A Hadith Study about the Slave-Girls’ Test
A glance at some of the various reports.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Are you familiar with the incident where the Prophet[ﷺ] tested the slave girl by asking her 2 questions? How many times do you think he did this?
Hadith # 1
مَالِكٌ، عَنْ هِلاَلِ بْنِ أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ جَارِيَةً لِي كَانَتْ تَرْعَى غَنَمًا لِي فَجِئْتُهَا وَقَدْ فُقِدَتْ شَاةٌ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ فَسَأَلْتُهَا عَنْهَا فَقَالَتْ أَكَلَهَا الذِّئْبُ فَأَسِفْتُ عَلَيْهَا وَكُنْتُ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ فَلَطَمْتُ وَجْهَهَا وَعَلَىَّ رَقَبَةٌ أَفَأُعْتِقُهَا فَقَالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” أَيْنَ اللَّهُ ” . فَقَالَتْ فِي السَّمَاءِ . فَقَالَ ” مَنْ أَنَا ” . فَقَالَتْ أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” أَعْتِقْهَا ” .
Malik related to me from Hilal ibn Usama from Ata ibn Yasar that Umar ibn al-Hakam said, “I went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, a slave girl of mine was tending my sheep. I came to her and one of the sheep was lost. I asked her about it and she said that a wolf had eaten it, so I became angry and I am one of the children of Adam, so I struck her on the face. As it happens, I have to set a slave free, shall I free her?’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, questioned her, ‘Where is Allah?’ She said, ‘In heaven.’ He said, ‘Who am I?’ She said, ‘You are the Messenger of Allah.’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Free her.’ ”
The collections of this hadith with this chain:
Ibn Zaamaneen(47) ,Ibn Mandah in Tawheed (844) Al-Bayhaqi (10:57) all of them are by way of Malik , Muwatta (1468)
Men in the chain
Malik—-Hilal ibn Usamah (Hilal ibn Abee Maymoonah)—-Ata ibn Yassar—- Umar ibn Al-Hakim
Between Imam Malik and the Prophet there are 3 people and this Isnad is Thuluthiya.
There is an issue with Umar ibn Al-Hakam being a companion. Ibn Madeenee, Al-Bukhari and Ibn Mandah all said Imam Malik erred in this chain.[1]
Ibn Abdil Bar mentioned numerous statements from scholars clarifying the mistake of Imam Malik and said, “ All of the people of knowledge concluded there isn’t any companioned named, “Umar ibn Al-Hakim”[2]
والله تعالى أعلم
Hadith # 2
عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ هِلاَلِ بْنِ أَبِي مَيْمُونَةَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ السُّلَمِيِّ، قَالَ بَيْنَا أَنَا أُصَلِّي، مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذْ عَطَسَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ فَقُلْتُ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ . فَرَمَانِي الْقَوْمُ بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ فَقُلْتُ وَاثُكْلَ أُمِّيَاهْ مَا شَأْنُكُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ إِلَىَّ . فَجَعَلُوا يَضْرِبُونَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ عَلَى أَفْخَاذِهِمْ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُهُمْ يُصَمِّتُونَنِي لَكِنِّي سَكَتُّ فَلَمَّا صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَبِأَبِي هُوَ وَأُمِّي مَا رَأَيْتُ مُعَلِّمًا قَبْلَهُ وَلاَ بَعْدَهُ أَحْسَنَ تَعْلِيمًا مِنْهُ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا كَهَرَنِي وَلاَ ضَرَبَنِي وَلاَ شَتَمَنِي قَالَ ” إِنَّ هَذِهِ الصَّلاَةَ لاَ يَصْلُحُ فِيهَا شَىْءٌ مِنْ كَلاَمِ النَّاسِ إِنَّمَا هُوَ التَّسْبِيحُ وَالتَّكْبِيرُ وَقِرَاءَةُ الْقُرْآنِ ” . أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي حَدِيثُ عَهْدٍ بِجَاهِلِيَّةٍ وَقَدْ جَاءَ اللَّهُ بِالإِسْلاَمِ وَإِنَّ مِنَّا رِجَالاً يَأْتُونَ الْكُهَّانَ . قَالَ ” فَلاَ تَأْتِهِمْ ” . قَالَ وَمِنَّا رِجَالٌ يَتَطَيَّرُونَ . قَالَ ” ذَاكَ شَىْءٌ يَجِدُونَهُ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ فَلاَ يَصُدَّنَّهُمْ ” . قَالَ ابْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ ” فَلاَ يَصُدَّنَّكُمْ ” . قَالَ قُلْتُ وَمِنَّا رِجَالٌ يَخُطُّونَ . قَالَ ” كَانَ نَبِيٌّ مِنَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ يَخُطُّ فَمَنْ وَافَقَ خَطَّهُ فَذَاكَ ” . قَالَ وَكَانَتْ لِي جَارِيَةٌ تَرْعَى غَنَمًا لِي قِبَلَ أُحُدٍ وَالْجَوَّانِيَّةِ فَاطَّلَعْتُ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فَإِذَا الذِّيبُ قَدْ ذَهَبَ بِشَاةٍ مِنْ غَنَمِهَا وَأَنَا رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ آسَفُ كَمَا يَأْسَفُونَ لَكِنِّي صَكَكْتُهَا صَكَّةً فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَعَظَّمَ ذَلِكَ عَلَىَّ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ أُعْتِقُهَا قَالَ ” ائْتِنِي بِهَا ” . فَأَتَيْتُهُ بِهَا فَقَالَ لَهَا ” أَيْنَ اللَّهُ ” . قَالَتْ فِي السَّمَاءِ . قَالَ ” مَنْ أَنَا ” . قَالَتْ أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ . قَالَ ” أَعْتِقْهَا فَإِنَّهَا مُؤْمِنَةٌ ” .
Mu’awiya b. al-Hakam said:
While I was praying with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), a man in the company sneezed. I said: Allah have mercy on you! The people stared at me with disapproving looks, so I said: Woe be upon me, why is it that you stare at me? They began to strike their hands on their thighs, and when I saw them urging me to observe silence (I became angry) but I said nothing. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had said the prayer (and I declare that neither before him nor after him have I seen a leader who gave better instruction than he for whom I would give my father and mother as ransom). I swear that he did not scold, beat or revile me but said: Talking to persons is not fitting during the prayer, for it consists of glorifying Allah, declaring his Greatness. And recitation of the Qur’an or words to that effect. I said: Messenger of Allah. I was till recently a pagan, but Allah has brought Islam to us; among us there are men who have recourse to Kahins. He said, Do not have recourse to them. I said. There are men who take omens. That is something which they find in their breasts, but let it not turn their way (from freedom of action). I said: Among us there are men who draw lines. He said: There was a prophet who drew lines, so if they do it as they did, that is allowable. I had a maid-servant who tended goats by the side of Uhud and Jawwaniya. One day I happened to pass that way and found that a wolf had carried a goat from her flock. I am after all a man from the posterity of Adam. I felt sorry as they (human beings) feel sorry. So I slapped her. I came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and felt (this act of mine) as something grievous I said: Messenger of Allah, should I not grant her freedom? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Bring her to me. So I brought her to him. He said to her: Where is Allah? She said: He is in the heaven. He said: Who am I? She said: You are the Messenger of Allah. He said: Grant her freedom, she is a believing woman.
