50/7. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2763c — Good Deeds After Lesser Wrong
The Words Of Allah The Most High: "Verily, The Good Deeds Remove The Evil Deeds"
Hadith About Good Deeds After a Lesser Wrong
Sahih Muslim : 2763c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2763c
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ التَّيْمِيِّ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ قَالَ أَصَابَ رَجُلٌ مِنِ امْرَأَةٍ شَيْئًا دُونَ الْفَاحِشَةِ فَأَتَى عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ فَعَظَّمَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَتَى أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَعَظَّمَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَ بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ يَزِيدَ وَالْمُعْتَمِرِ .
Sulaiman Taimi Narrated from:
A person had taken liberty with a woman less than fornication. He came to 'Umar b. Khattab and he took it to be a serious offence. Then he came to Abu Bakr and he also took it to be a serious offence. Then he came the Allahs Apostle (ﷺ) and he made a mention of this to him. The rest of the hadith is the same.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2763cIn-book reference : Book 50, Hadith 49USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 37, Hadith 6657
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2763c
This version of the good deeds erase bad deeds hadith says that a man did something with a woman that was less than fornication. He went to Umar, then Abu Bakr, and both regarded the matter as serious. Then he came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and mentioned it. The rest of the hadith follows the same meaning as the earlier report, where the verse about prayer and good deeds removing evil deeds was revealed. The wording matters. It says “less than fornication,” so the explanation should not turn it into a different act. The lesson is balanced: the matter was treated seriously, yet the text also points to the verse that good deeds take away evil deeds.
What we learn from this hadith
- The report says the act was less than fornication, so it should not be overstated.
- The man sought guidance after doing wrong.
- Umar and Abu Bakr took the matter seriously.
- The same verse teaches that good deeds take away evil deeds.
