Mustadrak al-Hakim — Hadith 3936

It is narrated from Muhammad bin Yazid bin Khunays (may Allah have mercy on him) that he said: We were with Sufyan al-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him), visiting him in his illness, when Sa'id bin Hassan al-Makhzumi came in to him. He was the preacher of our congregation and used to lead us in prayer in the month of Ramadan. Sufyan al-Thawri asked him: "How does that hadith go which you narrated to me on the authority of Umm Salih?" He replied: Umm Salih narrated to me from Safiyyah bint Shaybah, and she from Sayyidah Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Every word of the son of Adam counts against him, not for him, except enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, or the remembrance of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic." Muhammad bin Yazid said: I said (on hearing this): "This is a very severe warning indeed!" At that Sufyan al-Thawri said: "What is severe about this hadith? It has only been narrated by one woman from another woman, and she from a third woman, whereas this very truth is also present in the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, with which your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was sent. Allah Almighty says: 'The Day that the Spirit (Jibril, peace be upon him) and the angels will stand in rows, they will not speak except one whom the Most Merciful permits, and he will say what is right' [Al-Naba': 38]. And He said: 'By time, indeed mankind is in loss, except those who believe and do righteous deeds and advise one another to truth and advise one another to patience' [Al-Asr: 1-3]. And He said: 'There is no good in much of their private conversation, except for those who enjoin charity or what is right or reconciliation between people' [Al-Nisa': 114]."