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.
muslim:1201dIbn Numayr from my father > Sayf > Mujāhid > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Laylá > Kaʿb b. ʿUjrah

Do these vermins trouble you? I said: Yes. Thereupon he said: Then shave your head; and it was in connection with me that this verse was revealed:" Whoever among you is sick or has an ailment of the head, he (may effect) a compensation by fasting or alms or a sacrifice". He (the Holy Prophet, therefore) said to me: Observe fast for three days or give a quantity of alms enough to feed six needy persons or offer sacrifice (of an animal) that is available.  

مسلم:١٢٠١dوَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي حَدَّثَنَا سَيْفٌ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُجَاهِدًا يَقُولُ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي لَيْلَى حَدَّثَنِي كَعْبُ بْنُ عُجْرَةَ ؓ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَقَفَ عَلَيْهِ وَرَأْسُهُ يَتَهَافَتُ قَمْلاً فَقَالَ أَيُؤْذِيكَ هَوَامُّكَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَاحْلِقْ رَأْسَكَ قَالَ فَفِيَّ نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ { فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِ أَذًى مِنْ رَأْسِهِ فَفِدْيَةٌ مِنْ صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍ} فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صُمْ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ أَوْ تَصَدَّقْ بِفَرَقٍ بَيْنَ سِتَّةِ مَسَاكِينَ أَوِ انْسُكْ مَا تَيَسَّرَ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Aḥmad, Ṭabarānī, Nasāʾī's Kubrá
bukhari:1815Abū Nuʿaym > Sayf > Mujāhid > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Laylá > Kaʿb b. ʿUjrah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood beside me at Al-Hudaibiya and the lice were falling from my head in great number. He asked me, "Have your lice troubled you?" I replied in the affirmative. He ordered me to get my head shaved. Kaʿb added, "This Holy Verse:--'And if any of you is ill, or has ailment in his scalp (2.196), etc. was revealed regarding me. "The Prophet ﷺ then ordered me either to fast three days, or to feed six poor persons with one Faraq (three Sas) (of dates), or to slaughter a sheep, etc. (sacrifice) whatever was available.  

البخاري:١٨١٥حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ حَدَّثَنَا سَيْفٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُجَاهِدٌ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَبِي لَيْلَى أَنَّ كَعْبَ بْنَ عُجْرَةَ حَدَّثَهُ

قَالَ وَقَفَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِالْحُدَيْبِيَةِ وَرَأْسِي يَتَهَافَتُ قَمْلاً فَقَالَ يُؤْذِيكَ هَوَامُّكَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَاحْلِقْ رَأْسَكَ أَوْ قَالَ احْلِقْ قَالَ فِيَّ نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ {فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِ أَذًى مِنْ رَأْسِهِ} إِلَى آخِرِهَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ صُمْ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ أَوْ تَصَدَّقْ بِفَرَقٍ بَيْنَ سِتَّةٍ أَوِ انْسُكْ بِمَا تَيَسَّرَ  

bukhari:4191Muḥammad b. Hishām Abū ʿAbdullāh > Hushaym > Abū Bishr > Mujāhid > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Laylá > Kaʿb b. ʿUjrah

We were in the company of Messenger of Allah ﷺ at Al-Hudaibiya in the state of Ihram and the pagans did not allow us to proceed (to the Kaʿba). I had thick hair and lice started falling on my face. The Prophet ﷺ passed by me and said, "Are the lice of your head troubling you?" I replied, Yes." (The sub-narrator added, "Then the following Divine Verse was revealed:-- "And if anyone of you is ill or has an ailment in his scalp, (necessitating shaving) must pay a ransom (Fida) of either fasting or feeding the poor, Or offering a sacrifice." (2.196)  

البخاري:٤١٩١حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى عَنْ كَعْبِ بْنِ عُجْرَةَ قَالَ

كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِالْحُدَيْبِيَةِ وَنَحْنُ مُحْرِمُونَ وَقَدْ حَصَرَنَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ قَالَ وَكَانَتْ لِي وَفْرَةٌ فَجَعَلَتِ الْهَوَامُّ تَسَّاقَطُ عَلَى وَجْهِي فَمَرَّ بِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَالَ أَيُؤْذِيكَ هَوَامُّ رَأْسِكَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ وَأُنْزِلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ {فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِ أَذًى مِنْ رَأْسِهِ فَفِدْيَةٌ مِنْ صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍ}  

muslim:1201cMuḥammad b. al-Muthanná > Ibn Abū ʿAdī > Ibn ʿAwn > Mujāhid > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Laylá > Kaʿb b. ʿUjrah

It was I for whom this verse was revealed (to the Holy Prophet):" Whoever among you is sick or has an ail- ment of the head, he (may effect) a compensation by lasting or alms or a sacrifice" He said: I came to him (the Holy Prophet) and he said: Come Dear. So I went near. He (again) said: Come near. So I went near. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Do the vermins trouble you? Ibn Aun (one of the narrators) said: I think he (Ka'b b. Ujra) replied in the affirmative. He (the Holy Prophet) then commanded to do compensation by fasting or by giving sadaqa (feeding six needy persons) or by sacrifice (of a animal) that is available.  

مسلم:١٢٠١cوَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ عَنِ ابْنِ عَوْنٍ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى عَنْ كَعْبِ بْنِ عُجْرَةَ ؓ قَالَ

فِيَّ أُنْزِلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ { فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِ أَذًى مِنْ رَأْسِهِ فَفِدْيَةٌ مِنْ صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍ} قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَقَالَ ادْنُهْ فَدَنَوْتُ فَقَالَ ادْنُهْ فَدَنَوْتُ فَقَالَ ﷺ أَيُؤْذِيكَ هَوَامُّكَ قَالَ ابْنُ عَوْنٍ وَأَظُنُّهُ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَأَمَرَنِي بِفِدْيَةٍ مِنْ صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍ مَا تَيَسَّرَ  

ahmad:18128Yaḥyá > Sayf > Mujāhid > Ibn Abū Laylá > Kaʿb b. ʿUjrah

[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ stopped at Al-Hudaybiyah, and as he did, lice were crawling on his head. He asked, "Do your lice harm you?" I replied, "Yes." He then said, "Shave your head." In the Quran, Allah said, "And whoever among you is ill or has an ailment of the head, then a ransom of fasting [three days], or charity or sacrifice [is required]" (2:196). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded me to observe fasting for three days, or give charity, or make a sacrifice according to my capability.  

أحمد:١٨١٢٨حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى عَنْ سَيْفٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُجَاهِدًا يَقُولُ حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ أَبِي لَيْلَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي كَعْبُ بْنُ عُجْرَةَ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَقَفَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْحُدَيْبِيَةِ قَالَ وَرَأْسُهُ يَتَهَافَتُ قَمْلًا قَالَ أَيُؤْذِيكَ هَوَامُّكَ ؟ قَالَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَاحْلِقْ رَأْسَكَ قَالَ فِيَّ نَزَلَتْ {فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِ أَذًى مِنْ رَأْسِهِ فَفِدْيَةٌ مِنْ صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍ} [البقرة 196] قَالَ فَأَمَرَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ صُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ أَوْ تَصَدَّقْ بِفِرْقٍ بَيْنَ سِتَّةٍ أَوْ بِنُسُكٍ مَا تَيَسَّرَ  

tabarani:16344ʿAbdullāh b. Muḥammad b. Saʿīd b. Abū Maryam > Muḥammad b. Yūsuf al-Firyābī > Sufyān > Ayyūb > Mujāhid > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Laylá > Kaʿb b. ʿUjrah

[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ passed by a man who was lighting a fire under a cooking pot. The Prophet asked him, "Has your brain (i.e. mind) ordered you to do this?" The Prophet then ordered him to shave his hair and fast for three days, or to feed six poor people, or to sacrifice an animal. Sufyan said, "This verse was revealed: 'So whoever among you is ill or has an ailment of the head.'"  

