What is Sahih al-Bukhari 4491 about?

This hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh))), narrated by Narrated Ibn `Umar:, states: "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The keys of Unseen are five which none knows but Allah: None knows what will happen tomorrow but Allah; none knows what is in the wombs (a male child or a female) but Al…"

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 4491 in the Book of Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh)).

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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#4490

#4491

Sahih al-Bukhari

#4492

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Sahih al-Bukhari #4491

Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh))

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْنٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَفَاتِيحُ الْغَيْبِ خَمْسٌ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَا إِلاَّ اللَّهُ لاَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي غَدٍ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَلاَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَغِيضُ الأَرْحَامُ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَلاَ يَعْلَمُ مَتَى يَأْتِي الْمَطَرُ أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَلاَ تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ، وَلاَ يَعْلَمُ مَتَى تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ ‏"‏‏.‏

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The keys of Unseen are five which none knows but Allah: None knows what will happen tomorrow but Allah; none knows what is in the wombs (a male child or a female) but Allah; none knows when it will rain but Allah; none knows at what place one will die; none knows when the Hour will be established but Allah." (See The Qur'an 31:34.")

Narrated by Narrated Ibn `Umar:

Context

In this hadith, Ibn `Umar narrates that the Prophet (ﷺ) spoke about the five keys of the unseen, which only Allah knows. These keys include knowledge of the future, the contents of wombs, the timing of rain, the place of death, and the timing of the Hour. This emphasizes the limitations of human knowledge and the omniscience of Allah.

Modern Application

This teaching serves as a reminder for individuals today to accept the uncertainties of life and to trust in Allah's wisdom. It encourages a mindset of humility and reliance on divine knowledge rather than attempting to control every aspect of the future.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Divine Decree because it underscores the concept of Allah's exclusive knowledge of the unseen and the importance of trusting His plan.

Divine Decree