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 5957 in the Book of The Book of Virtues.

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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#5956

#5957

Sahih Muslim

#5958

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Sahih Muslim #5957

Q: What is Sahih Muslim 5957 about?

This hadith from Sahih Muslim (Book of The Book of Virtues), narrated by Abu Huraira reported that he heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:, states: "Avoid that which I forbid you to do and do that which I command you to do to the best of your capacity. Verily the people before you went to their doom because they had put too many questions to their…"

The Book of Virtues

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنِي حَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى التُّجِيبِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ، قَالاَ كَانَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ يُحَدِّثُ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ مَا نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنْهُ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ وَمَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِهِ فَافْعَلُوا مِنْهُ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فَإِنَّمَا أَهْلَكَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ كَثْرَةُ مَسَائِلِهِمْ وَاخْتِلاَفُهُمْ عَلَى أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Avoid that which I forbid you to do and do that which I command you to do to the best of your capacity. Verily the people before you went to their doom because they had put too many questions to their Prophets and then disagreed with their teachings.

Narrated by Abu Huraira reported that he heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

Context

In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ advises his followers to avoid what he has forbidden and to act upon his commands to the best of their ability. He warns against excessive questioning and disagreement, which led previous communities to their downfall. This serves as a reminder of the importance of adhering to guidance and maintaining unity.

Modern Application

In today's society, focusing on actionable guidance rather than getting caught up in endless debates can lead to more productive outcomes. This principle encourages individuals to prioritize understanding and applying teachings in their daily lives.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Ethics of Interaction and Prophetic Conduct because it addresses the importance of following guidance and maintaining unity.

Ethics of Interaction Prophetic Conduct