Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (6/165)

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him, “Indeed, he lied to you, and he will return.” That is, he told him something false.

Abu Hurayrah said: “So I lay in wait for him on the second night. He returned, and Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, seized him and said, ‘I shall bring you before the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.’ He swore to him that he would not return.” Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, informed the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, of what had happened on the second night, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him, “What did your captive do last night?” Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, told him that he had set him free, so the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Indeed, he lied to you, and he will return.”

On the third night, he returned, and Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, seized him. He swore to him that he would not return, but Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, insisted on bringing him before the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. So he said to him, “Shall I direct you to something that will protect you?” Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, replied, “Yes.” He said, “Recite Ayat al-Kursi every night, for a guardian from Allah will remain over you, and no devil will come near you until morning.” Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, informed the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, of this, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “He told you the truth, though he is a habitual liar.” (1)

This hadith shows that a habitual liar may at times speak the truth, and that an enemy may offer advice. Yet Satan’s advice in this case was not genuine advice; rather, he offered it out of fear that his matter would be brought before the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

The point of relevance is that the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, approved this action of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, and deemed it sufficient, despite the fact that

(1) Reported by al-Bukhari in the Book of Agency, in the chapter “If one appoints a man as an agent ...” (2311), in a suspended form (muallaq) stated with a definitive wording.

فقال له النبي ﷺ: «أما إنه كذبك وسيعود» كذبك يعني أخبرك بالكذب. يقول أبو هريرة: فترقبته في الليلة الثانية، فعاد وأمسكه أبو هريرة ﵁، وقال له: لأرفعنك إلى رسول الله ﷺ، فأقسم له أنه لن يعود، فأخبر أبو هريرة ﵁ النبي ﷺ بما حدث في الليلة الثانية فقال له النبي ﷺ: «ما فعل أسيرك البارحة؟» فأخبره أبو هريرة ﵁ أنه أعتقه، فقال له النبي ﷺ: «أما إنه كذبك وسيعود» وفي الليلة الثالثة عاد، وأمسكه أبو هريرة ﵁ فأقسم له أنه لن يعود، ولكن أبا هريرة ﵁ أصر على أن يرفعه إلى النبي ﷺ، فقال له: هل أدلك على شيء يحفظك؟ فقال أبو هريرة ﵁ بلى، فقال له: اقرأ آية الكرسي كل ليلة فإنه لا يزال عليك من الله حافظ، ولا يقربك شيطان حتى تصبح، فأخبر أبو هريرة ﵁ النبي ﷺ بذلك فقال النبي ﷺ: «صدقك وهو كذوب» (١). وفي هذا الحديث دليل على أن الكذوب قد يصدق، وأن العدو قد ينصح، لكن نصح الشيطان في هذه الحال ليس نصحاً حقيقياً، وإنما نصح خوفاً من أن يرفع أمره إلى النبي ﷺ. والشاهد من ذلك أن الرسول ﵊ أجاز هذا التصرف من أبي هريرة ﵁ وجعله مجزئاً مع أن

(١) أخرجه البخاري في الوكالة/ باب إذا وكل رجلاً … (٢٣١١) معلقاً بصيغة الجزم.