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:8280ʿAlī b. Ḥafṣ > And Rqāʾ > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "While two women were with their two sons, a wolf came and took one of the sons. They then went to Dawud (David) for judgment, and he ruled in favor of the elder woman. So they went to Sulayman (Solomon), and he said, 'Bring me a knife. I will cut the child into two and give each woman half.' The younger woman said, 'May Allah have mercy on you! He is her child, do not kill him!' So Sulayman ruled in favor of the younger woman." Abu Hurairah said, "By Allah, we only knew what a knife was on that day, and we used to call it a 'mudiyah'."  

أحمد:٨٢٨٠حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حَفْصٍ أَخْبَرَنَا وَرْقَاءُ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بَيْنَمَا امْرَأَتَانِ مَعَهُمَا ابْنَانِ لَهُمَا جَاءَ الذِّئْبُ فَأَخَذَ أَحَدَ الِابْنَيْنِ فَتَحَاكَمَتَا إِلَىدَاوُدَ فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلْكُبْرَى فَخَرَجَتَا فَدَعَاهُمَا سُلَيْمَانُ فَقَالَ هَاتُوا السِّكِّينَ أَشُقُّهُ بَيْنَهُمَا فَقَالَتِ الصُّغْرَى يَرْحَمُكَ اللهُ هُوَ ابْنُهَا لَا تَشُقَّهُ فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلصُّغْرَى قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَاللهِ إِنْ عَلِمْنَا مَا السِّكِّينُ إِلَّا يَوْمَئِذٍ وَمَا كُنَّا نَقُولُ إِلَّا الْمُدْيَةَ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Nasāʾī, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Bayhaqī, Suyūṭī
bukhari:3426Abū al-Yamān > Shuʿayb > Abū al-Zinād > ʿAbd al-Raḥman > Abū Hurayrah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "My example and the example o the people is like that of a person who lit a fire and let the moths, butterflies and these insects fall in it." He also said, "There were two women, each of whom had a child with her. A wolf came and took away the child of one of them, whereupon the other said, 'It has taken your child.' The first said, 'But it has taken your child.' So they both carried the case before David who judged that the living child be given to the elder lady. So both of them went to Solomon bin David and informed him (of the case). He said, 'Bring me a knife so as to cut the child into two pieces and distribute it between them.' The younger lady said, 'May Allah be merciful to you! Don't do that, for it is her (i.e. the other lady's) child.' So he gave the child to the younger lady."  

البخاري:٣٤٢٦حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ النَّاسِ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ اسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَجَعَلَ الْفَرَاشُ وَهَذِهِ الدَّوَابُّ تَقَعُ فِي النَّارِ وَقَالَ كَانَتِ امْرَأَتَانِ مَعَهُمَا ابْنَاهُمَا جَاءَ الذِّئْبُ فَذَهَبَ بِابْنِ إِحْدَاهُمَا فَقَالَتْ صَاحِبَتُهَا إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ وَقَالَتِ الأُخْرَى إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ فَتَحَاكَمَتَا إِلَى دَاوُدَ فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلْكُبْرَى فَخَرَجَتَا عَلَى سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ فَأَخْبَرَتَاهُ فَقَالَ ائْتُونِي بِالسِّكِّينِ أَشُقُّهُ بَيْنَهُمَا فَقَالَتِ الصُّغْرَى لاَ تَفْعَلْ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ هُوَ ابْنُهَا فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلصُّغْرَى قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَاللَّهِ إِنْ سَمِعْتُ بِالسِّكِّينِ إِلاَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَمَا كُنَّا نَقُولُ إِلاَّ الْمُدْيَةُ  

bukhari:6769Abū al-Yamān > Shuʿayb > Abū al-Zinād > ʿAbd al-Raḥman > Abū Hurayrah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "There were two women with whom there were their two sons. A wolf came and took away the son of one of them. That lady said to her companion, 'The wolf has taken your son.' The other said, 'But it has taken your son.' So both of them sought the judgment of (the Prophet) David who judged that the boy should be given to the older lady. Then both of them went to (the Prophet) Solomon, son of David and informed him of the case. Solomon said, 'Give me a knife so that I may cut the child into two portions and give one half to each of you.' The younger lady said, 'Do not do so; may Allah bless you ! He is her child.' On that, he gave the child to the younger lady." Abu Huraira added: By Allah! I had never heard the word 'Sakkin' as meaning knife, except on that day, for we used to call it "Mudya".  

