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 Sunan Abu Dawud, which contains 5,276 hadiths across 43 books. It is hadith number 2249 in the Book of Divorce (Kitab Al-Talaq).

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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#2248

#2249

Sunan Abu Dawud

#2250

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Sunan Abu Dawud #2249

Q: What is Sunan Abu Dawud 2249 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Divorce (Kitab Al-Talaq)) states: "Sahl bin Sa’ad reported the Apostle of Allaah(ﷺ) as saying - in the tradition of spouses who invoked curses to each other “Look if she bears a child which has very black eyes, large buttocks, I canno…"

Divorce (Kitab Al-Talaq)

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْوَرَكَانِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَعْدٍ - عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، فِي خَبَرِ الْمُتَلاَعِنَيْنِ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ أَبْصِرُوهَا فَإِنْ جَاءَتْ بِهِ أَدْعَجَ الْعَيْنَيْنِ عَظِيمَ الأَلْيَتَيْنِ فَلاَ أُرَاهُ إِلاَّ قَدْ صَدَقَ وَإِنْ جَاءَتْ بِهِ أُحَيْمِرَ كَأَنَّهُ وَحَرَةٌ فَلاَ أُرَاهُ إِلاَّ كَاذِبًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَجَاءَتْ بِهِ عَلَى النَّعْتِ الْمَكْرُوهِ ‏.‏

Sahl bin Sa’ad reported the Apostle of Allaah(ﷺ) as saying - in the tradition of spouses who invoked curses to each other “Look if she bears a child which has very black eyes, large buttocks, I cannot but imagine that he (i.e., ‘Uwaimir) has spoken the truth. But, if she bears a reddish child like the lizard with red spots (waharah), I cannot imagine that ‘Uwaimir has lied against her. She gave birth to a child (like that described the Prophet (ﷺ) ) in a detestable manner.

Context

This hadith discusses the situation of spouses who invoke curses upon each other and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ's guidance on determining the truth of their claims through the physical characteristics of a child born to them. The Prophet's ﷺ description of the child's appearance serves as a means to ascertain the validity of the husband's claims, illustrating the importance of fairness and justice in marital disputes.

Modern Application

In contemporary life, this hadith can remind individuals of the importance of fairness and evidence in resolving conflicts, particularly in family matters. It encourages open communication and the need for clarity when addressing sensitive issues within relationships.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Family and Marriage because it addresses the dynamics of marital relationships and the importance of fairness in resolving disputes between spouses.

Family Marriage