44/85. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4655 — Valid Conditions
Selling A Mukatib
Hadith About Valid Conditions: Barirah and the Book of Allah
Sunan an-Nasai : 4655
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4655
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ بَرِيرَةَ جَاءَتْ عَائِشَةَ تَسْتَعِينُهَا فِي كِتَابَتِهَا شَيْئًا فَقَالَتْ لَهَا عَائِشَةُ ارْجِعِي إِلَى أَهْلِكِ فَإِنْ أَحَبُّوا أَنْ أَقْضِيَ عَنْكِ كِتَابَتَكِ وَيَكُونَ وَلاَؤُكِ لِي فَعَلْتُ فَذَكَرَتْ ذَلِكَ بَرِيرَةُ لأَهْلِهَا فَأَبَوْا وَقَالُوا إِنْ شَاءَتْ أَنْ تَحْتَسِبَ عَلَيْكِ فَلْتَفْعَلْ وَيَكُونَ لَنَا وَلاَؤُكِ . فَذَكَرَتْ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " ابْتَاعِي وَأَعْتِقِي فَإِنَّ الْوَلاَءَ لِمَنْ أَعْتَقَ " . ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا بَالُ أَقْوَامٍ يَشْتَرِطُونَ شُرُوطًا لَيْسَتْ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَمَنِ اشْتَرَطَ شَيْئًا لَيْسَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَلَيْسَ لَهُ وَإِنِ اشْتَرَطَ مِائَةَ شَرْطٍ وَشَرْطُ اللَّهِ أَحَقُّ وَأَوْثَقُ " .
A'isha Narrated from:
Barirah came to 'Aishah asking her to help her with her contract of manumission.' Aishah said: "Go back to your masters, and if they agree to let me pay off your contract of manumission, and let your loyalty be to me, then I will do it" Barirah told her masters about that, but they refused and said: "If she wants to seek reward (with Allah) by freeing you, let her do so, but your loyalty will be to us."She told the Messenger of Allah about that, and the Messenger of Allah said to her; "Buy her and set her free, and loyalty belongs to the one who set the slave free," Then the Messenger of Allah said: "What is the matter with people who stipulate conditions that are not in the Book of Allah? Whoever stipulates something that is not in the Book of Allah, it is not valid even if he stipulates one hundred conditions? The condition of Allah is more deserving of being followed and is more hinting."
[1] Mukâtib : A slave who has writ of manumission to buy his freedom from his master.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4655In-book reference : Book 44, Hadith 207English translation : Vol. 5, Book 44, Hadith 4659
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4655
This hadith about conditions in contracts centers on Barirah's manumission contract. Barirah came to Aishah asking for help. Aishah was willing to pay off the contract if the masters agreed that the wala would be hers. They refused and wanted to keep the wala while still accepting the payment. Aishah told the Messenger of Allah. He told her to buy Barirah and set her free, because wala belongs to the one who sets the slave free. Then he spoke about people who stipulate conditions not in the Book of Allah. Such conditions are not valid, even if repeated many times. The hadith is about contract conditions and the right of wala.
What we learn from this hadith
- Barirah sought help with her manumission contract.
- Wala belongs to the one who sets the slave free.
- A condition not in the Book of Allah is not valid in this matter.
- The Prophet corrected the condition publicly after giving the ruling.
