An-Nawawi's Forty HadithHadith 30

The limits Allah has set

حدود الله

Allah has set obligations, limits and prohibitions, and left other matters unmentioned out of mercy.

Hasan

The hadith

عَنْ أَبِي ثَعْلَبَةَ الْخُشَنِيِّ جُرْثُومِ بن نَاشِر رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَال: "إنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى فَرَضَ فَرَائِضَ فَلَا تُضَيِّعُوهَا، وَحَدَّ حُدُودًا فَلَا تَعْتَدُوهَا، وَحَرَّمَ أَشْيَاءَ فَلَا تَنْتَهِكُوهَا، وَسَكَتَ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ رَحْمَةً لَكُمْ غَيْرَ نِسْيَانٍ فَلَا تَبْحَثُوا عَنْهَا". حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ، رَوَاهُ الدَّارَقُطْنِيّ ْ"في سننه" [4/184]، وَغَيْرُهُ

On the authority of Abu Tha’labah al-Kushanee — Jurthoom bin Nashir (may Allah be pleased with him) — that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Verily Allah ta’ala has laid down religious obligations (fara’id), so do not neglect them; and He has set limits, so do not overstep them; and He has forbidden some things, so do not violate them; and He has remained silent about some things, out of compassion for you, not forgetfulness — so do not seek after them. A hasan hadeeth narrated by ad-Daraqutnee and others

Reported by
ad-Daraqutni

Lessons

Allah has set obligations, which must not be neglected; prohibitions, which must not be violated, along with what leads to them (24:21); and limits, which must not be crossed. What the texts are silent about is left as permitted, out of mercy and not forgetfulness, and is not to be searched into; this is no door to innovation. Scholars counted this among the most comprehensive hadith. An-Nawawi graded it hasan.

In practice: do what is required, keep away from what is forbidden, and do not burden yourself with what Allah left open.

Evidence

Hasan

The Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 30

Grades
GraderVerdict
an-Nawawiحديث حسن (Hasan)
Full narration

عَنْ أَبِي ثَعْلَبَةَ الْخُشَنِيِّ جُرْثُومِ بن نَاشِر رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَال: "إنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى فَرَضَ فَرَائِضَ فَلَا تُضَيِّعُوهَا، وَحَدَّ حُدُودًا فَلَا تَعْتَدُوهَا، وَحَرَّمَ أَشْيَاءَ فَلَا تَنْتَهِكُوهَا، وَسَكَتَ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ رَحْمَةً لَكُمْ غَيْرَ نِسْيَانٍ فَلَا تَبْحَثُوا عَنْهَا". حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ، رَوَاهُ الدَّارَقُطْنِيّ ْ"في سننه" [4/184]، وَغَيْرُهُ

On the authority of Abu Tha’labah al-Kushanee — Jurthoom bin Nashir (may Allah be pleased with him) — that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Verily Allah ta’ala has laid down religious obligations (fara’id), so do not neglect them; and He has set limits, so do not overstep them; and He has forbidden some things, so do not violate them; and He has remained silent about some things, out of compassion for you, not forgetfulness — so do not seek after them. A hasan hadeeth narrated by ad-Daraqutnee and others

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