Sunan an-Nasa'i
Sunan an-Nasa'i 3620
أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكُ بْنُ مِغْوَلٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا طَلْحَةُ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي أَوْفَى أَوْصَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لاَ. قُلْتُ كَيْفَ كَتَبَ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ الْوَصِيَّةَ قَالَ أَوْصَى بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ.
Isma'il ibn Mas'ud reported to us: Khalid ibn al-Harith narrated to us: Malik ibn Mighwal narrated to us: Talhah said: I asked Ibn Abi Awfa, ‘Did the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) leave a will?’ He said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘How, then, did he instruct the Muslims regarding a will?’ He replied, ‘He enjoined the Book of Allah.’
Translation notes
The final phrase, awsa bi-kitab Allah, can be read as enjoining or entrusting the Book of Allah; the English witness expands it as an instruction to adhere to it.
قُلْتُ كَيْفَ كَتَبَ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ الْوَصِيَّةَ قَالَ أَوْصَى بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ.
The phrase awsa bi-kitab Allah literally says that he enjoined or entrusted the Book of Allah, while the English witness expands this as urging adherence to it.
Should this remain a concise ‘He enjoined the Book of Allah,’ or should it be rendered as an instruction to adhere to it?