50/3. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2750b — Time for Worship and Family
The Virtue Of Constant Dhikr, Thinking Of The Hereafter, And Remembering That Allah Is Always Watching; Permissibility Of Stopping That Sometimes, And Attending To Worldly Matters
Hadith About Time for Worship and Worldly Affairs
Sahih Muslim : 2750b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2750b
حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ، سَمِعْتُ أَبِي يُحَدِّثُ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ، الْجُرَيْرِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ النَّهْدِيِّ، عَنْ حَنْظَلَةَ، قَالَ كُنَّا عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَوَعَظَنَا فَذَكَّرَ النَّارَ - قَالَ - ثُمَّ جِئْتُ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ فَضَاحَكْتُ الصِّبْيَانَ وَلاَعَبْتُ الْمَرْأَةَ - قَالَ - فَخَرَجْتُ فَلَقِيتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَقَالَ وَأَنَا قَدْ فَعَلْتُ مِثْلَ مَا تَذْكُرُ . فَلَقِينَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ نَافَقَ حَنْظَلَةُ فَقَالَ " مَهْ " . فَحَدَّثْتُهُ بِالْحَدِيثِ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَأَنَا قَدْ فَعَلْتُ مِثْلَ مَا فَعَلَ فَقَالَ " يَا حَنْظَلَةُ سَاعَةً وَسَاعَةً وَلَوْ كَانَتْ تَكُونُ قُلُوبُكُمْ كَمَا تَكُونُ عِنْدَ الذِّكْرِ لَصَافَحَتْكُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ حَتَّى تُسَلِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الطُّرُقِ " .
Hanzala Narrated from:
We were in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he delivered to us a sermon and made a mention of Hell-Fire. Then I came to my house and began to laugh with my children and sport with my wife. (Hanzala) further reported: I went out and met Abu Bakr and made a mention of that to him. Thereupon he said: I have done the same as you have mentioned.So we went to see Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said to him: Allah's Messenger, Hanzala has turned to he a hypocrite. And he (the Holy Prophet) said Show respite. And then I narrated to him the story, and Abu Bakr said: I have done the same as he has done.Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Hanzala, there is a time for worldly affairs and a time for (worship and devotion), and if your state of mind is always the same as it is at the time of remembrance of Allah, the Angels would shake hands with you and would greet you on the path by saying: As-Salamu-Alaikum.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2750bIn-book reference : Book 50, Hadith 15USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 37, Hadith 6624
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2750b
This narration gives another wording of the Hanzala Hadith about time for worship and worldly affairs. Hanzala heard a sermon from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in which Hell-Fire was mentioned. Later, he went home, laughed with his children, and played with his wife. This change worried him, and Abu Bakr admitted that he had the same experience. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered with calm teaching: there is a time for worldly affairs and a time for worship and devotion. He also said that if hearts always stayed like they were during remembrance, angels would shake hands with them and greet them on the road. The Hadith supports steady, honest faith, not unrealistic pressure.
What we learn from this hadith
- Remembering the Hereafter affects the heart deeply.
- Enjoying family life is mentioned without blame in this narration.
- Worship and devotion should have their proper time.
- Changing feelings do not automatically mean hypocrisy.
