I will certainly have intercourse with seventy wives during the night, and every wife amongst them will give birth to a child, who will fight in the cause of Allah. It was said to him: Say:" Insha' Allah" (God willing), but he did not say so and forgot it. He went round them but none of them give birth to a child except one woman and that too was an incomplete person. Upon this Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: If he had said" Insha' Allah." he would not have failed, and his desire must have been fulfilled.
The Book of Oaths - Sahih Muslim 1654 d
This narration from Sahih Muslim serves as a profound lesson on the necessity of invoking Allah's will in all matters. The companion's statement, though made with righteous intention, lacked the essential phrase "Insha'Allah" (if Allah wills), demonstrating that even noble aspirations require divine permission.
Scholarly Commentary
Classical scholars explain that this hadith establishes the fundamental Islamic principle that human beings possess no independent power to fulfill their intentions without Allah's decree. The Prophet's companion, despite his sincere desire to produce warriors for Islam, failed because he relied solely on his own determination.
The seventy wives represent an ambitious goal, while the single incomplete birth symbolizes the diminished outcome when divine will is not acknowledged. Scholars emphasize that "Insha'Allah" is not merely a phrase but an expression of tawhid (monotheism) - recognizing that all outcomes ultimately belong to Allah alone.
This teaching applies to all matters, religious and worldly, reminding believers to couple their efforts with constant remembrance of their dependence on Allah. The hadith also illustrates the Prophet's gentle correction, teaching through practical example rather than harsh rebuke.
Legal and Spiritual Implications
Jurists derive from this narration that making future commitments without saying "Insha'Allah" is makruh (disliked), as it displays negligence in acknowledging divine will. The phrase serves as both a spiritual protection and a practical reminder of human limitation.
Sufi commentators see deeper meaning in the "incomplete birth" - representing actions undertaken without proper spiritual foundation that inevitably yield imperfect results. The complete fulfillment of intentions requires both human effort and divine blessing.