27/6. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1904 — Maternal Aunt’s Status
About Being Dutiful To The Maternal Aunt
Maternal Aunt Status Hadith: Like the Mother
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1904
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1904
حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ وَكِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ إِسْرَائِيلَ، ح قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ، وَهُوَ ابْنُ مَدُّويَهْ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَاللَّفْظُ، لِحَدِيثِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ الْهَمْدَانِيِّ، عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " الْخَالَةُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الأُمِّ " . وَفِي الْحَدِيثِ قِصَّةٌ طَوِيلَةٌ . وَهَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ .حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سُوقَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ حَفْصٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَصَبْتُ ذَنْبًا عَظِيمًا فَهَلْ لِي مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ قَالَ " هَلْ لَكَ مِنْ أُمٍّ " . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ " هَلْ لَكَ مِنْ خَالَةٍ " . قَالَ نَعَمْ . قَالَ " فَبِرَّهَا " . وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ وَالْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ .حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سُوقَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ حَفْصِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَحْوَهُ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ . وَهَذَا أَصَحُّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَبِي مُعَاوِيَةَ . وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ حَفْصٍ هُوَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ .
Al-Bara' bin 'Azib Narrated from:
The Prophet Said: "The Maternal Aunt Holds The Same Status As The Mother."(Another Chain) From Ibn 'Umar: A Man Came To The Prophet (ﷺ) And Said: "O Messenger Of Allah! I Have Been Afflicted By A Tremendous Sin. Is There Any Repentance For Me?" He Said: "Do You Have Your Mother?" The Man Said: "No." He Said: "Do You Have Any Maternal Aunts?" The Man Said: "Yes." He Said: "Then Be Dutiful To Them."(Another Chain) From Abu Bakr Bin Hafs, From The Prophet (ﷺ), And It Is Similar, But He Did Not Mention "From Ibn `Umar" In It. This Is More Correct Than The Hadith Of Abu Mu'Awiyah, And Abu Bakr Bin Hafs Is Ibn 'Umar Bin Sa'D Bin Abi Waqqas (Narrators In The Chain Of This Hadith.)
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1904In-book reference : Book 27, Hadith 8, 9, 10English translation : Vol. 4, Book 1, Hadith 1904
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1904
This maternal aunt hadith gives a clear and warm family teaching. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “The maternal aunt holds the same status as the mother.” Another chain in the provided text tells of a man who asked about repentance after a great sin. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked if he had a mother. When he said no, he was asked if he had a maternal aunt. When he said yes, he was told to be dutiful to her. The explanation should stay close to the text: this narration raises the status of the maternal aunt and points to kindness, service, and respect toward her. It does not replace the mother, but it shows a mother-like place of honor for the maternal aunt.
What we learn from this hadith
- The maternal aunt is given a special mother-like status.
- Being dutiful to a maternal aunt is directly encouraged.
- Family care includes relatives beyond parents alone.
- Repentance is linked in the narration with turning toward good family conduct.
