The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ زُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَيْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعَثَ جَيْشًا وَأَمَّرَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَجُلاً، فَأَوْقَدَ نَارًا وَقَالَ ادْخُلُوهَا. فَأَرَادُوا أَنْ يَدْخُلُوهَا، وَقَالَ آخَرُونَ إِنَّمَا فَرَرْنَا مِنْهَا، فَذَكَرُوا لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ لِلَّذِينَ أَرَادُوا أَنْ يَدْخُلُوهَا " لَوْ دَخَلُوهَا لَمْ يَزَالُوا فِيهَا إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ". وَقَالَ لِلآخَرِينَ " لاَ طَاعَةَ فِي مَعْصِيَةٍ، إِنَّمَا الطَّاعَةُ فِي الْمَعْرُوفِ ".
The Prophet (ﷺ) , sent an army and appointed some man their commander The man made a fire and then
said (to the soldiers), "Enter it." Some of them intended to enter it while some others said, 'We have
run away from it (i.e., embraced Islam to save ourselves from the 'fire')." They mentioned that to the
Prophet, and he said about people who had intended to enter the fire. ''If they had entered it, they
would have remained In it till the Day of Resurrection.'' Then he said to others, "No obedience for evil
deeds, obedience is required only in what is good ."
Narrated by Narrated `Ali:
Context
In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) addresses a situation where a commander of an army ordered his soldiers to enter a fire, which they had initially fled from. Some soldiers were willing to obey this command, while others resisted. The Prophet (ﷺ) emphasized that obedience should only be in what is good and right, warning that entering the fire would lead to eternal punishment.
Modern Application
This principle reminds us that in our daily lives, we must discern between commands that align with our values and those that do not. Whether in workplaces, schools, or communities, we should prioritize moral integrity over blind obedience to authority.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Obedience to Allah and Prophetic Conduct because it illustrates the importance of following righteous commands and highlights the Prophet's (ﷺ) guidance on moral decision-making.
But as for those who defiantly disobeyed, their refuge is the Fire. Every time they wish to emerge from it, they will be returned to it while it is said to them, "Taste the punishment of the Fire which you used to deny."
Those who remained behind rejoiced in their staying [at home] after [the departure of] the Messenger of Allah and disliked to strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah and said, "Do not go forth in the heat." Say, "The fire of Hell is more intensive in heat" - if they would but understand.
And the answer of Abraham's people was not but that they said, "Kill him or burn him," but Allah saved him from the fire. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.
Say to those who remained behind of the bedouins, "You will be called to [face] a people of great military might; you may fight them, or they will submit. So if you obey, Allah will give you a good reward; but if you turn away as you turned away before, He will punish you with a painful punishment."
This hadith is #6983 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Accepting Information Given by a Truthful Person. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated `Ali:.
