Sahih al-Bukhari #3420
Virtues and Merits of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَخِي، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ شَرِيكِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي نَمِرٍ، سَمِعْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، يُحَدِّثُنَا عَنْ لَيْلَةِ، أُسْرِيَ بِالنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ مَسْجِدِ الْكَعْبَةِ جَاءَ ثَلاَثَةُ نَفَرٍ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ، وَهُوَ نَائِمٌ فِي مَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ، فَقَالَ أَوَّلُهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ هُوَ فَقَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ هُوَ خَيْرُهُمْ وَقَالَ آخِرُهُمْ خُذُوا خَيْرَهُمْ. فَكَانَتْ تِلْكَ، فَلَمْ يَرَهُمْ حَتَّى جَاءُوا لَيْلَةً أُخْرَى، فِيمَا يَرَى قَلْبُهُ، وَالنَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَائِمَةٌ عَيْنَاهُ وَلاَ يَنَامُ قَلْبُهُ وَكَذَلِكَ الأَنْبِيَاءُ تَنَامُ أَعْيُنُهُمْ وَلاَ تَنَامُ قُلُوبُهُمْ، فَتَوَلاَّهُ جِبْرِيلُ ثُمَّ عَرَجَ بِهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ.
I heard Anas bin Malik telling us about the night when the Prophet (ﷺ) was made to travel from the Ka`ba
Mosque. Three persons (i.e. angels) came to the Prophet (ﷺ) before he was divinely inspired was an
Aspostle), while he was sleeping in Al Masjid-ul-Haram. The first (of the three angels) said, "Which
of them is he?" The second said, "He is the best of them." That was all that happened then, and he did
not see them till they came at another night and he perceived their presence with his heart, for the eyes
of the Prophet (ﷺ) were closed when he was asleep, but his heart was not asleep (not unconscious). This is
characteristic of all the prophets: Their eyes sleep but their hearts do not sleep. Then Gabriel took
charge of the Prophet (ﷺ) and ascended along with him to the Heaven.
Narrated by Narrated Sharik bin `Abdullah bin Abi Namr:
Context
This hadith describes a moment before the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) received divine inspiration. While he was sleeping in the Kaaba, three angels appeared to him. The first angel asked about him, and the second confirmed his excellence. This event signifies the Prophet's unique status and foreshadows his future role as a messenger of Allah.
Modern Application
The experience of the Prophet (ﷺ) serves as a reminder of the significance of divine guidance in our lives. It encourages us to seek knowledge and remain open to spiritual experiences that can deepen our understanding of faith.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prophetic Experience and Divine Revelation because it recounts a pivotal moment in the Prophet's life that led to his mission as a messenger.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Al-Israa (The Night Journey)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
سُبْحَٰنَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِۦ لَيْلًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ إِلَى ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْأَقْصَا ٱلَّذِى بَٰرَكْنَا حَوْلَهُۥ لِنُرِيَهُۥ مِنْ ءَايَٰتِنَآ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ
Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
سُورَةُ التَّوۡبَةِ
At-Tawba (The Repentance)
1 ayah
إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ثَانِىَ ٱثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِى ٱلْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَٰحِبِهِۦ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَنَا ۖ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُۥ بِجُنُودٍۢ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلسُّفْلَىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ ٱللَّهِ هِىَ ٱلْعُلْيَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
If you do not aid the Prophet - Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, "Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us." And Allah sent down his tranquillity upon him and supported him with angels you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah - that is the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
سُورَةُ آلِ عِمۡرَانَ
Aal-i-Imraan (The Family of Imraan)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَنَادَتْهُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَآئِمٌۭ يُصَلِّى فِى ٱلْمِحْرَابِ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيَىٰ مُصَدِّقًۢا بِكَلِمَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَسَيِّدًۭا وَحَصُورًۭا وَنَبِيًّۭا مِّنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ
So the angels called him while he was standing in prayer in the chamber, "Indeed, Allah gives you good tidings of John, confirming a word from Allah and [who will be] honorable, abstaining [from women], and a prophet from among the righteous."
سُورَةُ الحَجِّ
Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
ٱللَّهُ يَصْطَفِى مِنَ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ رُسُلًۭا وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌۢ بَصِيرٌۭ
Allah chooses from the angels messengers and from the people. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Seeing.
سُورَةُ البَيِّنَةِ
Al-Bayyina (The Evidence)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
رَسُولٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ يَتْلُوا۟ صُحُفًۭا مُّطَهَّرَةًۭ
A Messenger from Allah, reciting purified scriptures
Common Words
105 total82 unique10 repeated
ٱلله10x
من6x
إذ3x
ٱلذى2x
ٱلمسجد2x
ٱلذين2x
كفروا2x
فى2x
إن2x
ٱلملئكة2x
بسم1x
ٱلرحمن1x
ٱلرحيم1x
سبحن1x
أسرى1x
بعبده1x
ليلا1x
ٱلحرام1x
إلى1x
ٱلأقصا1x
Related Hadiths
About Sahih al-Bukhari
This hadith is #3420 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Virtues and Merits of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Sharik bin `Abdullah bin Abi Namr:.