Sunan Ibn Majah
The Chapters on Business Transactions
كتاب التجارات
Chapter 1
الْحَثِّ عَلَى الْمَكَاسِبِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah, ʿAli ibn Muhammad, and Ishaq ibn Ibrahim ibn Habib narrated to us; they said: Abu Muʿawiyah narrated to us; al-Aʿmash narrated to us, from Ibrahim, from al-Aswad, from ʿAʾishah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘The best food a man eats is from his own earnings, and his child is part of his earnings.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
قَالَتْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " إِنَّ أَطْيَبَ مَا أَكَلَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ كَسْبِهِ وَإِنَّ وَلَدَهُ مِنْ كَسْبِهِ " .
أطيب ما أكل الرجل means the best/most wholesome thing a person eats; the repeated من كسبه identifies both the food and the child as arising from his own earnings.
Does ‘best food’ and ‘part of his earnings’ preserve the repeated wording naturally?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Hisham ibn ʿAmmar narrated to us; Ismaʿil ibn ʿAyyash narrated to us, from Bahir ibn Saʿd, from Khalid ibn Maʿdan, from al-Miqdam ibn Maʿdikarib al-Zubaydi, from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace), who said: ‘A man never earns anything better than what he earns through the work of his own hands. Whatever a man spends on himself, his family, his child, and his servant is charity.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " مَا كَسَبَ الرَّجُلُ كَسْبًا أَطْيَبَ مِنْ عَمَلِ يَدِهِ وَمَا أَنْفَقَ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَأَهْلِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ وَخَادِمِهِ فَهُوَ صَدَقَةٌ " .
عمل يده is work performed with one’s own hands; صدقة is charity/almsgiving, applied here to expenditure on oneself and dependents.
Does ‘work of his own hands’ preserve the phrase and ‘is charity’ retain the religious framing of ordinary provision?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ahmad ibn Sinan narrated to us; Kathir ibn Hisham narrated to us; Kulthum ibn Jawshan al-Qushayri narrated to us, from Ayyub, from Nafiʿ, from Ibn ʿUmar, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘The trustworthy, truthful Muslim merchant will be with the martyrs on the Day of Resurrection.’
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Yaʿqub ibn Humayd ibn Kasib narrated to us; ʿAbd al-ʿAziz al-Darawardi narrated to us, from Thawr ibn Zayd al-Dayli, from Abu al-Ghayth, the client of Ibn Mutiʿ, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘One who cares for a widow and a poor person is like a fighter in the way of Allah, and like one who stands in prayer at night and fasts by day.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " السَّاعِي عَلَى الأَرْمَلَةِ وَالْمِسْكِينِ كَالْمُجَاهِدِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَكَالَّذِي يَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ وَيَصُومُ النَّهَارَ " .
الساعي على الأرملة والمسكين refers to one who takes responsibility for/care of a widow and a poor person; the report compares this service to striving in Allah’s path and sustained worship.
Does ‘cares for’ convey الساعي على without narrowing it to a specific kind of financial support?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Khalid ibn Makhlad narrated to us; ʿAbdullah ibn Sulayman narrated to us, from Muʿadh ibn ʿAbdullah ibn Khubayb, from his father, from his paternal uncle, who said: We were sitting in a gathering when the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) came, with traces of water on his head. One of us said to him, ‘We see you in good spirits today.’ He said, ‘Yes, praise be to Allah.’ Then the people spoke at length about wealth, and he said, ‘There is no harm in wealth for one who is mindful of Allah. Good health for one who is mindful of Allah is better than wealth, and a cheerful disposition is among the blessings.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
قَالَ كُنَّا فِي مَجْلِسٍ فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَعَلَى رَأْسِهِ أَثَرُ مَاءٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ بَعْضُنَا نَرَاكَ الْيَوْمَ طَيِّبَ النَّفْسِ .
طيب النفس means being in good spirits/cheerful; the report notes traces of water on the Prophet’s head but does not say why.
Does ‘in good spirits’ convey طيب النفس naturally without inferring the cause of the water?
ثُمَّ أَفَاضَ الْقَوْمُ فِي ذِكْرِ الْغِنَى فَقَالَ " لاَ بَأْسَ بِالْغِنَى لِمَنِ اتَّقَى وَالصِّحَّةُ لِمَنِ اتَّقَى خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْغِنَى وَطِيبُ النَّفْسِ مِنَ النِّعَمِ " .
