What is Sunan Abu Dawud 3584 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of The Office of the Judge (Kitab Al-Aqdiyah)), narrated by Umm Salamah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:, states: ""I am only a human being, and you bring your disputes to me, some perhaps being more eloquent in their plea than others, so that I give judgement on their behalf according to what I hear from them. Th…"

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 3584 in the Book of The Office of the Judge (Kitab Al-Aqdiyah).

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

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#3583

#3584

Sunan Abu Dawud

#3585

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Sunan Abu Dawud #3584

The Office of the Judge (Kitab Al-Aqdiyah)

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 كَثِيرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَتْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ وَإِنَّكُمْ تَخْتَصِمُونَ إِلَىَّ وَلَعَلَّ بَعْضَكُمْ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَلْحَنَ بِحُجَّتِهِ مِنْ بَعْضٍ فَأَقْضِيَ لَهُ عَلَى نَحْوِ مَا أَسْمَعُ مِنْهُ فَمَنْ قَضَيْتُ لَهُ مِنْ حَقِّ أَخِيهِ بِشَىْءٍ فَلاَ يَأْخُذْ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا فَإِنَّمَا أَقْطَعُ لَهُ قِطْعَةً مِنَ النَّارِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

"I am only a human being, and you bring your disputes to me, some perhaps being more eloquent in their plea than others, so that I give judgement on their behalf according to what I hear from them. Therefore, whatever I decide for anyone which by right belongs to his brother, he must not take anything, for I am granting him only a portion of Hell.

Narrated by Umm Salamah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:

Context

In this hadith, Umm Salamah narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) emphasized his human limitations when resolving disputes among people. He acknowledged that eloquence in arguments could influence his judgments, which are based solely on what he hears. The takeaway is a reminder that unjust gains from others' rights lead to severe consequences in the Hereafter.

Modern Application

In today's world, this principle highlights the importance of fairness and honesty in conflict resolution. Individuals are encouraged to seek justice without being swayed by persuasive arguments that may distort the truth, ensuring that all parties are treated equitably.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Justice and Ethics of Speech because it emphasizes the importance of fair judgment and the ethical implications of how one presents their case.

Justice Ethics of Speech