What is Sunan Abu Dawud 4612 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Model Behavior of the Prophet (Kitab Al-Sunnah)), narrated by ‘Amir b. sa’id on his father’s authority reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:, states: "The Muslim who offends most against the Muslims is he who enquires about something which has not been forbidden to men, and it is declared forbidden because of his enquiry."

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 4612 in the Book of Model Behavior of the Prophet (Kitab Al-Sunnah).

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

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#4611

#4612

Sunan Abu Dawud

#4613

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Sunan Abu Dawud #4612

Model Behavior of the Prophet (Kitab Al-Sunnah)

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِنَّ أَعْظَمَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فِي الْمُسْلِمِينَ جُرْمًا مَنْ سَأَلَ عَنْ أَمْرٍ لَمْ يُحَرَّمْ فَحُرِّمَ عَلَى النَّاسِ مِنْ أَجْلِ مَسْأَلَتِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

The Muslim who offends most against the Muslims is he who enquires about something which has not been forbidden to men, and it is declared forbidden because of his enquiry.

Narrated by ‘Amir b. sa’id on his father’s authority reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:

Context

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) warns against asking about matters that are not forbidden, which could lead to unnecessary complications and prohibitions. This highlights the importance of being mindful of one's inquiries and the potential consequences of one's words.

Modern Application

In contemporary life, this principle serves as a reminder to be cautious about the questions we ask and the discussions we engage in. It encourages individuals to focus on constructive dialogue rather than creating divisions.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Warning and Ethics of Speech because it emphasizes the importance of responsible questioning and the potential impact of one's inquiries.

Warning Ethics of Speech