Hadith 8280

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حَفْصٍ ، أَخْبَرَنَا وَرْقَاءُ ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ ، عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " بَيْنَمَا امْرَأَتَانِ مَعَهُمَا ابْنَانِ لَهُمَا ، جَاءَ الذِّئْبُ فَأَخَذَ أَحَدَ الِابْنَيْنِ ، فَتَحَاكَمَا إِلَى دَاوُدَ ، فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلْكُبْرَى ، فَخَرَجَتَا فَدَعَاهُمَا سُلَيْمَانُ ، فَقَالَ : هَاتُوا السِّكِّينَ أَشُقُّهُ بَيْنَهُمَا ، فَقَالَتْ الصُّغْرَى : يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ ، هُوَ ابْنُهَا ، لَا تَشُقَّهُ ، فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلصُّغْرَى " ، قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ : وَاللَّهِ إِنْ عَلِمْنَا مَا السِّكِّينُ إِلَّا يَوْمَئِذٍ ، وَمَا كُنَّا نَقُولُ إِلَّا الْمُدْيَةَ .
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: There were two women, and with them were their two sons. Suddenly, a wolf came from somewhere and took away one of the boys. Both of them brought their case before Hazrat Dawood (peace be upon him). He decided that the remaining child belonged to the elder woman. As they were leaving, Hazrat Sulaiman (peace be upon him) called them and said, "Bring a knife, I will divide this child into two parts and give them to you." Upon hearing this, the younger woman said, "May Allah have mercy on you, he is her child (at least he will remain alive); do not divide him into two parts." Thus, Hazrat Sulaiman (peace be upon him) decided in favor of the younger woman. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: By Allah, the word "sikkeen" for knife in Arabic came to our knowledge that day; before that, we used to call it "madiyah."
Hadith Reference مسند احمد / مسند المكثرين من الصحابة / 8280
Hadith Grading حکم دارالسلام: إسناده صحيح، خ: 3427، م: 1720