Sahih al-Bukhari #5543
Medicine
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ سُحِرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى إِنَّهُ لَيُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ يَفْعَلُ الشَّىْءَ وَمَا فَعَلَهُ، حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ وَهْوَ عِنْدِي دَعَا اللَّهَ وَدَعَاهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ " أَشَعَرْتِ يَا عَائِشَةُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَفْتَانِي فِيمَا اسْتَفْتَيْتُهُ فِيهِ ". قُلْتُ وَمَا ذَاكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " جَاءَنِي رَجُلاَنِ، فَجَلَسَ أَحَدُهُمَا عِنْدَ رَأْسِي وَالآخَرُ عِنْدَ رِجْلَىَّ، ثُمَّ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ مَا وَجَعُ الرَّجُلِ قَالَ مَطْبُوبٌ. قَالَ وَمَنْ طَبَّهُ قَالَ لَبِيدُ بْنُ الأَعْصَمِ، الْيَهُودِيُّ مِنْ بَنِي زُرَيْقٍ. قَالَ فِيمَا ذَا قَالَ فِي مُشْطٍ وَمُشَاطَةٍ، وَجُفِّ طَلْعَةٍ ذَكَرٍ. قَالَ فَأَيْنَ هُوَ قَالَ فِي بِئْرِ ذِي أَرْوَانَ ". قَالَ فَذَهَبَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي أُنَاسٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ إِلَى الْبِئْرِ، فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا وَعَلَيْهَا نَخْلٌ، ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى عَائِشَةَ فَقَالَ " وَاللَّهِ لَكَأَنَّ مَاءَهَا نُقَاعَةُ الْحِنَّاءِ، وَلَكَأَنَّ نَخْلَهَا رُءُوسُ الشَّيَاطِينِ ". قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَأَخْرَجْتَهُ قَالَ " لاَ، أَمَّا أَنَا فَقَدْ عَافَانِي اللَّهُ وَشَفَانِي، وَخَشِيتُ أَنْ أُثَوِّرَ عَلَى النَّاسِ مِنْهُ شَرًّا ". وَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَدُفِنَتْ.
Magic was worked on Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) so that he began to imagine that he had done something
although he had not. One day while he was with me, he invoked Allah and invoked for a long period
and then said, "O `Aisha! Do you know that Allah has instructed me regarding the matter I asked Him
about?" I asked, "What is that, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?" He said, "Two men came to me; one of them sat
near my head and the other sat near my feet. One of them asked 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
magic on him?" The other replied, 'Labid bin A'sam, a Jew from the tribe of Bani Zuraiq.' The (first
one asked), 'With what has it been done?' The other replied, 'With a a comb and the hair stuck to it and
a skin of the pollen of a male datepalm tree.' The first one asked, 'Where is it?' The other replied, 'In
the well of Dharwan.' Then the Prophet (ﷺ) went along with some of his companions to that well and
looked at that and there were date palms near to it. Then he returned to me and said, 'By Allah the
water of that well was (red) like the infusion of Henna leaves and its date-palms were like the heads of
devils" I said, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Did you take those materials out of the pollen skin?" He said, 'No!
As for me Allah has healed me and cured me and I was afraid that (by Showing that to the people) I
would spread evil among them when he ordered that the well be filled up with earth, and it was filled
up with earth "
Narrated by Narrated `Aisha:
Context
This hadith recounts the experience of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) being affected by magic, which led him to perceive actions that did not occur. Upon discovering the source of the magic, he chose not to expose it to the public, fearing it could cause harm. This incident illustrates the Prophet's reliance on Allah and his concern for the well-being of his community.
Modern Application
In our lives, this hadith teaches us the importance of seeking Allah's help during times of distress or illness. It encourages us to make dua and trust in Allah's wisdom and mercy, especially when facing challenges that seem beyond our control.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Magic and Sorcery and Prophetic Experience because it describes the Prophet's encounter with magic and his response to it, emphasizing his reliance on divine guidance.
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 يُونُسَ
Yunus (Jonas)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَلَمَّآ أَلْقَوْا۟ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ مَا جِئْتُم بِهِ ٱلسِّحْرُ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَيُبْطِلُهُۥٓ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُصْلِحُ عَمَلَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
And when they had thrown, Moses said, "What you have brought is [only] magic. Indeed, Allah will expose its worthlessness. Indeed, Allah does not amend the work of corrupters.
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 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.
سُورَةُ المُدَّثِّرِ
Al-Muddaththir (The Cloaked One)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَقَالَ إِنْ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌۭ يُؤْثَرُ
And said, "This is not but magic imitated [from others].
Common Words
123 total91 unique18 repeated
ما6x
وما4x
به4x
ٱلسحر3x
من3x
إلا3x
ٱلله3x
ألقوا3x
إن3x
ٱلشيطين2x
على2x
سليمن2x
يعلمون2x
ٱلناس2x
أحد2x
فلما2x
قال2x
هذا2x
وٱتبعوا1x
تتلوا1x
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About Sahih al-Bukhari
This hadith is #5543 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Medicine. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated `Aisha:.