47/3. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2989 — Allah Accepts Only What Is Good
Regarding Surat Al-Baqarah
Allah Is Tayyib: Hadith About Halal Food and Accepted Dua
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2989
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2989
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا فُضَيْلُ بْنُ مَرْزُوقٍ، عَنْ عَدِيِّ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ طَيِّبٌ وَلاَ يَقْبَلُ إِلاَّ طَيِّبًا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِمَا أَمَرَ بِهِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ فَقَالَ : (يَا أَيُّهَا الرُّسُلُ كُلُوا مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا إِنِّي بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ ) وَقَالَ أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُلُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ ) " . قَالَ "وَذَكَرَ الرَّجُلَ يُطِيلُ السَّفَرَ أَشْعَثَ أَغْبَرَ يَمُدُّ يَدَهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ يَا رَبِّ يَا رَبِّ وَمَطْعَمُهُ حَرَامٌ وَمَشْرَبُهُ حَرَامٌ وَمَلْبَسُهُ حَرَامٌ وَغُذِيَ بِالْحَرَامِ فَأَنَّى يُسْتَجَابُ لِذَلِكَ ". قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ وَإِنَّمَا نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ مَرْزُوقٍ وَأَبُو حَازِمٍ هُوَ الأَشْجَعِيُّ اسْمُهُ سَلْمَانُ مَوْلَى عَزَّةَ الأَشْجَعِيَّةِ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: "O You People! Indeed Allah Is Tayyib (Good) And He Does Not Accept But What Is Good. And Indeed Allah Ordered The Believers With What He Ordered The Messengers.He (ﷺ) Said: 'O You Messengers! Eat Of The Good Things And Do Righteous Deeds. Verily I Am Well Acquainted With What You Do (23:51).'And He Said: 'O You Who Believe! Eat From The Good Things We Have Provided You (2:172).'He Said: "And He Mentioned A Man: 'Who Is Undertaking A Long Journey, Whose Hair Is Dishevelled And He Is Covered With Dust. He Raises His Hands To The Heavens And Says: "O Lord! O Lord!" Yet His Food Is From The Unlawful, His Drink Is From The Unlawful, His Clothing Is From The Unlawful, And He Was Nourished By The Unlawful. So How Can That Be Accepted?'"
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2989In-book reference : Book 47, Hadith 41English translation : Vol. 5, Book 44, Hadith 2989
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2989
This hadith about halal food and accepted dua begins with a powerful statement: Allah is Tayyib, good and pure, and He does not accept except what is good. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then mentioned that Allah commanded the believers with what He commanded the messengers: eat from good things and do righteous deeds. He also described a man on a long journey, dusty and dishevelled, raising his hands and saying, "O Lord! O Lord!" Yet his food, drink, clothing, and nourishment were unlawful. The hadith ends with the question, "So how can that be accepted?" The meaning is clear from the text: worship and dua should be joined with lawful provision and clean living.
What we learn from this hadith
- Allah accepts what is good, so a believer should care about halal provision.
- Eating good things is linked in the hadith with doing righteous deeds.
- Outward signs of need do not replace the need for lawful food, drink, and clothing.
- Dua should be supported by a life that avoids unlawful nourishment.
