Sunan Ibn Majah
Sunan Ibn Majah 3436
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَهِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ عِلاَقَةَ، عَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ شَرِيكٍ، قَالَ شَهِدْتُ الأَعْرَابَ يَسْأَلُونَ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ أَعَلَيْنَا حَرَجٌ فِي كَذَا أَعَلَيْنَا حَرَجٌ فِي كَذَا فَقَالَ لَهُمْ " عِبَادَ اللَّهِ وَضَعَ اللَّهُ الْحَرَجَ إِلاَّ مَنِ اقْتَرَضَ مِنْ عِرْضِ أَخِيهِ شَيْئًا فَذَاكَ الَّذِي حَرَجٌ " . فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَلْ عَلَيْنَا جُنَاحٌ أَنْ نَتَدَاوَى قَالَ " تَدَاوَوْا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ لَمْ يَضَعْ دَاءً إِلاَّ وَضَعَ مَعَهُ شِفَاءً إِلاَّ الْهَرَمَ " . قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا خَيْرُ مَا أُعْطِيَ الْعَبْدُ قَالَ " خُلُقٌ حَسَنٌ " .
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Usāmah ibn Sharīk reported: I was present when Bedouins asked the Prophet ﷺ, ‘Are we at fault in this matter? Are we at fault in that matter?’ He said to them, ‘Servants of Allah, Allah has removed hardship, except for one who takes something from his brother’s honor; that is where the fault lies.’
They asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, are we at fault if we seek medical treatment?’ He said, ‘Seek treatment, servants of Allah, for Allah has not placed a disease without placing a cure with it, except old age.’ They asked, ‘What is the best thing a servant is given?’ He said, ‘Good character.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Bedouins’ questions are left general as ‘this matter’ and ‘that matter’; the source does not name what they asked about.
The phrase about taking something from one’s brother’s honor is rendered literally; it refers to violating or speaking against another’s reputation.
The report says Allah placed a cure with each disease, except old age; no qualification is added.
قَالَ شَهِدْتُ الأَعْرَابَ يَسْأَلُونَ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ أَعَلَيْنَا حَرَجٌ فِي كَذَا أَعَلَيْنَا حَرَجٌ فِي كَذَا فَقَالَ لَهُمْ " عِبَادَ اللَّهِ وَضَعَ اللَّهُ الْحَرَجَ إِلاَّ مَنِ اقْتَرَضَ مِنْ عِرْضِ أَخِيهِ شَيْئًا فَذَاكَ الَّذِي حَرَجٌ " .
The phrase about taking something from a brother’s honor is figurative and does not specify a particular act, though it suggests violating another’s reputation.
Does this phrase refer broadly to defaming or backbiting one’s brother?
فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَلْ عَلَيْنَا جُنَاحٌ أَنْ نَتَدَاوَى قَالَ " تَدَاوَوْا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ لَمْ يَضَعْ دَاءً إِلاَّ وَضَعَ مَعَهُ شِفَاءً إِلاَّ الْهَرَمَ " .
The report names al-haram (old age) as the exception to the statement that every disease has a cure; it does not further explain this exception.
Does al-haram refer specifically to old age or to the weakness associated with it?