Distribution of Water: Hadith 546

Arabic Text

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَانُ، عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ شَقِيقٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ يَقْتَطِعُ بِهَا مَالَ امْرِئٍ، هُوَ عَلَيْهَا فَاجِرٌ، لَقِيَ اللَّهَ وَهْوَ عَلَيْهِ غَضْبَانُ‏"‏ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ‏{‏إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَشْتَرُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَأَيْمَانِهِمْ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً‏}‏ الآيَةَ‏.‏ فَجَاءَ الأَشْعَثُ فَقَالَ مَا حَدَّثَكُمْ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، فِيَّ أُنْزِلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ، كَانَتْ لِي بِئْرٌ فِي أَرْضِ ابْنِ عَمٍّ لِي فَقَالَ لِي ‏"‏ شُهُودَكَ ‏"‏‏.‏ قُلْتُ مَا لِي شُهُودٌ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَيَمِينَهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِذًا يَحْلِفَ‏.‏ فَذَكَرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ تَصْدِيقًا لَهُ‏.‏

English Translation

Narrated 'Abdullah (bin Mas'ud): The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a false oath to deprive somebody of his property will meet Allah while He will be angry with him." Allah revealed: 'Verily those who purchase a little gain at the cost of Allah's covenant, and their oaths.' ........(3.77) Al-Ash'ath came (to the place where 'Abdullah was narrating) and said, "What has Abu 'Abdur-Rahman (i.e. Abdullah) been telling you? This verse was revealed concerning me. I had a well in the land of a cousin of mine. The Prophet asked me to bring witnesses (to confirm my claim). I said, 'I don't have witnesses.' He said, 'Let the defendant take an oath then.' I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! He will take a (false) oath immediately.' Then the Prophet mentioned the above narration and Allah revealed the verse to confirm what he had said." (See Hadith No. 692)