1/20. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 50a — Striving Against False Practice
Clarifying that forbidding evil is part of faith, faith increases and decreases; Enjoying what is good and forbidding what is evil are obligatory
Mustard Seed Faith Hadith: Striving with Hand, Tongue, and Heart
Sahih Muslim : 50a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 50a
حَدَّثَنِي عَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ النَّضْرِ وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لِعَبْدٍ - قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ كَيْسَانَ، عَنِ الْحَارِثِ، عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْمِسْوَرِ، عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَا مِنْ نَبِيٍّ بَعَثَهُ اللَّهُ فِي أُمَّةٍ قَبْلِي إِلاَّ كَانَ لَهُ مِنْ أُمَّتِهِ حَوَارِيُّونَ وَأَصْحَابٌ يَأْخُذُونَ بِسُنَّتِهِ وَيَقْتَدُونَ بِأَمْرِهِ ثُمَّ إِنَّهَا تَخْلُفُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ خُلُوفٌ يَقُولُونَ مَا لاَ يَفْعَلُونَ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا لاَ يُؤْمَرُونَ فَمَنْ جَاهَدَهُمْ بِيَدِهِ فَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَمَنْ جَاهَدَهُمْ بِلِسَانِهِ فَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَمَنْ جَاهَدَهُمْ بِقَلْبِهِ فَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلَيْسَ وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ حَبَّةُ خَرْدَلٍ " . قَالَ أَبُو رَافِعٍ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ فَأَنْكَرَهُ عَلَىَّ فَقَدِمَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ فَنَزَلَ بِقَنَاةَ فَاسْتَتْبَعَنِي إِلَيْهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ يَعُودُهُ فَانْطَلَقْتُ مَعَهُ فَلَمَّا جَلَسْنَا سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ عَنْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ فَحَدَّثَنِيهِ كَمَا حَدَّثْتُهُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ . قَالَ صَالِحٌ وَقَدْ تُحُدِّثَ بِنَحْوِ ذَلِكَ عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ .
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings be upon him) observed: Never a Prophet had been sent before me by Allah towards his nation who had not among his people (his) disciples and companions who followed his ways and obeyed his command.Then there came after them their successors who said whatever they did not practise, and practised whatever they were not commanded to do. He who strove against them with his hand was a believer: he who strove against them with his tongue was a believer, and he who strove against them with his heart was a believer and beyond that there is no faith even to the extent of a mustard seed.Abu Rafi' said: I narrated this hadith to 'Abdullah b. 'Umar; he contradicted me. There happened to come 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud who stayed at Qanat, and 'Abdullah b 'Umar wanted me to accompany him for visiting him (as 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud was ailing), so I went along with him and as we sat (before him) I asked Ibn Mas'ud about this hadith. He narrated it in the same way as I narrated it to Ibn 'Umar.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 50aIn-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 86USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 1, Hadith 81
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 50a
This Hadith is often searched as mustard seed faith hadith or striving with hand tongue heart. The Prophet said that every earlier Prophet had disciples and companions who followed his way and obeyed his command. After them came successors who said what they did not practise and practised what they were not commanded to do. The Hadith then mentions striving against them with the hand, tongue, or heart, and calls each a believer. Beyond that, it says there is no faith even to the extent of a mustard seed. The text teaches the danger of empty speech and action without command. It also teaches that faith reacts to that wrong within one’s ability.
What we learn from this hadith
- True followers obey the Prophet’s way and command.
- Saying what one does not practise is warned against.
- Faith includes resisting wrong by hand, tongue, or heart.
