It was related on the authority of Abu Sa'id Sa'd bin Malik bin Sinan al-Khudri (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (sas) said:
There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.
(A excellent hadith which Ibn Majah, Al-Daraqutni and others related as of sound isnad, but which Malik related in his Muwatta' as of broken isnad, from 'Amr bin Yahya, from his father, from the Prophet (sas) but dropping (the name of) Abu Sa'id. This hadith has lines of transmission which strengthen one another (so that it may be regarded as of sound isnad).)
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ سَعْدِ بْنِ مَالِكِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ الْخُدْرِيّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالَ:
" لَا ضَرَرَ وَلَا ضِرَارَ" .
حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ، رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ [راجع رقم:2341]، وَالدَّارَقُطْنِيّ [رقم:4/228]، وَغَيْرُهُمَا مُسْنَدًا. وَرَوَاهُ مَالِكٌ [2/746] فِي "الْمُوَطَّإِ" عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و سلم مُرْسَلًا، فَأَسْقَطَ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ، وَلَهُ طُرُقٌ يُقَوِّي بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا.
Benefits from the Hadith
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was endowed with succinct yet comprehensive speech, a fact supported by numerous instances. This is one of his distinctive traits.
Harm should be removed.
It is prohibited to respond to an action by something greater than its equivalent.
Allah Almighty did not command His servants to do anything harmful to them.
Negation occurs in the sense of prohibition.
It is prohibited to cause harm by words, actions, or abstention.
Islam is a religion of safety.
This Hadīth represents a legal rule, namely: Shariah does not approve of causing harm and it condemns the reciprocation of harm.
Is there a difference between 'harm' and “reciprocation of harm”? Some scholars said they give the same meaning but are used for emphasis. The famous view, however, is that there is a difference between them. Harm is a noun while reciprocation of harm is a verb. The intended meaning is that harm itself is rejected in Shariah, and so is causing harm unjustly. It is also said that 'harm' refers to inflicting it on another to secure a self-gain, whereas “reciprocation of harm“ involves inflicting it without securing any gain.
For example, a person may ward off harm of himself though entailing the harm of someone else. This view was favored by a group of scholars, including Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr and Ibn al-Salāh. According to another opinion, 'harm' is when someone hurts another who has done him no harm, while “reciprocation of harm“ involves hurting someone who has caused harm to him in an unlawful manner. In any case, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) negated harm and the unrightful reciprocation of harm.
There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.
(A excellent hadith which Ibn Majah, Al-Daraqutni and others related as of sound isnad, but which Malik related in his Muwatta' as of broken isnad, from 'Amr bin Yahya, from his father, from the Prophet (sas) but dropping (the name of) Abu Sa'id. This hadith has lines of transmission which strengthen one another (so that it may be regarded as of sound isnad).)
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ سَعْدِ بْنِ مَالِكِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ الْخُدْرِيّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالَ:
" لَا ضَرَرَ وَلَا ضِرَارَ" .
حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ، رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ [راجع رقم:2341]، وَالدَّارَقُطْنِيّ [رقم:4/228]، وَغَيْرُهُمَا مُسْنَدًا. وَرَوَاهُ مَالِكٌ [2/746] فِي "الْمُوَطَّإِ" عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و سلم مُرْسَلًا، فَأَسْقَطَ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ، وَلَهُ طُرُقٌ يُقَوِّي بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا.
Benefits from the Hadith
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was endowed with succinct yet comprehensive speech, a fact supported by numerous instances. This is one of his distinctive traits.
Harm should be removed.
It is prohibited to respond to an action by something greater than its equivalent.
Allah Almighty did not command His servants to do anything harmful to them.
Negation occurs in the sense of prohibition.
It is prohibited to cause harm by words, actions, or abstention.
Islam is a religion of safety.
This Hadīth represents a legal rule, namely: Shariah does not approve of causing harm and it condemns the reciprocation of harm.
Is there a difference between 'harm' and “reciprocation of harm”? Some scholars said they give the same meaning but are used for emphasis. The famous view, however, is that there is a difference between them. Harm is a noun while reciprocation of harm is a verb. The intended meaning is that harm itself is rejected in Shariah, and so is causing harm unjustly. It is also said that 'harm' refers to inflicting it on another to secure a self-gain, whereas “reciprocation of harm“ involves inflicting it without securing any gain.
For example, a person may ward off harm of himself though entailing the harm of someone else. This view was favored by a group of scholars, including Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr and Ibn al-Salāh. According to another opinion, 'harm' is when someone hurts another who has done him no harm, while “reciprocation of harm“ involves hurting someone who has caused harm to him in an unlawful manner. In any case, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) negated harm and the unrightful reciprocation of harm.
