Sahih al-Bukhari #4495
Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh))
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، يَبْلُغُ بِهِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ
" إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ الأَمْرَ فِي السَّمَاءِ ضَرَبَتِ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ بِأَجْنِحَتِهَا خُضْعَانًا لِقَوْلِهِ كَالسِّلْسِلَةِ عَلَى صَفْوَانٍ ـ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ صَفْوَانٍ ـ يَنْفُذُهُمْ ذَلِكَ فَإِذَا فُزِّعَ عَنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ، قَالُوا لِلَّذِي قَالَ الْحَقَّ وَهْوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ، فَيَسْمَعُهَا مُسْتَرِقُو السَّمْعِ، وَمُسْتَرِقُو السَّمْعِ هَكَذَا وَاحِدٌ فَوْقَ آخَرَ ـ وَوَصَفَ سُفْيَانُ بِيَدِهِ، وَفَرَّجَ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِ يَدِهِ الْيُمْنَى، نَصَبَهَا بَعْضَهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ ـ فَرُبَّمَا أَدْرَكَ الشِّهَابُ الْمُسْتَمِعَ، قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْمِيَ بِهَا إِلَى صَاحِبِهِ، فَيُحْرِقَهُ وَرُبَّمَا لَمْ يُدْرِكْهُ حَتَّى يَرْمِيَ بِهَا إِلَى الَّذِي يَلِيهِ إِلَى الَّذِي هُوَ أَسْفَلُ مِنْهُ حَتَّى يُلْقُوهَا إِلَى الأَرْضِ ـ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ سُفْيَانُ حَتَّى تَنْتَهِيَ إِلَى الأَرْضِ ـ فَتُلْقَى عَلَى فَمِ السَّاحِرِ، فَيَكْذِبُ مَعَهَا مِائَةَ كَذْبَةٍ فَيَصْدُقُ، فَيَقُولُونَ أَلَمْ يُخْبِرْنَا يَوْمَ كَذَا وَكَذَا يَكُونُ كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَوَجَدْنَاهُ حَقًّا لِلْكَلِمَةِ الَّتِي سُمِعَتْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ ".
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرٌو، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ الأَمْرَ. وَزَادَ الْكَاهِنِ. وَحَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ فَقَالَ قَالَ عَمْرٌو سَمِعْتُ عِكْرِمَةَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ الأَمْرَ وَقَالَ عَلَى فَمِ السَّاحِرِ. قُلْتُ لِسُفْيَانَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عِكْرِمَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ. قَالَ نَعَمْ. قُلْتُ لِسُفْيَانَ إِنَّ إِنْسَانًا رَوَى عَنْكَ عَنْ عَمْرٍو عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَيَرْفَعُهُ أَنَّهُ قَرَأَ فُزِّعَ. قَالَ سُفْيَانُ هَكَذَا قَرَأَ عَمْرٌو. فَلاَ أَدْرِي سَمِعَهُ هَكَذَا أَمْ لاَ. قَالَ سُفْيَانُ وَهْىَ قِرَاءَتُنَا.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When Allah has ordained some affair in the Heaven, the angels beat with their
wings in obedience to His statement, which sounds like a chain dragged over a rock." (`Ali and other
sub-narrators said, "The sound reaches them.") "Until when fear is banished from their (angels) hearts,
they (angels) say, 'What was it that your Lord said? They say, 'The truth; And He is the Most High,
the Most Great.' (34.23) Then those who gain a hearing by stealing (i.e. devils) will hear Allah's
Statement:-- 'Those who gain a hearing by stealing, (stand one over the other like this).
(Sufyan, to illustrate this, spread the fingers of his right hand and placed them one over the other
horizontally.) A flame may overtake and burn the eavesdropper before conveying the news to the one
below him; or it may not overtake him till he has conveyed it to the one below him, who in his turn,
conveys it to the one below him, and so on till they convey the news to the earth. (Or probably Sufyan
said, "Till the news reaches the earth.") Then the news is inspired to a sorcerer who would add a
hundred lies to it. His prophecy will prove true (as far as the heavenly news is concerned). The people
will say. 'Didn't he tell us that on such-and-such a day, such-and-such a thing will happen? We have
found that is true because of the true news heard from heaven."
The above hadith is also narrated by Abu Huraira, starting: 'When Allah has ordained some affair...') In this narration the word foreteller is added to the word wizard.
Narrated by Narrated Abu Huraira:
Context
In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ describes the process by which angels convey divine decrees and how these messages can be misinterpreted by sorcerers. It illustrates the seriousness of seeking knowledge and the potential dangers of relying on false prophets who distort divine truths.
Modern Application
Today, this hadith serves as a caution against misinformation and the importance of seeking authentic knowledge. It encourages individuals to rely on credible sources for spiritual guidance rather than succumbing to misleading claims.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Divine Signs and Divine Revelation because it discusses the transmission of divine messages and the consequences of misinterpretation by those who seek to deceive.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ الأَنبِيَاءِ
Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قَالَ رَبِّى يَعْلَمُ ٱلْقَوْلَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
The Prophet said, "My Lord knows whatever is said throughout the heaven and earth, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing."
سُورَةُ الرَّعۡدِ
Ar-Ra'd (The Thunder)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
لَهُۥ مُعَقِّبَٰتٌۭ مِّنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِۦ يَحْفَظُونَهُۥ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا۟ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ ۗ وَإِذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍۢ سُوٓءًۭا فَلَا مَرَدَّ لَهُۥ ۚ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَالٍ
For each one are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah. Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron.
سُورَةُ النَّبَإِ
An-Naba (The Announcement)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلرُّوحُ وَٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ صَفًّۭا ۖ لَّا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًۭا
The Day that the Spirit and the angels will stand in rows, they will not speak except for one whom the Most Merciful permits, and he will say what is correct.
سُورَةُ النَّجۡمِ
An-Najm (The Star)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
۞ وَكَم مِّن مَّلَكٍۢ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ لَا تُغْنِى شَفَٰعَتُهُمْ شَيْـًٔا إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ أَن يَأْذَنَ ٱللَّهُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَرْضَىٰٓ
And how many angels there are in the heavens whose intercession will not avail at all except [only] after Allah has permitted [it] to whom He wills and approves.
سُورَةُ النَّحۡلِ
An-Nahl (The Bee)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يُنَزِّلُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةَ بِٱلرُّوحِ مِنْ أَمْرِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦٓ أَنْ أَنذِرُوٓا۟ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱتَّقُونِ
He sends down the angels, with the inspiration of His command, upon whom He wills of His servants, [telling them], "Warn that there is no deity except Me; so fear Me."
Common Words
95 total71 unique10 repeated
من10x
ٱلله4x
لا4x
له3x
إلا3x
فى2x
ما2x
بقوم2x
أن2x
يشاء2x
قال1x
ربى1x
يعلم1x
ٱلقول1x
ٱلسماء1x
وٱلأرض1x
وهو1x
ٱلسميع1x
ٱلعليم1x
معقبت1x
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About Sahih al-Bukhari
This hadith is #4495 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh)). It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Abu Huraira:.