37/21. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4083 — Warning Before Defending Property
What Should a Man Do if Someone Comes to Take His Wealth?
Defending Wealth in Islam: Warning Comes Before Fighting
Sunan an-Nasai : 4083
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4083
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَكَمِ، عَنْ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ اللَّيْثِ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْهَادِ، عَنْ قُهَيْدِ بْنِ مُطَرِّفٍ الْغِفَارِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، جَاءَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ عُدِيَ عَلَى مَالِي قَالَ " فَانْشُدْ بِاللَّهِ " . قَالَ فَإِنْ أَبَوْا عَلَىَّ قَالَ " فَانْشُدْ بِاللَّهِ " . قَالَ فَإِنْ أَبَوْا عَلَىَّ قَالَ " فَانْشُدْ بِاللَّهِ " . قَالَ فَإِنْ أَبَوْا عَلَىَّ قَالَ " فَقَاتِلْ فَإِنْ قُتِلْتَ فَفِي الْجَنَّةِ وَإِنْ قَتَلْتَ فَفِي النَّارِ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
A man came to the Messenger of Allah [SAW] and said: "O Messenger of Allah, what do you think if someone comes to steal my wealth?" He said: "Urge him by Allah." He said: "What if he persists?" He said: "Urge him by Allah." He said: "What if he persists?" He said: "Urge him by Allah." He said: "What if he persists?" He said: "Then fight. If you are killed you will be in Paradise and if you kill him, he will be in the Fire."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4083In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 118English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4088
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4083
This narration on defending wealth in Islam repeats a careful sequence. The question concerns a person who comes to take another person’s property. The Prophet [SAW] first says to urge the aggressor by Allah. The questioner asks several times what should happen if the aggressor refuses, and each time the warning is repeated. After persistent refusal, the instruction changes to fighting in defense of the wealth. The hadith also states that if the defender is killed, he will be in Paradise, while the aggressor killed during that attack will be in the Fire. Its main message is not uncontrolled violence. The text places several appeals to Allah before the final act of resistance against continued theft.
What we learn from this hadith
- The owner should first appeal to the aggressor in Allah’s name.
- The appeal is repeated when the aggressor continues to refuse.
- Fighting is mentioned only after the repeated warnings fail.
- The text assigns different outcomes to the defender and the continuing aggressor.
