What is Sahih Muslim 4531 about?

This hadith from Sahih Muslim (Book of The Book of Jihad and Expeditions), narrated by It has been narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said (after the encounter at Badr):, states: "Who will ascertain for us what has happened to Abu Jahl? Ibn Mas'ud went (to gather this information). He found that the two sons of 'Afra' had struck him and he lay cold at the point of death. He cau…"

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 4531 in the Book of The Book of Jihad and Expeditions.

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

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#4530

#4531

Sahih Muslim

#4532

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Sahih Muslim #4531

The Book of Jihad and Expeditions

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ السَّعْدِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ عُلَيَّةَ - حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ، التَّيْمِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ يَنْظُرُ لَنَا مَا صَنَعَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَانْطَلَقَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ فَوَجَدَهُ قَدْ ضَرَبَهُ ابْنَا عَفْرَاءَ حَتَّى بَرَكَ - قَالَ - فَأَخَذَ بِلِحْيَتِهِ فَقَالَ آنْتَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ فَقَالَ وَهَلْ فَوْقَ رَجُلٍ قَتَلْتُمُوهُ - أَوْ قَالَ - قَتَلَهُ قَوْمُهُ قَالَ وَقَالَ أَبُو مِجْلَزٍ قَالَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ فَلَوْ غَيْرُ أَكَّارٍ قَتَلَنِي ‏.‏

Who will ascertain for us what has happened to Abu Jahl? Ibn Mas'ud went (to gather this information). He found that the two sons of 'Afra' had struck him and he lay cold at the point of death. He caught him by his beard and said: Art thou Abu Jahl? He said: is there anybody superior to the person you have killed, or (he said) his people have killed him. Ibn Mas'ud says that, according to Abu Mijlaz, Abu Jahl said: Alas! a person other than a farmer would have killed me.

Narrated by It has been narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said (after the encounter at Badr):

Context

This hadith recounts an event following the Battle of Badr, where the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) inquired about Abu Jahl's fate. Ibn Mas'ud was sent to find out what had happened to him. He discovered that Abu Jahl had been mortally wounded by the sons of 'Afra'. This moment highlights the consequences of enmity against the Prophet (ﷺ) and the early Muslims.

Modern Application

The principle illustrated here emphasizes the importance of accountability and seeking truth in challenging situations. In today's context, individuals can reflect on how they confront adversities and ensure they seek justice and clarity, rather than jumping to conclusions based on hearsay.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Historical Prophetic Events and Prophetic Conduct because it describes a significant moment in Islamic history and illustrates the Prophet's (ﷺ) leadership and concern for his followers.

Historical Prophetic Events Prophetic Conduct