الطبراني:١٦٣٤٤حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ الْفِرْيَابِيُّ ثنا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى عَنْ كَعْبِ بْنِ عُجْرَةَ قَالَ

مَرَّ بِهِ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَهُوَ يُوقِدُ تَحْتَ قِدْرٍ فَقَالَ «آذَتْكَ هَوَامُّ رَأْسِكَ؟» فَأَمَرَهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَنْ يَحْلِقَ وَيَصُومَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ أَوْ يُطْعِمَ فَرَقًا بَيْنَ سِتَّةِ مَسَاكِينٍ أَوْ يَنْسُكَ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ فَنَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ {فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِ أَذًى مِنْ رَأْسِهِ}  

tabarani:16369ʿAbdān b. Aḥmad > ʿUbaydullāh b. Saʿīd from my uncle from my father > Muḥammad b. Isḥāq > Abān b. Ṣāliḥ > al-Ḥakam b. ʿUtaybah > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Laylá > Kaʿb b. ʿUjrah al-Anṣārī Thum Aḥad Banī Sālim

[Machine] I experienced a headache while I was with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the year of Hudaybiyah, to the point where I became worried about my eyesight. Then Allah revealed: "So whoever among you is ill or has an ailment of the head [making shaving necessary must offer] a ransom of fasting [three days] or charity or sacrifice." So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called me and said, "Shave your head and fast for three days, or feed six poor people with raisins or sacrifice a sheep." So I shaved my head and remained silent.  

الطبراني:١٦٣٦٩حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَانُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ ثنا عُبَيْدُ اللهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ ثنا عَمِّي ثنا أَبِي عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبَانُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ عَنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ عُتَيْبَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى عَنْ كَعْبِ بْنِ عُجْرَةَ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ ثُمَّ أَحَدِ بَنِي سَالِمٍ قَالَ

أَصَابَنِي هَوَامٌّ فِي رَأْسِي وَأَنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ عَامَ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ حَتَّى تَخَوَّفْتُ عَلَى بَصَرِي فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ {فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِ أَذًى مِنْ رَأْسِهِ فَفِدْيَةٌ مِنْ صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍ} فَدَعَانِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ «احْلِقْ رَأْسَكَ وَصُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ أَوْ أَطْعِمْ سِتَّةَ مَسَاكِينٍ فَرَقًا مِنْ زَبِيبٍ أَوِ انْسُكْ شَاةً» فَحَلَقْتُ رَأْسِي ثُمَّ نَسَكْتُ  

tabarani:16411Muʿādh b. al-Muthanná > Musaddad > Abū ʿAwānah > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. al-Aṣbahānī > ʿAbdullāh b. Maʿqil

[Machine] In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The verse "So whoever among you is ill or has harm (in his hair) from the head must ransom (the fasting) by feeding the poor or offering a sacrifice or giving charity" was revealed. I asked, "What happened to you?" He said, "We went out with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in a state of ihram, and lice infested my head, beard, and mustache, until it reached my eyebrows. This was mentioned to the Prophet ﷺ, so he said, 'I did not think that it would be difficult for you, so call the barber.' He called the barber and had his head shaved. Then he asked, 'Do you have anything to offer as ransom?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'Then fast for three days or feed six poor people, giving each poor person half a sa' of food.' This verse was revealed specifically for me, but it is general for all people."  

الطبراني:١٦٤١١حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى ثنا مُسَدَّدٌ ثنا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْأَصْبَهَانِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَعْقِلٍ قَالَ كُنَّا جُلُوسًا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَجَلَسَ إِلَيْنَا كَعْبُ بْنُ عُجْرَةَ فَقَالَ

