Question:
Asalamalykum,
I have come across this hadith and would like to know if it’s Sahih, and it’s true meaning, and if it has translated properly:
“If you see a man taking pride in his ascription to a people in the manner of Jahiliyyah, tell him to go bite his father’s penis and do not sugarcoat my words.” [‘Sahih Al-Jami'(567), and As-Silsilah As-Sahihah’ (269)]
JazakAllah Khaira.
Answer:
Alaykum Salam,
There is weakness in it but it is overall authentic; however, the translation is grossly inaccurate considering the hadith is about words.
A correct translation would be: “Whoever calls out (another wording has: glorifies himself) in the way of Jahiliyya, tell him to go bite on his father’s thing (‘han‘ or ‘hann‘) and [if needs be] do not sugarcoat it.”
That is how most of the scholars explained it. Another paraphrase (by Imam al-Sarkhasi in Sharh al-Siyar al-Kabir) would be: “Prevent him but do not vilify him” أراد به والله أعلم أن امنعوه عن ذلك ولا تذكروه بسوء .
Either way there is no mention of “my words” and certainly no mention of “penis” even if that is the import of the hadith. Ibn al-Athir said in al-Nihaya: “The word han or hann is used in lieu of another word to euphemize it.” In other words the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) himself is using a euphemism but ordering them not to if needs be. The gist is that such people should be stopped with the strongest and most vulgar verbal condemnation because they deserve it, as another hadith states: “Leave tribal partisanship because it carries a stench.”
And Allah knows best.
Hajj Gibril Haddad
