for him.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2373cIn-book reference : Book 43, Hadith 211USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 30, Hadith 5854
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2373c
This hadith about not preferring the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم over Musa appears after a dispute between a Muslim and a Jew. The Muslim swore by the One who chose Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, while the Jew swore by the One who chose Musa. The Muslim then slapped the Jew, and the matter was brought to Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said not to make him superior to Musa in that context. He explained that people would swoon, then he would be the first to recover, and he would find Musa holding the side of the Throne. He said he did not know whether Musa had swooned and recovered before him or whether Allah had made an exception for him. The focus is humility, restraint, and respect for Allah’s prophets.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected a dispute that led to someone being slapped.
- The hadith teaches restraint when speaking about the rank of prophets.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم spoke about Musa with honor and uncertainty about his exact state.
- The narration discourages using prophet comparisons as a reason for abuse.
