Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad:18361Abū Muʿāwiyah > al-Aʿmash > al-Shaʿbī > al-Nuʿmān b. Bashīr

"The parable of the one who upholds Allah's laws and the one who breaches them, is that of a people who drew lots on a ship at sea. Some of them got the upper part, and some of them the lower part. Those on the lower part ascended to get water, spilling it upon those upper part. So those in the upper part say: 'We will not leave you to come up here and bother us.' Then those on the lower part say: 'We should make a hole in the lower part, so we can get water.' If they take them by the hand and stop them, then they will save all of them, and if they leave them, they will all drown."' (Using translation from Tirmidhī 2173)  

أحمد:١٨٣٦١حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَثَلُ الْقَائِمِ عَلَى حُدُودِ اللهِ وَالْمُدَّهِنِ فِيهَا كَمَثَلِ قَوْمٍ اسْتَهَمُوا عَلَى سَفِينَةٍ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَسْفَلَهَا وَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَعْلَاهَا فَكَانَ الَّذِينَ فِي أَسْفَلِهَا يَصْعَدُونَ فَيَسْتَقُونَ الْمَاءَ فَيَصُبُّونَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ فِي أَعْلَاهَا فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ فِي أَعْلَاهَا لَا نَدَعُكُمْ تَصْعَدُونَ فَتُؤْذُونَنَا فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ فِي أَسْفَلِهَا فَإِنَّنَا نَنْقُبُهَا مِنْ أَسْفَلِهَا فَنَسْتَقِي قَالَ فَإِنْ أَخَذُوا عَلَى أَيْدِيهِمْ فَمَنَعُوهُمْ نَجَوْا جَمِيعًا وَإِنْ تَرَكُوهُمْ غَرِقُوا جَمِيعًا  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Tirmidhī, Aḥmad, Bayhaqī, Suyūṭī
bukhari:2493Abū Nuʿaym > Zakariyyāʾ > ʿĀmir > al-Nuʿmān b. Bashīr

The Prophet ﷺ said, "The example of the person abiding by Allah's order and restrictions in comparison to those who violate them is like the example of those persons who drew lots for their seats in a boat. Some of them got seats in the upper part, and the others in the lower. When the latter needed water, they had to go up to bring water (and that troubled the others), so they said, 'Let us make a hole in our share of the ship (and get water) saving those who are above us from troubling them. So, if the people in the upper part left the others do what they had suggested, all the people of the ship would be destroyed, but if they prevented them, both parties would be safe."  

البخاري:٢٤٩٣حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّاءُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَامِرًا يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ ؓ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ مَثَلُ الْقَائِمِ عَلَى حُدُودِ اللَّهِ وَالْوَاقِعِ فِيهَا كَمَثَلِ قَوْمٍ اسْتَهَمُوا عَلَى سَفِينَةٍ فَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَعْلاَهَا وَبَعْضُهُمْ أَسْفَلَهَا فَكَانَ الَّذِينَ فِي أَسْفَلِهَا إِذَا اسْتَقَوْا مِنَ الْمَاءِ مَرُّوا عَلَى مَنْ فَوْقَهُمْ فَقَالُوا لَوْ أَنَّا خَرَقْنَا فِي نَصِيبِنَا خَرْقًا وَلَمْ نُؤْذِ مَنْ فَوْقَنَا فَإِنْ يَتْرُكُوهُمْ وَمَا أَرَادُوا هَلَكُوا جَمِيعًا وَإِنْ أَخَذُوا عَلَى أَيْدِيهِمْ نَجَوْا وَنَجَوْا جَمِيعًا  

bukhari:2686ʿUmar b. Ḥafṣ b. Ghiyāth from my father > al-Aʿmash > al-Shaʿbī > al-Nuʿmān b. Bashīr

The Prophet ﷺ said, "The example of the person abiding by Allah's orders and limits (or the one who abides by the limits and regulations prescribed by Allah) in comparison to the one who do wrong and violate Allah's limits and orders is like the example of people drawing lots for seats in a boat. Some of them got seats in the upper part while the others in the lower part ; those in the, lower part have to pass by those in the upper one to get water, and that troubled the latter. One of them (i.e. the people in the lower part) took an ax and started making a hole in the bottom of the boat. The people of the upper part came and asked him, (saying), 'What is wrong with you?' He replied, "You have been troubled much by my (coming up to you), and I have to get water.' Now if they prevent him from doing that they will save him and themselves, but if they leave him (to do what he wants), they will destroy him and themselves."  

