What is Sunan an-Nasa'i 4086 about?

This hadith from Sunan an-Nasa'i (Book of The Book of Fighting [The Prohibition of Bloodshed]), narrated by Abu Nasr narrated from Abu Barzah, that he said:, states: ""I came to Abu Bakr when he had spoken harshly to a man who had answered back. I said: 'Shall I not strike his neck (kill him)?' He rebuked me, and said: 'That is not for anyone after the Messenger of…"

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 an-Nasa'i, which contains 5,768 hadiths across 52 books. It is hadith number 4086 in the Book of The Book of Fighting [The Prohibition of Bloodshed].

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

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Sunan an-Nasa'i

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Sunan an-Nasa'i #4086

The Book of Fighting [The Prohibition of Bloodshed]

Sahih

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

أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، عَنْ أَبِي دَاوُدَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا نَصْرٍ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِي بَرْزَةَ، قَالَ أَتَيْتُ عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَقَدْ أَغْلَظَ لِرَجُلٍ فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ أَلاَ أَضْرِبُ عُنُقَهُ فَانْتَهَرَنِي ‏.‏ فَقَالَ إِنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ لأَحَدٍ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَبُو نَصْرٍ حُمَيْدُ بْنُ هِلاَلٍ ‏.‏ وَرَوَاهُ عَنْهُ يُونُسُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ فَأَسْنَدَهُ ‏.‏

"I came to Abu Bakr when he had spoken harshly to a man who had answered back. I said: 'Shall I not strike his neck (kill him)?' He rebuked me, and said: 'That is not for anyone after the Messenger of Allah .'"

Narrated by Abu Nasr narrated from Abu Barzah, that he said:

Context

In this narration, Abu Bakr is confronted with a situation where he is urged to take extreme action against a man who spoke back to him. He rebukes the suggestion, emphasizing that such authority to execute punishment is reserved for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. This incident illustrates the importance of respectful communication and the limits of personal authority in matters of justice.

Modern Application

In modern interactions, this hadith serves as a reminder to approach disagreements with respect and understanding rather than aggression. Promoting respectful communication can lead to healthier relationships and a more peaceful society.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Respectful Communication and Punishments (Hudud) because it highlights the importance of maintaining respectful discourse and delineates the boundaries of personal authority in administering justice.

Respectful Communication Punishments (Hudud)