The collections of this hadith with this chain:
Muslim (1277), Abu Dawud (931),An-Nisa’I (1218),Ahmed (5:447/448)Ibn Jarude (204),Radd Ala Jahmeeyah (60),ibn Abee ‘Assim in Sunnah (489),Ibn Abee Shaybah in Musanaf (30979) Ibn Khuzaymah in Tawheed (179),Ibn Mandah in Imam (91) and in Tawheed (843),Ibn Hibban (165/2247) Abu Dawud At-Tayalasee (1201), At-Tabarani in Kabeer (14/328/329) All by way of Yahyah ibn Abee Kathir – Hilal ibn Abee Maymouna- Ata’ ibn Yasaar – Mu’awiyah ibn Al-Hakam (Radi Allahu anhu)
This is the same chain as Imam Malik’s, except instead of Imam Malik Yahya ibn Abee Kathir replaced him and we call this , (متابع )
Hadith Number 3
دَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الْجُوزَجَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي الْمَسْعُودِيُّ، عَنْ عَوْنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، : أَنَّ رَجُلاً، أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِجَارِيَةٍ سَوْدَاءَ فَقَالَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ عَلَىَّ رَقَبَةً مُؤْمِنَةً . فَقَالَ لَهَا : ” أَيْنَ اللَّهُ ” . فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ بِأُصْبُعِهَا . فَقَالَ لَهَا : ” فَمَنْ أَنَا ” . فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَإِلَى السَّمَاءِ، يَعْنِي أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ . فَقَالَ : ” أَعْتِقْهَا فَإِنَّهَا مُؤْمِنَةٌ ” .
Abu Hurairah( رضي الله عنه):
A man brought the Prophet (ﷺ) a black slave girl. He said: Messenger of Allah, emancipation of believing slave is due to me. He asked her: Where is Allah? She pointed to the heaven with her finger. He then asked her: Who am I? She pointed to the Prophet (ﷺ) and to the heaven, that is to say: You are the Messenger of Allah. He then said: Set her free, she is a believer.
. The collections of this hadith with this chain:
Abu Dawud (3286),Ahmed (2:291)Al-Bayhaqi (7:388),
The men in this chain are 6;
Ibrahim ibn Yaqub—Yazid Ibn Haroon—Al-Masu’dee- Awn ibn Abdillah—Abdullah ibn Utbah- Abu Hurayrah
Imam Al-Albani graded this Isnad as being weak in his checking of Abu Dawud. There is a narrator in the chain known as Al-Masu’dee. His complete name is Abdur Rahman ibn Abdillah. He had a weak memory in the later part of his life, so anyone who narrated on him during that period ,then their reports from him need to be compared to others, to verify their authenticity, otherwise independently they are weak.
Yazeed ibn Haroon was amongst those scholars who narrated from him after his memory grew weak.
Although Abdur Rahman Al-Masu’d was weak in memory in the later part of his life his narrations in Kufa and Basra are accepted.[3]
Nonetheless, there are narrations inside of Kitab At-Tawheed from Ibn Khuzaymah which replaced Yazid ibn Haroon in the chain with a narrator who heard from Abdur Rahman before he lost his memory. He was Abu Dawud At-Tayalasee Al-Basri . The hadith from Abdur Rahman in Basra and Kufa are acceptable and Abu Dawud At-Tayalasee is Basri. Return back to Imam Al-Albani’s Silsalah Saheehah # 3161 for further details.
Hadith # 4
مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الْقُطَعِيُّ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا زِيَادُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَلْقَمَةَ ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ الشَّرِيدِ جَاءَ بِخَادِمٍ سَوْدَاءَ عَتْمَاءَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أُمِّي جَعَلَتْ عَلَيْهَا عِتْقَ رَقَبَةٍ مُؤْمِنَةٍ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَلْ يُجْزَى أَنْ أَعْتِقَ هَذِهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِلْخَادِمَ أَيْنَ اللَّهُ فَرَفَعَتْ رَأْسَهَا فَقَالَتْ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَقَالَ مَنْ أَنَا قَالَتْ أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ أَعْتِقْهَا فَإِنَّهَا مُؤْمِنَةٌ.
Abu Hurayrah (radi Allahu anhu) narrated that Muhammad ibn Ash-Shareed brought his slave who was very dark-skin to the Prophet.( ﷺ) He said my mother want to free a believing female slave, thus he asked the Prophet will I be rewarded if I freed this female slave? The Prophet (ﷺ) asked the slave where is Allah and thus she raised her head and said, “ above the sky”, He then asked who am I?, and she replied ,” You are Allah’s Messenger”. Following this the Prophet (ﷺ) said :”Free her, because she is a believer.
