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 5582 in the Book of The Book of Greetings.

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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#5581

#5582

Sahih Muslim

#5583

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Sahih Muslim #5582

Q: What is Sahih Muslim 5582 about?

This hadith from Sahih Muslim (Book of The Book of Greetings), narrated by Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported I had a maternal uncle who treated the sting of the scorpion with the help of incantation. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade incantation. He came to him and said:, states: "Allah's Messenger, you forbade to practise incantation, whereas I employ it for curing the sting of the scorpion, whereupon he said: He who amongst you is capable of employing it as a means to do good…"

The Book of Greetings

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَأَبُو سَعِيدٍ الأَشَجُّ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ كَانَ لِي خَالٌ يَرْقِي مِنَ الْعَقْرَبِ فَنَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ الرُّقَى - قَالَ - فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّكَ نَهَيْتَ عَنِ الرُّقَى وَأَنَا أَرْقِي مِنَ الْعَقْرَبِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَنْفَعَ أَخَاهُ فَلْيَفْعَلْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Allah's Messenger, you forbade to practise incantation, whereas I employ it for curing the sting of the scorpion, whereupon he said: He who amongst you is capable of employing it as a means to do good should do that.

Narrated by Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported I had a maternal uncle who treated the sting of the scorpion with the help of incantation. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade incantation. He came to him and said:

Context

This hadith recounts an instance where Jabir's uncle practiced incantation for healing, which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ forbade. However, the Prophet also acknowledged the potential for good in helping others. This highlights the balance between adhering to prohibitions and the importance of compassion and assistance in the community.

Modern Application

In today's context, this principle encourages individuals to help others in need while being mindful of ethical boundaries. It promotes a culture of support and care within communities, emphasizing the importance of doing good.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Prophetic Conduct because it illustrates the Prophet's guidance on helping others while adhering to ethical standards.

Prophetic Conduct