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Sahih MuslimThe Book of Virtues

My example and your example is that of a person who lit a fire, and grasshoppers and moths began to fall in it, while he is attempting to push them away. I am holding you back from the fire, but you are slipping from my hand

Chapter: His Compassion Towards His Ummah, And His Intense Concern To Warn Them Against That Which May Harm Them

Authentic hadith of Sahih Muslim Sahih Muslim 2285

Narrator:Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا سَلِيمٌ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ مِينَاءَ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏

مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ أَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَجَعَلَ الْجَنَادِبُ وَالْفَرَاشُ يَقَعْنَ فِيهَا وَهُوَ يَذُبُّهُنَّ عَنْهَا وَأَنَا آخِذٌ بِحُجَزِكُمْ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأَنْتُمْ تَفَلَّتُونَ مِنْ يَدِي ‏"

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh and Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) reported that the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “My example and your example is that of a person who lit a fire, and grasshoppers and moths began to fall in it, while he is attempting to push them away. I am holding you back from the fire, but you are slipping from my hand."

Reported by Muslim (No. 2285) and Ahmad (No. 14358, 14678).

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Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) explains that his role in his nation is like that of a man in the wilderness who has lit a fire, and then the grasshoppers and moths begin to fall into it. This is the case with most small insects when they see a fire, as they are attracted to the light of the fire, until they get burned in it. The Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) states that his role is to push people away from the fire (of hell), just as this man is trying to push the insects away from the fire that he lit up. However, people are persistently trying to fall into the fire by disobeying him and not following his Sunnah.

Explanation in Arabic

يبين النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن حاله مع أمته كحال رجل في برية، أوقد نارًا فجعل الجنادب والفراش يقعن فيها؛ لأن هذه هي عادة الفراش والجنادب والحشرات الصغيرة، إذا أوقد إنسان نارًا في البر؛ فإنها تأوي إلى هذا الضوء. ويقول: لأمنعنكم من الوقوع فيها، ولكنكم تفلتون من يدي، وذلك بمخالفة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وترك سنته.

  • حرص الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم ورحمته بأمته.
  • دلَّ على جهل كثير من الناس حيث يأبون إلا مخالفة الدين، وفي هذه المخالفة شقاؤهم، وقد يصل بهم ذلك إلى العذاب في نار جهنم.

Classical commentary

An-Nawawi — Sharh Sahih Muslim

قَوْله : ( حَدَّثَنَا سَلِيم عَنْ سَعِيد ) هُوَ بِفَتْحِ السِّين وَكَسْر اللَّام , وَهُوَ سَلِيم بْن حِبَّان. قَوْله صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ( فَجَعَلَ الْجَنَادِب وَالْفِرَاش يَقَعْنَ فِيهَا ) وَفِي رِوَايَة : ( الدَّوَابّ وَالْفِرَاش ) وَفِي رِوَايَة ( أَنَا آخُذُ بِحُجَزِكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَقَحَّمُونَ فِيهَا ) وَفِي رِوَايَة ( وَأَنْتُمْ تَفْلِتُونَ مِنْ يَدَيَّ ) أَمَّا ( الْفِرَاش ) فَقَالَ الْخَلِيل : هُوَ الَّذِي يَطِيرُ كَالْبَعُوضِ , وَقَالَ غَيْره : مَا تَرَاهُ كَصِغَارِ الْبَقّ يَتَهَافَتُ فِي النَّار , وَأَمَّا ( الْجَنَادِب ) فَجَمْع جُنْدُب , وَفِيهَا ثَلَاث لُغَات : جُنْدُب بِضَمِّ الدَّال وَفَتْحهَا وَالْجِيم مَضْمُومَة فِيهِمَا , وَالثَّالِثَة حَكَاهُ الْقَاضِي بِكَ…

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Scholars’ grades

ScholarGradeApplies toWork
Muslimd. 261 AH Authenticصحيح The hadith صحيح مسلم No. 2285
Grades of other versions (4)
  • AuthenticAl-Albani صحيح — صحيح الجامع (5859)
  • Authentic chainShu'ayb al-Arna'ut إسناده صحيح على شرط الشيخين — تخريج المسند لشعيب (15213)
  • Authentic chainShu'ayb al-Arna'ut إسناده صحيح على شرط الشيخين — تخريج المسند لشعيب (14887)
  • Al-San'ani رواه البخاري باختلاف يسير — التنوير شرح الجامع الصغير (9/545)

