What is Sunan an-Nasa'i 4219 about?

This hadith from Sunan an-Nasa'i (Book of The Book of al-Bay'ah), narrated by It was narrated from Tariq bin Shihab that:, states: "a man asked the Prophet, when he had put his leg in the stirrup: "Which kind of Jihad is best?'" He said: " a word of truth spoken before an unjust rulers.""

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 4219 in the Book of The Book of al-Bay'ah.

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

Hadith numbering varies across editions and translations (USC-MSA, Dar as-Salam, Fath al-Bari, and others). If you followed a link citing a different number but landed here, you may have been redirected to the canonical version in our library. If you were looking for a different hadith entirely, use the search bar to find it by text.

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Sunan an-Nasa'i #4219

The Book of al-Bay'ah

Sahih

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

أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ مَرْثَدٍ، عَنْ طَارِقِ بْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَدْ وَضَعَ رِجْلَهُ فِي الْغَرْزِ أَىُّ الْجِهَادِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ ‏ "‏ كَلِمَةُ حَقٍّ عِنْدَ سُلْطَانٍ جَائِرٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

a man asked the Prophet, when he had put his leg in the stirrup: "Which kind of Jihad is best?'" He said: " a word of truth spoken before an unjust rulers."

Narrated by It was narrated from Tariq bin Shihab that:

Context

In this hadith, a man approached the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ while preparing for battle, asking him about the best form of Jihad. The Prophet ﷺ emphasized that speaking a word of truth in front of a tyrannical ruler holds the highest merit. This highlights the importance of standing up for justice and truth, even in challenging circumstances.

Modern Application

Today, this principle can manifest in various ways, such as advocating for social justice, speaking out against corruption, or supporting those who are oppressed. Individuals can engage in community activism or simply voice their opinions in discussions to promote truth and fairness.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Jihad and Social Responsibility because it emphasizes the significance of advocating for truth in the face of injustice.

Jihad Social Responsibility