Sahih al-Bukhari #3133
Beginning of Creation
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيٌّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ،، قَالَ قِيلَ لأُسَامَةَ لَوْ أَتَيْتَ فُلاَنًا فَكَلَّمْتَهُ. قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ لَتَرَوْنَ أَنِّي لاَ أُكَلِّمُهُ إِلاَّ أُسْمِعُكُمْ، إِنِّي أُكُلِّمُهُ فِي السِّرِّ دُونَ أَنْ أَفْتَحَ بَابًا لاَ أَكُونُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ فَتَحَهُ، وَلاَ أَقُولُ لِرَجُلٍ أَنْ كَانَ عَلَىَّ أَمِيرًا إِنَّهُ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ بَعْدَ شَىْءٍ سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم. قَالُوا وَمَا سَمِعْتَهُ يَقُولُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ
" يُجَاءُ بِالرَّجُلِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَيُلْقَى فِي النَّارِ، فَتَنْدَلِقُ أَقْتَابُهُ فِي النَّارِ، فَيَدُورُ كَمَا يَدُورُ الْحِمَارُ بِرَحَاهُ، فَيَجْتَمِعُ أَهْلُ النَّارِ عَلَيْهِ، فَيَقُولُونَ أَىْ فُلاَنُ، مَا شَأْنُكَ أَلَيْسَ كُنْتَ تَأْمُرُنَا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَى عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ قَالَ كُنْتُ آمُرُكُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَلاَ آتِيهِ، وَأَنْهَاكُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَآتِيهِ ". رَوَاهُ غُنْدَرٌ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ.
Somebody said to Usama, "Will you go to so-and-so (i.e. `Uthman) and talk to him (i.e. advise him
regarding ruling the country)?" He said, "You see that I don't talk to him. Really I talk to (advise) him
secretly without opening a gate (of affliction), for neither do I want to be the first to open it (i.e.
rebellion), nor will I say to a man who is my ruler that he is the best of all the people after I have
heard something from Allah s Apostle ." They said, What have you heard him saying? He said, "I
have heard him saying, "A man will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and thrown in the (Hell)
Fire, so that his intestines will come out, and he will go around like a donkey goes around a millstone.
The people of (Hell) Fire will gather around him and say: O so-and-so! What is wrong with you?
Didn't you use to order us to do good deeds and forbid us to do bad deeds? He will reply: Yes, I used
to order you to do good deeds, but I did not do them myself, and I used to forbid you to do bad deeds,
yet I used to do them myself."
Narrated by Narrated Abu Wail:
Context
In this hadith, Usama is approached by others who suggest he should openly advise `Uthman, the ruler. Usama, however, prefers to communicate his concerns privately, emphasizing the importance of sincerity in actions. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warns that those who preach good while failing to practice it themselves will face severe consequences in the Hereafter, highlighting the theme of hypocrisy and accountability.
Modern Application
This hadith serves as a reminder to practice what we preach in our daily lives. In various settings, whether at work, school, or within our communities, we should strive to embody the values we advocate for, ensuring our actions align with our words to foster trust and integrity.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Warning and Hypocrisy because it emphasizes the dire consequences for those who instruct others to do good while failing to act upon their own teachings.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ المُجَادلَةِ
Al-Mujaadila (The Pleading Woman)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ نُهُوا۟ عَنِ ٱلنَّجْوَىٰ ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا نُهُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَيَتَنَٰجَوْنَ بِٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْعُدْوَٰنِ وَمَعْصِيَتِ ٱلرَّسُولِ وَإِذَا جَآءُوكَ حَيَّوْكَ بِمَا لَمْ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ ٱللَّهُ وَيَقُولُونَ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَوْلَا يُعَذِّبُنَا ٱللَّهُ بِمَا نَقُولُ ۚ حَسْبُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ يَصْلَوْنَهَا ۖ فَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
Have you not considered those who were forbidden from private conversation, then they return to that which they were forbidden and converse among themselves about sin and aggression and disobedience to the Messenger? And when they come to you, they greet you with that [word] by which Allah does not greet you and say among themselves, "Why does Allah not punish us for what we say?" Sufficient for them is Hell, which they will [enter to] burn, and wretched is the destination.
سُورَةُ الأَعۡرَافِ
Al-A'raaf (The Heights)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَةَ رَبِّى وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تُحِبُّونَ ٱلنَّٰصِحِينَ
And he turned away from them and said, "O my people, I had certainly conveyed to you the message of my Lord and advised you, but you do not like advisors."
سُورَةُ النُّورِ
An-Noor (The Light)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
لَّا تَجْعَلُوا۟ دُعَآءَ ٱلرَّسُولِ بَيْنَكُمْ كَدُعَآءِ بَعْضِكُم بَعْضًۭا ۚ قَدْ يَعْلَمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَسَلَّلُونَ مِنكُمْ لِوَاذًۭا ۚ فَلْيَحْذَرِ ٱلَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِۦٓ أَن تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
Do not make [your] calling of the Messenger among yourselves as the call of one of you to another. Already Allah knows those of you who slip away, concealed by others. So let those beware who dissent from the Prophet's order, lest fitnah strike them or a painful punishment.
سُورَةُ المُؤۡمِنُونَ
Al-Muminoon (The Believers)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قَالَ ٱخْسَـُٔوا۟ فِيهَا وَلَا تُكَلِّمُونِ
He will say, "Remain despised therein and do not speak to Me.
سُورَةُ سَبَإٍ
Saba (Sheba)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
۞ قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَعِظُكُم بِوَٰحِدَةٍ ۖ أَن تَقُومُوا۟ لِلَّهِ مَثْنَىٰ وَفُرَٰدَىٰ ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّرُوا۟ ۚ مَا بِصَاحِبِكُم مِّن جِنَّةٍ ۚ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌۭ لَّكُم بَيْنَ يَدَىْ عَذَابٍۢ شَدِيدٍۢ
Say, "I only advise you of one [thing] - that you stand for Allah, [seeking truth] in pairs and individually, and then give thought." There is not in your companion any madness. He is only a warner to you before a severe punishment.
Common Words
108 total95 unique11 repeated
ٱلذين3x
ٱلله3x
نهوا2x
عن2x
ثم2x
ٱلرسول2x
بما2x
لكم2x
لا2x
أن2x
عذاب2x
ألم1x
تر1x
إلى1x
ٱلنجوى1x
يعودون1x
لما1x
عنه1x
ويتنجون1x
بٱلإثم1x
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About Sahih al-Bukhari
This hadith is #3133 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Beginning of Creation. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Abu Wail:.