البخاري:٦٧٦٩حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ كَانَتِ امْرَأَتَانِ مَعَهُمَا ابْنَاهُمَا جَاءَ الذِّئْبُ فَذَهَبَ بِابْنِ إِحْدَاهُمَا فَقَالَتْ لِصَاحِبَتِهَا إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ وَقَالَتِ الأُخْرَى إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ فَتَحَاكَمَتَا إِلَى دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلْكُبْرَى فَخَرَجَتَا عَلَى سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ فَأَخْبَرَتَاهُ فَقَالَ ائْتُونِي بِالسِّكِّينِ أَشُقُّهُ بَيْنَهُمَا فَقَالَتِ الصُّغْرَى لاَ تَفْعَلْ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ هُوَ ابْنُهَا فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلصُّغْرَى قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَاللَّهِ إِنْ سَمِعْتُ بِالسِّكِّينِ قَطُّ إِلاَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَمَا كُنَّا نَقُولُ إِلاَّ الْمُدْيَةَ  

muslim:1720aZuhayr b. Ḥarb > Shabābah > And Rqāʾ > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

While two women had been going along witn their two sons, a wolf came and made away with the child of one of them. One of them said to her companion: It is with your child that it (the wolf) has run away The other one said: It has run away with your child. They brought the matter to (Hadrat) Dawud (David) for decision and he made a decision in favour of the elder one. They then went to Sulaiman b. Dawud (may there be peace upon both of them) and told them (the story). He said: Bring me a knife so that I may cut him (the child) (into two parts) for you. The younger one said: No, it can't be, may Allah have mercy upon you, he (the child) belongs to her (the elder). So he gave a decision in favour of the younger one. abu Huraira said: If ever I heard of the word as-sikin at all, it was that day. We called it by no other name but al-Mudya.  

مسلم:١٧٢٠aحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ حَدَّثَنِي شَبَابَةُ حَدَّثَنِي وَرْقَاءُ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ بَيْنَمَا امْرَأَتَانِ مَعَهُمَا ابْنَاهُمَا جَاءَ الذِّئْبُ فَذَهَبَ بِابْنِ إِحْدَاهُمَا فَقَالَتْ هَذِهِ لِصَاحِبَتِهَا إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ أَنْتِ وَقَالَتِ الأُخْرَى إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ فَتَحَاكَمَتَا إِلَى دَاوُدَ فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلْكُبْرَى فَخَرَجَتَا عَلَى سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ فَأَخْبَرَتَاهُ فَقَالَ ائْتُونِي بِالسِّكِّينِ أَشُقُّهُ بَيْنَكُمَا فَقَالَتِ الصُّغْرَى لاَ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ هُوَ ابْنُهَا فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلصُّغْرَى قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَاللَّهِ إِنْ سَمِعْتُ بِالسِّكِّينِ قَطُّ إِلاَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ مَا كُنَّا نَقُولُ إِلاَّ الْمُدْيَةَ  

nasai:5402ʿImrān b. Bakkār b. Rāshid > ʿAlī b. ʿAyyāsh > Shuʿayb > Abū al-Zinād Mimmā > ʿAbd al-Raḥman al-Aʿraj Mimmā Dhakar > Abū Hurayrah > Bih

The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: "There were two woman who had two children, and the wolf came and took away the son of one of them. She said to her companion: 'It took away your son.' The other one said: 'No, it took away your son.' They referred the matter to Dawud, peace be upon him, for judgment (about the remaining child) and he ruled in favor of the older one. Then they went out to Sulaiman bin Dawud and told him (about that). He said: 'Give me a knife and I will cut him in half (to be shared) between you.' The younger one said: 'Do not do that, may Allah have mercy on you; he is her son.' So he ruled that (the child) belonged to the younger woman." Abu Hurairah said: "By Allah! I never heard 'Sikkin' used until that day. We would only say: 'Mudyah.'"  

