Hadith 47

Sahih Bukhari

Book 52: Witnesses

Chapter 30

Drawing lots to solve problems

بَابُ الْقُرْعَةِ فِي الْمُشْكِلاَتِ

And the Statement of Allah جل جلاله: "...When they cast lots with their pens as to which of them should be charged with the care of Maryam (Mary)..." (V.3:44) Ibn 'Abbas (explaining the Verse) said, "They drew lots (by throwing their pens in the river); the pens went along the stream except Zakariyya's pen which stood stationary against the flow of the stream, and so Zakariyya was charged with the care of Maryam." Allah also said, "Fasahama! He (Prophet Jonah عليه السلام) (agreed to) cast lots, and he was among the losers," means, "the lot fell on him." (V.37:141) Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه, "The Prophet ﷺ ordered some people to take an oath, and all of them hurried to take it, but he ordered that lots be cast as to which of them should take the oath (first)."
وَقَوْلِهِ: {إِذْ يُلْقُونَ أَقْلاَمَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يَكْفُلُ مَرْيَمَ}. وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ اقْتَرَعُوا فَجَرَتِ الأَقْلاَمُ مَعَ الْجِرْيَةِ، وَعَالَى قَلَمُ زَكَرِيَّاءَ الْجِرْيَةَ، فَكَفَلَهَا زَكَرِيَّاءُ. وَقَوْلِهِ: {فَسَاهَمَ} أَقْرَعَ {فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُدْحَضِينَ} مِنَ الْمَسْهُومِينَ. وَقَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ عَرَضَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى قَوْمٍ الْيَمِينَ، فَأَسْرَعُوا، فَأَمَرَ أَنْ يُسْهِمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يَحْلِفُ.
Surah 3:44Surah 37:141
Sahih al-Bukhari 2686
حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ حَفْصِ بْنِ غِيَاثٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الشَّعْبِيُّ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ يَقُولُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏‏.‏
"‏ 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 ‏"
An-Nu`man bin Bashir:

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."

Chain of Narrators

companion
1

al-Nu'man bin Bashir ibn Sa'd

النعمان بن بشير

114 narrations

follower
2

'Amir al-Sha'bi

عامر الشعبي

514 narrations

follower
3

Sulaiman al-A'mash

الأعمش / سليمان بن مهران

1,550 narrations

successor
4

Hafs bin Ghyath

حفص بن غياث

245 narrations

3rd Generation
5

'Umar bin Hafs bin Ghyath

عمر بن حفص بن غياث

119 narrations