42/26. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4321 — Mastigure Uncertainty
Mastigures
Mastigure Hadith and the Prophet's Careful Uncertainty
Sunan an-Nasai : 4321
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4321
أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ يَزِيدَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا بَهْزُ بْنُ أَسَدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَدِيُّ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ زَيْدَ بْنَ وَهْبٍ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ ثَابِتِ بْنِ وَدِيعَةَ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِضَبٍّ فَجَعَلَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ وَيُقَلِّبُهُ وَقَالَ " إِنَّ أُمَّةً مُسِخَتْ لاَ يُدْرَى مَا فَعَلَتْ وَإِنِّي لاَ أَدْرِي لَعَلَّ هَذَا مِنْهَا " .
Thabit bin Wadi ah Narrated from:
A man brought a mastigure to the Messenger of Allah and he started looking at it, and turning it over. He said: 'A nation was transformed, it is not known what they did, and I do not know if this is one of them.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4321In-book reference : Book 42, Hadith 59English translation : Vol. 5, Book 42, Hadith 4326
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4321
This mastigure hadith shows a man bringing the animal to the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet looked at it and turned it over before speaking. He then referred to a nation that had been transformed and said that what happened to them was not known. He also said that he did not know whether this mastigure was one of them. The wording centers on uncertainty, not a final food command. It teaches readers to notice the difference between a concern and a definite ruling. The Prophet did not claim knowledge that he had not been given in this report. For anyone searching for the dabb hadith or mastigure in Islam, the safest summary is that this narration records careful observation and an openly stated lack of certainty.
What we learn from this hadith
- Admit uncertainty rather than presenting a guess as certain knowledge.
- Examine a matter carefully before speaking about it.
- Do not add a food ruling that the narration itself does not state.