. The collections of this hadith with this chain:
Collected by Ibn Al-Khuzaymah in Tawheed (181)
The men in this chain are 5;
Muhammad ibn Yahya—Ziyad ibn Rabee—Muhammad ibn Amr—Abee Salamah—Abu Hurayra.
The isnad for this hadith hasan Inshallah since Muhammad ibn Yahyah is graded as being Saduq[honest]along with Muhammad ibn Amr. Also it has other narrations that support its detail about the slave girl being black.
و الله تعالى أعلم
Hadith # 5
عَبْدَانُ بن أَحْمَدَ، ثنا الْجَرَّاحُ بن مَخْلَدٍ، ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بن عُثْمَانَ الْجَزَرِيُّ، ثنا سَعِيدُ بن عَنْبَسَةَ الْقَطَّانُ ثنا أَبُو مَعْدَانَ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عَوْنَ بن أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ يُحَدِّثُ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ:أَتَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ امْرَأَةٌ، وَمَعَهَا جَارِيَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ، فَقَالَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنَّ عَلَيَّ رَقَبَةً مُؤْمِنَةً أَفَتُجِزِئُ عَنِّي هَذِهِ، فَقَالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَيْنَ اللَّهُ؟ قَالَتْ: فِي السَّمَاءِ، قَالَ: فَمَنْ أَنَا؟ قَالَتْ: أَنْتَ رَسُولُهُ، قَالَ: أَتَشْهَدِينَ أَنَّ لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ، وَأَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، قَالَتْ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: أَتُؤْمِنِينَ بِمَا جَاءَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَتْ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: اعْتِقِيهَا فَإِنَّهَا مُؤْمِنَةٌ.
‘Awn ibn Abee Juhayfah narrated that his father said:” A woman went to the Prophet accompanied with a black slave girl as asked will she be reward if she freed her. The Prophet (ﷺ) ask the black slave-girl ,”Where is Allah?”, She answered, “He’s above the Heavens.” He then asked her ,”Who am I?” She said , “ Allah’s Messenger. Next He asked her if she acknowledged that there was absolutely no deity worthy of worship but Allah and if He was Allah’s Messenger?” She replied, “Yes”, after that He asked her if she believed if His message was from Allah?” She said,” yes”, so He (ﷺ) said: release her as she is a believer.”
The collections of this hadith with this chain:
Collected by At-Tabarani (22/116) by way of Awn ibn Abee Juhayfah from his father Abee Juhayfah.
This isnad is weak due to Saee’d ibn Anbasa in the chain refer to Al-Majmu by Al-Haythami # 4/244
Hadith # 6
عبد الرزاق عن أبي بكر بن محمد عن محمد بن عمرو عن عمرو بن أوس عن رجل من الأنصار أن أمه هلكت وأمرته أن يعتق عنها رقبة مؤمنة فجاء النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم فذكر ذلك له وقال لا أملك إلا جارية سوداء أعجمية لاتدري ما الصلاة فقال النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم أيتني بها فجاء بها فقال أين الله قالت في السماء قال فمن أنا قالت رسول الله قال أعتقها
Amr ibn Ows narrated that a man from the Ansar said: My mother died and ordered my to free a believing slave on her behalf, so he went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said he only had a black salve girl who couldn’t speak Arabic and doesn’t know about the prayer. The Prophet (ﷺ) said bring her to me, so he did. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked her,” Where is Allah?” and she said:” above the Heavens.” Next He asked her who am I? She then said:” Allah’s Messenger; therefore He said” Free her.”
The collections of this hadith with this chain:
Collected by Abdur Razzaq in his Musnaf #16851
The men in this Isnad are 4;
Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad—Muhammad ibn Amr—Amr ibn Aws—companion of the Prophet..
