52/4. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2794c — The Soul and Human Limits
The Jews' Asking The Prophet (SAW) About The Soul, And The Words Of Allah: "And They Ask You Concerning The Ruh (The Spirit)"
Hadith About the Soul and the Limits of Human Knowledge
Sahih Muslim : 2794c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2794c
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَعِيدٍ الأَشَجُّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ إِدْرِيسَ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ الأَعْمَشَ، يَرْوِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي نَخْلٍ يَتَوَكَّأُ عَلَى عَسِيبٍ . ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ نَحْوَ حَدِيثِهِمْ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ وَقَالَ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً .
`Abdullah Narrated from:
Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) was reclining against a tree in the garden. The rest of the hadith is the same with a slight variation of wording.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2794cIn-book reference : Book 52, Hadith 17USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 39, Hadith 6714
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2794c
This report is a further variant of the hadith about the soul. Abdullah said that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was in a garden or among date palms, reclining against a tree and supported by a palm stalk. The rest of the hadith is described as similar to the earlier reports, including the wording that people were given only a little knowledge. The narration does not add a new ruling. It adds setting and preserves another chain of transmission. Its teaching is still simple: the soul belongs to the command of Allah, and people do not know everything. A believer should accept the answer Allah revealed and avoid pretending to know the unseen in full.
What we learn from this hadith
- The soul is connected to Allah’s command in the revealed answer.
- People have limited knowledge about unseen matters.
- Different narrations can preserve different setting details.
- A believer should not claim full knowledge of what Allah kept hidden.
