45/22, 23: Chapter
Sunan an-Nasai 4775 — Do Not Defame the Dead
Retaliation For A Slap
Do Not Defame the Dead: A Hadith on Guarding the Tongue
Sunan an-Nasai : 4775
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4775
أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ إِسْرَائِيلَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ سَعِيدَ بْنَ جُبَيْرٍ، يَقُولُ أَخْبَرَنِي ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، وَقَعَ فِي أَبٍ كَانَ لَهُ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَلَطَمَهُ الْعَبَّاسُ فَجَاءَ قَوْمُهُ فَقَالُوا لَيَلْطِمَنَّهُ كَمَا لَطَمَهُ . فَلَبِسُوا السِّلاَحَ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَصَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ فَقَالَ " أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَىُّ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ تَعْلَمُونَ أَكْرَمُ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ " . فَقَالُوا أَنْتَ . فَقَالَ " إِنَّ الْعَبَّاسَ مِنِّي وَأَنَا مِنْهُ لاَ تَسُبُّوا مَوْتَانَا فَتُؤْذُوا أَحْيَاءَنَا " . فَجَاءَ الْقَوْمُ فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ نَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ غَضَبِكَ اسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا .
Ibn 'Abbad Narrated from:
A man slandered one of his forefathers from the time of the Jahiliyyah, and Al-'Abbas slapped him. His people came and said: "Let him slap him as he slapped him," and they prepared for quarrel. News of that reached the Prophet, and he ascended the Minbar and said: "O People, which of the people of the Earth do you know to be the most noble before Allah?" They said: "You." He said: "Al-Abbas belongs to me and I to him. Do not defame our dead or offend our living." Those people came and said: "O Messenger of Allah, we seek refuge with Allah from your anger; pray to give us."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4775In-book reference : Book 45, Hadith 70English translation : Vol. 5, Book 45, Hadith 4779
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4775
This hadith about not defaming the dead begins with a serious dispute. A man spoke against one of the forefathers from the time of Jahiliyyah, and Al-'Abbas slapped him. The man's people wanted equal retaliation and prepared for quarrel. When the Prophet heard about it, he addressed the people. He mentioned the honor of Al-'Abbas and said, 'Do not defame our dead or offend our living.' The teaching is very direct. Speech about the dead can wound those who are alive. The hadith does not ask us to invent praise or hide the text's facts. It simply warns against insulting the dead in a way that brings pain and conflict among the living. The people then came seeking refuge from the Prophet's anger and asked for forgiveness.
What we learn from this hadith
- Speaking ill of the dead can hurt living relatives and people connected to them.
- The Prophet stopped a conflict that was growing from insulting speech.
- Respectful words can prevent quarrels from spreading.
- The people returned and asked the Prophet to seek forgiveness for them.
