What is Sunan Abu Dawud 4689 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Model Behavior of the Prophet (Kitab Al-Sunnah)), narrated by Ibn ‘Umar reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying :, states: "If any believing man calls another believing man an unbeliever, if he is actually an infidel, it is all right ; if not, he will become an infidel."

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 4689 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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#4688

#4689

Sunan Abu Dawud

#4690

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Sunan Abu Dawud #4689

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 جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ غَزْوَانَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ أَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ مُسْلِمٍ أَكْفَرَ رَجُلاً مُسْلِمًا فَإِنْ كَانَ كَافِرًا وَإِلاَّ كَانَ هُوَ الْكَافِرَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

If any believing man calls another believing man an unbeliever, if he is actually an infidel, it is all right ; if not, he will become an infidel.

Narrated by Ibn ‘Umar reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying :

Context

This hadith addresses the serious implications of labeling fellow Muslims as unbelievers. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) warns that if one Muslim calls another a disbeliever without justification, the caller risks becoming an unbeliever themselves. This emphasizes the importance of maintaining unity and respect within the Muslim community.

Modern Application

In contemporary society, this principle serves as a reminder to avoid harsh judgments of others' faith. It encourages dialogue and understanding rather than division, promoting a more inclusive community.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Faith and Belief and Social Conflict because it underscores the significance of faith among Muslims and the potential conflicts arising from mislabeling others.

Faith and Belief Social Conflict