What is the status of the hadeeth, “No man is scratched by a thorn…”?
It was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No man is scratched by a thorn, or stumbles, or has a twitching in a vein, except for a sin, and what Allaah forgives is greater.”
Does this mean that everything that happens to a person is because of his sin? I read this in Tafseer al-Qurtubi, and I looked in Saheeh al-Bukhaari and Fath al-Baari, but I could not find it.
Firstly:
This hadeeth was narrated by al-Tabari in al-Tafseer, 5/175; and by al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al-Eemaan, 7/153; from the mursal hadeeth of Qataadah.
A mursal report is one which is narrated by a Taabi’i from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), with no narrator in between. This is one of the categories of da’eef (weak) hadeeth. So this hadeeth has a weak isnaad, as was mentioned by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah, 1796.
Secondly:
The meaning of the hadeeth is sound and is supported by other evidence from the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The calamities that befall a man may be as the result of sin that he has committed, so this calamity may be expiation for that sin.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allaah, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself. And We have sent you (O Muhammad) as a Messenger to mankind, and Allaah is Sufficient as a Witness”
[al-Nisa’ 4:79]
“And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much”
[al-Shoora 42:30]
Ibn Katheer said in his Tafseer (1/529):
“Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allaah” means, it is by the grace, bounty, kindness and mercy of Allaah. “but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself” means, it is because of your own actions. This is like the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much”
[al-Shoora 42:30]
Al-Saddi, al-Hasan al-Basri, Ibn Jurayj and Ibn Zayd said: “is from yourself” means, because of your sin. Qataadah said concerning this verse, “is from yourself” means, as a punishment to you, O son of Adam, for your sin.
Thirdly:
The calamities that befall a believer in this world raise him in status and expiate for his sins.
Hence the believer should accept whatever calamities Allaah decrees for him, and should realize that this is good for him.
It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no calamity that befalls a Muslim but Allaah expiates (sin) thereby, even a thorn that pricks him.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5640; Muslim, 2572.
Muslim (2572) narrated that ‘Aa’ishah said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “There is nothing that befalls a believer, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allaah will record a hasanah (good deed) for him thereby, or erase from him a sin.”
And Allaah knows best.
Wister