لا بأس بالغنى لمن اتقى means there is no blame/harm in wealth for the God-conscious; الصحة لمن اتقى خير من الغنى means health for such a person is better than wealth.
Does ‘There is no harm in wealth … Good health … is better’ preserve both comparisons clearly?
Chapter 2
الاِقْتِصَادِ فِي طَلَبِ الْمَعِيشَةِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Hisham ibn ʿAmmar narrated to us; Ismaʿil ibn ʿAyyash narrated to us, from ʿUmarah ibn Ghaziyyah, from Rabiʿah ibn Abi ʿAbd al-Rahman, from ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Saʿid al-Ansari, from Abu Humayd al-Saʿidi, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘Seek worldly provision with moderation, for each person is made to find easy what he was created for.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " أَجْمِلُوا فِي طَلَبِ الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّ كُلاًّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ " .
أجملوا في طلب الدنيا means to seek worldly provision in a good/moderate manner; فإن كلاً ميسر لما خلق له states that each person is facilitated toward what they were created for.
Does ‘Seek worldly provision with moderation’ convey أجملوا naturally while retaining the second clause about each person’s created course?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ismaʿil ibn Bahram narrated to us; al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn ʿUthman, the husband of al-Shaʿbi’s daughter, narrated to us; Sufyan narrated to us, from al-Aʿmash, from Yazid al-Raqashi, from Anas ibn Malik, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘The person most burdened with concerns is the believer who is concerned with the affairs of this world and the affairs of the Hereafter.’ Abu ʿAbdullah said: ‘This is a gharīb hadith; Ismaʿil alone transmitted it.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " أَعْظَمُ النَّاسِ هَمًّا الْمُؤْمِنُ الَّذِي يَهُمُّ بِأَمْرِ دُنْيَاهُ وَأَمْرِ آخِرَتِهِ " .
أعظم الناس همًّا literally means ‘greatest of people in concern/worry’; the following phrase specifies concern for both worldly and afterlife affairs.
Does ‘most burdened with concerns’ convey همّ without making the statement sound purely negative?
قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ تَفَرَّدَ بِهِ إِسْمَاعِيلُ .
The compiler’s note says the report is gharīb and that Ismaʿil alone transmitted it; ‘gharīb’ is retained as a technical term.
Should gharīb be retained as a technical classification with the exclusivity statement translated literally?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn al-Musaffa al-Himsi narrated to us; al-Walid ibn Muslim narrated to us, from Ibn Jurayj, from Abu al-Zubayr, from Jabir ibn ʿAbdullah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘O people, be mindful of Allah and seek provision in a good and measured way. No soul will die before receiving its full provision, even if it comes to it slowly. So be mindful of Allah and seek provision in a good and measured way; take what is lawful and leave what is forbidden.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَجْمِلُوا فِي الطَّلَبِ فَإِنَّ نَفْسًا لَنْ تَمُوتَ حَتَّى تَسْتَوْفِيَ رِزْقَهَا وَإِنْ أَبْطَأَ عَنْهَا فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَجْمِلُوا فِي الطَّلَبِ خُذُوا مَا حَلَّ وَدَعُوا مَا حَرُمَ " .
أجملوا في الطلب means to seek one’s provision in a good, measured, or proper manner; the text explicitly contrasts lawful with forbidden means.
Does ‘seek provision in a good and measured way’ convey the repeated imperative without implying passivity?
Chapter 3
التَّوَقِّي فِي التِّجَارَةِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn ʿAbdullah ibn Numayr narrated to us; Abu Muʿawiyah narrated to us, from al-Aʿmash, from Shaqiq, from Qays ibn Abi Gharazah, who said: ‘In the time of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace), we were called brokers. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) passed by us and gave us a better name. He said, “O company of merchants, a sale is attended by oaths and idle talk, so temper it with charity.”’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
قَالَ كُنَّا نُسَمَّى فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ السَّمَاسِرَةَ فَمَرَّ بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَسَمَّانَا بِاسْمٍ هُوَ أَحْسَنُ مِنْهُ فَقَالَ " يَا مَعْشَرَ التُّجَّارِ إِنَّ الْبَيْعَ يَحْضُرُهُ الْحَلِفُ وَاللَّغْوُ فَشُوبُوهُ بِالصَّدَقَةِ " .
