Hadith #587

Arabic Text

English Translation

Yazīd ibn Hārūn narrated to us, he said: Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq informed us, from Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr ibn ʿAṭāʾ, from Sulaymān ibn Yasār, from Salamah ibn Ṣakhr al-Anṣārī who said: I was a man who had been given more desire for women than others. When Ramaḍān entered, I performed ẓihār from my wife until Ramaḍān would end, fearing that I might touch her at night and then be unable to stop until daylight overtook me. While she was serving me, something of her became uncovered, and I leapt upon her. When morning came, I went to my people and told them my story. I said: 'Come with me to the Prophet ﷺ so I can tell him my case.' They said: 'No, by Allāh! We fear that Qurʾān might be revealed about us, or the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ might say something about us whose shame would remain with us. But go yourself and do as you wish.' So I went out and came to the Prophet ﷺ and told him. He said: 'You did that?' I said: 'I did that.' He said: 'You did that?' I said: 'I did that.' He said: 'You did that?' I said: 'Yes, here I am. Execute Allāh's judgment upon me, for I am patient for it.' He said: 'Free a slave.' I struck the side of my neck with my hand and said: 'By the One who sent you with the truth, I own nothing but this neck of mine.' He said: 'Then fast two consecutive months.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allāh, did what befell me befall me except because of fasting?' He said: 'Then give charity.' I said: 'By the One who sent you with the truth, we spent last night hungry with nothing for dinner.' He said: 'Go to the collector of charity of Banū Zurayq and tell him to give it to you. Feed sixty poor people a wasq of dates on your behalf, then use the remainder for yourself and your family.' I returned to my people and said: 'With you I found narrowness and poor counsel, but with the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ I found generosity and blessing. He has ordered that your charity be given to me, so hand it over to me.' So they handed it over.