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He wept at Sa'd ibn 'Ubada's sickbed

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

Ibn 'Umar (RA) narrates in Sahih al-Bukhari that the Prophet ﷺ visited the sick Sa'd ibn 'Ubada with other Companions, wept, and taught that Allah does not punish for tears or the heart's sadness but for what the tongue says.

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 أَصْبَغُ، عَنِ ابْنِ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرٌو، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ اشْتَكَى سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ شَكْوَى لَهُ فَأَتَاهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَعُودُهُ مَعَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ وَسَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ ـ رضى الله عنهم ـ فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ فَوَجَدَهُ فِي غَ…

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:Sa`d bin 'Ubada became sick and the Prophet (ﷺ) along with `Abdur Rahman bin `Auf, Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas and `Abdullah bin Mas`ud visited him to inquire about his health. When he came to him, he found him surrounded by his household and he asked, "Has he died?" They said, "No, O Allah's Apostle." The Prophet (ﷺ) wept and when the people saw the weeping of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) they all wept. He said, "Will you listen? Allah does not punish for shedding tears, nor for the grief of the heart but he punishes or bestows His Mercy because of this." He pointed to his tongue and added, "The deceased is punished for the wailing of his relatives over him." `Umar used to bea…

Sahih al-Bukhari · Hadith 1304 · 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

  • Visit the sick; your presence is part of their healing.
  • Sadness is not sin; guard your words in hardship.

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

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Bibliography

  • Sahih al-Bukhari 1304 (Ibn 'Umar) · primary source
  • Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (further reading)

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