السماسرة refers to brokers/dealers, and the Prophet is said to have given them a better designation (traders). The sale is attended by oaths and لغو (idle/unconsidered speech); شوبوه بالصدقة means mix/temper it with charity.
Does ‘brokers’ and ‘temper it with charity’ preserve the naming contrast and the metaphor without over-specifying the kinds of oath or speech?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Yaʿqub ibn Humayd ibn Kasib narrated to us; Yahya ibn Sulaym al-Taʾifi narrated to us, from ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUthman ibn Khuthaym, from Ismaʿil ibn ʿUbayd ibn Rifaʿah, from his father, from his grandfather, Rifaʿah, who said: We went out with the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace), and people were trading early in the morning. He called out to them, ‘O company of merchants!’ When they raised their eyes and craned their necks, he said, ‘On the Day of Resurrection, merchants will be resurrected as sinners, except those who are mindful of Allah, act righteously, and speak truthfully.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
فَلَمَّا رَفَعُوا أَبْصَارَهُمْ وَمَدُّوا أَعْنَاقَهُمْ قَالَ " إِنَّ التُّجَّارَ يُبْعَثُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فُجَّارًا إِلاَّ مَنِ اتَّقَى اللَّهَ وَبَرَّ وَصَدَقَ " .
فجارًا means wicked/sinful; the exception lists those who fear Allah, برّ (act rightly), and speak truthfully.
Does ‘as sinners’ preserve فجارًا and ‘act righteously’ convey برّ in the context of ethical commerce?
Chapter 4
إِذَا قُسِمَ لِلرَّجُلِ رِزْقٌ مِنْ وَجْهٍ فَلْيَلْزَمْهُ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn Bashshar narrated to us; Muhammad ibn ʿAbdullah narrated to us; Farwah, Abu Yunus, narrated to us, from Hilal ibn Jubayr, from Anas ibn Malik, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘Whoever obtains something should hold on to it.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " مَنْ أَصَابَ مِنْ شَىْءٍ فَلْيَلْزَمْهُ " .
أصاب من شيء means to obtain/acquire something; فليلزمه means to adhere to or keep to it. The report gives no explicit object or context in this wording.
Does ‘Whoever obtains something should hold on to it’ preserve the terse statement without adding a specific kind of provision?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated to us; Abu ʿAsim narrated to us; my father informed me, from al-Zubayr ibn ʿUbayd, from Nafiʿ, who said: I used to send goods to Syria and Egypt, then I sent goods to Iraq. I went to ʿAʾishah, Mother of the Believers, and said to her, ‘Mother of the Believers, I used to send goods to Syria, but now I have sent them to Iraq.’ She said, ‘Do not do that; keep to your wealth and your trade. I heard the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) say: “When Allah opens a means of provision for one of you, he should not abandon it until it changes for him or becomes unfamiliar to him.”’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
قَالَ كُنْتُ أُجَهِّزُ إِلَى الشَّامِ وَإِلَى مِصْرَ فَجَهَّزْتُ إِلَى الْعِرَاقِ فَأَتَيْتُ عَائِشَةَ أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كُنْتُ أُجَهِّزُ إِلَى الشَّامِ فَجَهَّزْتُ إِلَى الْعِرَاقِ .
أجهز إلى denotes preparing/sending goods or provisions to a destination; it is rendered as sending goods to Syria, Egypt, and Iraq.
Does ‘send goods to’ preserve the commercial activity implied by أجهز without specifying the cargo?
فَقَالَتْ لاَ تَفْعَلْ مَالَكَ وَلِمَتْجَرِكَ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ " إِذَا سَبَّبَ اللَّهُ لأَحَدِكُمْ رِزْقًا مِنْ وَجْهٍ فَلاَ يَدَعْهُ حَتَّى يَتَغَيَّرَ لَهُ أَوْ يَتَنَكَّرَ لَهُ " .
مالَكَ ولمتجرك is an elliptical encouragement regarding the man’s wealth and trade; the following saying advises not abandoning a means of provision until it changes or becomes unfamiliar.
Does ‘keep to your wealth and your trade’ preserve the brief advice without overinterpreting it as a guarantee of profit?
