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 6601 in the Book of The Book of Destiny.

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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#6600

#6601

Sahih Muslim

#6602

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Sahih Muslim #6601

Q: What is Sahih Muslim 6601 about?

This hadith from Sahih Muslim (Book of The Book of Destiny), narrated by Ibn Abbas reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was asked about the children of the polytheists, whereupon he said:, states: "It is Allah alone Who knows what they would be doing according to their creation."

The Book of Destiny

Sahih

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

وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ أَطْفَالِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ قَالَ ‏ "‏ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا عَامِلِينَ إِذْ خَلَقَهُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

It is Allah alone Who knows what they would be doing according to their creation.

Narrated by Ibn Abbas reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was asked about the children of the polytheists, whereupon he said:

Context

Ibn Abbas reports that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was asked about the fate of the children of polytheists. His response underscores Allah's exclusive knowledge of their actions and destinies at the time of their creation. This highlights the theme of divine wisdom and justice, reminding believers that ultimate judgment rests with Allah alone.

Modern Application

In contemporary discussions, this hadith encourages humility regarding our understanding of others' fates. It reminds us to focus on our actions and responsibilities rather than speculate about the afterlife of those outside our faith.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Afterlife because it reflects on the divine knowledge of Allah regarding the fate of individuals, emphasizing His ultimate authority in judgment.

Afterlife