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مشكوة المصابيح
Mishkat al-Masabih
كتاب الإيمانThe Book of Faith
(مَا كُتِبَ فِي الْقَدَرِ يَتِمُّ حَتْمًا)(What is written in destiny will surely come to pass)
Hadith 88
اُردوEn
وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي رَجُلٌ شَابٌّ وَأَنَا أَخَافُ عَلَى نَفْسِي الْعَنَتَ وَلَا أَجِدُ مَا أَتَزَوَّجُ بِهِ النِّسَاءَ كأَنَّهُ يَسْتَأْذِنُهُ فِي الِاخْتِصَاءِ قَالَ: فَسَكَتَ عَنِّي ثُمَّ قُلْتُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَسَكَتَ عَنِّي ثُمَّ قُلْتُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَسَكَتَ عَنِّي ثُمَّ قُلْتُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ جَفَّ الْقَلَمُ بِمَا أَنْتَ لَاقٍ فَاخْتَصِ -[33]- على ذَلِك أَو ذَر» . رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ
Abu Huraira said: I told God’s messenger that I, being a young man, was afraid of committing fornication, and I had no means to enable me to marry a wife. (It was as though he was asking permission to have himself made a eunuch.) He gave me no reply, so I repeated what I had said, but he gave me no reply. I repeated it again, but he gave me no reply. I repeated it once more and the Prophet said, “Abu Huraira, the pen has written all it has to write1 about your destiny, so have yourself made a eunuch on that account, or leave things as they are.” Bukhari transmitted it.
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai
Takhrij:
[صحیح بخاری 5076]
Fiqh al-Hadith:
➊ Whatever is written in destiny will certainly come to pass.
➋ It was written in the destiny of Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu that he would not commit adultery, rather he would marry and have children, and this indeed happened.
➌ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu was extremely pious and a follower of the Book and the Sunnah. At all times and in every respect, he wished to protect himself from sins and mistakes.
➍ The Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade men from becoming eunuchs (i.e., from castrating themselves). See: [صحيح بخاري : 5071 وصحيح مسلم : 1404]
↰ Therefore, in this hadith, the word «فاختص» is to be understood as a prohibition and deterrence.
➎ If a pious student, out of misunderstanding, asks an incorrect question, the teacher should respond with gentleness, patience, and wisdom.
[صحیح بخاری 5076]
Fiqh al-Hadith:
➊ Whatever is written in destiny will certainly come to pass.
➋ It was written in the destiny of Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu that he would not commit adultery, rather he would marry and have children, and this indeed happened.
➌ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu was extremely pious and a follower of the Book and the Sunnah. At all times and in every respect, he wished to protect himself from sins and mistakes.
➍ The Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade men from becoming eunuchs (i.e., from castrating themselves). See: [صحيح بخاري : 5071 وصحيح مسلم : 1404]
↰ Therefore, in this hadith, the word «فاختص» is to be understood as a prohibition and deterrence.
➎ If a pious student, out of misunderstanding, asks an incorrect question, the teacher should respond with gentleness, patience, and wisdom.
Source: Adwa al-Masabih fi Tahqiq Mishkat al-Masabih, Page: 88
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
In another hadith, it is mentioned that Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu said, “If you permit, shall I become a eunuch?” In this case, the answer is according to the question.
This does not mean that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam permitted castration, because in other hadiths its prohibition has been explicitly stated. Rather, this indicates that there is no benefit in becoming a eunuch; whatever is written in your destiny will certainly come to pass. If it is written that you will fall into the unlawful, then you will be afflicted by it; if it is written that you will be protected, then you will remain safe.
So, what is the need to render oneself impotent? And since Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu used to fast a lot, but his desire was not lessened by fasting, therefore the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not command him to fast.
In the narration, there is mention of mut‘ah (temporary marriage), which was permissible for a time, but later was declared forbidden until the Day of Judgment.
In another hadith, it is mentioned that Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu said, “If you permit, shall I become a eunuch?” In this case, the answer is according to the question.
This does not mean that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam permitted castration, because in other hadiths its prohibition has been explicitly stated. Rather, this indicates that there is no benefit in becoming a eunuch; whatever is written in your destiny will certainly come to pass. If it is written that you will fall into the unlawful, then you will be afflicted by it; if it is written that you will be protected, then you will remain safe.
So, what is the need to render oneself impotent? And since Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu used to fast a lot, but his desire was not lessened by fasting, therefore the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not command him to fast.
In the narration, there is mention of mut‘ah (temporary marriage), which was permissible for a time, but later was declared forbidden until the Day of Judgment.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 5076
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In this hadith, the imperative verb is not for requesting or permitting, as if some leniency has been shown regarding castration; rather, in this context, the verb is for warning—that whether you do something or not, the divine decree (qadar) of Allah will, in any case, be carried out. The divine decree will not be affected by whether one undergoes castration or not.
(2)
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) instructed other noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) to fast in order to suppress their desires, but he did not tell Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) to fast, because Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu), unlike the other Companions, would most often already be in a state of fasting. Likewise, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not permit him temporary marriage (nikah mut‘ah), because he possessed nothing, whereas in temporary marriage, one must give at least something to the woman. In any case, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not grant him permission to undergo castration.
(1)
In this hadith, the imperative verb is not for requesting or permitting, as if some leniency has been shown regarding castration; rather, in this context, the verb is for warning—that whether you do something or not, the divine decree (qadar) of Allah will, in any case, be carried out. The divine decree will not be affected by whether one undergoes castration or not.
(2)
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) instructed other noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) to fast in order to suppress their desires, but he did not tell Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) to fast, because Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu), unlike the other Companions, would most often already be in a state of fasting. Likewise, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not permit him temporary marriage (nikah mut‘ah), because he possessed nothing, whereas in temporary marriage, one must give at least something to the woman. In any case, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not grant him permission to undergo castration.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 5076