النسائي:٥٤٠٢أَخْبَرَنَا عِمْرَانُ بْنُ بَكَّارِ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعَيْبٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الزِّنَادِ مِمَّا حَدَّثَهُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ الأَعْرَجُ مِمَّا ذَكَرَ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يُحَدِّثُ بِهِ

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ وَقَالَ بَيْنَمَا امْرَأَتَانِ مَعَهُمَا ابْنَاهُمَا جَاءَ الذِّئْبُ فَذَهَبَ بِابْنِ إِحْدَاهُمَا فَقَالَتْ هَذِهِ لِصَاحِبَتِهَا إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ وَقَالَتِ الأُخْرَى إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ فَتَحَاكَمَتَا إِلَى دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلْكُبْرَى فَخَرَجَتَا إِلَى سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ فَأَخْبَرَتَاهُ فَقَالَ ائْتُونِي بِالسِّكِّينِ أَشُقُّهُ بَيْنَهُمَا فَقَالَتِ الصُّغْرَى لاَ تَفْعَلْ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ هُوَ ابْنُهَا فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلصُّغْرَى قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَاللَّهِ مَا سَمِعْتُ بِالسِّكِّينِ قَطُّ إِلاَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ مَا كُنَّا نَقُولُ إِلاَّ الْمُدْيَةَ  

nasai-kubra:5921ʿImrān b. Bakkār al-Ḥimṣī > ʿAlī b. ʿAyyāsh Ḥimṣī > Shuʿayb > Abū al-Zinād Mimmā > ʿAbd al-Raḥman al-Aʿraj Mimmā Dhakar > Abū Hurayrah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "There were two women with whom there were their two sons. A wolf came and took away the son of one of them. That lady said to her companion, 'The wolf has taken your son.' The other said, 'But it has taken your son.' So both of them sought the judgment of (the Prophet) David who judged that the boy should be given to the older lady. Then both of them went to (the Prophet) Solomon, son of David and informed him of the case. Solomon said, 'Give me a knife so that I may cut the child into two portions and give one half to each of you.' The younger lady said, 'Do not do so; may Allah bless you ! He is her child.' On that, he gave the child to the younger lady." Abu Huraira added: By Allah! I had never heard the word 'Sakkin' as meaning knife, except on that day, for we used to call it "Mudya". (Using translation from Bukhārī 6769)  

الكبرى للنسائي:٥٩٢١أَخْبَرَنَا عِمْرَانُ بْنُ بَكَّارٍ الْحِمْصِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ حِمْصِيٌّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعَيْبٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الزِّنَادِ مِمَّا حَدَّثَهُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ الْأَعْرَجُ مِمَّا ذَكَرَ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ

يُحَدِّثُهُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ وَقَالَ بَيْنَمَا امْرَأَتَانِ مَعَهُمَا ابْنَاهُمَا جَاءَ الذِّئْبُ فَذَهَبَ بِابْنِ إِحْدَاهُمَا فَقَالَتْ هَذِهِ لِصَاحِبَتِهَا إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ وَقَالَتِ الْأُخْرَى إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ فَتَحَاكَمَتَا إِلَى دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَقَضَى لِلْكُبْرَى فَخَرَجَتَا عَلَى سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ فَأَخْبَرَتَاهُ فَقَالَ ائْتُونِي بِالسِّكِّينِ أَشُقُّهُ بَيْنَهُمَا فَقَالَتِ الصُّغْرَى لَا تَفْعَلْ يَرْحَمُكَ اللهُ هُوَ ابْنُهَا فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلصُّغْرَى قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَاللهِ إِنْ سَمِعْتُ بِالسِّكِّينِ قَطُّ إِلَّا يَوْمَئِذٍ وَمَا كُنَّا نَقُولُ إِلَّا الْمُدْيَةَ  

bayhaqi:21288Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ And ʾAbū ʿAbdullāh Isḥāq b. Muḥammad b. Yūsuf al-Sūsī Waʾabū Bakr Aḥmad b. al-Ḥasan al-Qāḍī > Abū al-ʿAbbās Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb > Muḥammad b. Khālid b. Khalī al-Ḥimṣī > Bishr b. Shuʿayb from his father > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah ؓ

