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Sahih MuslimThe Book on Government

Sahih Muslim 1837a

Chapter: The obligation of obeying leaders in matters that do not involve sin, but it is forbidden to obey them in sinful matters

Authentic hadith of Sahih Muslim Sahih Muslim 1837a

Narrator:Abu Dharr

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ بَرَّادٍ الأَشْعَرِيُّ، وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي عِمْرَانَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ إِنَّ

خَلِيلِي أَوْصَانِي أَنْ أَسْمَعَ وَأُطِيعَ وَإِنْ كَانَ عَبْدًا مُجَدَّعَ الأَطْرَافِ ‏.‏

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr who said:

My friend (i. e. the Holy Prophet) advised me to listen (to the man in position of authority) and obey (him) even if he were a slave maimed (and disabled).

Reported by Muslim (No. 1837a, 1837b, 1837c) and Ibn Majah (No. 2862).

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Classical commentary

An-Nawawi — Sharh Sahih Muslim

قَوْله : ( إِنَّ خَلِيلِي صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَوْصَانِي أَنْ أَسْمَع وَأُطِيع وَإِنْ كَانَ عَبْدًا مُجَدَّع الْأَطْرَاف ) يَعْنِي : مَقْطُوعهَا , وَالْمُرَاد : أَخَسّ الْعَبِيد , أَيْ : أَسْمَع وَأُطِيع لِلْأَمِيرِ وَإِنْ كَانَ دَنِيء النَّسَب , حَتَّى لَوْ كَانَ عَبْدًا أَسْوَد مَقْطُوع الْأَطْرَاف فَطَاعَته وَاجِبَة , وَتَجُوز إِمَارَة الْعَبْد إِذَا وَلَّاهُ بَعْض الْأَئِمَّة , أَوْ إِذَا تَغَلَّبَ عَلَى الْبِلَاد بِشَوْكَتِهِ وَأَتْبَاعه , وَلَا يَجُوز اِبْتِدَاء عَقْد الْوِلَايَة لَهُ مَعَ الِاخْتِيَار , بَلْ شَرْطهَا الْحُرِّيَّة.…

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Scholars’ grades

Grade taken from the status of the collection (Sahih Muslim).

Other versions

Authentic Sahih Muslim 1837b

" An Abyssinian slave maimed and disabled."

وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ، أَخْبَرَنَا النَّضْرُ، بْنُ شُمَيْلٍ جَمِيعًا عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي عِمْرَانَ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ وَقَالاَ فِي…

Authentic Sahih Muslim 1837c

Abu 'Imran narrated this hadith with a slight change of wording.

وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي عِمْرَانَ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ كَمَا قَالَ ابْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَبْدًا مُجَدَّعَ الأَطْرَافِ ‏.‏

Authentic Sunan Ibn Majah 2862

“This is Abu Dharr,” so he (the slave) started to move back. But Abu Dharr said: “My close friend (i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)) told me to listen and obey, even if (the leader was) an Ethiopian slave with amputated limbs.”

أَوْصَانِي خَلِيلِي صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ أَسْمَعَ وَأُطِيعَ وَإِنْ كَانَ عَبْدًا حَبَشِيًّا مُجَدَّعَ الأَطْرَافِ ‏.‏

Narrated by Abu Dharr

Also reported by… (1)
  • معرفة السنن والآثار للبيهقي (1586)أَوْصَانِي أَنْ أَسْمَعَ وَأُطِيعَ ، وَإِنْ كَانَ عَبْدًا مُجَدَّعَ الأَطْرَافِ

On the same subject

Not graded The Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 28

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave us a sermon by which our hearts were filled with fear and tears came to our eyes. So we said, “O Messenger of Allah! It is as though this is a farewell sermon, so counsel us.” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said…

عَنْ أَبِي نَجِيحٍ الْعِرْبَاضِ بْنِ سَارِيَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: "وَعَظَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم مَوْعِظَةً وَجِلَتْ مِنْهَا الْقُلُوبُ، وَذَرَفَتْ مِنْهَا الْعُيُونُ، فَقُلْنَا: يَا رَسُولَ…

Narrated by Al-‘irbād ibn Sāriya + 8 other versions

Not graded Riyad as-Salihin 665

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Hear and obey even if an Abyssinian slave whose head is like a raisin is placed in authority over you." [Al- Bukhari].

وعن أنس رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم “اسمعوا وأطيعوا، وإن استعمل عليكم عبد حبشي، كأن رأسه زبيبة” ‏(‏‏(‏رواه البخارى‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik + 5 other versions

Not graded Al-Adab al-Mufrad 113

'Hear and obey, even if the ruler is a slave with his limbs amputated. When you cook a stew, put a lot of water in it and then go and see the people of a neighbouring house and give them a reasonable amount of it. Pray the prayers at their proper prayers. Then if you find that the imam has already…

حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ‏:‏ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ، قَالَ‏:‏ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي عِمْرَانَ الْجَوْنِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ‏:‏ أَوْصَانِي خَلِيلِي صلى…

+ 2 other versions

Authentic Sahih Muslim 1298a

I performed Hajj along with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage and saw him when he flung pebbles at Jamrat al-'Aqaba and returned while he was riding the camel, and Bilal and Usama were with him. One of them was leading his camel, while the other was raising his cloth…

إِنْ أُمِّرَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَبْدٌ مُجَدَّعٌ - حَسِبْتُهَا قَالَتْ - أَسْوَدُ يَقُودُكُمْ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَاسْمَعُوا لَهُ وَأَطِيعُوا ‏"

Narrated by Umm al-Husayn + 10 other versions

Authentic Sunan an-Nasa'i 4192

"I heard my grandmother say: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah say, during the Farewell Pilgrimage: If an Ethiopian slave is appointed over you who rules according to the Book of Allah, then listen to him and obey."'

"‏ وَلَوِ اسْتُعْمِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَبْدٌ حَبَشِيٌّ يَقُودُكُمْ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَاسْمَعُوا لَهُ وَأَطِيعُوا ‏"

Narrated by Umm al-Husayn + 6 other versions

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