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Assabile

Riyad as-SalihinThe Book of Miscellany

Riyad as-Salihin 665

Chapter: Obligation of Obedience to the Ruler in what is Lawful and Prohibition of Obeying them in what is Unlawful

Not graded Riyad as-Salihin 665

Narrator:Anas ibn Mālik

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)‏‏)‏‏.‏

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

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].

Reported by Al-Bukhari (No. 693, 7142), Ibn Majah (No. 2860) and Ahmad (No. 11683). Cited in Riyad as-Salihin (No. 665).

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An explanation exists for another version of this hadith: Sahih al-Bukhari 7142

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Other versions

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 7142

Listen and obey, even if an Abyssinian slave, whose head is like a raisin, was appointed a ruler over you

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Listen and obey, even if an Abyssinian slave, whose head is like a raisin, was appointed a ruler over you.”

اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا وَإِنِ اسْتُعْمِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَبْدٌ حَبَشِيٌّ كَأَنَّ رَأْسَهُ زَبِيبَةٌ ‏"

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik Explained

Authentic Mishkat al-Masabih 3663

Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Listen and obey, even if an Abyssinian slave with a head like a raisin* is made governor over you.” Bukhari transmitted it. * This is said to refer to the head being small, or to the hair being crisp and curly, or short.

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا وَإِنِ اسْتُعْمِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَبْدٌ حَبَشِيٌّ كَأَنَّ رَأْسَهُ زَبِيبَةٌ» . رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Also reported by… (7)
  • البحر الزخار بمسند البزار 10-13 (2852)اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا وَإِنِ اسْتُعْمِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَبْدٌ حَبَشِيٌّ كَأَنَّ رَأْسَهُ زَبِيبَةٌ
  • السنن الكبرى للبيهقي (15265)اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا ، وَإِنِ اسْتُعْمِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَبْدٌ حَبَشِيُّ كَأَنَّ رَأْسَهُ زَبِيبَةٌ
  • الشريعة للآجري (65)اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا ، وَإِنِ اسْتُعْمِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَبَشِيٌّ كَأَنَّ رَأْسَهُ زَبِيبَةٌ
  • النصيحة للراعي والرعية للتبريزي (33)اسمعوا وأطيعوا وإن استعمل عليكم حبشي كأن رأسه زبيبة
  • شعب الإيمان للبيهقي (6854)اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا ، وَإِنِ اسْتُعْمِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَبَشِيٌّ كَأَنَّ رَأْسَهُ زَبِيبَةٌ
  • مسند أبي يعلى الموصلي (4118)اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا ، وَإِنِ اسْتُعْمِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَبَشِيٌّ كَأَنَّ رَأْسَهُ زَبِيبَةٌ
  • معرفة السنن والآثار للبيهقي (4406)اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا وَإِنِ اسْتُعْمِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَبْدٌ حَبَشِيُّ كَأَنَّ رَأْسَهُ زَبِيبَةٌ

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 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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