17/27. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1460 — Punishment of the Sahir
What Has Been Related About The Legal Punishment For The Sahir
Hadith About the Punishment of the Sahir
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1460
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1460
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ جُنْدَبٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " حَدُّ السَّاحِرِ ضَرْبَةٌ بِالسَّيْفِ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ مَرْفُوعًا إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ . وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ الْمَكِّيُّ يُضَعَّفُ فِي الْحَدِيثِ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ الْعَبْدِيُّ الْبَصْرِيُّ قَالَ وَكِيعٌ هُوَ ثِقَةٌ . وَيُرْوَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ أَيْضًا وَالصَّحِيحُ عَنْ جُنْدَبٍ مَوْقُوفٌ . وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ عِنْدَ بَعْضِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَغَيْرِهِمْ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ . وَقَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ إِنَّمَا يُقْتَلُ السَّاحِرُ إِذَا كَانَ يَعْمَلُ فِي سِحْرِهِ مَا يَبْلُغُ بِهِ الْكُفْرَ فَإِذَا عَمِلَ عَمَلاً دُونَ الْكُفْرِ فَلَمْ نَرَ عَلَيْهِ قَتْلاً .
Jundub Narrated from:
Narrated Jundab: That He Heard The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Saying: "The Punishment Of The Sahir Is A Strike Of The Sword."
[1] It is a sorcerer, a witch, or a magician.Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1460In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 44English translation : Vol. 3, Book 15, Hadith 1460
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1460
This hadith about the punishment of the sahir, or sorcerer, reports from Jundab that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “The punishment of the Sahir is a strike of the sword.” The provided text also includes important notes. Abu Isa says the raised narration is known only from this route, and he mentions weakness regarding Ismail bin Muslim Al-Makki. He also says the sounder report from Jundab is mawquf. The text then mentions that some people of knowledge acted on it, while Ash-Shafi'i said the sorcerer is only killed if his magic reaches the level of disbelief; if it is below that, he did not see killing for it. So the explanation should include the report and the caution attached to it.
What we learn from this hadith
- The narration reports a severe punishment for the sahir.
- The hadith entry itself mentions discussion about the chain.
- The text says the sounder report from Jundab is mawquf.
- Ash-Shafi'i’s view in the provided text limits killing to magic that reaches disbelief.
