41/15. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2675 — Good and Bad Traditions
Whoever Calls To Guidance And Is Followed Or To Misguidance
Hadith About Starting a Good Tradition
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2675
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2675
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، أَخْبَرَنَا الْمَسْعُودِيُّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ جَرِيرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ سَنَّ سُنَّةَ خَيْرٍ فَاتُّبِعَ عَلَيْهَا فَلَهُ أَجْرُهُ وَمِثْلُ أُجُورِ مَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ غَيْرَ مَنْقُوصٍ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْئًا وَمَنْ سَنَّ سُنَّةَ شَرٍّ فَاتُّبِعَ عَلَيْهَا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ وِزْرُهُ وَمِثْلُ أَوْزَارِ مَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ غَيْرَ مَنْقُوصٍ مِنْ أَوْزَارِهِمْ شَيْئًا " . وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَقَدْ رُوِيَ مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهٍ عَنْ جَرِيرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَحْوُ هَذَا . وَقَدْ رُوِيَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ عَنِ الْمُنْذِرِ بْنِ جَرِيرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم . وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَرِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَيْضًا .
Ibn Jarir bin 'Abdullah Narrated from:
Narrated Ibn Jarir bin 'Abdullah: From His Father That The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: "Whoever Starts A Good Tradition Which Is Followed, Then For Him Is A Reward, And The Likes Of Their Rewards Of Whoever Follows Him, There Being Nothing Diminished From Their Rewards. And Whoever Starts A Bad Tradition Which Is Followed, Then For Him Is The Sin, And The Likes Of The Sins Of Whoever Follows Him, There Being Nothing Diminished From Their Sins."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2675In-book reference : Book 41, Hadith 31English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 2675
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2675
This Hadith explains the result of beginning a practice that others follow. Whoever starts a good tradition that is followed receives his reward and rewards like those who follow him, without their rewards being reduced. Whoever starts a bad tradition that is followed carries his sin and sins like those who follow him, without their sins being reduced. The Hadith is about responsibility for what one begins and spreads. A hadith about starting a good tradition encourages beneficial examples, while warning against harmful ones. The wording keeps both sides balanced: good influence can grow in reward, and bad influence can grow in burden. What people learn from us matters.
What we learn from this hadith
- Starting a followed good practice can bring ongoing reward.
- Starting a followed bad practice can bring ongoing sin.
- The reward or sin of followers is not reduced in the Hadith wording.
- A Muslim should think carefully about what he normalizes for others.
