17/1. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1423 — The Pen Lifted From Three
What Has Been Related About Those From Whom Punishment Is Not Required
The Pen Lifted From Three Hadith Explained
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1423
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1423
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الْقُطَعِيُّ الْبَصْرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ الْبَصْرِيِّ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " رُفِعَ الْقَلَمُ عَنْ ثَلاَثَةٍ عَنِ النَّائِمِ حَتَّى يَسْتَيْقِظَ وَعَنِ الصَّبِيِّ حَتَّى يَشِبَّ وَعَنِ الْمَعْتُوهِ حَتَّى يَعْقِلَ " . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ عَلِيٍّ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهٍ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم . وَذَكَرَ بَعْضُهُمْ " وَعَنِ الْغُلاَمِ حَتَّى يَحْتَلِمَ " . وَلاَ نَعْرِفُ لِلْحَسَنِ سَمَاعًا عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ . وَقَدْ رُوِيَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ عَنْ أَبِي ظَبْيَانَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَحْوَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ . وَرَوَاهُ الأَعْمَشُ عَنْ أَبِي ظَبْيَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ مَوْقُوفًا وَلَمْ يَرْفَعْهُ . وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى قَدْ كَانَ الْحَسَنُ فِي زَمَانِ عَلِيٍّ وَقَدْ أَدْرَكَهُ وَلَكِنَّا لاَ نَعْرِفُ لَهُ سَمَاعًا مِنْهُ وَأَبُو ظَبْيَانَ اسْمُهُ حُصَيْنُ بْنُ جُنْدَبٍ .
'Ali Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: "The Pen Has Been Lifted From Three; For The Sleeping Person Until He Awakens, For The Boy Until He Becomes A Young Man And For The Mentally Insane Until He Regains Sanity."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1423In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 1English translation : Vol. 3, Book 15, Hadith 1423
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1423
This hadith about the pen lifted from three explains a simple rule of accountability. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said that the pen has been lifted from the sleeping person until he wakes, from the boy until he becomes a young man, and from the mentally insane person until he regains sanity. The wording focuses on people who do not have full awareness or full legal capacity at that time. It does not speak about every case in life. It speaks about these three named situations. The message is that responsibility is connected to wakefulness, maturity, and sound understanding.
What we learn from this hadith
- The sleeping person is not treated the same until he awakens.
- A boy is mentioned until he reaches maturity.
- A mentally insane person is mentioned until sanity returns.
- Accountability is tied to awareness and capacity in the text.
