11/10. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 936b — Keeping the Promise Not to Wail
Stern warning against wailing
Keeping the Promise Not to Wail in Islam
Sahih Muslim : 936b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 936b
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَسْبَاطٌ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ حَفْصَةَ، عَنْ أُمِّ عَطِيَّةَ، قَالَتْ أَخَذَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الْبَيْعَةِ أَلاَّ تَنُحْنَ فَمَا وَفَتْ مِنَّا غَيْرُ خَمْسٍ مِنْهُنَّ أُمُّ سُلَيْمٍ .
Umm 'Atiyyah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took pledge from us (including this promise) that we would not lament. Only five amongst us fulfilled the promise, and one of them (who fulfilled the promise) was Umm Sulaim.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 936bIn-book reference : Book 11, Hadith 42USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 2037
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 936b
This hadith about keeping the promise not to wail is a shorter report from Umm Atiyya. She said that the Messenger of Allah took a pledge from them that they would not lament. She then stated that only five among them fulfilled that pledge, and one of them was Umm Sulaim. The text is simple, but its meaning is weighty. It connects funeral conduct to a promise made before the Prophet. The report does not list every reason why others failed, so we should not add guesses. Its clear teaching is that niyahah, or funeral wailing, was something to be left. It also reminds readers that a pledge is not only spoken; it has to be lived after the moment of agreement.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet took a pledge that included leaving lamentation.
- A promise should be followed after it is made.
- The report highlights Umm Sulaim among those who fulfilled the pledge.
