37/17. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4072 — Abu Bakr's Anger Ends When Killing Is Mentioned
Mentioning the Different Reports From Al-A'mash in This Hadith
Abu Bakr's Anger and the Rejection of Unlawful Killing
Sunan an-Nasai : 4072
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4072
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ أَبِي الْجَعْدِ، عَنْ أَبِي بَرْزَةَ، قَالَ تَغَيَّظَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ عَلَى رَجُلٍ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ هُوَ يَا خَلِيفَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ قَالَ لِمَ قُلْتُ لأَضْرِبَ عُنُقَهُ إِنْ أَمَرْتَنِي بِذَلِكَ . قَالَ أَفَكُنْتَ فَاعِلاً قُلْتُ نَعَمْ . قَالَ فَوَاللَّهِ لأَذْهَبَ عِظَمُ كَلِمَتِي الَّتِي قُلْتُ غَضَبَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ مَا كَانَ لأَحَدٍ بَعْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Abu Barzah Narrated from:
Abu Bakr got infuriated with a man, and I said: 'Who is he, O Khalifah of the Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'Why?' I said: 'So that I might strike his neck (killing him) if you tell me to.' He said: 'Would you really do that?' I said: 'Yes. By Allah,' the seriousness of what I said took away his anger. Then he said: 'That is not for anyone after Muhammad [SAW].'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4072In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 107English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4077
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4072
This narration shows Abu Bakr becoming angry with a man. Abu Barzah asks who the man is and offers to strike his neck if Abu Bakr commands it. The seriousness of that offer removes Abu Bakr's anger. He then states that this was not for anyone after Muhammad. The hadith about controlling anger is especially striking because the mention of killing did not intensify the conflict; instead, it made Abu Bakr step back. He refused to let his personal anger become a basis for taking life. The text teaches restraint, limits on authority, and the danger of turning loyalty to a leader into violence.
What we learn from this hadith
- Personal anger does not make killing lawful.
- Abu Bakr rejected violent loyalty rather than accepting it.
- Leadership does not remove the need for legal limits.
- The narration distinguishes the Prophet's position from later rulers.
