Sahih al-Bukhari #5540
Medicine
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ يُونُسَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ سَحَرَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي زُرَيْقٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ لَبِيدُ بْنُ الأَعْصَمِ، حَتَّى كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ يَفْعَلُ الشَّىْءَ وَمَا فَعَلَهُ، حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ أَوْ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ وَهْوَ عِنْدِي لَكِنَّهُ دَعَا وَدَعَا ثُمَّ قَالَ " يَا عَائِشَةُ، أَشَعَرْتِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَفْتَانِي فِيمَا اسْتَفْتَيْتُهُ فِيهِ، أَتَانِي رَجُلاَنِ فَقَعَدَ أَحَدُهُمَا عِنْدَ رَأْسِي، وَالآخَرُ عِنْدَ رِجْلَىَّ، فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ مَا وَجَعُ الرَّجُلِ فَقَالَ مَطْبُوبٌ. قَالَ مَنْ طَبَّهُ قَالَ لَبِيدُ بْنُ الأَعْصَمِ. قَالَ فِي أَىِّ شَىْءٍ قَالَ فِي مُشْطٍ وَمُشَاطَةٍ، وَجُفِّ طَلْعِ نَخْلَةٍ ذَكَرٍ. قَالَ وَأَيْنَ هُوَ قَالَ فِي بِئْرِ ذَرْوَانَ ". فَأَتَاهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي نَاسٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فَجَاءَ فَقَالَ " يَا عَائِشَةُ كَأَنَّ مَاءَهَا نُقَاعَةُ الْحِنَّاءِ، أَوْ كَأَنَّ رُءُوسَ نَخْلِهَا رُءُوسُ الشَّيَاطِينِ ". قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ أَسْتَخْرِجُهُ قَالَ " قَدْ عَافَانِي اللَّهُ، فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أُثَوِّرَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فِيهِ شَرًّا ". فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَدُفِنَتْ. تَابَعَهُ أَبُو أُسَامَةَ وَأَبُو ضَمْرَةَ وَابْنُ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنْ هِشَامٍ. وَقَالَ اللَّيْثُ وَابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ عَنْ هِشَامٍ فِي مُشْطٍ وَمُشَاقَةٍ. يُقَالُ الْمُشَاطَةُ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الشَّعَرِ إِذَا مُشِطَ، وَالْمُشَاقَةُ مِنْ مُشَاقَةِ الْكَتَّانِ.
A man called Labid bin al-A'sam from the tribe of Bani Zaraiq worked magic on Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) till
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) started imagining that he had done a thing that he had not really done. One day or one
night he was with us, he invoked Allah and invoked for a long period, and then said, "O `Aisha! Do
you know that Allah has instructed me concerning the matter I have asked him about? Two men came
to me and one of them sat near my head and the other near my feet. One of them said to his
companion, "What is the disease of this man?" The other replied, "He is under the effect of magic.'
The first one asked, 'Who has worked the magic on him?' The other replied, "Labid bin Al-A'sam.'
The first one asked, 'What material did he use?' The other replied, 'A comb and the hairs stuck to it
and the skin of pollen of a male date palm.' The first one asked, 'Where is that?' The other replied,
'(That is) in the well of Dharwan;' " So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) along with some of his companions went there
and came back saying, "O `Aisha, the color of its water is like the infusion of Henna leaves. The tops
of the date-palm trees near it are like the heads of the devils." I asked. "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? Why did
you not show it (to the people)?" He said, "Since Allah cured me, I disliked to let evil spread among
the people." Then he ordered that the well be filled up with earth.
Narrated by Narrated `Aisha:
Context
This hadith describes an incident where the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was affected by magic, revealing the reality of such practices. After being informed of the source of the magic, he chose not to expose it to the public, demonstrating his concern for the community's well-being and the potential for harm in spreading such knowledge.
Modern Application
In contemporary society, this hadith serves as a reminder of the dangers of magic and sorcery. It encourages individuals to seek protection through faith and to avoid engaging in harmful practices.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Magic and Sorcery and Prophetic Experience because it recounts an event in the Prophet's life that illustrates the reality of magical practices.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Al-Baqara (The Cow)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَا تَتْلُوا۟ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَٰنَ ۖ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَٰنُ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ ٱلسِّحْرَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَى ٱلْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَٰرُوتَ وَمَٰرُوتَ ۚ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَآ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌۭ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ ۖ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِۦ بَيْنَ ٱلْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِۦ ۚ وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّينَ بِهِۦ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمْ ۚ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُوا۟ لَمَنِ ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ مَا لَهُۥ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَٰقٍۢ ۚ وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ
And they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut. But the two angels do not teach anyone unless they say, "We are a trial, so do not disbelieve [by practicing magic]." And [yet] they learn from them that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife. But they do not harm anyone through it except by permission of Allah. And the people learn what harms them and does not benefit them. But the Children of Israel certainly knew that whoever purchased the magic would not have in the Hereafter any share. And wretched is that for which they sold themselves, if they only knew.
سُورَةُ الأَنبِيَاءِ
Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
لَاهِيَةًۭ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ وَأَسَرُّوا۟ ٱلنَّجْوَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ هَلْ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا بَشَرٌۭ مِّثْلُكُمْ ۖ أَفَتَأْتُونَ ٱلسِّحْرَ وَأَنتُمْ تُبْصِرُونَ
With their hearts distracted. And those who do wrong conceal their private conversation, [saying], "Is this [Prophet] except a human being like you? So would you approach magic while you are aware [of it]?"
سُورَةُ طه
Taa-Haa (Taa-Haa)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
2 ayahs
قَالَ بَلْ أَلْقُوا۟ ۖ فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِن سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَىٰ
He said, "Rather, you throw." And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving [like snakes].
قَالَ بَصُرْتُ بِمَا لَمْ يَبْصُرُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةًۭ مِّنْ أَثَرِ ٱلرَّسُولِ فَنَبَذْتُهَا وَكَذَٰلِكَ سَوَّلَتْ لِى نَفْسِى
He said, "I saw what they did not see, so I took a handful [of dust] from the track of the messenger and threw it, and thus did my soul entice me."
سُورَةُ الأَعۡرَافِ
Al-A'raaf (The Heights)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قَالَ أَلْقُوا۟ ۖ فَلَمَّآ أَلْقَوْا۟ سَحَرُوٓا۟ أَعْيُنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَٱسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَجَآءُو بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍۢ
He said, "Throw," and when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people and struck terror into them, and they presented a great [feat of] magic.
Common Words
128 total102 unique14 repeated
ما5x
من5x
وما4x
به4x
قال3x
ألقوا3x
ٱلشيطين2x
على2x
سليمن2x
يعلمون2x
ٱلناس2x
ٱلسحر2x
أحد2x
إلا2x
وٱتبعوا1x
تتلوا1x
ملك1x
كفر1x
ولكن1x
كفروا1x
Related Hadiths
About Sahih al-Bukhari
This hadith is #5540 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Medicine. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated `Aisha:.