30/6. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3644 — Save Yourself from the Fire
When One Exhorts His Closest Kinsmen
Save Yourself from the Fire: Personal Accountability Before Allah
Sunan an-Nasai : 3644
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3644
أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ طَلْحَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ {وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ} دَعَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قُرَيْشًا فَاجْتَمَعُوا فَعَمَّ وَخَصَّ فَقَالَ " يَا بَنِي كَعْبِ بْنِ لُؤَىٍّ يَا بَنِي مُرَّةَ بْنِ كَعْبٍ يَا بَنِي عَبْدِ شَمْسٍ وَيَا بَنِي عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ وَيَا بَنِي هَاشِمٍ وَيَا بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ أَنْقِذُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ مِنَ النَّارِ وَيَا فَاطِمَةُ أَنْقِذِي نَفْسَكِ مِنَ النَّارِ إِنِّي لاَ أَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا غَيْرَ أَنَّ لَكُمْ رَحِمًا سَأَبُلُّهَا بِبِلاَلِهَا ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
When the following was revealed: 'And warn your tribe (O Muhammad) of near kindred,' the Messenger of Allah called the Quraish and they gathered, and he spoke in general and specific terms, then he said: 'O Banu Ka'b bin Lu'ayy! O Banu Murrah bin Ka'b! O Banu 'Abd Shams! O Banu 'Abd Manaf! O Banu Hisham! O Banu 'Abdul-Muttalib! Save yourselves from the Fire! O Fatimah! Save yourself from the Fire. I cannot avail you anything before Allah, but I will uphold the ties of kinship with you.
[1] Ash-Shu'ara 26:214.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3644In-book reference : Book 30, Hadith 34English translation : Vol. 4, Book 30, Hadith 3674
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3644
This hadith about personal accountability begins when the Messenger of Allah is commanded to warn his near relatives. He gathers the Quraish and calls different family groups by name. His message is direct: save yourselves from the Fire. He even addresses Fatimah and says that he cannot avail her anything before Allah. Family closeness to the Prophet does not remove a person’s own duty before Allah. At the same time, he says that he will continue to uphold the ties of kinship. The hadith therefore keeps two matters separate. Religious accountability belongs to each person, while family ties should still be maintained. It warns against relying on ancestry alone and calls every listener, including close relatives, to take the warning seriously.
What we learn from this hadith
- Do not rely on family status as a substitute for personal responsibility before Allah.
- Take warnings about the Fire seriously and act for your own salvation.
- Give sincere religious advice to close relatives as well as to others.
- Maintain ties of kinship even though each person remains accountable before Allah.
