31/1. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3672 — Give Fairly to All Your Children
Different Versions Of The Report Of Nu'man Bin Bashir Concerning Presents
Equal Gifts to Children Hadith: A Lesson in Family Fairness
Sunan an-Nasai : 3672
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3672
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ حُمَيْدٍ، ح وَأَنْبَأَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، قَالَ سَمِعْنَاهُ مِنَ الزُّهْرِيِّ، أَخْبَرَنِي حُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ النُّعْمَانِ، عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ، أَنَّ أَبَاهُ، نَحَلَهُ غُلاَمًا فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُشْهِدُهُ فَقَالَ " أَكُلَّ وَلَدِكَ نَحَلْتَ " . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ " فَارْدُدْهُ " . وَاللَّفْظُ لِمُحَمَّدٍ .
An-Nu'man bin Bashir Narrated from:
It was narrated from An-Nu'man bin Bashir that his father gave him a slave as a present, then he came to the Prophet to ask him to bear witness (to that). He said: "Have you given a present to all of your children?" He said: "No." He said: "Then take it back." This wording is that of (one of the narrators) Muhammad.
[1] An-Nihāl or presents; most of the linguists explain that it is something given without expecting something in return. Similar was stated by Ibn Hajar in explanation of Nos. 2586-2587 of Al-Bukhârî . It is often used as a synonym for other words that mean "gift."Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3672In-book reference : Book 31, Hadith 1English translation : Vol. 4, Book 31, Hadith 3702
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3672
This equal gifts to children hadith tells of An-Nu'man bin Bashir receiving a slave as a present from his father. His father then asked the Prophet to witness the gift. The Prophet first asked whether he had given a present to all of his children. When the father answered no, the Prophet told him to take the gift back. The narration keeps the issue simple: one child had been singled out, the father wanted formal witness, and the unequal gift was not approved. The text does not discuss different needs or exceptions, so those subjects should not be added here. Its direct lesson is that a parent should examine fairness among children before completing or asking others to witness a special gift.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet asked about the treatment of all the children before witnessing the gift.
- The father admitted that the other children had not received a present.
- He was told to take back the unequal gift.
