50/4. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2619b — Hope, Fear and Mercy
The Vastaess Of Allah's Mercy, Which Prevails Over His Wrath
Hadith About Hope, Fear and the Cat
Sahih Muslim : 2619b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2619b
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالَ عَبْدٌ أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ ابْنُ رَافِعٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، قَالَ قَالَ لِيَ الزُّهْرِيُّ أَلاَ أُحَدِّثُكَ بِحَدِيثَيْنِ عَجِيبَيْنِ قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ أَخْبَرَنِي حُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " أَسْرَفَ رَجُلٌ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ فَلَمَّا حَضَرَهُ الْمَوْتُ أَوْصَى بَنِيهِ فَقَالَ إِذَا أَنَا مُتُّ فَأَحْرِقُونِي ثُمَّ اسْحَقُونِي ثُمَّ اذْرُونِي فِي الرِّيحِ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَوَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ قَدَرَ عَلَىَّ رَبِّي لَيُعَذِّبُنِي عَذَابًا مَا عَذَّبَهُ بِهِ أَحَدًا . قَالَ فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ بِهِ فَقَالَ لِلأَرْضِ أَدِّي مَا أَخَذْتِ . فَإِذَا هُوَ قَائِمٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى مَا صَنَعْتَ فَقَالَ خَشْيَتُكَ يَا رَبِّ - أَوْ قَالَ - مَخَافَتُكَ . فَغَفَرَ لَهُ بِذَلِكَ " . قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ وَحَدَّثَنِي حُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " دَخَلَتِ امْرَأَةٌ النَّارَ فِي هِرَّةٍ رَبَطَتْهَا فَلاَ هِيَ أَطْعَمَتْهَا وَلاَ هِيَ أَرْسَلَتْهَا تَأْكُلُ مِنْ خَشَاشِ الأَرْضِ حَتَّى مَاتَتْ هَزْلاً " . قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ ذَلِكَ لِئَلاَّ يَتَّكِلَ رَجُلٌ وَلاَ يَيْأَسَ رَجُلٌ .
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that a person committed sin beyond measure and when he was going to die, he left this will: (When I die), bum my dead body and then cast them (the ashes) to the wind and in the ocean. By Allah, if my Lord takes hold of me, He would torment me as He has not tormented anyone else. They did as he had asked them to do. He (the Lord) said to the earth: Return what you have taken. And he was thus restored to his (original form). He (Allah) said to him: What prompted you to do this? He said: My Lord, it was Thine fear or Thine awe, and Allah pardoned him because of this. Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that a woman was thrown into Hell-Fire because of a cat whom she had tied and did not provide it with food. nor did she set it free to eat vermin of the earth until it died emaciated. Az-Zuhri said: (These two ahadith) show that a person should neither feel confident (of getting into Paradise) because of his deeds, nor should he lose (all hopes) of getting into Paradise.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2756b, 2619bIn-book reference : Book 50, Hadith 29USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 37, Hadith 6638
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2619b
This Hadith contains the same two-part lesson: one report about a man who sinned beyond measure and feared Allah, and another report about a woman punished because of a cat. The man ordered his body to be burned and scattered, thinking he could face severe punishment if Allah held him. Allah restored him and asked what moved him to do it. He said it was fear or awe of Allah, and Allah forgave him because of that. The woman, however, tied up a cat and did not feed it or release it until it died. Az-Zuhri’s closing note gives the main lesson: neither feel falsely safe nor lose hope.
What we learn from this hadith
- Fear of Allah can move a sinner to a serious inward state.
- Allah’s power is shown in restoring the scattered man.
- Neglecting and starving an animal is treated as a grave matter.
- A person should avoid both despair and false confidence.
