0/5.1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 49 — Rejecting Harmful False Speech
Unveiling Defects of the Transmitters of Ḥadīth and Relaters of Reports and the Statements of the A’immah Regarding That
Rejecting False Speech: A Strong Response to Troubling Words
Sahih Muslim : 49
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 49
وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ حَمْزَةَ الزَّيَّاتِ، قَالَ سَمِعَ مُرَّةُ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ، مِنَ الْحَارِثِ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ لَهُ اقْعُدْ بِالْبَابِ . قَالَ فَدَخَلَ مُرَّةُ وَأَخَذَ سَيْفَهُ - قَالَ - وَأَحَسَّ الْحَارِثُ بِالشَّرِّ فَذَهَبَ .
Hamzah az-Zayyāt Narrated from:
Murrah al-Hamdānī heard something from al-Hārith and said to him: ‘sit by the door’. [Hamzah] said: ‘So Murrah went inside and took his sword and al-Hārith sensed evil and left’.
Reference : Sahih Muslim Introduction 49In-book reference : Introduction, Narration 48
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 49
This report shows a strong reaction to troubling speech. Hamzah az-Zayyat says that Murrah al-Hamdani heard something from al-Harith and told him to sit by the door. Murrah then went inside and took his sword, while al-Harith sensed evil and left. The text does not tell us the exact words al-Harith said, so we should not invent them. What can be said is that the report presents al-Harith’s speech as something serious enough to cause a strong response from Murrah. In the wider topic of hadith narrator reliability, this report supports the need to be careful about what a person says and transmits. It also shows that false or harmful religious speech was not treated as a small matter by those involved in these reports.
What we learn from this hadith
- The report warns that some speech can be treated as very serious.
- We should not add details that the report does not state.
- A narrator’s words can affect how people view him.
- Care is needed when hearing religious claims from disputed people.
