Jami' at-Tirmidhi
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2871
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مُوسَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَعْنٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِنَّمَا أَجَلُكُمْ فِيمَا خَلاَ مِنَ الأُمَمِ كَمَا بَيْنَ صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ إِلَى مَغَارِبِ الشَّمْسِ وَإِنَّمَا مَثَلُكُمْ وَمَثَلُ الْيَهُودِ وَالنَّصَارَى كَرَجُلٍ اسْتَعْمَلَ عُمَّالاً فَقَالَ مَنْ يَعْمَلُ لِي إِلَى نِصْفِ النَّهَارِ عَلَى قِيرَاطٍ قِيرَاطٍ فَعَمِلَتِ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى قِيرَاطٍ قِيرَاطٍ فَقَالَ مَنْ يَعْمَلُ لِي مِنْ نِصْفِ النَّهَارِ إِلَى الْعَصْرِ عَلَى قِيرَاطٍ قِيرَاطٍ فَعَمِلَتِ النَّصَارَى عَلَى قِيرَاطٍ قِيرَاطٍ ثُمَّ أَنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ مِنْ صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ إِلَى مَغَارِبِ الشَّمْسِ عَلَى قِيرَاطَيْنِ قِيرَاطَيْنِ فَغَضِبَتِ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى وَقَالُوا نَحْنُ أَكْثَرُ عَمَلاً وَأَقَلُّ عَطَاءً . قَالَ هَلْ ظَلَمْتُكُمْ مِنْ حَقِّكُمْ شَيْئًا قَالُوا لاَ . قَالَ فَإِنَّهُ فَضْلِي أُوتِيهِ مَنْ أَشَاءُ " . هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah said, ‘Your appointed term, compared with the terms of the earlier communities, is like the time between the ‘Asr prayer and sunset. Your example, compared with that of the Jews and Christians, is like a man who hired workers and said, “Who will work for me until midday for one qirat each?” The Jews worked for one qirat each. Then he said, “Who will work for me from midday until the ‘Asr prayer for one qirat each?” The Christians worked for one qirat each. Then you worked from the ‘Asr prayer until sunset for two qirats each. The Jews and Christians grew angry and said, “We did more work but received less pay!” He asked, “Have I withheld any of your due?” They replied, “No.” He said, “This is My bounty, which I grant to whomever I will.”’ Abu ‘Isa graded this hadith hasan sahih.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The parable states the shorter final work period receives double pay as divine bounty; the Jews and Christians acknowledge that none of their due was withheld.