Whoever listens to the talk of some people while they dislike that, molten lead shall be poured into his ears on the Day of Judgment

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Bulugh al-Maram 1509

وَعَنْ اِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ‏-رَضِيَ اَللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا‏- قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-{ مَنْ تَسَمَّعَ حَدِيثَ قَوْمٍ, وَهُمْ لَهُ كَارِهُونَ, صُبَّ فِي أُذُنَيْهِ اَلْآنُكُ يَوْمَ اَلْقِيَامَةِ } يَعْنِي: اَلرَّصَاصَ.‏ أَخْرَجَهُ اَلْبُخَارِيُّ.‏ 1‏ .‏
‏1 ‏- صحيح.‏ رواه البخاري (7042)‏ وأوله:" من تحلم بحلم لم يره كلف أن يعقد بين شعيرتين، ولن يفعل.‏.‏.‏.‏.‏" فذكر الحديث.‏ وزاد:" ومن صور صورة، عذب، وكلف أن ينفخ فيها، وليس بنافخ".‏

‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever listens to the talk of some people while they dislike that, molten lead shall be poured into his ears on the Day of Judgment."

Reported by Al-Bukhari (No. 2225, 5963, 7042), Muslim (No. 2110b), Abu Dawud (No. 5024), At-Tirmidhi (No. 1751, 2283), An-Nasa’i (No. 5358, 5359), Ahmad (No. 1769, 2054, 2103, 3102, 3210, 3220) and Ad-Darimi (No. 2592). Cited in Bulugh al-Maram (No. 1509).

Explanation

This Hadīth contains a severe warning to those who listen to the talk of others while they dislike that. Indeed, this is a bad manner amounting to a major sin. So, like fault, like punishment. Since a person commits this sin with his ears, he shall be punished in his ears: by the pouring of molten lead therein. This applies regardless of whether the talking people’s dislike is based on a valid reason or not. In fact, some people dislike that others should listen to their conversations even if they say nothing shameful, wrong, or unlawful. They just do not like to be heard by anyone.

Explanation in Arabic

في الحديث الوعيد الشديد لمن يستمع حديث قوم وهم لا يحبون أن يسمع حديثهم، وهو من الأخلاق السيئة التي هي من كبائر الذنوب، والجزاء من جنس العمل؛ لأنه لما تَسَمَّعَ بأذنه عُوِقَب فيها، وهو أنه يُلقى في أذنه الرصاص المذاب، وسواء كانوا يكرهون أن يسمع لغرض صحيح أو لغير غرض؛ لأن بعض الناس يكره أن يسمعه غيره؛ ولو كان الكلام ليس فيه عيب أو محظور ولا فيه سب، ولكن لا يريد أن يسمعه أحدٌ.

تحريم سماع حديث من يكره استماع حديثه.
تُعرف الكراهة إما بالتصريح، أو بدلائل الأحوال.
مفهوم الحديث أن من تسمع إلى حديث قوم وهم يُسَرُّون باستماعه فلا شيء عليه.
الجزاء من جنس العمل.
تحريم الاطلاع على عورات الناس من الأماكن المرتفعة فهو أشد من الاستماع.

Scholars’ grades

Original grading term, without a named scholar: صحيح

Other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 2225

While I was with Ibn `Abbas a man came and said, "O father of `Abbas! My sustenance is from my manual profession and I make these pictures." Ibn `Abbas said, "I will tell you only what I heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) . I heard him saying, 'Whoever makes a picture will be punished by Allah till…

مَنْ صَوَّرَ صُورَةً فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ مُعَذِّبُهُ، حَتَّى يَنْفُخَ فِيهَا الرُّوحَ، وَلَيْسَ بِنَافِخٍ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ‏"‏‏.‏ فَرَبَا الرَّجُلُ رَبْوَةً شَدِيدَةً وَاصْفَرَّ وَجْهُهُ‏.‏

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 5963

I heard Muhammad saying, "Whoever makes a picture in this world will be asked to put life into it on the Day of Resurrection, but he will not be able to do so."

