What is Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2931 about?

This hadith from Jami` at-Tirmidhi (Book of Chapters on Manners), narrated by Narrated Abu Hurairah:, states: "that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "It is better that one of you fill his insides with puss than to fill it with poetry.""

Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Jami` at-Tirmidhi, which contains 4,053 hadiths across 49 books. It is hadith number 2931 in the Book of Chapters on Manners.

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

Hadith numbering varies across editions and translations (USC-MSA, Dar as-Salam, Fath al-Bari, and others). If you followed a link citing a different number but landed here, you may have been redirected to the canonical version in our library. If you were looking for a different hadith entirely, use the search bar to find it by text.

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#2930

#2931

Jami` at-Tirmidhi

#2932

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Jami` at-Tirmidhi #2931

Chapters on Manners

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى الرَّمْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمِّي، يَحْيَى بْنُ عِيسَى الرَّمْلِيُّ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لأَنْ يَمْتَلِئَ جَوْفُ أَحَدِكُمْ قَيْحًا يَرِيهُ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ يَمْتَلِئَ شِعْرًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ سَعْدٍ وَابْنِ عُمَرَ وَأَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ وَأَبِي سَعِيدٍ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏

that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "It is better that one of you fill his insides with puss than to fill it with poetry."

Narrated by Narrated Abu Hurairah:

Context

This hadith highlights a statement by the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) that emphasizes the value of substance over superficiality. He suggests that it is better for someone to be filled with something undesirable, like pus, rather than with poetry, which can be seen as frivolous or lacking in substance. This reflects a broader principle of valuing meaningful content in one's life.

Modern Application

In modern life, this principle encourages individuals to focus on substantial and meaningful pursuits rather than getting lost in trivial or superficial interests. It promotes the idea of prioritizing what truly enriches one's life.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Ethics of Speech and Prophetic Etiquette because it addresses the importance of meaningful communication and the values associated with speech.

Ethics of Speech Prophetic Etiquette