Sahih Muslim #4488
The Book of Jihad and Expeditions
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
وَحَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ يُونُسَ الْحَنَفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عِكْرِمَةُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنِي إِيَاسُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي قَالَ، غَزَوْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حُنَيْنًا فَلَمَّا وَاجَهْنَا الْعَدُوَّ تَقَدَّمْتُ فَأَعْلُو ثَنِيَّةً فَاسْتَقْبَلَنِي رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْعَدُوِّ فَأَرْمِيهِ بِسَهْمٍ فَتَوَارَى عَنِّي فَمَا دَرَيْتُ مَا صَنَعَ وَنَظَرْتُ إِلَى الْقَوْمِ فَإِذَا هُمْ قَدْ طَلَعُوا مِنْ ثَنِيَّةٍ أُخْرَى فَالْتَقَوْا هُمْ وَصَحَابَةُ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَوَلَّى صَحَابَةُ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَرْجِعُ مُنْهَزِمًا وَعَلَىَّ بُرْدَتَانِ مُتَّزِرًا بِإِحْدَاهُمَا مُرْتَدِيًا بِالأُخْرَى فَاسْتَطْلَقَ إِزَارِي فَجَمَعْتُهُمَا جَمِيعًا وَمَرَرْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُنْهَزِمًا وَهُوَ عَلَى بَغْلَتِهِ الشَّهْبَاءِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَقَدْ رَأَى ابْنُ الأَكْوَعِ فَزَعًا " . فَلَمَّا غَشُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَزَلَ عَنِ الْبَغْلَةِ ثُمَّ قَبَضَ قَبْضَةً مِنْ تُرَابٍ مِنَ الأَرْضِ ثُمَّ اسْتَقْبَلَ بِهِ وُجُوهَهُمْ فَقَالَ " شَاهَتِ الْوُجُوهُ " . فَمَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُمْ إِنْسَانًا إِلاَّ مَلأَ عَيْنَيْهِ تُرَابًا بِتِلْكَ الْقَبْضَةِ فَوَلَّوْا مُدْبِرِينَ فَهَزَمَهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَقَسَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم غَنَائِمَهُمْ بَيْنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ .
We fought by the side of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at Hunain. When we encountered the enemy, I advanced and ascended a hillock. A man from the enemy side turned towards me and I shot him with an arrow. He (ducked and) hid himself from me. I could not understand what he did, but (all of a sudden) I saw that a group of people appeared from the other hillock. They and the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) met in combat, but the Companions of the Prophet turned back and I too turned back defeated. I had two mantles, one of which I was wrapping round the waist (covering the lower part of my body) and the other I was putting around my shoulders. My waist-wrapper got loose and I held the two mantles together. (In this downcast condition) I passed by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who was riding on his white mule. He said: The son of Akwa' finds himself to be utterly perplexed. Wher. the Companions gathered round him from all sides. the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got down from his mule. picked up a handful of dust from the ground, threw it into their (enemy) faces and said: May these faces be deformed 1 There was no one among the enemy whose eyes were not filled with the dust from this handful. So they turned back fleeing. and Allah the Exalted and Glorious defeated them, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) distributed their booty among the Muslims.
Narrated by This tradition has been narrated on the authority of Salama who said:
Context
This hadith recounts a moment during the Battle of Hunain, where the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ demonstrates leadership and prophetic conduct amidst chaos. He uses a handful of dust to disorient the enemy, showcasing a strategic approach to warfare while maintaining morale among his companions. This highlights the Prophet's ﷺ role as a leader and tactician.
Modern Application
In contemporary settings, this principle can be applied to leadership and teamwork, emphasizing the importance of strategy and morale in achieving goals. It encourages leaders to remain calm and resourceful in challenging situations, inspiring confidence in their team.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Military Might and Warfare and Prophetic Conduct because it illustrates the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ strategic thinking and leadership during a significant military event.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ التَّوۡبَةِ
At-Tawba (The Repentance)
2 ayahs
لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِى مَوَاطِنَ كَثِيرَةٍۢ ۙ وَيَوْمَ حُنَيْنٍ ۙ إِذْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ كَثْرَتُكُمْ فَلَمْ تُغْنِ عَنكُمْ شَيْـًۭٔا وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ ثُمَّ وَلَّيْتُم مُّدْبِرِينَ
Allah has already given you victory in many regions and [even] on the day of Hunayn, when your great number pleased you, but it did not avail you at all, and the earth was confining for you with its vastness; then you turned back, fleeing.
إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ثَانِىَ ٱثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِى ٱلْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَٰحِبِهِۦ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَنَا ۖ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُۥ بِجُنُودٍۢ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلسُّفْلَىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ ٱللَّهِ هِىَ ٱلْعُلْيَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
If you do not aid the Prophet - Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, "Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us." And Allah sent down his tranquillity upon him and supported him with angels you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah - that is the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
سُورَةُ آلِ عِمۡرَانَ
Aal-i-Imraan (The Family of Imraan)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
3 ayahs
۞ إِذْ تُصْعِدُونَ وَلَا تَلْوُۥنَ عَلَىٰٓ أَحَدٍۢ وَٱلرَّسُولُ يَدْعُوكُمْ فِىٓ أُخْرَىٰكُمْ فَأَثَٰبَكُمْ غَمًّۢا بِغَمٍّۢ لِّكَيْلَا تَحْزَنُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا مَآ أَصَٰبَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
[Remember] when you [fled and] climbed [the mountain] without looking aside at anyone while the Messenger was calling you from behind. So Allah repaid you with distress upon distress so you would not grieve for that which had escaped you [of victory and spoils of war] or [for] that which had befallen you [of injury and death]. And Allah is [fully] Acquainted with what you do.
أَوَلَمَّآ أَصَٰبَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةٌۭ قَدْ أَصَبْتُم مِّثْلَيْهَا قُلْتُمْ أَنَّىٰ هَٰذَا ۖ قُلْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ أَنفُسِكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ
Why [is it that] when a [single] disaster struck you [on the day of Uhud], although you had struck [the enemy in the battle of Badr] with one twice as great, you said, "From where is this?" Say, "It is from yourselves." Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.
وَلَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَعْدَهُۥٓ إِذْ تَحُسُّونَهُم بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَشِلْتُمْ وَتَنَٰزَعْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ وَعَصَيْتُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَآ أَرَىٰكُم مَّا تُحِبُّونَ ۚ مِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةَ ۚ ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمْ عَنْهُمْ لِيَبْتَلِيَكُمْ ۖ وَلَقَدْ عَفَا عَنكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
And Allah had certainly fulfilled His promise to you when you were killing the enemy by His permission until [the time] when you lost courage and fell to disputing about the order [given by the Prophet] and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you love. Among you are some who desire this world, and among you are some who desire the Hereafter. Then he turned you back from them [defeated] that He might test you. And He has already forgiven you, and Allah is the possessor of bounty for the believers.
Common Words
151 total117 unique16 repeated
ٱلله7x
إذ6x
فى4x
على4x
ما4x
من4x
وٱلله3x
عنكم2x
بما2x
ثم2x
ولا2x
إن2x
ولقد2x
يريد2x
ٱلذين2x
كفروا2x
لقد1x
نصركم1x
مواطن1x
كثيرة1x
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About Sahih Muslim
This hadith is #4488 from Sahih Muslim, in the Book of The Book of Jihad and Expeditions. It is graded Sahih and narrated by This tradition has been narrated on the authority of Salama who said:.