What is Sunan Ibn Majah 3234 about?

This hadith from Sunan Ibn Majah (Book of Chapters on Medicine), narrated by It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:, states: "“Whoever applies kohl, let him do it an odd number of times. Whoever does that has done well, and whoever does not, it does not matter.”"

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 3234 in the Book of Chapters on Medicine.

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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#3233

#3234

Sunan Ibn Majah

#3235

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Sunan Ibn Majah #3234

Chapters on Medicine

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ، عَنْ ثَوْرِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ حُصَيْنٍ الْحِمْيَرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعْدِ الْخَيْرِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنِ اكْتَحَلَ فَلْيُوتِرْ مَنْ فَعَلَ فَقَدْ أَحْسَنَ وَمَنْ لاَ فَلاَ حَرَجَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

“Whoever applies kohl, let him do it an odd number of times. Whoever does that has done well, and whoever does not, it does not matter.”

Narrated by It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

Context

Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) advised that when applying kohl, it should be done in an odd number of times. This teaching reflects the Prophet's preference for odd numbers in various practices, symbolizing balance and harmony in adornment.

Modern Application

In modern beauty routines, this hadith can inspire individuals to incorporate intentionality and mindfulness in their personal grooming practices, embracing the cultural significance of such rituals.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Adornment Guidelines because it provides specific advice on the practice of applying kohl.

Adornment Guidelines