52/4. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2795a — Faith Under Pressure
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 Refusing to Deny the Prophet
Sahih Muslim : 2795a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2795a
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الأَشَجُّ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ أَبِي الضُّحَى، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ خَبَّابٍ، قَالَ كَانَ لِي عَلَى الْعَاصِ بْنِ وَائِلٍ دَيْنٌ فَأَتَيْتُهُ أَتَقَاضَاهُ فَقَالَ لِي لَنْ أَقْضِيَكَ حَتَّى تَكْفُرَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ - قَالَ - فَقُلْتُ لَهُ إِنِّي لَنْ أَكْفُرَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ حَتَّى تَمُوتَ ثُمَّ تُبْعَثَ . قَالَ وَإِنِّي لَمَبْعُوثٌ مِنْ بَعْدِ الْمَوْتِ فَسَوْفَ أَقْضِيكَ إِذَا رَجَعْتُ إِلَى مَالٍ وَوَلَدٍ . قَالَ وَكِيعٌ كَذَا قَالَ الأَعْمَشُ قَالَ فَنَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ { أَفَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي كَفَرَ بِآيَاتِنَا وَقَالَ لأُوتَيَنَّ مَالاً وَوَلَدًا} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ { وَيَأْتِينَا فَرْدًا}
Khabbab Narrated from:
Al-`As b. Wa'il owed debt to me. I came to him in order to demand that. He said: I will never repay you unless you belie Muhammad. I said: I would never belie Muhammad until you die and you are again raised up. He said: When I would be raised up after death, I would repay your debt when I would get my property and children back. Waki` said: This is how Al-A`mash has narrated and it was on this occasion that this verse was revealed:"Hast thou seen him who disbelieves in Our message and says: I shall certainly be given wealth and children" (xix, 77) up to "he would come to Us alone" (xix, 80).
[1] Mariam 19:77-80.Reference : Sahih Muslim 2795aIn-book reference : Book 52, Hadith 18USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 39, Hadith 6715
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2795a
This hadith about faith under pressure tells of Khabbab demanding a debt from Al-As b. Wa’il. Al-As said he would not repay unless Khabbab disbelieved in Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. Khabbab refused and said he would not deny Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم even until Al-As died and was raised again. Al-As then spoke as if he would have wealth and children after being raised and could repay then. The narration says that verses were revealed about the one who disbelieved in Allah’s message and claimed he would be given wealth and children, ending with him coming alone. The lesson is strong: faith should not be sold for money, pressure, or unpaid rights.
What we learn from this hadith
- Khabbab refused to deny the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم for worldly payment.
- Debt and pressure did not make him give up faith.
- False confidence in wealth and children is corrected by revelation.
- A person will come to Allah alone, as the cited verse states.
