I will go round in the night to my ninety wives, and every one of them will give birth to a child (who will grow up) as a horseman and fight in the cause of Allah His companions said to him: Say" Insha' Allah." but he did not say Inshii' Allah. He went round all of them but none of them became pregnant but one, and she gave birth to a premature child. And by Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, if he had said, Insha' Allah (his wives would have given birth to the children who would all have grown up into horsemen and fought in the way of Allah).
The Book of Oaths - Sahih Muslim 1654e
This narration from Sahih Muslim serves as a profound lesson on the importance of invoking Allah's will in all matters. The Prophet (peace be upon him) recounts the story of a man who boasted about his ability to impregnate his ninety wives, promising they would bear sons who would become horsemen fighting in Allah's cause.
Scholarly Commentary
The central teaching here concerns the obligatory nature of saying "Insha'Allah" (if Allah wills) when speaking about future events. The man's failure to condition his statement with this phrase demonstrates arrogance in relying solely on his own power, neglecting divine decree.
Classical scholars explain that every human action requires two causes: the human effort and Allah's divine permission. By omitting "Insha'Allah," the man effectively attributed the outcome entirely to himself, falling into the trap of self-reliance rather than God-reliance.
The consequence - only one wife conceiving and delivering a premature child - illustrates how Allah manifests His wisdom through apparent "failure" to teach essential spiritual lessons. The Prophet's solemn oath emphasizes the certainty of the outcome had the man properly acknowledged divine will.
Practical Applications
This hadith establishes the sunnah of saying "Insha'Allah" when planning future actions. Scholars derive from this that mentioning Allah's will is particularly important when making oaths or firm commitments.
The narration also teaches humility before Allah's qadr (divine decree) and warns against excessive confidence in one's capabilities without recognizing that all outcomes ultimately depend on Allah's permission.