Sahih al-Bukhari #4594
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 الْحُمَيْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرٌو، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عِكْرِمَةَ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ إِنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ
" إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ الأَمْرَ فِي السَّمَاءِ ضَرَبَتِ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ بِأَجْنِحَتِهَا خُضْعَانًا لِقَوْلِهِ كَأَنَّهُ سِلْسِلَةٌ عَلَى صَفْوَانٍ فَإِذَا فُزِّعَ عَنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ، قَالُوا لِلَّذِي قَالَ الْحَقَّ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ فَيَسْمَعُهَا مُسْتَرِقُ السَّمْعِ، وَمُسْتَرِقُ السَّمْعِ هَكَذَا بَعْضُهُ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ ـ وَوَصَفَ سُفْيَانُ بِكَفِّهِ فَحَرَفَهَا وَبَدَّدَ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِهِ ـ فَيَسْمَعُ الْكَلِمَةَ، فَيُلْقِيهَا إِلَى مَنْ تَحْتَهُ ثُمَّ يُلْقِيهَا الآخَرُ إِلَى مَنْ تَحْتَهُ، حَتَّى يُلْقِيَهَا عَلَى لِسَانِ السَّاحِرِ أَوِ الْكَاهِنِ، فَرُبَّمَا أَدْرَكَ الشِّهَابُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُلْقِيَهَا، وَرُبَّمَا أَلْقَاهَا قَبْلَ أَنْ يُدْرِكَهُ، فَيَكْذِبُ مَعَهَا مِائَةَ كَذْبَةٍ، فَيُقَالُ أَلَيْسَ قَدْ قَالَ لَنَا يَوْمَ كَذَا وَكَذَا كَذَا وَكَذَا فَيُصَدَّقُ بِتِلْكَ الْكَلِمَةِ الَّتِي سَمِعَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ ".
Allah's Prophet said, "When Allah decrees some order in the heaven, the angels flutter their wings
indicating complete surrender to His saying which sounds like chains being dragged on rock. And
when the state of fear disappears, they ask each other, "What has your Lord ordered? They say that He
has said that which is true and just, and He is the Most High, the Most Great." (34.23). Then the
stealthy listeners (devils) hear this order, and these stealthy listeners are like this, one over the other."
(Sufyan, a sub-narrator demonstrated that by holding his hand upright and separating the fingers.) A
stealthy listener hears a word which he will convey to that which is below him and the second will
convey it to that which is below him till the last of them will convey it to the wizard or foreteller.
Sometimes a flame (fire) may strike the devil before he can convey it, and sometimes he may convey
it before the flame (fire) strikes him, whereupon the wizard adds to that word a hundred lies. The
people will then say, 'Didn't he (i.e. magician) tell such-and-such a thing on such-and-such date?' So
that magician is said to have told the truth because of the Statement which has been heard from the
heavens."
Narrated by Narrated Abu Huraira:
Context
In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) describes how angels respond to Allah's decrees in the heavens. Their fluttering wings signify their submission, and the process of conveying divine messages to the devils illustrates the distortion of truth that can occur. This narration emphasizes the seriousness of divine revelation and the consequences of misrepresenting it.
Modern Application
In contemporary life, this hadith serves as a reminder to seek authentic sources of information and to be cautious of misinformation. It highlights the importance of verifying claims and understanding the truth before spreading it.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Shaytan and Divine Revelation because it discusses the role of devils in distorting divine messages, emphasizing the significance of authentic revelation and the dangers of falsehood.
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 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."
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 الحَجِّ
Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍۢ وَلَا نَبِىٍّ إِلَّآ إِذَا تَمَنَّىٰٓ أَلْقَى ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ فِىٓ أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ فَيَنسَخُ ٱللَّهُ مَا يُلْقِى ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ ثُمَّ يُحْكِمُ ٱللَّهُ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌۭ
And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into it [some misunderstanding]. But Allah abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allah makes precise His verses. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.
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.
Common Words
104 total79 unique10 repeated
من10x
ٱلله5x
لا3x
إلا3x
له3x
ما3x
فى2x
بقوم2x
وما2x
ٱلشيطن2x
قال1x
ربى1x
يعلم1x
ٱلقول1x
ٱلسماء1x
وٱلأرض1x
وهو1x
ٱلسميع1x
ٱلعليم1x
ينزل1x
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About Sahih al-Bukhari
This hadith is #4594 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:.