Jami' at-Tirmidhi
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2874
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِنَّمَا مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ أُمَّتِي كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ اسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَجَعَلَتِ الذُّبَابُ وَالْفَرَاشُ يَقَعْنَ فِيهَا وَأَنَا آخُذُ بِحُجَزِكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَقَحَّمُونَ فِيهَا " . قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهٍ .
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah said, ‘My example and that of my community is like a man who lit a fire, then flies and moths began falling into it. I am holding you by your waistbands while you rush into it.’ Abu ‘Isa graded this hadith hasan sahih; it has also been transmitted through other routes.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic image is of the Prophet grasping the community by their waistbands (hujaz) to restrain them, while they plunge into the fire. The English witness describes him as trying to prevent them, which captures the sense.