Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī Ḥadīth [2067]

The question which intrigues one here is that as long as the time of death is predetermined which does not oscillate back and forth, how does it come about that an act of well-treating one’s relatives causes an increase in the life span of a person. The answer to this question is that the life span of a certain person which is in the Knowledge of Allāh, remains constant without a change, but the one which lies within the knowledge of the Angel of Death may diminish and increase accordingly. In other words, the Angel is given the knowledge of a suspended destiny and not the final and absolute one. For instance, he is told if a certain person treats his relatives well, he will have a life span of a hundred years, otherwise the same will be reduced to sixty.

• Reference: [1252 (1/514), Bulūgh al-Marām, Dārussalām (Eng)]

• Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (5985) – on the authority of Abī Hurayrah
• Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (5986)
• Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (2557)
• Sunan Abī Dawūd (1693)
• Sunan at-Tirmidhī (1979) – on the authority of Abī Hurayrah
• Musnad Aḥmad (12588 (20/43-45)) ^{[Shu’ayb al-Arna’ūṭ]}
• Musnad Aḥmad (13401 (21/93-94)) ^{[Shu’ayb al-Arna’ūṭ]}
• Musnad Aḥmad (13585 (21/209-210)) ^{[Shu’ayb al-Arna’ūṭ]}
• Musnad Aḥmad (13811 (21/318-319)) ^{[Shu’ayb al-Arna’ūṭ]}
• Al-Adab al-Mufrad (56)
• Bulūgh al-Marām (1252 (1/514)) – on the authority of Abī Hurayrah

Grade: Ṣaḥīḥ (Authentic)