البخاري:٢٦٨٦حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ حَفْصِ بْنِ غِيَاثٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الشَّعْبِيُّ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ ؓ يَقُولُ

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مَثَلُ الْمُدْهِنِ فِي حُدُودِ اللَّهِ وَالْوَاقِعِ فِيهَا مَثَلُ قَوْمٍ اسْتَهَمُوا سَفِينَةً فَصَارَ بَعْضُهُمْ فِي أَسْفَلِهَا وَصَارَ بَعْضُهُمْ فِي أَعْلاَهَا فَكَانَ الَّذِي فِي أَسْفَلِهَا يَمُرُّونَ بِالْمَاءِ عَلَى الَّذِينَ فِي أَعْلاَهَا فَتَأَذَّوْا بِهِ فَأَخَذَ فَأْسًا فَجَعَلَ يَنْقُرُ أَسْفَلَ السَّفِينَةِ فَأَتَوْهُ فَقَالُوا مَا لَكَ قَالَ تَأَذَّيْتُمْ بِي وَلاَ بُدَّ لِي مِنَ الْمَاءِ فَإِنْ أَخَذُوا عَلَى يَدَيْهِ أَنْجَوْهُ وَنَجَّوْا أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَإِنْ تَرَكُوهُ أَهْلَكُوهُ وَأَهْلَكُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ  

tirmidhi:2173Aḥmad b. Manīʿ > Abū Muʿāwiyah > al-Aʿmash > al-Shaʿbī > al-Nuʿmān b. Bashīr

"The parable of the one who upholds Allah's laws and the one who breaches them, is that of a people who drew lots on a ship at sea. Some of them got the upper part, and some of them the lower part. Those on the lower part ascended to get water, spilling it upon those upper part. So those in the upper part say: 'We will not leave you to come up here and bother us.' Then those on the lower part say: 'We should make a hole in the lower part, so we can get water.' If they take them by the hand and stop them, then they will save all of them, and if they leave them, they will all drown."'  

Abū ʿĪsá said that this Ḥadīth is Ḥasan-Ṣaḥīḥ.
الترمذي:٢١٧٣حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَثَلُ الْقَائِمِ عَلَى حُدُودِ اللَّهِ وَالْمُدْهِنِ فِيهَا كَمَثَلِ قَوْمٍ اسْتَهَمُوا عَلَى سَفِينَةٍ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَعْلاَهَا وَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَسْفَلَهَا فَكَانَ الَّذِينَ فِي أَسْفَلِهَا يَصْعَدُونَ فَيَسْتَقُونَ الْمَاءَ فَيَصُبُّونَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ فِي أَعْلاَهَا فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ فِي أَعْلاَهَا لاَ نَدَعُكُمْ تَصْعَدُونَ فَتُؤْذُونَنَا فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ فِي أَسْفَلِهَا فَإِنَّا نَنْقُبُهَا مِنْ أَسْفَلِهَا فَنَسْتَقِي فَإِنْ أَخَذُوا عَلَى أَيْدِيهِمْ فَمَنَعُوهُمْ نَجَوْا جَمِيعًا وَإِنْ تَرَكُوهُمْ غَرِقُوا جَمِيعًا  

قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ
ahmad:18370Yaḥyá b. Saʿīd > Zakariyyā > ʿĀmir > al-Nuʿmān b. Bashīr Yakhṭub > And ʾAwmaʾ Biʾuṣbuʿih > Udhunayh

[Machine] I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "The example of the one who upholds the limits of Allah and the one who transgresses them is like a people who boarded a ship. Some of them settled in the lower deck, and some settled in the upper deck. Whenever those in the lower deck needed water, they had to pass by those in the upper deck, so they troubled them by saying, 'If we drill a hole in our portion, we can have our water without troubling those on the upper deck.' If they left those on the upper deck and let them do as they pleased, all of them would drown. However, if they took hold of their hands, they would all be saved."  