فَقَالَتْ لاَ تَفْعَلْ مَالَكَ وَلِمَتْجَرِكَ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ " إِذَا سَبَّبَ اللَّهُ لأَحَدِكُمْ رِزْقًا مِنْ وَجْهٍ فَلاَ يَدَعْهُ حَتَّى يَتَغَيَّرَ لَهُ أَوْ يَتَنَكَّرَ لَهُ " .
يتغير له أو يتنكر له means the means of provision changes for him or becomes unfamiliar; the precise threshold is not defined.
Does ‘until it changes for him or becomes unfamiliar to him’ preserve both alternatives without adding a condition?
Chapter 5
الصِّنَاعَاتِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Suwayd ibn Saʿid narrated to us; ʿAmr ibn Yahya ibn Saʿid al-Qurashi narrated to us, from his grandfather, Saʿid ibn Abi Uhayhah, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘Allah sent no prophet except that he shepherded sheep.’ His Companions asked him, ‘And you, Messenger of Allah?’ He said, ‘I used to herd them for the people of Mecca for qirats.’ Suwayd said: ‘That is, one qirat for each sheep.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
A qirat was a small unit of payment; the report explains that the rate was one qirat for each sheep.
قَالَ " وَأَنَا كُنْتُ أَرْعَاهَا لأَهْلِ مَكَّةَ بِالْقَرَارِيطِ " .
بالقراريط means for qirats as payment; the following gloss by Suwayd specifies one qirat for each sheep.
Does retaining qirat and translating the narrator’s gloss preserve the payment detail without converting it to a modern currency?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated to us; Muhammad ibn ʿAbdullah al-Khuzaʿi, al-Hajjaj, and al-Haytham ibn Jamil narrated to us; they said: Hammad narrated to us, from Thabit, from Abu Rafiʿ, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘Zakariya was a carpenter.’
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn Rumh narrated to us; al-Layth ibn Saʿd narrated to us, from Nafiʿ, from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, from ʿAʾishah, that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘Those who make images will be punished on the Day of Resurrection. They will be told, “Give life to what you created.”’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ الصُّوَرِ يُعَذَّبُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يُقَالُ لَهُمْ أَحْيُوا مَا خَلَقْتُمْ " .
أصحاب الصور refers to those who make images; the report does not specify a medium or technique in this wording.
Does ‘those who make images’ preserve the broad wording without narrowing it to statues or another medium?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
ʿAmr ibn Rafiʿ narrated to us; ʿUmar ibn Harun narrated to us, from Hammam, from Farqad al-Sabakhi, from Yazid ibn ʿAbdullah ibn al-Shikhkhir, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘The most mendacious people are dyers and goldsmiths.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " أَكْذَبُ النَّاسِ الصَّبَّاغُونَ وَالصَّوَّاغُونَ " .
الصباغون are dyers; الصواغون are goldsmiths/jewelers. The report makes a concise broad statement about these occupations without explaining the reason.
Does ‘dyers and goldsmiths’ convey both occupational terms without adding an explanation absent from the report?
Chapter 6
الْحُكْرَةِ وَالْجَلَبِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Nasr ibn ʿAli al-Jahdami narrated to us; Abu Ahmad narrated to us; Israʾil narrated to us, from ʿAli ibn Salim ibn Thawban, from ʿAli ibn Zayd ibn Judʿan, from Saʿid ibn al-Musayyib, from ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘The one who brings goods to market is provided for, while the hoarder is accursed.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " الْجَالِبُ مَرْزُوقٌ وَالْمُحْتَكِرُ مَلْعُونٌ " .
الجالب is one who brings/introduces goods to the market, while المحتكر is one who hoards or withholds goods; the saying contrasts them.
Does ‘brings goods to market’ render الجالب clearly without narrowing the supply route?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Yazid ibn Harun narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn Ishaq, from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim, from Saʿid ibn al-Musayyib, from Maʿmar ibn ʿAbdullah ibn Nadhla, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘Only a sinner hoards.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " لاَ يَحْتَكِرُ إِلاَّ خَاطِئٌ " .
يحتكر means to hoard or withhold goods; the object is omitted in this concise statement.
