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 5744 in the Book of The Book of Poetry.

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#5743

#5744

Sahih Muslim

#5745

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Sahih Muslim #5744

Q: What is Sahih Muslim 5744 about?

This hadith from Sahih Muslim (Book of The Book of Poetry), narrated by Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri reported:, states: "We were going with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). As we reached the place (known as) `Arj there met (us) a poet who had been reciting poetry. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Catch the satan or detain th…"

The Book of Poetry

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 الثَّقَفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْهَادِ، عَنْ يُحَنِّسَ، مَوْلَى مُصْعَبِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ بَيْنَا نَحْنُ نَسِيرُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالْعَرْجِ إِذْ عَرَضَ شَاعِرٌ يُنْشِدُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ خُذُوا الشَّيْطَانَ أَوْ أَمْسِكُوا الشَّيْطَانَ لأَنْ يَمْتَلِئَ جَوْفُ رَجُلٍ قَيْحًا خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَمْتَلِئَ شِعْرًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

We were going with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). As we reached the place (known as) `Arj there met (us) a poet who had been reciting poetry. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Catch the satan or detain the satan, for filling the belly of a man with pus is better than stuffing his brain with poetry.

Narrated by Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri reported:

Context

In this hadith, Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri recounts an incident where the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his companions encountered a poet reciting verses. The Prophet (ﷺ) emphasized the importance of avoiding frivolous speech, suggesting that it is better for a person to be filled with something harmful than to have their mind occupied with poetry, which can lead to distractions from more important matters.

Modern Application

In today's fast-paced world, we often encounter distractions in the form of social media, entertainment, and idle chatter. This hadith reminds us to be mindful of what we consume mentally and to prioritize meaningful conversations and knowledge over trivial pursuits.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Ethics of Speech and Satanic Influence because it highlights the negative impact of frivolous speech on a person's mind and emphasizes the importance of focusing on constructive and beneficial communication.

Ethics of Speech Satanic Influence