أحمد:١٨٣٧٠حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ زَكَرِيَّا قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَامِرٌ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ يَخْطُبُ يَقُولُ وَأَوْمَأَ بِأُصْبُعِهِ إِلَى أُذُنَيْهِ

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ مَثَلُ الْقَائِمِ عَلَى حُدُودِ اللهِ وَالْوَاقِعِ فِيهَا الْمُدَّهِنِ فِيهَا مَثَلُ قَوْمٍ رَكِبُوا سَفِينَةً فَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَسْفَلَهَا وَأَوْعَرَهَا وَشَرَّهَا وَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَعْلَاهَا فَكَانَ الَّذِينَ فِي أَسْفَلِهَا إِذَا اسْتَقَوْا الْمَاءَ مَرُّوا عَلَى مَنْ فَوْقَهُمْ فَآذَوْهُمْ فَقَالُوا لَوْ خَرَقْنَا فِي نَصِيبِنَا خَرْقًا فَاسْتَقَيْنَا مِنْهُ وَلَمْ نُؤْذِ مَنْ فَوْقَنَا فَإِنْ تَرَكُوهُمْ وَأَمْرَهُمْ هَلَكُوا جَمِيعًا وَإِنْ أَخَذُوا عَلَى أَيْدِيهِمْ نَجَوْا جَمِيعًا  

ahmad:18379Isḥāq b. Yūsuf > Zakariyyā b. Abū Zāʾidah > al-Shaʿbī > al-Nuʿmān b. Bashīr

[Machine] Narrated by the Prophet ﷺ , the parable of the person who observes the limits set by Allah, the one who transgresses those limits, and the one who denigrates them is like a group of people who boarded a ship. Some of them occupied the upper deck, while others occupied the lower deck. When those in the lower deck needed water, they had to go up to get it, thus inconveniencing the people in the upper deck. They suggested to the people in the upper deck to allow them to make a hole in their own area so that they could have access to water without disturbing the people in the upper deck. If the people in the upper deck let them do so, then everyone on the ship would be harmed and eventually perish. However, if they prevented them from making the hole, then everyone would be saved.  

أحمد:١٨٣٧٩حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّا بْنُ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ مَثَلُ الْقَائِمِ عَلَى حُدُودِ اللهِ وَالرَّاتِعِ فِيهَا وَالْمُدَّهِنِ فِيهَا مَثَلُ قَوْمٍ اسْتَهَمُوا عَلَى سَفِينَةٍ فَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَعْلَاهَا وَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَسْفَلَهَا وَأَوْعَرَهَا وَإِذَا الَّذِينَ أَسْفَلَهَا إِذَا اسْتَقَوْا مِنَ الْمَاءِ مَرُّوا عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِمْ فَآذَوْهُمْ فَقَالُوا لَوْ أَنَّا خَرَقْنَا فِي نَصِيبِنَا خَرْقًا فَاسْتَقَيْنَا مِنْهُ وَلَمْ نَمُرَّ عَلَى أَصْحَابِنَا فَنُؤْذِيَهُمْ فَإِنْتَرَكُوهُمْ وَمَا أَرَادُوا هَلَكُوا وَإِنْ أَخَذُوا عَلَى أَيْدِيهِمْ نَجَوْا جَمِيعًا  

bayhaqi:20188Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ And ʾAbū Zakariyyā b. Abū Isḥāq al-Muzakkī > Abū ʿAbdullāh Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb > Abū Aḥmad Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-Wahhāb > Jaʿfar b. ʿAwn > al-Aʿmash > al-Shaʿbī > al-Nuʿmān b. Bashīr

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: The example of those who abide by the limits set by Allah and those who transgress them is like the people who boarded a ship. Some of them settled in the upper deck, while others settled in the lower deck. When the people in the lower deck needed water, they had to pass by the people in the upper deck, and they would bother them. So the people in the upper deck told them: "You have bothered us by passing by and causing us harm." Then the people in the lower deck took an axe and started to make a hole in the ship. The people in the upper deck asked them: "What are you doing?" If you leave them and let them do as they please, they will cause the destruction of all of us. But if you hold them back, we will all be saved.  

البيهقي:٢٠١٨٨أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ وَأَبُو زَكَرِيَّا بْنُ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ الْمُزَكِّي قَالَا أنبأ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ ثنا أَبُو أَحْمَدَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ أنبأ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ عَوْنٍ أنبأ الْأَعْمَشُ عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَثَلُ الْوَاقِعِ فِي حُدُودِ اللهِ وَالْمُدَاهِنِ فِيهَا كَمَثَلِ قَوْمٍ اسْتَهَمُوا عَلَى سَفِينَةٍ فَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ سُفْلًا وَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ عُلْوًا فَكَانَ الَّذِينَ فِي السُّفْلِ يَسْتَقُونَ مِنَ الْعُلُوِّ فَيَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَيُؤْذُونَهُمْ فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ فِي الْعُلُوِّ قَدْ آذَيتُمُونَا تَصُبُّونَ عَلَيْنَا الْمَاءَ قَالَ فَأَخَذُوا فَأْسًا يَعْنِي الَّذِينَ فِي السُّفْلِ فَجَعَلُوا يَحْفِرُونَ فِي السَّفِينَةِ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ الَّذِينَ فِي الْعُلُوِّ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ؟ فَإِنْ تَرَكُوهُمْ وَمَا يُرِيدُونَ هَلَكُوا جَمِيعًا وَإِنْ أَخَذُوا عَلَى أَيْدِيهِمْ نَجَوْا جَمِيعًا  

أَخْرَجَهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ فِي الصَّحِيحِ مِنْ حَدِيثِ الْأَعْمَشِ
bayhaqi:21410[Chain 1] Abū Ṭāhir al-Faqīh > Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad b. Aḥmad b. Saʿīd al-Rāzī > Muḥammad b. Muslim b. Wārah > Abū Nuʿaym [Chain 2] Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ > Abū Manṣūr Muḥammad b. al-Qāsim al-ʿAtakī > Aḥmad b. Naṣr > Abū Nuʿaym > Zakariyyā > ʿĀmir > al-Nuʿmān b. Bashīr

The Prophet ﷺ said, "The example of the person abiding by Allah's order and restrictions in comparison to those who violate them is like the example of those persons who drew lots for their seats in a boat. Some of them got seats in the upper part, and the others in the lower. When the latter needed water, they had to go up to bring water (and that troubled the others), so they said, 'Let us make a hole in our share of the ship (and get water) saving those who are above us from troubling them. So, if the people in the upper part left the others do what they had suggested, all the people of the ship would be destroyed, but if they prevented them, both parties would be safe." (Using translation from Bukhārī 2493)   

البيهقي:٢١٤١٠أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو طَاهِرٍ الْفَقِيهُ أنبأ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الرَّازِيُّ ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ وَارَةَ ثنا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ ح وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ أنبأ أَبُو مَنْصُورٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ الْعَتَكِيُّ أنبأ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ ثنا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ ثنا زَكَرِيَّا قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَامِرًا يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ يَقُولُ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَثَلُ الْقَائِمِ عَلَى حُدُودِ اللهِ وَالْوَاقِعِ فِيهَا كَمَثَلِ قَوْمٍ اسْتَهَمُوا عَلَى سَفِينَةٍ فَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَعْلَاهَا وَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَسْفَلَهَا فَكَانَ الَّذِينَ فِي أَسْفَلِهَا إِذَا اسْتَقَوْا مِنَ الْمَاءِ فَمَرُّوا عَلَى مَنْ فَوْقَهُمْ آذَوْهُمْ فَقَالُوا لَوْ أَنَّا خَرَقْنَا فِي نَصِيبِنَا خَرْقًا فَاسْتَقَيْنَا مِنْهُ وَلَمْ نُؤْذِ مَنْ فَوْقَنَا فَإِنْ تَرَكُوهُمْ وَمَا أَرَادُوا هَلَكُوا جَمِيعًا وَإِنْ أَخَذُوا عَلَى أَيْدِيهِمْ نَجَوْا جَمِيعًا  

رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ أَبِي نُعَيْمٍ
suyuti:19827a
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السيوطي:١٩٨٢٧a

"مَثَلُ الْقَائِم عَلَى حُدُودِ اللهِ، والْمُدهِنِ فيهَا، كَمثَلِ قَوْم اسْتَهمُوا عَلَى سَفِينَة فِي الْبَحْرِ فَأصَابَ بَعْضُهُم أَعْلاهَا، وَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُم أَسْفَلَهَا، فَكَانَ الَّذِين فِي أَسْفلِهَا إِذَا اسْتَقَوْا مِنَ الْماءِ مَرُّوا عَلَى مَنْ فوْقَهُمْ. فقَال الَّذِين فِي أَعْلاهَا لَا نَدعكُمْ تَصْعدُونَ (*) فَتُؤْذُونَا! ! فَقَالُوا: لَوْ أنّا خَرَقْنَا فِي نَصِيبِنَا خَرْقًا وَلَمْ نُؤْذِ مَنْ فَوْقَنَا؟ فَإِنْ يَتْرُكُوهُمْ وَما أَرَادُوا هَلَكُوا جَمِيعًا، وإنْ أَخَذُوا عَلَى أَيدِيهِمْ نَجَوْا وَنجَوْا جَمِيعًا".  

[حم] أحمد [خ] البخاري [ت] الترمذي عن النعمان بن بشير