What is Sahih Muslim 6808 about?

This hadith from Sahih Muslim (Book of The Book of Repentance), narrated by 'Ala' reported on the authority of his father who reported on the authority of Abu Huraira that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:, states: "If a believer were to know the punishment (in Hell) none would have the audacity to aspire for Paradise (but he would earnestly desire to be rescued from Hell), and if a non-believer were to know what…"

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 6808 in the Book of The Book of Repentance.

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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#6807

#6808

Sahih Muslim

#6809

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Sahih Muslim #6808

The Book of Repentance

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ، وَابْنُ، حُجْرٍ جَمِيعًا عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ، قَالَ ابْنُ أَيُّوبَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، أَخْبَرَنِي الْعَلاَءُ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لَوْ يَعْلَمُ الْمُؤْمِنُ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنَ الْعُقُوبَةِ مَا طَمِعَ بِجَنَّتِهِ أَحَدٌ وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُ الْكَافِرُ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ مَا قَنِطَ مِنْ جَنَّتِهِ أَحَدٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

If a believer were to know the punishment (in Hell) none would have the audacity to aspire for Paradise (but he would earnestly desire to be rescued from Hell), and if a non-believer were to know what is there with Allah as a mercy. none would have been disappointed in regard to Paradise.

Narrated by 'Ala' reported on the authority of his father who reported on the authority of Abu Huraira that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:

Context

In this hadith, Abu Huraira reports a profound statement from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ regarding the perceptions of believers and non-believers about divine punishment and mercy. The hadith emphasizes that if believers truly understood the severity of punishment, they would not be complacent about Paradise, while non-believers, if aware of Allah's mercy, would not despair. This highlights the balance between hope and fear in faith.

Modern Application

This hadith serves as a reminder for individuals to maintain a balanced perspective on faith, recognizing both the mercy and justice of Allah. It encourages believers to strive for righteousness while also fostering hope in Allah's mercy, guiding their actions and intentions.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Day of Judgment and Divine Mercy because it addresses the concepts of divine punishment and mercy, emphasizing the need for awareness of both in one's spiritual journey.

Day of Judgment Divine Mercy