We were with the Prophet (ﷺ) in a gathering and he said, 'Swear allegiance to me that you will not
worship anything besides Allah, Will not steal, and will not commit illegal sexual intercourse." And
then (the Prophet) recited the whole Verse (i.e. 60:12). The Prophet (ﷺ) added, 'And whoever among you
fulfills his pledge, his reward is with Allah; and whoever commits something of such sins and receives
the legal punishment for it, that will be considered as the expiation for that sin, and whoever commits
something of such sins and Allah screens him, it is up to Allah whether to excuse or punish him."
Narrated by Narrated 'Ubada bin As-Samit:
Context
During a gathering, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) called upon his companions to pledge allegiance to him, emphasizing the importance of avoiding major sins such as shirk (associating partners with Allah), theft, and illegal sexual intercourse. He recited a verse that reassured the believers that those who fulfill their pledges will be rewarded by Allah, while those who sin may face consequences but also have the hope of Allah's mercy.
Modern Application
This hadith encourages individuals to remain steadfast in their commitments and to avoid actions that lead to sin. In daily life, it serves as a reminder to uphold integrity and seek forgiveness when mistakes are made, fostering a culture of accountability and repentance.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Oaths and Vows and Punishments (Hudud) because it highlights the significance of fulfilling one's promises and the consequences of major sins, along with the potential for forgiveness.
O Prophet, when the believing women come to you pledging to you that they will not associate anything with Allah, nor will they steal, nor will they commit unlawful sexual intercourse, nor will they kill their children, nor will they bring forth a slander they have invented between their arms and legs, nor will they disobey you in what is right - then accept their pledge and ask forgiveness for them of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, [O Muhammad] - they are actually pledging allegiance to Allah. The hand of Allah is over their hands. So he who breaks his word only breaks it to the detriment of himself. And he who fulfills that which he has promised Allah - He will give him a great reward.
And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty.
Allah will not impose blame upon you for what is meaningless in your oaths, but He will impose blame upon you for [breaking] what you intended of oaths. So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave. But whoever cannot find [or afford it] - then a fast of three days [is required]. That is the expiation for oaths when you have sworn. But guard your oaths. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be grateful.
This hadith is #6538 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Limits and Punishments set by Allah (Hudood). It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated 'Ubada bin As-Samit:.