39/24. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4188 — Obedience Within Your Ability
Pledging To Da As Much As One Can
Obedience Within Ability in the Prophetic Pledge
Sunan an-Nasai : 4188
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4188
أَخْبَرَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي مُوسَى بْنُ عُقْبَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ كُنَّا حِينَ نُبَايِعُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى السَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ يَقُولُ لَنَا " فِيمَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
When we gave our pledge to the Messenger of Allah to hear and obey, he would say to us: 'In as much as you can".
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4188In-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 40English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 4193
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4188
This hadith about obedience within ability repeats an important phrase from the pledge of Ibn ‘Umar and the companions. When they pledged to hear and obey the Messenger of Allah, he would tell them, “In as much as you can.” The repeated wording shows that this was not an accidental comment. It was part of how the pledge was framed for them. The narration keeps commitment strong while keeping the words truthful and realistic. A Muslim should not describe a duty as meaningless, but should also not pretend to possess ability beyond what is real. For people searching for the pledge to hear and obey hadith, the message is clear and balanced: obedience was accepted as a duty, and the Prophet himself attached it to the person’s capacity.
What we learn from this hadith
- The pledge included hearing and obeying the Messenger of Allah.
- The Prophet repeatedly linked that pledge to the companions’ ability.
- Religious commitments should be sincere and realistically stated.
- The narration balances duty with recognition of human limits.