فِيَّ نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ {فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِ أَذًى مِنْ رَأْسِهِ فَفِدْيَةٌ مِنْ صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍ} قُلْتُ كَيْفَ كَانَ شَأْنُكَ؟ قَالَ خَرَجْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَنَحْنُ مُحْرِمُونَ فَوَقَعَ الْقَمْلُ فِي رَأْسِي وَلِحْيَتِي وَشَارِبِي حَتَّى وَقَعَ فِي حَاجِبَيَّ فَذُكِرَ ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ «مَا كُنْتُ أَرَى بَلَغَ بِكَ هَذَا ادْعُ الْحَلَّاقَ» فَدَعَا الْحَلَّاقَ فَحَلَقَ رَأْسَهُ فَقَالَ «هَلْ تَجِدُ نَسِيكَةً؟» قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ «فَصُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ أَوْ أَطْعِمْ سِتَّةَ مَسَاكِينٍ بَيْنَ كُلِّ مِسْكِينَيْنِ صَاعٌ» فَنَزَلَتْ فِيَّ خَاصَّةً وَلِلنَّاسِ عَامَّةً  

tabarani:16460ʿAbdān b. Aḥmad

[Machine] I heard a buzzing sound in my head, so I went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked him about it. Allah ﷻ revealed the verse, "So whoever of you is ill or has an ailment on his scalp [necessitating shaving], then [he should offer] compensation [for fasting] or charity or sacrifice." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ called me and said, "Do you have the means to divide it among six poor people?" And the division is three sa's. "Or, [can you feed] a sheep or fast for three days?" So I said, "O Messenger of Allah, choose for me." He said, "Feed six poor people."  

الطبراني:١٦٤٦٠حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَانُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ ثنا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ زَكَرِيَّا الْكُوفِيُّ ثنا عَبْدُ الرَّحِيمِ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ الْعَرْزَمِيِّ عَنْ عَطَاءٍ عَنْ كَعْبِ بْنِ عُجْرَة قَالَ

آذَانِي هَوَامُّ رَأْسِي فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ {فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِ أَذًى مِنْ رَأْسِهِ فَفِدْيَةٌ مِنْ صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍ} فَدَعَانِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ «هَلْ عِنْدَكَ فَرَقٌ تَقْسِمُهُ بَيْنَ سِتَّةِ مَسَاكِينٍ» وَالْفَرَقُ ثَلَاثَةُ آصُعٍ «أَوْ نُسُكُ شَاةٍ أَوْ تَصُومُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ؟» فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ خِرْ لِي قَالَ «أَطْعِمْ سِتَّةَ مَسَاكِينٍ»  

nasai-kubra:4097Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-Aʿlá > Muʿtamir > Sayf a man from Ahl Makkah > Mujāhid > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Laylá > Kaʿb

Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood beside me at Al-Hudaibiya and the lice were falling from my head in great number. He asked me, "Have your lice troubled you?" I replied in the affirmative. He ordered me to get my head shaved. Kaʿb added, "This Holy Verse:--'And if any of you is ill, or has ailment in his scalp (2.196), etc. was revealed regarding me. "The Prophet ﷺ then ordered me either to fast three days, or to feed six poor persons with one Faraq (three Sas) (of dates), or to slaughter a sheep, etc. (sacrifice) whatever was available. (Using translation from Bukhārī 1815)   

الكبرى للنسائي:٤٠٩٧أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْأَعْلَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُعْتَمِرٌ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سَيْفًا رَجُلًا مِنْ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى أَنَّ كَعْبًا حَدَّثَهُ

قَالَ وَقَفَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بِالْحُدَيْبِيَةِ وَرَأْسِي يَتَهَافَتُ قَمْلًا فَقَالَ «أَتُؤْذِيكَ هَوَامُّكَ؟» قُلْتُ نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ قَالَ «فَاحْلِقْ رَأْسَكَ» وَأُنْزِلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ {فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ بِهِ أَذًى مِنْ رَأْسِهِ فَفِدْيَةٌ مِنْ صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍ} [البقرة 196] قَالَ فَأَمَرَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ صُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ أَوْ تَصَدَّقْ بِفَرَقٍ بَيْنَ سِتَّةٍ أَوْ شَاةٍ مَا تَيَسَّرَ قَالَ وَأَنْزِلَ اللهُ فِيهِ هَذَا