Sahih al-Bukhari

Sahih al-Bukhari 3333

Arabic hadith text

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو النُّعْمَانِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَكَّلَ فِي الرَّحِمِ مَلَكًا فَيَقُولُ يَا رَبِّ نُطْفَةٌ، يَا رَبِّ عَلَقَةٌ، يَا رَبِّ مُضْغَةٌ، فَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَهَا قَالَ يَا رَبِّ، أَذَكَرٌ أَمْ يَا رَبِّ أُنْثَى يَا رَبِّ شَقِيٌّ أَمْ سَعِيدٌ فَمَا الرِّزْقُ فَمَا الأَجَلُ فَيُكْتَبُ كَذَلِكَ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Translation

Abu al-Nuʿman narrated to us: Hammad ibn Zayd narrated to us, from ʿUbayd Allah ibn Abi Bakr ibn Anas, from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet ﷺ, who said: ‘Allah has assigned an angel to the womb. The angel says, “My Lord, a drop; my Lord, an embryo; my Lord, a morsel of flesh.” When He wills to form it, the angel says, “My Lord, male or female? My Lord, wretched or blessed? What will its provision be? What will its lifespan be?” All of this is written while it is in its mother’s womb.’

Translation notes
  • Kept the sequence of the angel’s questions and the statement that the matters are written in the womb.