مَنْ صَوَّرَ صُورَةً فِي الدُّنْيَا كُلِّفَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَنْ يَنْفُخَ فِيهَا الرُّوحَ، وَلَيْسَ بِنَافِخٍ ‏"

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 7042

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever claims to have seen a dream which he did not see, will be ordered to make a knot between two barley grains which he will not be able to do; and if somebody listens to the talk of some people who do not like him (to listen) or they run away from him, then molten lead…

مَنْ تَحَلَّمَ بِحُلُمٍ لَمْ يَرَهُ، كُلِّفَ أَنْ يَعْقِدَ بَيْنَ شَعِيرَتَيْنِ، وَلَنْ يَفْعَلَ، وَمَنِ اسْتَمَعَ إِلَى حَدِيثِ قَوْمٍ وَهُمْ لَهُ كَارِهُونَ أَوْ يَفِرُّونَ مِنْهُ، صُبَّ فِي أُذُنِهِ الآنُكُ يَوْمَ…

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 2110b

I was sitting with Ibn 'Abbas when he gave religious verdicts but he did not say that it was Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) who had said that. However when a man said to him (Ibn 'Abbas): I am the painter of these pictures. Ibn 'Abbas said: I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who painted pictures in…

مَنْ صَوَّرَ صُورَةً فِي الدُّنْيَا كُلِّفَ أَنْ يَنْفُخَ فِيهَا الرُّوحَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلَيْسَ بِنَافِخٍ ‏"

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Abu Dawud 5024

If anyone makes a representation of anything, Allah will punish him on the Day of Resurrection for it until he breathes into it, but he will be unable to do so. If anyone pretends to have had a dream which he did not see, he will be ordered to tie a knot in a grain of barley. If anyone listens to…

مَنْ صَوَّرَ صُورَةً عَذَّبَهُ اللَّهُ بِهَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ حَتَّى يَنْفُخَ فِيهَا وَلَيْسَ بِنَافِخٍ وَمَنْ تَحَلَّمَ كُلِّفَ أَنْ يَعْقِدَ شَعِيرَةً وَمَنِ اسْتَمَعَ إِلَى حَدِيثِ قَوْمٍ يَفِرُّونَ بِهِ مِنْهُ…

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1751

That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever fashions an image, he will be punished by Allah until he breathes into it - meaning the soul - and he cannot breath (a soul) into it. And whoever listens to a people's conversation, while they have gone away from him for it, then He will have lead…

"‏ مَنْ صَوَّرَ صُورَةً عَذَّبَهُ اللَّهُ حَتَّى يَنْفُخَ فِيهَا يَعْنِي الرُّوحَ وَلَيْسَ بِنَافِخٍ فِيهَا وَمَنِ اسْتَمَعَ إِلَى حَدِيثِ قَوْمٍ وَهُمْ يَفِرُّونَ بِهِ مِنْهُ صُبَّ فِي أُذُنِهِ الآنُكُ يَوْمَ…

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās

See all 22 versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2283

"Whoever lies about having a dream, he will be required to knot two barely kernels together on the Day Of Judgment., and he will never be able to knot them together."

"‏ مَنْ تَحَلَّمَ كَاذِبًا كُلِّفَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَنْ يَعْقِدَ بَيْنَ شَعِيرَتَيْنِ وَلَنْ يَعْقِدَ بَيْنَهُمَا ‏"

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 5358

"I was sitting with Ibn 'Abbas when a man from among the people of Al-'Iraq came to him and said: 'I make these images; what do you say concerning them?' He said: 'Come closer, come closer. I heard Muhammad [SAW] say: Whoever makes an image in this world will be commanded on the Day of Resurrection…

"‏ مَنْ صَوَّرَ صُورَةً فِي الدُّنْيَا كُلِّفَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَنْ يَنْفُخَ فِيهَا الرُّوحَ وَلَيْسَ بِنَافِخِهِ ‏"

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 5359

"The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'Whoever makes an image will be punished until (he is commanded) to breathe a soul into it, and he will not be able to do so.'"

"‏ مَنْ صَوَّرَ صُورَةً عُذِّبَ حَتَّى يَنْفُخَ فِيهَا الرُّوحَ وَلَيْسَ بِنَافِخٍ فِيهَا ‏"

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Musnad Ahmad 1769