37/27. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4109 — Examining the Chain of a Serious Hadith
Fighting Muslims
Hadith Chain Verification: Fighting a Muslim Is Kufr
Sunan an-Nasai : 4109
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4109
أَخْبَرَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلاَنَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لِحَمَّادٍ سَمِعْتُ مَنْصُورًا، وَسُلَيْمَانَ، وَزُبَيْدًا، يُحَدِّثُونَ عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " سِبَابُ الْمُسْلِمِ فُسُوقٌ وَقِتَالُهُ كُفْرٌ " . مَنْ تَتَّهِمُ أَتَتَّهِمُ مَنْصُورًا أَتَتَّهِمُ زُبَيْدًا أَتَتَّهِمُ سُلَيْمَانَ قَالَ لاَ وَلَكِنِّي أَتَّهِمُ أَبَا وَائِلٍ .
Shu’bah Narrated from:
I said to Hammad: 'I heard Mansur, and Sulaiman, and Zubaid narrating from Abu Wa'il, from 'Abdullah, that the Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: Defaming a Muslim is evildoing and fighting him is Kufr." - Who are you worried about? Are you worried about Mansur? Are you worried about Zubaid? Are you worried about Sulaiman?' He said: 'No, but I am worried about Abu Wa'il.'"
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4109In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 144English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4114
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4109
This report contains the familiar warning that defaming a Muslim is evildoing and fighting him is kufr. It also shows a discussion among hadith transmitters. Shu'bah says that he heard Mansur, Sulaiman, and Zubaid report the wording from Abu Wa'il, from 'Abdullah, from the Prophet. He then asks Hammad which narrator causes concern. Hammad says that his concern is not Mansur, Zubaid, or Sulaiman, but Abu Wa'il. The text therefore records both the moral teaching and scrutiny of the chain. It shows that narrators examined individual links rather than accepting every route without discussion. The central teaching remains the serious prohibition of abuse and fighting.
What we learn from this hadith
- Defaming a Muslim is described as evildoing.
- Fighting a Muslim is described with severe language.
- The narrators discussed specific people in the chain.
- The report shows close attention to how a hadith was transmitted.
