The Book of Virtue, Enjoining Good Manners, and Joining of the Ties of Kinship

Sahih Muslim - Hadith Reference: Sahih Muslim 2586 b

Hadith Text

Nu'man b. Bashir reported a hadith like this from Allah's Apostle (ﷺ).

Commentary

This concise narration from Imam Nu'man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) serves as a testament to the rigorous preservation of Prophetic traditions. When a companion states "a hadith like this," it indicates the meticulous transmission process where multiple chains of narration confirm the same essential meaning, strengthening the authenticity of the teaching.

Scholars of hadith explain that such formulations demonstrate the integrity of the narrators, who would precisely indicate when they were conveying the exact wording versus the general meaning. This careful methodology protected the Sunnah from alteration while ensuring the core message remained intact across various transmissions.

The reference to "this" points to the preceding context in Sahih Muslim, which typically concerns matters of faith, ethics, or social conduct - consistent with the book's theme of virtue and maintaining kinship ties. This teaches us that preserving religious knowledge requires both accuracy in transmission and understanding of context.