The Reality of the Incident of the Deer in the Light of Hadith
❀ Source: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ-e-Ḥadīth, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Volume 1
✔ al-Dalāʾil by Abū Nuʿaym al-Aṣbahānī (p. 273)
These books mention the incident, but its chain of narration is weak.
✔ Statement of Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar:
«وأما تسليم الغزالة فلم نَجِد له إسنادا لا مِن وَجْه قوي ولا مِن وَجْه ضعيف . اهـ»
Translation: The incident of the deer speaking has no chain of narration, neither a strong one nor a weak one.
✔ Statement of Imām al-Sakhāwī:
«تسليم الغزالة ، اشتهر على الألسنة وفي المدائح النبوية ، وليس له كما – قال ابن كثير – أصل ، ومَن نَسَبَه إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقد كذب . اهـ .»
Translation: The incident of the deer speaking is famous among the people and in eulogies of the Prophet, but as Imām Ibn Kathīr said, it has no basis. Whoever attributes it to the Prophet ﷺ has lied.
This incident has a weak and unreliable chain of narration.
It cannot be established from the Qurʾān or Sunnah, nor can any legal ruling be based on it.
According to the statements of the scholars of ḥadīth, attributing this incident to the Prophet ﷺ is incorrect.
جزاکم اللہ خیرا۔
❀ Source: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ-e-Ḥadīth, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Volume 1
❀ Question:
Is it true that the Prophet ﷺ requested a Jew to allow a deer to nurse her fawns, and the deer returned and convinced the Jew to embrace Islam?❀ Research of the Incident:
This story has been mentioned in various books, but both its chain of narration and text are weak and unreliable.❀ Sources:
✔ Dalāʾil al-Nubuwwah by al-Bayhaqī (6/34-35)✔ al-Dalāʾil by Abū Nuʿaym al-Aṣbahānī (p. 273)
These books mention the incident, but its chain of narration is weak.
❀ Investigation of the Chain of Narration:
✔ Weakness of the Chain:- Yaʿlā ibn Ibrāhīm and his teacher al-Haytham ibn Ḥammād are both unknown narrators.
- There is no clear proof regarding their reliability or status among the scholars of ḥadīth.
✔ Statement of Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar:
«وأما تسليم الغزالة فلم نَجِد له إسنادا لا مِن وَجْه قوي ولا مِن وَجْه ضعيف . اهـ»
Translation: The incident of the deer speaking has no chain of narration, neither a strong one nor a weak one.
✔ Statement of Imām al-Sakhāwī:
«تسليم الغزالة ، اشتهر على الألسنة وفي المدائح النبوية ، وليس له كما – قال ابن كثير – أصل ، ومَن نَسَبَه إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقد كذب . اهـ .»
Translation: The incident of the deer speaking is famous among the people and in eulogies of the Prophet, but as Imām Ibn Kathīr said, it has no basis. Whoever attributes it to the Prophet ﷺ has lied.
❀ Conclusion:
This incident has a weak and unreliable chain of narration. It cannot be established from the Qurʾān or Sunnah, nor can any legal ruling be based on it. According to the statements of the scholars of ḥadīth, attributing this incident to the Prophet ﷺ is incorrect.❀ Advice:
It is essential to verify the chain of narration and authenticity of such stories before narrating or listening to them. Attributing baseless stories to the Prophet ﷺ without proper research leads to sin.جزاکم اللہ خیرا۔
