44/53. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2537a — Meaning of One Hundred Years
The Meaning Of The Words Of The Prophet (SAW): "After One Hundred Years There Will Be No Soul Left Alive That Is Living Now"
Hadith About One Hundred Years and the End of a Generation
Sahih Muslim : 2537a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2537a
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ حَدَّثَنَا وَقَالَ عَبْدٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، أَخْبَرَنِي سَالِمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ، قَالَ صَلَّى بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ صَلاَةَ الْعِشَاءِ فِي آخِرِ حَيَاتِهِ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ قَامَ فَقَالَ " أَرَأَيْتَكُمْ لَيْلَتَكُمْ هَذِهِ فَإِنَّ عَلَى رَأْسِ مِائَةِ سَنَةٍ مِنْهَا لاَ يَبْقَى مِمَّنْ هُوَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الأَرْضِ أَحَدٌ " . قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ فَوَهَلَ النَّاسُ فِي مَقَالَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم تِلْكَ فِيمَا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ مِنْ هَذِهِ الأَحَادِيثِ عَنْ مِائَةِ سَنَةٍ وَإِنَّمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لاَ يَبْقَى مِمَّنْ هُوَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الأَرْضِ . أَحَدٌ يُرِيدُ بِذَلِكَ أَنْ يَنْخَرِمَ ذَلِكَ الْقَرْنُ .
`Abdullah bin `Umar Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) led us 'Isha' prayer at the latter part of the night and when he had concluded it by salutations he stood up and said: Have you seen this night of yours? At the end of one hundred years after this none would survive on the surface of the earth (from amount my Companions).Ibn Umar said: People were (not understanding) these words of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) which had been uttered pertaining to one hundred years. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in fact meant (by these words) that on that day none from amongst those who had been living upon the earth (from amongst his Companions) would survive (after one hundred years) and that would be the end of this generation.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2537aIn-book reference : Book 44, Hadith 308USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 31, Hadith 6160
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2537a
This hadith about one hundred years is carefully explained inside the report itself. Abdullah b. Umar says the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم led them in Isha prayer late in his life. After finishing, he said that at the end of one hundred years from that night, none of those on the surface of the earth would remain. Ibn Umar then explains that people misunderstood these words when speaking about hadiths on one hundred years. He says the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم meant that no one living on the earth that day, from among his Companions, would survive after one hundred years. The focus is the passing of that generation, not naming the exact time of the Last Hour.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم made this statement after Isha prayer late in his life.
- Ibn Umar preserved the correct understanding of the statement.
- The one hundred years refers to those living at that time from among his Companions.
- The hadith teaches care when interpreting statements about time.
