The Book of Suckling — Hadith 3515

Arabic Text

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، وَأَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الزَّهْرَانِيُّ، قَالَ يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ، هَلَكَ وَتَرَكَ تِسْعَ بَنَاتٍ - أَوْ قَالَ سَبْعَ - فَتَزَوَّجْتُ امْرَأَةً ثَيِّبًا فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ يَا جَابِرُ تَزَوَّجْتَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَبِكْرٌ أَمْ ثَيِّبٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ قُلْتُ بَلْ ثَيِّبٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَهَلاَّ جَارِيَةً تُلاَعِبُهَا وَتُلاَعِبُكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ أَوْ قَالَ ‏"‏ تُضَاحِكُهَا وَتُضَاحِكُكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ هَلَكَ وَتَرَكَ تِسْعَ بَنَاتٍ - أَوْ سَبْعَ - وَإِنِّي كَرِهْتُ أَنْ آتِيَهُنَّ أَوْ أَجِيئَهُنَّ بِمِثْلِهِنَّ فَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَجِيءَ بِامْرَأَةٍ تَقُومُ عَلَيْهِنَّ وَتُصْلِحُهُنَّ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ أَوْ قَالَ لِي خَيْرًا وَفِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي الرَّبِيعِ ‏"‏ تُلاَعِبُهَا وَتُلاَعِبُكَ وَتُضَاحِكُهَا وَتُضَاحِكُكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

English Translation

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported: 'Abdullah died and he left (behind him) nine or seven daughters. I married a woman who had been previously married. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me: Jabir, have you married? I said: Yes. He (again) said: A virgin or one previously married? I said: Messenger of Allah, with one who was previously married, whereupon he said: Why didn't you marry a young girl so that you could sport with her and she could sport with you, or you could amuse with her and she could amuse with you? I said to him: 'Abdullah died (he fell as martyr in Uhud) and left nine or seven daughters behind him; I, therefore, did not approve of the idea that I should bring a (girl) like them, but I preferred to bring a woman who should look after them and teach them good manners, whereupon he (Allah's Messenger) said: May Allah bless you, or he supplicated (for the) good (to be) conferred on me (by Allah).