Sunan Abu Dawud #4403
Prescribed Punishments (Kitab Al-Hudud)
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ السَّرْحِ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي ظَبْيَانَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ مُرَّ عَلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رضى الله عنه بِمَعْنَى عُثْمَانَ . قَالَ أَوَمَا تَذْكُرُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ
" رُفِعَ الْقَلَمُ عَنْ ثَلاَثَةٍ عَنِ الْمَجْنُونِ الْمَغْلُوبِ عَلَى عَقْلِهِ حَتَّى يُفِيقَ وَعَنِ النَّائِمِ حَتَّى يَسْتَيْقِظَ وَعَنِ الصَّبِيِّ حَتَّى يَحْتَلِمَ " . قَالَ صَدَقْتَ قَالَ فَخَلَّى عَنْهَا سَبِيلَهَا .
Ibn Abbas said: A lunatic woman passed by Ali ibn AbuTalib. He then mentioned the rest of the tradition to the same effect as Uthman mentioned. This version has: Do you not remember that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has said: There are three whose actions are not recorded: a lunatic whose mind is deranged till he is restored to consciousness, a sleeper till he awakes, and a boy till he reaches puberty?
Narrated by Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib:
Context
Ibn Abbas recounts a hadith where the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ mentions three categories of people whose actions are not recorded: the insane, the sleeping, and the young before puberty. This highlights the concept of moral responsibility and accountability in Islamic teachings.
Modern Application
In modern discussions about accountability, this principle serves as a reminder that moral responsibility is context-dependent. It encourages a compassionate approach to understanding the actions of those who may not be fully accountable.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Moral Responsibility because it addresses the conditions under which individuals are held accountable for their actions.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ النَّحۡلِ
An-Nahl (The Bee)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًۭا رَّجُلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَبْكَمُ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍۢ وَهُوَ كَلٌّ عَلَىٰ مَوْلَىٰهُ أَيْنَمَا يُوَجِّههُّ لَا يَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ ۖ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى هُوَ وَمَن يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْعَدْلِ ۙ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ
And Allah presents an example of two men, one of them dumb and unable to do a thing, while he is a burden to his guardian. Wherever he directs him, he brings no good. Is he equal to one who commands justice, while he is on a straight path?
سُورَةُ النُّورِ
An-Noor (The Light)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِيَسْتَـْٔذِنكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يَبْلُغُوا۟ ٱلْحُلُمَ مِنكُمْ ثَلَٰثَ مَرَّٰتٍۢ ۚ مِّن قَبْلِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلْفَجْرِ وَحِينَ تَضَعُونَ ثِيَابَكُم مِّنَ ٱلظَّهِيرَةِ وَمِنۢ بَعْدِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلْعِشَآءِ ۚ ثَلَٰثُ عَوْرَٰتٍۢ لَّكُمْ ۚ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَا عَلَيْهِمْ جُنَاحٌۢ بَعْدَهُنَّ ۚ طَوَّٰفُونَ عَلَيْكُم بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌۭ
O you who have believed, let those whom your right hands possess and those who have not [yet] reached puberty among you ask permission of you [before entering] at three times: before the dawn prayer and when you put aside your clothing [for rest] at noon and after the night prayer. [These are] three times of privacy for you. There is no blame upon you nor upon them beyond these [periods], for they continually circulate among you - some of you, among others. Thus does Allah make clear to you the verses; and Allah is Knowing and Wise.
سُورَةُ التَّحۡرِيمِ
At-Tahrim (The Prohibition)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِلَىٰ بَعْضِ أَزْوَٰجِهِۦ حَدِيثًۭا فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَتْ بِهِۦ وَأَظْهَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَرَّفَ بَعْضَهُۥ وَأَعْرَضَ عَنۢ بَعْضٍۢ ۖ فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَهَا بِهِۦ قَالَتْ مَنْ أَنۢبَأَكَ هَٰذَا ۖ قَالَ نَبَّأَنِىَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ
And [remember] when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a statement; and when she informed [another] of it and Allah showed it to him, he made known part of it and ignored a part. And when he informed her about it, she said, "Who told you this?" He said, "I was informed by the Knowing, the Acquainted."
سُورَةُ المُؤۡمِنُونَ
Al-Muminoon (The Believers)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا رَجُلٌۢ بِهِۦ جِنَّةٌۭ فَتَرَبَّصُوا۟ بِهِۦ حَتَّىٰ حِينٍۢ
He is not but a man possessed with madness, so wait concerning him for a time."
سُورَةُ الدُّخَانِ
Ad-Dukhaan (The Smoke)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
ثُمَّ تَوَلَّوْا۟ عَنْهُ وَقَالُوا۟ مُعَلَّمٌۭ مَّجْنُونٌ
Then they turned away from him and said, "[He was] taught [and is] a madman."
Common Words
123 total101 unique15 repeated
على4x
به4x
ٱلله3x
من3x
بعض3x
لا2x
وهو2x
هو2x
ومن2x
ٱلذين2x
ثلث2x
صلوة2x
لكم2x
عليكم2x
فلما2x
وضرب1x
مثلا1x
رجلين1x
أحدهما1x
أبكم1x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #4403 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Prescribed Punishments (Kitab Al-Hudud). It is graded Da'if and narrated by Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib:.