Did the Prophet ﷺ Intend to Throw Himself from a Mountain? – A Critical Analysis
Compiled by: Abu Abdul Aziz Muhammad Yusuf Madani
✦ Introduction
Some sīrah books and popular lectures claim that when revelation paused for some time, the Prophet ﷺ became so saddened that he would go to mountain tops intending to throw himself down. It is said that each time Jibrīl عليه السلام appeared and comforted him. This story is often linked to Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī. However, the scholars of ḥadīth have critically examined this narration.
✦ Text of the Report
In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ta‘bīr, a narration from al-Zuhrī includes the additional passage:
"وفتر الوحی فترۃ حتی حزن النبی ﷺ فیما بلغنا، فکان یخرج إلی رؤوس الجبال کی یتردی منہا…"
(When revelation paused, as has reached us, the Prophet ﷺ became sad, and he would go to the mountain tops intending to throw himself down…)
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ta‘bīr; Fatḥ al-Bārī 12/359–360; Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtūm, p. 107)✦ Analysis and Criticism
✔ Not Authentic – From al-Zuhrī’s Balāghāt
▣ Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله (Fatḥ al-Bārī 12/359–360)
– This addition is found only in the narration of Ma‘mar, not in those of ‘Uqayl and Yūnus.
– The phrase “fīmā balaghanā” (“as has reached us”) shows it is al-Zuhrī’s own statement, not a marfū‘ report.
– Hence, it is an insertion (idraj) — al-Zuhrī added his own words to the hadith of ‘Ā’ishah رضي الله عنها.
▣ Al-Albānī رحمه الله (Difā‘ ‘an al-Ḥadīth an-Nabawī wa-s-Sīrah, p. 40–41; Silsilah Ḍa‘īfah 4858)
– This addition is not on al-Bukhārī’s condition.
– It is shādh (anomalous) and mursal mu‘dal (with multiple missing links).
– No reliable connected chain contains these words.
– In al-Bukhārī, it appears as a mu‘allaq (suspended) narration, which is not proof.
▣ Other Scholars
– Imām Aḥmad, Abū Nu‘aym, al-Bayhaqī, and Muslim narrate this incident without the addition.
– Ibn Kathīr (Al-Bidāyah wa-n-Nihāyah 2/287): “This ḥadīth is very strange (weak).”
– Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillāh al-‘Awshan (Mā Shā‘a wa Lam Yathbut fi-s-Sīrah, p. 25–26): This story is baseless and contradicts the Prophet’s ﷺ infallibility and perfection.
– Shiblī Nu‘mānī & Sayyid Sulaymān Nadwī (Sīrat an-Nabī 1/127–128): The narration is unreliable, as it is from al-Zuhrī’s balāghāt.
✦ Conclusion
① The report of the Prophet ﷺ intending to throw himself from a mountain is only a balāgh (detached statement) of al-Zuhrī, not a marfū‘ ḥadīth.
② No authentic, connected isnād supports these words.
③ The leading scholars (Ibn Ḥajar, Ibn Kathīr, al-Albānī, etc.) declared this addition shādh and ḍa‘īf.
④ Such a story contradicts the Prophet’s ﷺ ‘iṣmah (infallibility) and perfection, and therefore cannot be accepted.
Thus, it is completely false to say that the Prophet ﷺ ever intended to throw himself from a mountain.
