37/4. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4015 — Three Grievous Sins and the Al-Furqan Verse
The Gravest of Sins, and the Differences that Yahya and 'Abdur-Rahman Narrated from Sufya
Grievous Sins in Surah Al-Furqan: Shirk, Adultery and Child Killing
Sunan an-Nasai : 4015
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4015
أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدَةُ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا يَزِيدُ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَاصِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَىُّ الذَّنْبِ أَعْظَمُ قَالَ " الشِّرْكُ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ لِلَّهِ نِدًّا وَأَنْ تُزَانِيَ بِحَلِيلَةِ جَارِكَ وَأَنْ تَقْتُلَ وَلَدَكَ مَخَافَةَ الْفَقْرِ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ مَعَكَ " . ثُمَّ قَرَأَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ { وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ } . قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ هَذَا خَطَأٌ وَالصَّوَابُ الَّذِي قَبْلَهُ وَحَدِيثُ يَزِيدَ هَذَا خَطَأٌ إِنَّمَا هُوَ وَاصِلٌ وَاللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَعْلَمُ .
`Abdullah Narrated from:
I asked the Messenger of Allah [SAW], which sin is most grievous? He said: "Shirk, setting up a rival to Allah, committing adultery with your neighbor's wife, and killing your child for fear of poverty, and that he may eat with you." Then 'Abdullah recited the Verse: "And those who invoke not any other Ilah (god) along with Allah."
[1] Al-Furqân 25:68.[2] Meaning, in No 4019, it is from Wāṣil, from Abū Wā'il, from 'Abdullāh Ibn Mas'ūd. In No. 4020, Yazīd bin Hārūn narrated it; "'Āṣim, from Abū Wā'il..." and the mention of 'Āṣim is incorrect according to the author.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4015In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 50English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4020
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4015
This hadith reports 'Abdullah's question about the gravest sin. The answer names shirk by setting up a rival to Allah, adultery with a neighbor's wife and killing one's child from fear of poverty and sharing food. 'Abdullah then recites the verse beginning, And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah. The narration therefore connects these grave sins with the Qur'anic passage in Surah Al-Furqan. It warns against corrupt belief, sexual betrayal and violence driven by fear of poverty. The report also contains a note from Abu 'Abdur-Rahman saying that this version contains an error and that the preceding narration is the correct form. That note should be kept visible when explaining the text rather than ignored.
What we learn from this hadith
- Shirk, adultery and child killing are named as grievous sins in this wording.
- Fear of poverty is not presented as an excuse for taking a child's life.
- The narration links the subject to a verse in Surah Al-Furqan.
- The compiler's note says this version contains an error and points to the preceding report.
