What is Sunan Ibn Majah 3970 about?

This hadith from Sunan Ibn Majah (Book of Zuhd), narrated by Anas bin Malik narrated the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:, states: "“This is the son of Adam, and this is his life span at his neck,’ then he spread his hand in front of him and said: ‘And there is his hope.”"

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 3970 in the Book of Zuhd.

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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#3969

#3970

Sunan Ibn Majah

#3971

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Sunan Ibn Majah #3970

Zuhd

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، حَدَّثَنَا النَّضْرُ بْنُ شُمَيْلٍ، أَنْبَأَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ‏:‏ ‏"‏ هَذَا ابْنُ آدَمَ وَهَذَا أَجَلُهُ عِنْدَ قَفَاهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَبَسَطَ يَدَهُ أَمَامَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏:‏ ‏"‏ وَثَمَّ أَمَلُهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

“This is the son of Adam, and this is his life span at his neck,’ then he spread his hand in front of him and said: ‘And there is his hope.”

Narrated by Anas bin Malik narrated the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

Context

This hadith illustrates a profound metaphor shared by the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) regarding the lifespan of a person. By comparing life to a span at the neck and hope to what lies ahead, it emphasizes the fleeting nature of life and the importance of aspirations. The takeaway is to remain hopeful and focused on what lies ahead.

Modern Application

In contemporary life, this metaphor can inspire individuals to maintain hope and strive for their goals despite challenges. It serves as a reminder to prioritize long-term aspirations over immediate concerns, fostering a positive outlook.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Hope because it conveys the significance of maintaining hope and aspirations in life.

Hope