What is Sahih Muslim 4593 about?

This hadith from Sahih Muslim (Book of The Book on Government), narrated by It has been narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Umar that the Prophet (May be upon him) said:, states: "Beware. every one of you is a shepherd and every one is answerable with regard to his flock. The Caliph is a shepherd over the people and shall be questioned about his subjects (as to how he conducted…"

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 4593 in the Book of The Book on Government.

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.

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#4592

#4593

Sahih Muslim

#4594

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Sahih Muslim #4593

The Book on Government

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ ‏ "‏ أَلاَ كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ فَالأَمِيرُ الَّذِي عَلَى النَّاسِ رَاعٍ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ وَالرَّجُلُ رَاعٍ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْهُمْ وَالْمَرْأَةُ رَاعِيَةٌ عَلَى بَيْتِ بَعْلِهَا وَوَلَدِهِ وَهِيَ مَسْئُولَةٌ عَنْهُمْ وَالْعَبْدُ رَاعٍ عَلَى مَالِ سَيِّدِهِ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْهُ أَلاَ فَكُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Beware. every one of you is a shepherd and every one is answerable with regard to his flock. The Caliph is a shepherd over the people and shall be questioned about his subjects (as to how he conducted their affairs). A man is a guardian over the members of his family and shal be questioned about them (as to how he looked after their physical and moral well-being). A woman is a guardian over the household of her husband and his children and shall be questioned about them (as to how she managed the household and brought up the children). A slave is a guardian over the property of his master and shall be questioned about it (as to how he safeguarded his trust). Beware, every one of you is a guardian and every one of you shall be questioned with regard to his trust.

Narrated by It has been narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Umar that the Prophet (May be upon him) said:

Context

In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) emphasizes the concept of responsibility and guardianship. He explains that everyone has a role to play, whether as a leader, a family member, or even a servant, and each will be held accountable for their duties. This teaching highlights the importance of caring for those under one's authority and ensuring their well-being, both physically and morally.

Modern Application

In today's world, this principle can be seen in various roles, such as parents nurturing their children, managers supporting their teams, or community leaders advocating for their constituents. Each individual is encouraged to take their responsibilities seriously, fostering a culture of care and accountability in their respective spheres.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Leadership and Authority and Community Responsibility because it outlines the responsibilities of various roles in society and emphasizes the accountability that comes with those roles.

Leadership and Authority Community Responsibility