What is Sahih Muslim 4112 about?

This hadith from Sahih Muslim (Book of The Book of Vows), narrated by Abu Heraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:, states: "Do not take vows, for a vow has no effect against Fate; it is only from the miserly that something is extracted."

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 Muslim, which contains 7,459 hadiths across 57 books. It is hadith number 4112 in the Book of The Book of Vows.

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.

‹

#4111

#4112

Sahih Muslim

#4113

›

Sahih Muslim #4112

The Book of Vows

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ، - يَعْنِي الدَّرَاوَرْدِيَّ - عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ تَنْذُرُوا فَإِنَّ النَّذْرَ لاَ يُغْنِي مِنَ الْقَدَرِ شَيْئًا وَإِنَّمَا يُسْتَخْرَجُ بِهِ مِنَ الْبَخِيلِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Do not take vows, for a vow has no effect against Fate; it is only from the miserly that something is extracted.

Narrated by Abu Heraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

Context

In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) cautions against making vows, emphasizing that they do not alter fate. Instead, he highlights that vows often stem from a place of reluctance or stinginess. This teaching encourages believers to focus on sincere actions rather than conditional promises.

Modern Application

Today, individuals can reflect on this principle by considering the motivations behind their commitments. Rather than making vows, it may be more beneficial to engage in genuine acts of kindness and charity without the expectation of reward or recognition.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Divine Command and Oaths and Vows because it addresses the nature of vows and their ineffectiveness in altering destiny, encouraging sincere actions instead.

Divine Command Oaths and Vows