47/35. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3224 — Shooting Stars and Heavenly News
Regarding Surat Saba'
Hadith About Shooting Stars in Islam
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 3224
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 3224
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجَهْضَمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حُسَيْنٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ بَيْنَمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم جَالِسٌ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ إِذْ رُمِيَ بِنَجْمٍ فَاسْتَنَارَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا كُنْتُمْ تَقُولُونَ لِمِثْلِ هَذَا فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُوهُ " . قَالُوا كُنَّا نَقُولُ يَمُوتُ عَظِيمٌ أَوْ يُولَدُ عَظِيمٌ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يُرْمَى بِهِ لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ وَلاَ لِحَيَاتِهِ وَلَكِنَّ رَبَّنَا عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا سَبَّحَ لَهُ حَمَلَةُ الْعَرْشِ ثُمَّ سَبَّحَ أَهْلُ السَّمَاءِ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ التَّسْبِيحُ إِلَى هَذِهِ السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ سَأَلَ أَهْلُ السَّمَاءِ السَّادِسَةِ أَهْلَ السَّمَاءِ السَّابِعَةِ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ قَالَ فَيُخْبِرُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَسْتَخْبِرُ أَهْلُ كُلِّ سَمَاءٍ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ الْخَبَرُ أَهْلَ السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا وَتَخْتَطِفُ الشَّيَاطِينُ السَّمْعَ فَيُرْمَوْنَ فَيَقْذِفُونَهَا إِلَى أَوْلِيَائِهِمْ فَمَا جَاءُوا بِهِ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ فَهُوَ حَقٌّ وَلَكِنَّهُمْ يُحَرِّفُونَ وَيَزِيدُونَ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَقَدْ رُوِيَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنْ رِجَالٍ، مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ رضى الله عنهم قَالُوا كُنَّا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم . وَرَوَى الأَوْزَاعِيُّ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنْ رِجَالٍ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ قَالُوا كُنَّا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم . فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَهُ بِمَعْنَاهُ حَدَّثَنَا بِذَلِكَ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ حُرَيْثٍ حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
We Were With The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ), While He Was Sitting With A Group Of His Companions, When They Saw A Glowing Shooting Star. The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: 'When You Saw The Likes Of This During Jahiliyyah, What Would You Say About It?' They Said: 'We Would Say That A Great Man Died, Or That A Great Man Has Been Born.'The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: 'It Is Not Shot Due To The Death Of Anyone, Nor His Coming Into Life. Rather When Our Lord [Blessed Is His Name And Most High] Decrees A Matter, He Is Glorified By The Bearers Of The Throne. Then He Is Glorified By The Inhabitants Who Are Below Them, Then Those Below Them, Until Such Glorification Reaches This Heaven. Then The Inhabitants Of The Sixth Heaven Ask The Inhabitants Of The Seventh Heaven: What Did Your Lord Say?"He Said: 'So They Inform Them; Then The Inhabitants Of Each Heaven Seek The Information, Until The News Is Conveyed To The Inhabitants Of The Heavens Of The Earth. The Shayatin Try To Overhear So They Are Shot At, So They Cast It Down To Their Friends. Whatever They Came With Is True, As It Is, But They Distort It And Add To It.'"
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3224In-book reference : Book 47, Hadith 276English translation : Vol. 5, Book 44, Hadith 3224
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 3224
This hadith about shooting stars in Islam corrects a belief from Jahiliyyah. The Companions said people used to think a glowing shooting star meant a great person had died or been born. The Prophet clearly said it is not shot because of anyone’s death or birth. Instead, he described what happens when Allah decrees a matter: the Bearers of the Throne glorify Him, then the inhabitants of the heavens continue that glorification. News is passed down until it reaches the lowest heaven. The shayatin try to overhear, are shot at, and pass what they catch to their friends. The hadith also says they distort and add to it.
What we learn from this hadith
- Shooting stars are not tied to the birth or death of people.
- The Prophet corrected a belief from Jahiliyyah with clear teaching.
- Allah’s decree is met with glorification in the heavens.
- The hadith warns that overheard information can be distorted and added to.
