What is Sahih al-Bukhari 3397 about?

This hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Virtues and Merits of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions), narrated by Narrated Rabi`a bin Abi `Abdur-Rahman:, states: "I heard Anas bin Malik describing the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "He was of medium height amongst the people, neither tall nor short; he had a rosy color, neither absolutely white nor deep brown; his hair w…"

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 Sahih al-Bukhari, which contains 7,277 hadiths across 97 books. It is hadith number 3397 in the Book of Virtues and Merits of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions.

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

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#3396

#3397

Sahih al-Bukhari

#3398

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Sahih al-Bukhari #3397

Virtues and Merits of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ خَالِدٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي هِلاَلٍ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، يَصِفُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ كَانَ رَبْعَةً مِنَ الْقَوْمِ، لَيْسَ بِالطَّوِيلِ وَلاَ بِالْقَصِيرِ، أَزْهَرَ اللَّوْنِ لَيْسَ بِأَبْيَضَ أَمْهَقَ وَلاَ آدَمَ، لَيْسَ بِجَعْدٍ قَطَطٍ وَلاَ سَبْطٍ رَجِلٍ، أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ وَهْوَ ابْنُ أَرْبَعِينَ، فَلَبِثَ بِمَكَّةَ عَشْرَ سِنِينَ يُنْزَلُ عَلَيْهِ وَبِالْمَدِينَةِ عَشْرَ سِنِينَ، وَلَيْسَ فِي رَأْسِهِ وَلِحْيَتِهِ عِشْرُونَ شَعَرَةً بَيْضَاءَ‏.‏ قَالَ رَبِيعَةُ فَرَأَيْتُ شَعَرًا مِنْ شَعَرِهِ، فَإِذَا هُوَ أَحْمَرُ فَسَأَلْتُ فَقِيلَ احْمَرَّ مِنَ الطِّيبِ‏.‏

I heard Anas bin Malik describing the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "He was of medium height amongst the people, neither tall nor short; he had a rosy color, neither absolutely white nor deep brown; his hair was neither completely curly nor quite lank. Divine Inspiration was revealed to him when he was forty years old. He stayed ten years in Mecca receiving the Divine Inspiration, and stayed in Medina for ten more years. When he expired, he had scarcely twenty white hairs in his head and beard." Rabi`a said, "I saw some of his hairs and it was red. When I asked about that, I was told that it turned red because of scent. "

Narrated by Narrated Rabi`a bin Abi `Abdur-Rahman:

Context

Anas bin Malik describes the physical appearance of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), noting his medium height, rosy complexion, and the minimal white hairs in his beard at the time of his passing. This description highlights the Prophet's unique characteristics and the context of his life, emphasizing his role as a messenger who received divine revelation at the age of forty and spent twenty years guiding his community.

Modern Application

Understanding the Prophet's physical traits can help us appreciate the human aspect of his life and leadership. In contemporary society, we can draw inspiration from his character and conduct, striving to embody qualities such as humility, kindness, and dedication to our communities.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Prophetic Biography and Divine Revelation because it provides insight into the Prophet's life and the momentous events surrounding the revelation of divine guidance.

Prophetic Biography Divine Revelation