Sahih al-Bukhari Virtues and Merits of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was never given a choice between two things except that he would choose the easier of the two unless it were a sin. If it were a sin, he would be the farthest of people from it

Chapter: The description of the Prophet (saws)

Authentic hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 3560

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ

مَا خُيِّرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ إِلاَّ أَخَذَ أَيْسَرَهُمَا، مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ إِثْمًا، فَإِنْ كَانَ إِثْمًا كَانَ أَبْعَدَ النَّاسِ مِنْهُ، وَمَا انْتَقَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِنَفْسِهِ، إِلاَّ أَنْ تُنْتَهَكَ حُرْمَةُ اللَّهِ فَيَنْتَقِمَ لِلَّهِ بِهَا‏.‏

‘Ā’ishah, Mother of the Believers, (may Allah be pleased with her) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was never given a choice between two things except that he would choose the easier of the two unless it were a sin. If it were a sin, he would be the farthest of people from it. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) never took revenge for himself, but when the prohibitions of Allah were violated, he would take revenge for the sake of Allah.

Reported by Al-Bukhari (No. 3560, 6126, 6786, 6853), Muslim (No. 2327a, 2327d, 2327e, 2328a, 2328b), Abu Dawud (No. 4785, 4786), An-Nasa’i (No. 2096), Ibn Majah (No. 1984), Malik (No. 1637), Ahmad (No. 22906, 23410, 23686, 23702, 23837, 24127, 24310, 24381) and Ad-Darimi (No. 2121).

Explanation

‘Ā’ishah, Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), informed about some of the morals of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Among what she mentioned was that whenever the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was given a choice between two matters, he would choose the easier of the two, as long as the easier option did not lead to sin. If it led to sin, he would be the farthest of people from it and would then choose the more difficult option. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) never sought revenge for himself exclusively; rather, he would forgive and overlook his own rights. But when the sanctities of Allah were violated, he would seek revenge for the sake of Allah, and he was the most intense in anger for the sake of Allah.

Lessons

It is recommended to choose the easier option in matters, as long as it does not involve disobedience to Allah.
The ease of Islam.
The legitimacy of getting angry for the sake of Allah Almighty.
The Prophet's forbearance, patience, and adherence to the truth in enforcing the limits set by Allah Almighty.
Ibn Hajar said: It indicates refraining from choosing the difficult option, being content with ease, and abstaining from insistence on matters that are not necessary.
Encouraging forgiveness except when it comes to the rights of Allah Almighty.

Explanation in Arabic

أَخْبَرَتْ أمُّ المؤمنين عائشةُ رضي الله عنها عن بعض أخلاق النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، ومما ذَكَرَتْ: أنه صلى الله عليه وسلم ما خُيّر بين أمرين إلا أَخَذَ أَسْهَلْهُما ما لم يكن الأسهل مُقتضيًا للإثم، فإنه يكون أبعد الناس عنه ويختار حينئذ الأشدّ.

وما انتقم صلى الله عليه وسلم لنفسه خاصة بل كان يَسْمَحُ ويَعفو عن حقِّه إلا أنْ تُنْتَهَك حُرُمات الله فيكون لله ينتقم، وكان أشد الناس غضبًا لله.

استحباب الأخذ بالأَيْسر في الأمور ما لم يكن فيه معصية.
يُسْر الإسلام.
مشروعية الغضب لله تعالى.
ما كان عليه صلى الله عليه وسلم من الحِلْم والصبر والقيام بالحق في إقامة حدود الله تعالى.
قال ابن حجر: وفيه ترك الأخذ بالشيء العَسِر، والاقتناع باليُسْر، وترك الإلحاح فيما لا يضطر إليه.
الحث على العفو إلا في حقوق الله تعالى.

Classical commentary

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani — Fath al-Bari

حَدِيث عَائِشَة : قَوْله : ( بَيْن أَمْرَيْنِ ) أَيْ مِنْ أُمُور الدُّنْيَا , يَدُلّ عَلَيْهِ قَوْله " مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ إِثْمًا " لِأَنَّ أُمُور الدِّين لَا إِثْم فِيهَا , وَأَبْهَمَ فَاعِل " خَيْر " لِيَكُونَ أَعَمّ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُون مِنْ قِبَل اللَّه أَوْ مِنْ قِبَل الْمَخْلُوقِينَ , وَقَوْله " إِلَّا أَخَذَ أَيْسَرهمَا " أَيْ أَسْهَلَهُمَا. وَقَوْله " مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ إِثْمًا " أَيْ مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ الْأَسْهَل مُقْتَضِيًا لِلْإِثْمِ فَإِنَّهُ حِينَئِذٍ يَخْتَار الْأَشَدّ. وَفِي حَدِيث أَنَس عِنْد الطَّبَرَانِيِّ فِي الْأَوْسَط " إِلَّا اِخْتَارَ أَيْسَرهمَا مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ لِلَّهِ فِيهِ سَخَط " وَوُقُوع التَّخْيِير بَيْن مَا فِيهِ إِثْم وَمَا لَا إِثْم فِيهِ مِنْ قِبَل الْمَخْلُوق وَاضِح , وَ…

Scholar	Grade	Applies to	Work
Al-Bukharid. 256 AH	Authenticصحيح	The hadith	صحيح البخاري No. 3560

Grades of other versions (1)

AuthenticAl-Bukhari صحيح — صحيح البخاري (6126)

