47/61. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3309 — Saying What You Do Not Do
Regarding Surat As-Saff
Hadith About Saying What You Do Not Do
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 3309
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 3309
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، عَنِ الأَوْزَاعِيِّ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَلاَمٍ، قَالَ قَعَدْنَا نَفَرٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَتَذَاكَرْنَا فَقُلْنَا لَوْ نَعْلَمُ أَىَّ الأَعْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ لَعَمِلْنَاهُ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى : ( سبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ * يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لاَ تَفْعَلُونَ ) قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ فَقَرَأَهَا عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ فَقَرَأَهَا عَلَيْنَا ابْنُ سَلاَمٍ . قَالَ يَحْيَى فَقَرَأَهَا عَلَيْنَا أَبُو سَلَمَةَ . قَالَ ابْنُ كَثِيرٍ فَقَرَأَهَا عَلَيْنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ . قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَقَرَأَهَا عَلَيْنَا ابْنُ كَثِيرٍ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَقَدْ خُولِفَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ فِي إِسْنَادِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ عَنِ الأَوْزَاعِيِّ . وَرَوَى ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ عَنِ الأَوْزَاعِيِّ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ عَنْ هِلاَلِ بْنِ أَبِي مَيْمُونَةَ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَلاَمٍ أَوْ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَلاَمٍ . وَرَوَى الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَنِ الأَوْزَاعِيِّ نَحْوَ رِوَايَةِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ .
Abdullah bin Salam Narrated from:
A Group Of Us Companions Of The Messenger Of Allah Sat Talking, And We Said: ‘If We Knew Which Deed Was Most Beloved To Allah Then We Would Do It.’ So Allah, Most High, Revealed: Whatsoever Is In The Heavens And Whatsoever Is On The Earth Glorifies Allah. And He Is Almighty, The All-Wise. O You Who Believe! Why Do You Say That Which You Do Not Do?”Abdullah Bin Salam Said: “So The Messenger Of Allah Recited It To Us.” Abu Salamah (One Of The Narrators) Said: “So Ibn Salam Recited It To Us.” Yahya (One Of The Narrators) Said: “So Abu Salamah Narrated It To Us.” Ibn Kathir Said: “So Al-Awza’I Recited It To Us.” Abdullah Said: “So Ibn Kathir Recited It To Us.”
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3309In-book reference : Book 47, Hadith 361English translation : Vol. 5, Book 44, Hadith 3309
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 3309
This hadith is about the gap between speech and action. Abdullah bin Salam said that some Companions sat together and said that if they knew which deed was most beloved to Allah, they would do it. Then Allah revealed the opening of Surat As-Saff, including the words: “O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do?” The Messenger of Allah recited it to them, and the narrators after him also recited it to those who heard from them. The hadith about saying what you do not do reminds believers to be careful with strong claims. Wanting good is not enough; words should be matched by real action.
What we learn from this hadith
- Believers should be careful before claiming they will do a deed.
- The verse warns against saying what one does not do.
- The Companions wanted to know a deed beloved to Allah.
- The Prophet recited the revealed verses to teach them.
