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 Ibn Majah, which contains 4,345 hadiths across 38 books. It is hadith number 1535 in the Book of The Chapters Regarding Zakat.

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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#1534

#1535

Sunan Ibn Majah

#1536

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Sunan Ibn Majah #1535

Q: What is Sunan Ibn Majah 1535 about?

This hadith from Sunan Ibn Majah (Book of The Chapters Regarding Zakat), narrated by It was narrated that:, states: "Suwaid bin Ghafalah said: ”The Zakah collector of the Prophet came to us, and I took him by the hand and read in his order: 'Do not gather separate herds and do not separate herd for fear of Sadaqah'.…"

The Chapters Regarding Zakat

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، حَدَّثَنَا شَرِيكٌ، عَنْ عُثْمَانَ الثَّقَفِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي لَيْلَى الْكِنْدِيِّ، عَنْ سُوَيْدِ بْنِ غَفَلَةَ، قَالَ جَاءَنَا مُصَدِّقُ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَأَخَذْتُ بِيَدِهِ وَقَرَأْتُ فِي عَهْدِهِ لاَ يُجْمَعُ بَيْنَ مُتَفَرِّقٍ وَلاَ يُفَرَّقُ بَيْنَ مُجْتَمِعٍ خَشْيَةَ الصَّدَقَةِ ‏.‏ فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ بِنَاقَةٍ عَظِيمَةٍ مُلَمْلَمَةٍ فَأَبَى أَنْ يَأْخُذَهَا فَأَتَاهُ بِأُخْرَى دُونَهَا فَأَخَذَهَا وَقَالَ أَىُّ أَرْضٍ تُقِلُّنِي وَأَىُّ سَمَاءٍ تُظِلُّنِي إِذَا أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَقَدْ أَخَذْتُ خِيَارَ إِبِلِ رَجُلٍ مُسْلِمٍ ‏.‏

Suwaid bin Ghafalah said: ”The Zakah collector of the Prophet came to us, and I took him by the hand and read in his order: 'Do not gather separate herds and do not separate herd for fear of Sadaqah'. A man brought him a huge, fat she-camel, but he refused to accept it. So he brought him another of lower quality and he accepted it. He said: 'What land would shelter me, if I came to the Messenger of Allah having taken the nest of a Muslim man's camels?' ”

Narrated by It was narrated that:

Context

This hadith illustrates the principles of fairness and integrity in the collection of Zakah, as practiced by the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). The Zakah collector was instructed not to manipulate the herd sizes to avoid higher taxes, demonstrating a commitment to ethical practices. The story emphasizes the importance of honesty and respect for others' property in financial dealings.

Modern Application

In today's financial interactions, this principle reminds us to engage in fair practices and avoid exploiting others for personal gain. Whether in business or personal transactions, integrity and respect for others' rights are crucial in building trust and community.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Charity and Zakat because it emphasizes the ethical collection of Zakah and the importance of not taking advantage of others' situations.

Charity Zakat