Does ‘Only a sinner hoards’ preserve the concise wording without supplying an object?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Yahya ibn Hakim narrated to us; Abu Bakr al-Hanafi narrated to us; al-Haytham ibn Rafiʿ narrated to us; Abu Yahya al-Makki informed me, from Farrukh, the client of ʿUthman ibn ʿAffan, from ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) say: ‘Whoever hoards food from the Muslims, Allah will strike him with leprosy and bankruptcy.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ " مَنِ احْتَكَرَ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ طَعَامَهُمْ ضَرَبَهُ اللَّهُ بِالْجُذَامِ وَالإِفْلاَسِ " .
احتكر على المسلمين طعامهم means hoarding/withholding food from Muslims; ضربه الله بالجذام والإفلاس literally states that Allah strikes him with leprosy and bankruptcy.
Does the translation preserve both the hoarding action and the stated consequences literally, without softening or reinterpreting them?
Chapter 7
أَجْرِ الرَّاقِي
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn ʿAbdullah ibn Numayr narrated to us; Abu Muʿawiyah narrated to us; al-Aʿmash narrated to us, from Jaʿfar ibn Iyas, from Abu Nadrah, from Abu Saʿid al-Khudri, who said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) sent us, thirty riders, on an expedition. We stopped among some people and asked them to host us, but they refused. Then their leader was stung by a scorpion. They came to us and asked, ‘Is there anyone among you who can recite a healing incantation for a scorpion sting?’ I said, ‘Yes, I can, but I will not recite for him unless you give us some sheep.’ They said, ‘We will give you thirty sheep.’ We accepted them, and I recited al-Fatihah over him seven times, and he recovered. We took the sheep, but we felt uneasy about them, so we said, ‘Do not be hasty until we come to the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace).’ When we returned, I told him what I had done. He said, ‘How did you know that it is a healing incantation? Divide them, and assign me a share with you.’ Abu Kurayb narrated to us; Hushaym narrated to us; Abu Bishr narrated to us, from Abu al-Mutawakkil, from Abu Saʿid, from the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), with a report like it. (Another chain:) Muhammad ibn Bashshar narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Jaʿfar narrated to us; Shuʿbah narrated to us, from Abu Bishr, from Abu al-Mutawakkil, from Abu Saʿid, from the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), with a report like it. Abu ʿAbdullah said: ‘The correct name is Abu al-Mutawakkil, Allah willing.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
قَالَ بَعَثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ثَلاَثِينَ رَاكِبًا فِي سَرِيَّةٍ فَنَزَلْنَا بِقَوْمٍ فَسَأَلْنَاهُمْ أَنْ يَقْرُونَا فَأَبَوْا فَلُدِغَ سَيِّدُهُمْ فَأَتَوْنَا فَقَالُوا أَفِيكُمْ أَحَدٌ يَرْقِي مِنَ الْعَقْرَبِ فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ أَنَا وَلَكِنْ لاَ أَرْقِيهِ حَتَّى تُعْطُونَا غَنَمًا .
أن يقرونا means to host/feed the travelers; فلُدغ سيدهم means their leader was stung, and the group asks about ruqya for a scorpion sting.
Does ‘host us’ and ‘their leader was stung by a scorpion’ preserve both actions and the sequence?
فَقَبِلْنَاهَا فَقَرَأْتُ عَلَيْهِ ( الْحَمْدُ ) سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ فَبَرِئَ وَقَبَضْنَا الْغَنَمَ فَعَرَضَ فِي أَنْفُسِنَا مِنْهَا شَىْءٌ فَقُلْنَا لاَ تَعْجَلُوا حَتَّى نَأْتِيَ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَلَمَّا قَدِمْنَا ذَكَرْتُ لَهُ الَّذِي صَنَعْتُ فَقَالَ " أَوَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّهَا رُقْيَةٌ اقْتَسِمُوهَا وَاضْرِبُوا لِي مَعَكُمْ سَهْمًا " .
The narrator recites al-Hamd (al-Fatihah) seven times as a ruqya, the leader recovers, and the group later asks the Prophet about accepting the sheep; the Prophet confirms its status as ruqya and directs them to divide the payment.
Does the translation preserve the recitation count, recovery, initial uncertainty, and the Prophet’s instruction to divide the sheep?
قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَالصَّوَابُ هُوَ أَبُو الْمُتَوَكِّلِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ .
The compiler states that the correct narrator in the chain is Abu al-Mutawakkil, with the qualification ‘Allah willing.’
Does ‘The correct name is Abu al-Mutawakkil, Allah willing’ preserve the compiler’s identification note?