صحيح مسلم
Muslim
كتاب الزهد والرقائقThe Book of Zuhd and Softening of Hearts
باب مَا جَاءَ أَنَّ الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَجَنَّةُ الْكَافِرِChapter: ….
Hadith 2957
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ قَعْنَبٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ يَعْنِي ابْنَ بِلَالٍ ، عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ، أَنّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَرَّ بِالسُّوقِ دَاخِلًا مِنْ بَعْضِ الْعَالِيَةِ ، وَالنَّاسُ كَنَفَتَهُ فَمَرَّ بِجَدْيٍ أَسَكَّ مَيِّتٍ ، فَتَنَاوَلَهُ فَأَخَذَ بِأُذُنِهِ ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : " أَيُّكُمْ يُحِبُّ أَنَّ هَذَا لَهُ بِدِرْهَمٍ " ، فَقَالُوا : مَا نُحِبُّ أَنَّهُ لَنَا بِشَيْءٍ ، وَمَا نَصْنَعُ بِهِ ، قَالَ : " أَتُحِبُّونَ أَنَّهُ لَكُمْ ؟ " ، قَالُوا : وَاللَّهِ لَوْ كَانَ حَيًّا كَانَ عَيْبًا فِيهِ لِأَنَّهُ أَسَكُّ ، فَكَيْفَ وَهُوَ مَيِّتٌ ؟ ، فَقَالَ : " فَوَاللَّهِ لَلدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ هَذَا عَلَيْكُمْ " ،
Jabir bin 'Abdullah (RA) reported that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) happened to walk through the bazar coming from the side of 'Aliya and the people were on both his sides. There he found a dead lamb with very short ears. He took hold of his ear and said: Who amongst you would like to have this for a dirham? They said: We do not like to have it even for less than that as it is of no use to us. He said: Do you wish to have it (free of any cost)? They said: By Allah, even if it were alive (we would not have liked to possess that), for there is detect in it as its ear is very short; now it is dead also. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: By Allah, this world is more insignificant in the eye of Allah as it (this dead lamb) is in your eye.
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حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى الْعَنَزِيُّ ، وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَرْعَرَةَ السَّامِيُّ ، قَالَا : حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ يَعْنِيَانِ الثَّقَفِيَّ ، عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِمِثْلِهِ ، غَيْرَ أَنَّ فِي حَدِيثِ الثَّقَفِيِّ : فَلَوْ كَانَ حَيًّا كَانَ هَذَا السَّكَكُ بِهِ عَيْبًا .
Jabir reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) narrating a hadith like this with a slight variation of wording.
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Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Ask:
One whose ears are small or cut,
Boocha (defective).
Benefits and Issues:
Just as a dead animal and a defective offspring are considered insignificant and contemptible in the eyes of humans,
the world is even more insignificant and worthless in the sight of Allah,
therefore, instead of making the world the center of our pursuit and concern,
we should make the Hereafter the focus of our attention and effort, and benefit from the world only as much as is necessary,
we should not fall into excess or negligence regarding worldly matters.
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Ask:
One whose ears are small or cut,
Boocha (defective).
Benefits and Issues:
Just as a dead animal and a defective offspring are considered insignificant and contemptible in the eyes of humans,
the world is even more insignificant and worthless in the sight of Allah,
therefore, instead of making the world the center of our pursuit and concern,
we should make the Hereafter the focus of our attention and effort, and benefit from the world only as much as is necessary,
we should not fall into excess or negligence regarding worldly matters.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 7418
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
➊ In Sahih Muslim, this hadith is complete in the following manner: The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Which one of you would like to take this for one dirham?" The Companions said, "We do not want to take it, and what would we do with it?" He said, "Would you like to take it for free?" They replied, "By Allah! Even if it were alive, it would be defective, its ears are small, and now it is already dead." The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "By Allah! The world is even more insignificant in the sight of Allah than this is in your eyes." [صحيح مسلم حديث : 2957]
➋ The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would, from time to time, explain arising realities through parables, and in this incident, the reality of the world has been clarified. Preachers and teachers should present practical examples from real-life events when addressing matters that arise in life.
➌ Touching a carcass (maytah) does not break ablution (wudu). (The jurisprudential insight of the hadith scholars is commendable. Rahimahum Allah ta'ala.)
➊ In Sahih Muslim, this hadith is complete in the following manner: The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Which one of you would like to take this for one dirham?" The Companions said, "We do not want to take it, and what would we do with it?" He said, "Would you like to take it for free?" They replied, "By Allah! Even if it were alive, it would be defective, its ears are small, and now it is already dead." The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "By Allah! The world is even more insignificant in the sight of Allah than this is in your eyes." [صحيح مسلم حديث : 2957]
➋ The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would, from time to time, explain arising realities through parables, and in this incident, the reality of the world has been clarified. Preachers and teachers should present practical examples from real-life events when addressing matters that arise in life.
➌ Touching a carcass (maytah) does not break ablution (wudu). (The jurisprudential insight of the hadith scholars is commendable. Rahimahum Allah ta'ala.)
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 186
