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Seerah / His character & the Companions

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"This is mercy which Allah has placed in hearts"

Date
Madinan period · date unknown
Location
Madinah
People
Usama ibn Zayd (RA), Sa'd ibn 'Ubada (RA)

Usama ibn Zayd (RA) narrates in Sahih al-Bukhari that the Prophet ﷺ went to his daughter's dying child; holding the child, his eyes overflowed, and when Sa'd asked about it he said it is mercy that Allah places in the hearts of His servants.

As it was narrated

The story, in the words of those who were there

Read slowly. These are the Companions' own words, from the verified hadith collections.

Hadith
Hadith collection

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَانُ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ، قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَاصِمُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ أَرْسَلَتِ ابْنَةُ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَيْهِ إِنَّ ابْنًا لِي قُبِضَ فَائْتِنَا‏.‏ فَأَرْسَلَ يُقْرِئُ السَّلاَمَ وَيَقُولُ ‏"‏ إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا أَخَذَ وَلَهُ مَا أَعْطَى وَكُلٌّ عِنْدَهُ بِأَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى، فَلْت…

Narrated Usama bin Zaid:The daughter of the Prophet (ﷺ) sent (a messenger) to the Prophet (ﷺ) requesting him to come as her child was dying (or was gasping), but the Prophet (ﷺ) returned the messenger and told him to convey his greeting to her and say: "Whatever Allah takes is for Him and whatever He gives, is for Him, and everything with Him has a limited fixed term (in this world) and so she should be patient and hope for Allah's reward." She again sent for him, swearing that he should come. The Prophet (ﷺ) got up, and so did Sa`d bin 'Ubada, Mu`adh bin Jabal, Ubai bin Ka`b, Zaid bin Thabit and some other men. The child was brought to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) while his breath was disturbed in…

Sahih al-Bukhari · Hadith 1284 · Funerals (Al-Janaa'iz)
Translation: Sahih al-Bukhari — English. Hadith data: fawazahmed0/hadith-api (numbering and gradings as published there).

Grading information unavailable in source data · from a collection regarded as sahih

Open source

Lessons

  • Tears for a loved one are mercy, not complaint.
  • Allah is merciful to those who are merciful.

Lessons are editorial reflections drawn from the event and its sources.

Pause for a moment

Which moment of your own life does this remind you of? Sit with it for a minute, then send salawat on the one who lived it ﷺ.

Send salawat ﷺ

Bibliography

  • Sahih al-Bukhari 1284 (Usama ibn Zayd) · primary source
  • Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (further reading)

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