37/4. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4014 — Shirk, Child Killing and Betrayal
The Gravest of Sins, and the Differences that Yahya and 'Abdur-Rahman Narrated from Sufya
Most Grievous Sins: Shirk, Killing a Child and Adultery
Sunan an-Nasai : 4014
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4014
حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي وَاصِلٌ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الذَّنْبِ أَعْظَمُ قَالَ " أَنْ تَجْعَلَ لِلَّهِ نِدًّا وَهُوَ خَلَقَكَ " . قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَىٌّ قَالَ " أَنْ تَقْتُلَ وَلَدَكَ مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنْ يَطْعَمَ مَعَكَ " . قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَىٌّ قَالَ " ثُمَّ أَنْ تُزَانِيَ بِحَلِيلَةِ جَارِكَ " .
`Abdullah Narrated from:
I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, which sin is most grievous?' He said: 'Setting up a rival to Allah while it is He that created you.' I said: 'Then what?' He said: 'Killing your child so that he will not eat with you.' I said: 'Then what?' He said: 'Committing adultery with your neighbor's wife.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4014In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 49English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4019
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4014
In this narration, 'Abdullah asks the Messenger of Allah which sin is most grievous. The first answer is to set up a rival to Allah while Allah is the One who created you. The next is to kill your child so that the child will not eat with you. The third is to commit adultery with your neighbor's wife. The wording exposes the wrong behind each act. Shirk directs worship or rivalry toward another despite Allah's act of creation. Killing the child turns fear about food into violence against one's own family. Adultery with a neighbor's wife violates sexual boundaries and the trust of a nearby household. The hadith focuses on these three grave sins and does not claim to list every serious wrongdoing.
What we learn from this hadith
- Allah's creation of a person makes setting up a rival to Him a grave wrong.
- Fear of sharing food does not justify harming a child.
- Adultery with a neighbor's wife is presented as a serious betrayal.
- The Prophet answered the question in a clear sequence.
