37/4. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4013 — The Gravest Sins
The Gravest of Sins, and the Differences that Yahya and 'Abdur-Rahman Narrated from Sufya
The Gravest Sins in Islam: Shirk, Child Killing and Adultery
Sunan an-Nasai : 4013
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4013
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ وَاصِلٍ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُرَحْبِيلَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الذَّنْبِ أَعْظَمُ قَالَ " أَنْ تَجْعَلَ لِلَّهِ نِدًّا وَهُوَ خَلَقَكَ " . قُلْتُ ثُمَّ مَاذَا قَالَ " أَنْ تَقْتُلَ وَلَدَكَ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَطْعَمَ مَعَكَ " . قُلْتُ ثُمَّ مَاذَا قَالَ " أَنْ تُزَانِيَ بِحَلِيلَةِ جَارِكَ " .
`Abdullah Narrated from:
I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, which sin is the most grievous?' He said: 'Setting up a rival to Allah while it is He that has created you.' I said: 'Then what?' He said: 'Killing your child for fear that he may eat with you.' I said: 'Then what?' He said: 'Committing adultery with your neighbor's wife.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4013In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 48English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4018
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4013
This hadith answers a question about the gravest sins in Islam in a clear order. 'Abdullah asks which sin is greatest. The Prophet first says that it is setting up a rival to Allah even though Allah created you. When asked what comes next, he names killing one's child out of fear that the child will share one's food. He then names committing adultery with a neighbor's wife. Each act adds a deep form of betrayal: denying the sole right of the Creator, taking the life of one's own child because of fear over provision and violating both marriage and the trust owed to a neighbor. The report does not give a complete list of every major sin. It answers the question with these three especially grievous examples.
What we learn from this hadith
- Setting up a rival to Allah is named first because Allah is the Creator.
- Killing a child from fear of sharing food is condemned as a grievous sin.
- Adultery with a neighbor's wife adds betrayal of marriage and neighborly trust.
- The narration gives an ordered answer to a direct question about grave sins.