The status of this isnad is Sahih- Inshallah.
1-Abu Bakr is trustworthy- #7988 in Taqreeb by Ibn Hajr
2-Muhammad ibn Amr –Thiqah by Al-Waqadee in Thatheeb Al-Kamaal #6098
3-Amr ibn Aws – Thiqah – #4991 in Taqreeb
Hadith #7
عنُ مَعَالِي ، ثنا عُمَرُ بْنُ هَارُونَ ، ثنا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ ، ثنا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمَرْزُبَانِ ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، قَالَ : جَاءَ رَجَلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَمَعَهُ جَارِيَةٌ أَعْجَمِيَّةٌ سَوْدَاءُ ، فَقَالَ : عَلَيَّ رَقَبَةٌ ، فَهَلْ تُجْزِئُ هَذِهِ عَنِّي ؟ ، فَقَالَ : ” أَيْنَ اللَّهُ ؟ ” ، فَأَشَارَتْ بِيَدِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ ، فَقَالَ : ” مَنْ أَنَا ؟ ” ، قَالَتْ : أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ، قَالَ : ” أَعْتِقْهَا فَإِنَّهَا مُؤْمِنَةٌ ” قَالَ : شَيْخُ الْإِسْلَامِ أَبُو إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ ، حَدِيثُ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ أَصَحُّ إِسْنادًا مِنْ هَذَا
Ibn Abbass (Radi Allah anhu) said: A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) with a black non-Arab salve girl. He said I have a slave girl and came I be rewarded for her. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked her,” Where is Allah?”, so she pointed with her finger to the sky. Next He (ﷺ) asked her,” Who am I” She replied you and Allah’s Messenger. Following this He (ﷺ) said, ”Free her since she is a believer.”
The collections of this hadith with this chain:
Collected by Shaykh Abu Ismail in 40 hadith for the proof of Tawheed,#11.
Status of Isnad
This isnad is weak as Saee’d ibn Al-Marzuban is in the chain and Ibn Hajr graded him as being weak and known for Tadlis and in this isnad there is the ( عن)
Discussion
- These Ahadeeth prove it’s permissible to test a person’s belief about Sunnah or bid’ah.
- The people who use the hadith of the slave girl to establish actions aren’t a part of Iman are wrong as some of these reports happened before the revelation of prayer, and fasting. This is supported by narrations
- This hadith shows its permissible to test people’s belief with the names of Imams.
- The second hadith found in Sahih Muslim , Abu Dawud and others have been used to prove it’s not permissible to talk in the prayer.
- Thie refutes the Asha’ira who claim this ONLY happened on one occasion.
- These narrations confirmed from the Sunnah by speech, by action and by belief that Allah is above us. The Prophet’s companions (Radi Allahu anhum) and the generation after them unanimously agreed that Allah is above us in a manner that befits His majesty.
- There aren’t any reports that deny Allah’s over His creation. As for the intellect the Human-being knows with his heart and mind that Allah being over His creation is a complete description that befits the Most high.
- In total I have collected 7 narrations with different chains some are authentic and others aren’t. In conclusion and Allah knows best it appears that the Prophet[ﷺ] tested 4 slaves
- Hadith number # 2 , The slave girl spoke
- Hadith number # 3, The slave girl pointed
- Hadith number # 4, The slave girl was dark-skinned
- Hadith number # 6, The black slave girl spoke.
- Al-Hafith Al-‘Ala’ee said: If the chain is different in its collection with narrators along with different wording then it should be considered two separate Hadith and there isn’t anything wrong with applying this approach. [4]
[powr-hit-counter id=36584b1b_1490519688745]
[1] الانابة إلى معرفة المختلف فيهم من الصحابة , مغلطايو ج2, ص62
[2] التمهيد ,لابن عبد البر,ج9, ص67-70
[3] نهاية الاغتباطو علاء الدين
[4] نظم الفوائد لما يتضمنه حديث ذي اليدين , ص((111-122))