35/43. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3856 — Sulaiman's Oath and Saying Insha Allah
The Exception (Saying: "If Allah Wills")
Sulaiman, the Oath, and the Words Insha Allah
Sunan an-Nasai : 3856
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3856
أَخْبَرَنَا الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَظِيمِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، رَفَعَهُ " قَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ لأَطُوفَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى تِسْعِينَ امْرَأَةً تَلِدُ كُلُّ امْرَأَةٍ مِنْهُنَّ غُلاَمًا يُقَاتِلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ قُلْ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ . فَلَمْ يَقُلْ فَطَافَ بِهِنَّ فَلَمْ تَلِدْ مِنْهُنَّ إِلاَّ امْرَأَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ نِصْفَ إِنْسَانٍ " . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَوْ قَالَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَمْ يَحْنَثْ وَكَانَ دَرَكًا لِحَاجَتِهِ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Sulaiman said: 'I will certainly go around to ninety women tonight, each of whom will bear a child who will fight in the cause of Allah.' It was said to him: 'Say: If Allah wills' but he did not say it. He went around to them but none of them bore a child except for one woman who bore half a person. The Messenger of Allah said: "If he had said: 'If Allah wills,' he would not have broken his vow, and this would have been a means to help him to get what he wanted."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3856In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 96English translation : Vol. 4, Book 35, Hadith 3887
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3856
This hadith tells how Sulaiman said he would visit ninety women in one night and that each would bear a child who would fight in the cause of Allah. He was told to say, “If Allah wills,” but he did not say it. None bore a child except one woman, who bore half a person. The Messenger of Allah then said that if Sulaiman had said “If Allah wills,” he would not have broken his vow, and the phrase would have been a means of helping him reach what he wanted. The text teaches humility about future plans. Even a strong intention and a good aim should be linked to Allah’s will rather than spoken as though the result is guaranteed.
What we learn from this hadith
- Future results should be connected to Allah’s will.
- Sulaiman was advised to say “If Allah wills.”
- The expected result did not occur as he had stated.
- The hadith says the exception would have protected him from breaking the vow and aided his aim.
