39/3. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4152 — Obedience When Others Are Preferred
Pledging To Speak The Truth
Obedience When Others Are Preferred: A Hadith on Steadiness
Sunan an-Nasai : 4152
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4152
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَيُّوبَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، عَنِ ابْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، وَيَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، قَالَ بَايَعْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى السَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ فِي الْعُسْرِ وَالْيُسْرِ وَالْمَنْشَطِ وَالْمَكْرَهِ وَأَنْ لاَ نُنَازِعَ الأَمْرَ أَهْلَهُ وَعَلَى أَنْ نَقُولَ بِالْحَقِّ حَيْثُ كُنَّا .
'Ubadah bin Al-Walid bin 'Ubadah bin As-Samit Narrated from:
It was narrated from 'Ubadah bin Al-Walid bin 'Ubadah bin As-Samit, from this father, that his grandfather said: "We pledged to the Messenger of Allah to hear and obey both in times of hardship and ease, when we felt energetic and when we felt tired, and when others are preferred over us, that we would not contend with the orders of whomever was entrusted with it, and that we would speak the truth wherever we may be."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4152In-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 4English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 4157
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4152
This hadith adds an important condition to the pledge of obedience: remaining committed when others are preferred over you. Ubadah’s report says they pledged to hear and obey in hardship and ease, when energetic and when tired, and during situations of preference for others. They also promised not to challenge those entrusted with authority and to speak the truth wherever they were. The text speaks directly to moments when a person may feel overlooked or treated with less favor. It does not deny that such feelings can arise. Instead, it places the pledge above personal disappointment. The lesson is not passive silence about truth, because the same narration still requires truthful speech. It is disciplined conduct without turning personal preference into a struggle for authority.
What we learn from this hadith
- Obedience was pledged during hardship and ease.
- The pledge remained even when others were preferred.
- They agreed not to contend with entrusted authority.
- They still promised to speak the truth wherever they were.
