Sunan Abu Dawud #4422
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 عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ مَيْسَرَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ ذَكَرْتُ لِعَاصِمِ بْنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ قَتَادَةَ قِصَّةَ مَاعِزِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ فَقَالَ لِي حَدَّثَنِي حَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي ذَلِكَ، مِنْ قَوْلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " فَهَلاَّ تَرَكْتُمُوهُ " . مَنْ شِئْتُمْ مِنْ رِجَالِ أَسْلَمَ مِمَّنْ لاَ أَتَّهِمُ . قَالَ وَلَمْ أَعْرِفْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ قَالَ فَجِئْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقُلْتُ إِنَّ رِجَالاً مِنْ أَسْلَمَ يُحَدِّثُونَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لَهُمْ حِينَ ذَكَرُوا لَهُ جَزَعَ مَاعِزٍ مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ حِينَ أَصَابَتْهُ " أَلاَّ تَرَكْتُمُوهُ " . وَمَا أَعْرِفُ الْحَدِيثَ قَالَ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي أَنَا أَعْلَمُ النَّاسِ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ كُنْتُ فِيمَنْ رَجَمَ الرَّجُلَ إِنَّا لَمَّا خَرَجْنَا بِهِ فَرَجَمْنَاهُ فَوَجَدَ مَسَّ الْحِجَارَةِ صَرَخَ بِنَا يَا قَوْمِ رُدُّونِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَإِنَّ قَوْمِي قَتَلُونِي وَغَرُّونِي مِنْ نَفْسِي وَأَخْبَرُونِي أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم غَيْرُ قَاتِلِي فَلَمْ نَنْزِعْ عَنْهُ حَتَّى قَتَلْنَاهُ فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَخْبَرْنَاهُ قَالَ " فَهَلاَّ تَرَكْتُمُوهُ وَجِئْتُمُونِي بِهِ " . لِيَسْتَثْبِتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْهُ فَأَمَّا لِتَرْكِ حَدٍّ فَلاَ قَالَ فَعَرَفْتُ وَجْهَ الْحَدِيثِ .
Muhammad ibn Ishaq said: I mentioned the story of Ma'iz ibn Malik to Asim ibn Umar ibn Qatadah. He said to me: Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn AbuTalib said to me: Some men of the tribe of Aslam whom I do not blame and whom you like have transmitted to me the saying of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): Why did you not leave him alone?
He said: But I did not understand this tradition. So I went to Jabir ibn Abdullah and said (to him): Some men of the tribe of Aslam narrate that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said when they mentioned to him the anxiety of Ma'iz when the stones hurt him: "Why did you not leave him alone?' But I do not know this tradition.
He said: My cousin, I know this tradition more than the people. I was one of those who had stoned the man. When we came out with him, stoned him and he felt the effect of the stones, he cried: O people! return me to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). My people killed me and deceived me; they told me that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would not kill me. We did not keep away from him till we killed him. When we returned to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) we informed him of it.
He said: Why did you not leave him alone and bring him to me? and he said this so that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) might ascertain it from him. But he did not say this to abandon the prescribed punishment. He said: I then understood the intent of the tradition.
Narrated by Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:
Context
In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) responds to the situation of Ma'iz ibn Malik, who confessed to a serious sin. The Prophet's question, 'Why did you not leave him alone?' reflects a theme of divine justice and the importance of due process in addressing wrongdoing. It highlights the need for careful consideration before enacting punishment.
Modern Application
This principle is relevant today as it calls for compassion and understanding in dealing with those who have erred. Instead of rushing to judgment, individuals and communities are encouraged to seek understanding and offer support to those in need of guidance.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Divine Justice and Punishments (Hudud) because it illustrates the importance of due process and the consideration of circumstances before administering punishment.
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فَذَرْنِى وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
So leave Me, [O Muhammad], with [the matter of] whoever denies the Qur'an. We will progressively lead them [to punishment] from where they do not know.
سُورَةُ التَّوۡبَةِ
At-Tawba (The Repentance)
1 ayah
عَفَا ٱللَّهُ عَنكَ لِمَ أَذِنتَ لَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَتَعْلَمَ ٱلْكَٰذِبِينَ
May Allah pardon you, [O Muhammad]; why did you give them permission [to remain behind]? [You should not have] until it was evident to you who were truthful and you knew [who were] the liars.
سُورَةُ يسٓ
Yaseen (Yaseen)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا تَطَيَّرْنَا بِكُمْ ۖ لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهُوا۟ لَنَرْجُمَنَّكُمْ وَلَيَمَسَّنَّكُم مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ
They said, "Indeed, we consider you a bad omen. If you do not desist, we will surely stone you, and there will surely touch you, from us, a painful punishment."
سُورَةُ الصَّفِّ
As-Saff (The Ranks)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦ يَٰقَوْمِ لِمَ تُؤْذُونَنِى وَقَد تَّعْلَمُونَ أَنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا زَاغُوٓا۟ أَزَاغَ ٱللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْفَٰسِقِينَ
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Moses said to his people, "O my people, why do you harm me while you certainly know that I am the messenger of Allah to you?" And when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.
سُورَةُ عَبَسَ
Abasa (He frowned)
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عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ
The Prophet frowned and turned away
Common Words
64 total58 unique3 repeated
ٱلله4x
لم3x
لا2x
فذرنى1x
ومن1x
يكذب1x
بهذا1x
ٱلحديث1x
سنستدرجهم1x
من1x
حيث1x
يعلمون1x
عفا1x
عنك1x
أذنت1x
لهم1x
حتى1x
يتبين1x
لك1x
ٱلذين1x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #4422 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Prescribed Punishments (Kitab Al-Hudud). It is graded Sahih in chain and narrated by Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:.