What is Sunan an-Nasa'i 5369 about?

This hadith from Sunan an-Nasa'i (Book of The Book of Adornment), narrated by It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:, states: ""The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever makes an image will be commanded on the Day of Resurrection to breathe the soul into it but he will not be able to do so.'""

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 5369 in the Book of The Book of Adornment.

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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#5368

#5369

Sunan an-Nasa'i

#5370

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Sunan an-Nasa'i #5369

The Book of Adornment

Sahih

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

أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ صَوَّرَ صُورَةً كُلِّفَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَنْ يَنْفُخَ فِيهَا الرُّوحَ وَلَيْسَ بِنَافِخٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever makes an image will be commanded on the Day of Resurrection to breathe the soul into it but he will not be able to do so.'"

Narrated by It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:

Context

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned against the act of creating images, stating that those who do so will be challenged on the Day of Resurrection to breathe life into them. This hadith underscores the seriousness of image-making in Islamic teachings, indicating a strong disapproval of such practices. The key takeaway is the emphasis on avoiding actions that could lead to accountability in the hereafter.

Modern Application

In contemporary society, this principle can influence how Muslims engage with art and media. Many choose to avoid creating or displaying images of living beings, opting instead for abstract art or calligraphy that aligns with their beliefs.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Image-Making because it explicitly addresses the consequences of creating images, highlighting the gravity of this action in Islamic teachings.

Image-Making