Why does the Hadith about loving the Prophet ﷺ more than all mankind mention only the father (Sahih al-Bukhari, 15)?
Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
The word used in the Hadith about loving the Prophet ﷺ can include both father and mother, according to Imam Ali al-Qari as mentioned in his Mirqaat al-Mafateeh.
عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ، حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ وَالِدِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ
(Sayidina) Anas narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘None of you (truly) believe until I am more beloved to him than his parents, children and all of mankind.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, 15).
In the Hadith above the word وَالِدِهِ (Walidihi) can be literally translated as ‘his father.’ However, in this context it is also acceptable to consider it to mean both parents, as explained by Imam Ali al-Qari below. Therefore, the Hadith does not necessarily say father not mother, or father alone. Rather a word is used that may include both.
(مِنْ وَالِدِهِ) أَيْ: أَبِيهِ، وَخُصَّ عَنِ الْأُمِّ لِأَنَّهُ أَشْرَفُ، فَمَحَبَّتُهُ أَعْظَمُ، أَوِ الْمُرَادُ بِهِ مَا يَشْمَلُهُمَا، وَهُوَ وَوَالِدِهِ. (وَوَلَدِهِ) أَيِ الذَّكَرِ وَالْأُنْثَى. (مرقاة المفاتيح)
Min Walidihi, meaning his father. He has been specified rather than the mother due to his nobility and greater love. Or it is intended to include both of them (mother and father). And his child, includes male and female. (Imam Ali al-Qari, Mirqaat al-Mafateeh).
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– Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (02.09.2021)
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