Other versions

Not graded Riyad as-Salihin 163

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "My parable and that of yours is like a man who kindled a fire. When it has illuminated all around him, the moths and grasshoppers began to fall therein. He tried to push them away, but they overcame him and jumped into it. I am catching hold of your waists ties (to…

"‏مثلي ومثلكم كمثل رجل أوقد ناراً فجعل الجنادب والفراش يقعن فيها وهو يذبهن عنها وأنا آخذ بحجزكم عن النار، وأنتم تفلتون من يدي‏"

Narrated by Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh

Also reported by… (4)
  • أمثال الحديث لأبي الشيخ الأصبهاني (225)مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ أَوَقَدْ نَارًا ، فَجَعَلَ الْفَرَاشُ وَالْجَنَادِبُ يَقَعْنَ فِيهَا وَهُوَ يَذُبُّهُمْ عَنْهَا ، وَأَنَا آخِذٌ بِحُجَزِكُمْ عَنِ النَّارِ ، وَأَنْتُمْ تَفْلِتُونَ مِنْ يَدِي
  • دلائل النبوة للبيهقي (354)مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ ، كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ أَوْقَدَ نَارًا ، فَجَعَلَ الْفَرَاشُ وَالْجَنَادِبُ يَقَعْنَ فِيهَا وَهُوَ يَذُبُّهُنَّ عَنْهَا ، فَأَنَا آخِذٌ بِحُجَزِكُمْ عَنِ النَّارِ ، وَأَنْتُمْ تَفَلَّتُونَ مِنْ يَدِيَّ
  • فوائد تمام الرازي (1019)مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ أَوَقَدْ نَارًا ، فَجَعَلَ الْفَرَاشُ وَالْجَنَادِبُ يَقَعْنَ فِيهَا ، وَهُوَ يَذُبُّهُنَّ عَنْهَا ، وَأَنَا آخِذٌ بِحُجَزِكُمْ ، وَأَنْتُمْ تَفْلُتُونَ مِنِّي
  • مسند أبي داود الطيالسي (1883)مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُكُمْ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ أَوْقَدَ نَارًا ، فَجَاءَتِ الْجَنَادِبُ وَالْفَرَاشُ يَقَعْنَ فِيهَا ، وَهُوَ يَذُبُّهُنَّ عَنْهَا ، وَأَنَا آخِذٌ بِحُجَزِكُمْ أَنْ تَهَافَتُوا فِي النَّارِ ، وَأَنْتُمْ تَفَلَّتُونَ مِنْ يَدِي

On the same subject

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 3426

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "My example and the example o the people is like that of a person who lit a fire and let the moths, butterflies and these insects fall in it." He also said, "There were two women, each of whom had a child with her. A wolf came and took away the child of one of them…

مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ النَّاسِ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ اسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا، فَجَعَلَ الْفَرَاشُ وَهَذِهِ الدَّوَابُّ تَقَعُ فِي النَّارِ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَقَالَ ‏"‏ كَانَتِ امْرَأَتَانِ مَعَهُمَا ابْنَاهُمَا جَاءَ الذِّئْبُ فَذَهَبَ بِابْنِ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 6 other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 6483

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "My example and the example of the people is that of a man who made a fire, and when it lighted what was around it, Moths and other insects started falling into the fire. The man tried (his best) to prevent them, (from falling in the fire) but they overpowered…

إِنَّمَا مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ النَّاسِ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ اسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا، فَلَمَّا أَضَاءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُ جَعَلَ الْفَرَاشُ وَهَذِهِ الدَّوَابُّ الَّتِي تَقَعُ فِي النَّارِ يَقَعْنَ فِيهَا، فَجَعَلَ يَنْزِعُهُنَّ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 4 other versions

Authentic Sahih Muslim 2284a

The similitude of mine and that of my Umma is that of a person who lit fire and there began to fall into it insects and moths. And I am there to hold you back, but you plunge into it.

مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ أُمَّتِي كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ اسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَجَعَلَتِ الدَّوَابُّ وَالْفَرَاشُ يَقَعْنَ فِيهِ فَأَنَا آخِذٌ بِحُجَزِكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَقَحَّمُونَ فِيهِ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 2 other versions

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