Other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 6126

Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was given the choice of one of two matters he would choose the easier of the two as long as it was not sinful to do so, but if it was sinful, he would not approach it. Allah's Apostle never took revenge over anybody for his own sake but (he did) only when Allah's…

مَا خُيِّرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ قَطُّ إِلاَّ أَخَذَ أَيْسَرَهُمَا، مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ إِثْمًا، فَإِنْ كَانَ إِثْمًا كَانَ أَبْعَدَ النَّاسِ مِنْهُ، وَمَا انْتَقَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله…

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 6786

Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) was given an option between two things, he used to select the easier of the tow as long as it was not sinful; but if it was sinful, he would remain far from it. By Allah, he never took revenge for himself concerning any matter that was presented to him, but when Allah's…

مَا خُيِّرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ إِلاَّ اخْتَارَ أَيْسَرَهُمَا، مَا لَمْ يَأْثَمْ، فَإِذَا كَانَ الإِثْمُ كَانَ أَبْعَدَهُمَا مِنْهُ، وَاللَّهِ مَا انْتَقَمَ لِنَفْسِهِ فِي شَىْءٍ يُؤْتَى…

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 6853

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) never took revenge for his own self in any matter presented to him till Allah's limits were exceeded, in which case he would take revenge for Allah's sake.

مَا انْتَقَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِنَفْسِهِ فِي شَىْءٍ يُؤْتَى إِلَيْهِ حَتَّى تُنْتَهَكَ مِنْ حُرُمَاتِ اللَّهِ فَيَنْتَقِمَ لِلَّهِ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 2327a

'A'isha, the wife of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), said that whenever he had to choose between two things he adopted the easier one, provided it was nor sin, but if it was any sin he was the one wio was the farthest from it of the people; and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) never took revenge from anyone because of…

مَا خُيِّرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ إِلاَّ أَخَذَ أَيْسَرَهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ إِثْمًا فَإِنْ كَانَ إِثْمًا كَانَ أَبْعَدَ النَّاسِ مِنْهُ وَمَا انْتَقَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم…

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 2327d

Never did Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) make a choice between two things but adopting the easier one as compared to the difficult one, but his choice for the easier one was only in case it did not involve any sin, but if it involved sin he was the one who was the farthest from it amongst the people.

مَا خُيِّرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَيْسَرُ مِنَ الآخَرِ إِلاَّ اخْتَارَ أَيْسَرَهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ إِثْمًا فَإِنْ كَانَ إِثْمًا كَانَ أَبْعَدَ النَّاسِ مِنْهُ ‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 2327e

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Hisham through another chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording.

وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، وَابْنُ، نُمَيْرٍ جَمِيعًا عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ أَيْسَرَهُمَا ‏.‏ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرَا مَا بَعْدَهُ ‏.‏

See all 37 versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 2328a

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) never struck anything with his hand, neither a woman nor a servant, except when he was fighting in the cause of Allah

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) never struck anything with his hand, neither a woman nor a servant, except when he was fighting in the cause of Allah. He would never avenge himself concerning anything that was…

مَا ضَرَبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم شَيْئًا قَطُّ بِيَدِهِ وَلاَ امْرَأَةً وَلاَ خَادِمًا إِلاَّ أَنْ يُجَاهِدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نِيلَ مِنْهُ شَىْءٌ قَطُّ فَيَنْتَقِمَ مِنْ صَاحِبِهِ إِلاَّ أَنْ…

Narrated by Ā’ishah Explained

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 2328b

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Hisham through another chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording.

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَابْنُ، نُمَيْرٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ، وَوَكِيعٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ هِشَامٍ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ يَزِيدُ…

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Abu Dawud 4785

the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was never given his choice between two things without taking the easier(or lesser) of them provided it involved no sin, for if it did, no one kept farther away from it than he. And the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) never took revenge on his own behalf for anything unless…

مَا خُيِّرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي أَمْرَيْنِ إِلاَّ اخْتَارَ أَيْسَرَهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ إِثْمًا فَإِنْ كَانَ إِثْمًا كَانَ أَبْعَدَ النَّاسِ مِنْهُ وَمَا انْتَقَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم…

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Abu Dawud 4786

the Messenger of Allah (saws ) never struck a servant or a woman.

مَا ضَرَبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَادِمًا وَلاَ امْرَأَةً قَطُّ ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 2096

"Hardly anyone every remembered the Messenger of Allah cursing anyone, and if he had recently met with Jibril and studied the Quran with him, he was more generous in doing good than the blowing with. "(Sahih) Abu 'Abdur-Rehman (An-Nasai) said; This is a mistake, and what is correct is the…

مَا لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ لَعْنَةٍ تُذْكَرُ وَكَانَ إِذَا كَانَ قَرِيبَ عَهْدٍ بِجِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ يُدَارِسُهُ كَانَ أَجْوَدَ بِالْخَيْرِ مِنَ الرِّيحِ الْمُرْسَلَةِ ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Ibn Majah 1984

"The Messenger of Allah never beat any of his servants, or wives, and his hand never hit anything."

مَا ضَرَبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ خَادِمًا لَهُ وَلاَ امْرَأَةً وَلاَ ضَرَبَ بِيَدِهِ شَيْئًا ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Muwatta Malik 1637

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Urwa ibn az- Zubayr that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not have to choose between two matters, but that he chose the easier of…

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ مَا خُيِّرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي أَمْرَيْنِ قَطُّ…

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Musnad Ahmad 22906