Author: Dr. Muhammad Zia-ur-Rahman Azmi (رحمہ اللہ)
✿ عن عبد الله بن مسعود، قال: سالت: رسول الله، اي الذنب اعظم عندالله؟ قال: ان تجعل لله ندا وهو خلقك”قال قلت له ان ذلك لعظيم قال قلت ثم اي قال ان تقتل ولدك مخافة ان يطعم معك قال قلت ثم اي؟ قال: ” ثم ان تزاني حليلة جارك” زاد فى رواية وانزل الله تصديق قول النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا» [متفق عليه: رواه البخاري 6001، ومسلم 86. والسياق لمسلم.]
Translation: Abdullah bin Mas’ud (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated: I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): “What is the greatest sin in the sight of Allah?” He (ﷺ) said: “That you associate a partner with Allah while He created you.” I said: “This is indeed a great sin.” I then asked: “What comes next?” He (ﷺ) replied: “That you kill your child out of fear that they will eat with you.” I asked again: “What comes next?” He (ﷺ) said: “That you commit adultery with your neighbor’s wife.”
In another narration, it is mentioned that Allah revealed a confirmation of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) statement in the following verse:
“And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty.” (Surah Al-Furqan, 25:68)
Chapter: One of the Greatest Sins Is Killing One’s Child Out of Fear of Sharing Food
Hadith Evidence
1. Abdullah bin Mas’ud’s Inquiry About the Greatest Sin✿ عن عبد الله بن مسعود، قال: سالت: رسول الله، اي الذنب اعظم عندالله؟ قال: ان تجعل لله ندا وهو خلقك”قال قلت له ان ذلك لعظيم قال قلت ثم اي قال ان تقتل ولدك مخافة ان يطعم معك قال قلت ثم اي؟ قال: ” ثم ان تزاني حليلة جارك” زاد فى رواية وانزل الله تصديق قول النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا» [متفق عليه: رواه البخاري 6001، ومسلم 86. والسياق لمسلم.]
Translation: Abdullah bin Mas’ud (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated: I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): “What is the greatest sin in the sight of Allah?” He (ﷺ) said: “That you associate a partner with Allah while He created you.” I said: “This is indeed a great sin.” I then asked: “What comes next?” He (ﷺ) replied: “That you kill your child out of fear that they will eat with you.” I asked again: “What comes next?” He (ﷺ) said: “That you commit adultery with your neighbor’s wife.”
In another narration, it is mentioned that Allah revealed a confirmation of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) statement in the following verse:
“And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty.” (Surah Al-Furqan, 25:68)
Key Lessons from the Hadith
- Gravest Sins Identified by the Prophet (ﷺ):
- Associating partners with Allah (Shirk).
- Killing one’s own children out of fear or anxiety over livelihood.
- Committing adultery, particularly with the neighbor’s wife, a breach of trust and morals.
- Prohibition of Killing Out of Fear of Poverty:
Islam strongly condemns the act of killing children due to the fear of not being able to provide for them. This reflects the ultimate lack of trust in Allah as the Provider (Ar-Razzaq). - Confirmation from the Quran:
The Hadith is directly supported by Quranic verses that reinforce the prohibition of such heinous acts, emphasizing the gravity of shirk, murder, and adultery.