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "My example and the example o the people is like that of a person who lit a fire and let the moths, butterflies and these insects fall in it." He also said, "There were two women, each of whom had a child with her. A wolf came and took away the child of one of them, whereupon the other said, 'It has taken your child.' The first said, 'But it has taken your child.' So they both carried the case before David who judged that the living child be given to the elder lady. So both of them went to Solomon bin David and informed him (of the case). He said, 'Bring me a knife so as to cut the child into two pieces and distribute it between them.' The younger lady said, 'May Allah be merciful to you! Don't do that, for it is her (i.e. the other lady's) child.' So he gave the child to the younger lady." (Using translation from Bukhārī 3426)   

البيهقي:٢١٢٨٨أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ وَأَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يُوسُفَ السُّوسِيُّ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْقَاضِي قَالُوا ثنا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ خَالِدِ بْنِ خَلِيٍّ الْحِمْصِيُّ ثنا بِشْرُ بْنُ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بَيْنَمَا امْرَأَتَانِ مَعَهُمَا ابْنَاهُمَا جَاءَ الذِّئْبُ فَذَهَبَ بِابْنِ إِحْدَاهُمَا فَقَالَتْ هَذِهِ لِصَاحِبَتِهَا إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ وَقَالَتِ الْأُخْرَى إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِكِ فَتَحَاكَمَتَا إِلَى دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلْكُبْرَى فَخَرَجَتَا عَلَى سُلَيْمَانَ بنِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَأَخْبَرَتَاهُ فَقَالَ ائْتُونِي بِالسِّكِّينِ أَشُقُّهُ بَيْنَهُمَا فَقَالَتِ الصُّغْرَى لَا تَفْعَلْ يَرْحَمُكَ اللهُ هُوَ ابْنُهَا فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلصُّغْرَى وَقَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ وَاللهِ إِنْ سَمِعْتُ بِالسِّكِّينِ قَطُّ إِلَّا يَوْمَئِذٍ وَمَا كُنَّا نَقُولُ إِلَّا الْمُدْيَةَ  

رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ أَبِي الْيَمَانِ عَنْ شُعَيْبٍ
suyuti:16627a
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السيوطي:١٦٦٢٧a

"كَانَتْ امرَأتَان، مَعَهُمَا أبْنَاهُمَا، جَاءَ الذئْبُ، فَذَهَبَ بِابْنِ إِحدَيهمَا، فَقَالتْ صَاحِبَتُهَا، إِنَّمَا ذَهَبَ بِابْنِك وقالت الأخرى: إنما ذهب بابنك، فتَحَاكما إِلَى دَاودَ فقضى به للكبرى، فخرجتا على سليمان بن داود، فأَخبَرتَاهُ، فقال: ائتُونِى بالسِّكِّينِ أشقُّه بَينهما، فقالت الصُّغَرى: لَا تَفعلَ -يَرحمُكَ الله- هوَ ابنها، فقضى به للصُّغرَى".  

[حم] أحمد [خ] البخاري [م] مسلم [ن] النسائي عن أبي هريرة
suyuti:651-165bAbiá Hurayrah > Qāl Rasūl
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السيوطي:٦٥١-١٦٥b

"عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ الله ﷺ بَيْنَمَا امْرَأَتَانِ نَائِمَتَانِ مَعَهُمَا ولَدَانِ لَهُمَا عَدَا الذِّئبُ عَلَيْهِمَا فَأَخَذَ وَلَدَ إِحْدَاهُمَا فاختصمتا إلى دَاوُدَ في البَاقِى فَقَضَى به لِلكُبْرَى مِنْهُمَا فَخَرجَتْ فَلَقيَهُمَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ فَقَالَ: مَا قَضى بِهِ الْمَلِكُ بَيْنَكُمَا؟ قَالتِ الصُّغْرى: فَقَضَى بِهِ لِلكُبْرى (*)، فَقَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ: هَاتُوا السكينَ فأشقه بَيْنَكُمَا، قَالَتِ الصُّغْرىَ: هُوَ لِلْكُبْرى دَعْهُ لَهَا، فَقَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ: هُوَ لَكِ خذيه -يَعْنِى للصغرى، حِينَ رَأَى رَحْمَتَهَا لَهُ قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ: وَمَا سَمِعْتُ بِالسِّكِّينِ قَطُّ إِلَّا يَوْمَئِذٍ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ ومَا كُنَّا نُسَمِّيهَا إلَّا المُدْية".  

[عب] عبد الرازق