Hadith 50

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 2689
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ سُمَىٍّ، مَوْلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ ‏‏.‏
"‏ لَوْ يَعْلَمُ النَّاسُ مَا فِي النِّدَاءِ وَالصَّفِّ الأَوَّلِ، ثُمَّ لَمْ يَجِدُوا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَسْتَهِمُوا عَلَيْهِ لاَسْتَهَمُوا، وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِي التَّهْجِيرِ لاَسْتَبَقُوا إِلَيْهِ، وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُونَ مَا فِي الْعَتَمَةِ وَالصُّبْحِ لأَتَوْهُمَا وَلَوْ حَبْوًا ‏"
Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "If the people knew what is the reward of making the call (for the prayer) and (of being in) the first row (in the prayer), and if they found no other way to get this privilege except by casting lots, they would certainly cast lots for it. If they knew the reward of the noon prayer, they would race for it, and if they knew the reward of the morning (i.e. Fajr) and `Isha prayers, they would present themselves for the prayer even if they had to crawl to reach there.

Chain of Narrators

companion
1

Abu Hurairah -

أبو هريرة عبد الرحمن بن صخر الدوسي

4,186 narrations

follower
2

Dhakwan Abu Salah al-Saman al-Ziyat

ذكوان أبو صالح السمان الزيات

601 narrations

successor
3

Imam Maalik

مالك بن أنس بن مالك بن أبي عامر

1,491 narrations

3rd Generation
4

Isma'il bin 'Abdullah bin 'Abdullah

إسماعيل بن عبد الله بن عبد الله بن أويس

224 narrations