other than you and me. That man questioned me about you, and I told him that you are my sister, so do not contradict me. He thereupon sent for her. When she entered his presence, he reached out to take hold of her, but he was seized (with paralysis).
He pleaded, “Pray to Allah for me and I will not harm you.” She prayed, and he was released. Then he reached for her a second time, and was seized in the same way—or even more severely.
He again said, “Pray to Allah for me and I will not harm you,” so she prayed and he was released. He then summoned some of his courtiers and said, “You have not brought me a human being; you have brought me a devil!” He thereupon gave her Hagar as a servant. She returned to Abraham while he was standing in prayer,
and he motioned with his hand as if to ask, “What happened?”
She replied, “Allah has turned the scheming of the unbeliever—or wicked man—back upon his own neck, and He has given me Hagar to serve me.”
Abū Hurayrah said, “That, O sons of the water of heaven, is your mother.” He alone transmitted this version in this form, as a mawqūf report.
(1) In the margin of Manuscript B, Jalal al-Suyuti explains in his Mukhtasar al-Nihaya that the phrase ya buni ma’ al-samaa’ (“O descendants of rain-water”) refers to the Arabs, since they would follow the course of water and settle wherever it flowed.
(2) This hadith is recorded by al-Bukhari (no. 3358) in his Kitab al-Anbiya: “Ibrahim never told a lie except on three occasions.” Ibn Aqil comments that the word kidhb (lie) here is used figuratively by rational consideration (‘aql), for reason requires that a prophet be entirely trustworthy in conveying God’s message—hence a literal lie is inconceivable. The term is applied only because these episodes resemble lies to the listener, though in fact Ibrahim (peace be upon him) would not lie except under extreme fear, given his exalted status. Moreover, in such cases a hypothetical lie to avert a greater harm is permitted—and even obligatory when it prevents a more serious evil. Calling these instances “lies” is not meant as censure: although lying is generally blameworthy, it may be appropriate in certain contexts, as here. (Fath al-Bari 6:392)
(3) Narrated via Hisham ibn Hassan from Muhammad ibn Sirin from Abu Hurayra from the Prophet (peace be upon him). Recorded by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih (no. 5737). Also found in the Musannaf of ‘Abd al-Razzaq (n. 20195), and, through the same route, in Musnad Ahmad (vol. 6, p. 152), Sunan Abi Dawud (no. 2212, Kitab al-Talaq), al-Nasa’i’s Fada’il al-Sahaba (no. 296), and al-Bayhaqi’s al-Sunan al-Kubra (vol. 10, p. 196).