What is Sahih al-Bukhari 4611 about?

This hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh))), narrated by Narrated `Abdullah:, states: "There gathered near the House (i.e. the Ka`ba) two Quraishi persons and a person from Thaqif (or two persons from Thaqif and one from Quraish), and all of them with very fat bellies but very little…"

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 4611 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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#4611

Sahih al-Bukhari

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Sahih al-Bukhari #4611

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.

حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا مَنْصُورٌ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي مَعْمَرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ اجْتَمَعَ عِنْدَ الْبَيْتِ قُرَشِيَّانِ وَثَقَفِيٌّ ـ أَوْ ثَقَفِيَّانِ وَقُرَشِيٌّ ـ كَثِيرَةٌ شَحْمُ بُطُونِهِمْ قَلِيلَةٌ فِقْهُ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمْ أَتُرَوْنَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَسْمَعُ مَا نَقُولُ قَالَ الآخَرُ يَسْمَعُ إِنْ جَهَرْنَا وَلاَ يَسْمَعُ إِنْ أَخْفَيْنَا‏.‏ وَقَالَ الآخَرُ إِنْ كَانَ يَسْمَعُ إِذَا جَهَرْنَا فَإِنَّهُ يَسْمَعُ إِذَا أَخْفَيْنَا فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ‏{‏وَمَا كُنْتُمْ تَسْتَتِرُونَ أَنْ يَشْهَدَ عَلَيْكُمْ سَمْعُكُمْ وَلاَ أَبْصَارُكُمْ وَلاَ جُلُودُكُمْ‏}‏ الآيَةَ‏.‏ وَكَانَ سُفْيَانُ يُحَدِّثُنَا بِهَذَا فَيَقُولُ حَدَّثَنَا مَنْصُورٌ أَوِ ابْنُ أَبِي نَجِيحٍ أَوْ حُمَيْدٌ أَحَدُهُمْ أَوِ اثْنَانِ مِنْهُمْ، ثُمَّ ثَبَتَ عَلَى مَنْصُورٍ، وَتَرَكَ ذَلِكَ مِرَارًا غَيْرَ وَاحِدَةٍ‏.‏ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَنْصُورٌ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي مَعْمَرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، بِنَحْوِهِ‏.‏

There gathered near the House (i.e. the Ka`ba) two Quraishi persons and a person from Thaqif (or two persons from Thaqif and one from Quraish), and all of them with very fat bellies but very little intelligence. One of them said, "Do you think that Allah hears what we say?" Another said, "He hears us when we talk in a loud voice, but He doesn't hear us when we talk in a low tone." The third said, "If He can hear when we talk in a loud tone, then He can also hear when we speak in a low tone." Then Allah, the Honorable, the Majestic revealed: 'And you have not been screening against yourself lest your ears, and eyes and your skins should testify against you....' (41.22-23) This hadith has been narrated through another chain as well.

Narrated by Narrated `Abdullah:

Context

In this hadith, two individuals from Quraish and one from Thaqif gathered near the Kaaba, questioning whether Allah hears their words. Their discussion reflects a lack of understanding of Allah's omnipresence and omniscience. Allah responded to their doubts through revelation, emphasizing that their senses would testify against them, highlighting the importance of sincerity and awareness of divine observation.

Modern Application

This hadith reminds us of the importance of being mindful of our words and actions, as they are always observed. In our daily lives, we should strive to speak and act with integrity, knowing that our intentions and behaviors are not hidden from Allah.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Truth and Falsehood and Divine Revelation because it addresses the misconceptions about Allah's ability to hear and the subsequent divine response that clarifies the reality of human accountability.

Truth and Falsehood Divine Revelation

Related Ayahs

سُورَةُ فُصِّلَتۡ

Fussilat (Explained in detail)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَتِرُونَ أَن يَشْهَدَ عَلَيْكُمْ سَمْعُكُمْ وَلَآ أَبْصَٰرُكُمْ وَلَا جُلُودُكُمْ وَلَٰكِن ظَنَنتُمْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَعْلَمُ كَثِيرًۭا مِّمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ

And you were not covering yourselves, lest your hearing testify against you or your sight or your skins, but you assumed that Allah does not know much of what you do.

سُورَةُ المُجَادلَةِ

Al-Mujaadila (The Pleading Woman)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

قَدْ سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ قَوْلَ ٱلَّتِى تُجَٰدِلُكَ فِى زَوْجِهَا وَتَشْتَكِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَآ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌۢ بَصِيرٌ

Certainly has Allah heard the speech of the one who argues with you, [O Muhammad], concerning her husband and directs her complaint to Allah. And Allah hears your dialogue; indeed, Allah is Hearing and Seeing.

سُورَةُ الأَنۡعَامِ

Al-An'aam (The Cattle)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ سَمْعَكُمْ وَأَبْصَٰرَكُمْ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِكُم مَّنْ إِلَٰهٌ غَيْرُ ٱللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِهِ ۗ ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ ثُمَّ هُمْ يَصْدِفُونَ

Say, "Have you considered: if Allah should take away your hearing and your sight and set a seal upon your hearts, which deity other than Allah could bring them [back] to you?" Look how we diversify the verses; then they [still] turn away.

سُورَةُ التَّوۡبَةِ

At-Tawba (The Repentance)

2 ayahs

وَإِذَا مَآ أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌۭ نَّظَرَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ هَلْ يَرَىٰكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍۢ ثُمَّ ٱنصَرَفُوا۟ ۚ صَرَفَ ٱللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُم بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌۭ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ

And whenever a surah is revealed, they look at each other, [saying], "Does anyone see you?" and then they dismiss themselves. Allah has dismissed their hearts because they are a people who do not understand.

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ سِرَّهُمْ وَنَجْوَىٰهُمْ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَّٰمُ ٱلْغُيُوبِ

Did they not know that Allah knows their secrets and their private conversations and that Allah is the Knower of the unseen?

Common Words

97 total78 unique10 repeated

ٱلله10x

أن3x

سمعكم2x

ولا2x

لا2x

يعلم2x

إلى2x

إن2x

من2x

ثم2x

وما1x

كنتم1x

تستترون1x

يشهد1x

عليكم1x

أبصركم1x

جلودكم1x

ولكن1x

ظننتم1x

كثيرا1x

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About Sahih al-Bukhari

This hadith is #4611 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 `Abdullah:.

Browse all Sahih al-Bukhari All Hadith Collections

Sahih al-Bukhari #4611

Context

Modern Application

Topics

Related Ayahs

Common Words

Related Hadiths

About Sahih al-Bukhari

About This Hadith