The Prophet ﷺ and the Jewish Servant

Praise be to Allah.

In Sahih al-Bukhari and others, it is narrated from Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him:

“There was a Jewish boy who served the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him. He fell ill, so the Prophet ﷺ, visited him and sat at his head, saying, ‘Embrace Islam.’ The boy looked at his father, who was present, and the father said to him, ‘Obey Abu al-Qasim (the Prophet ﷺ).’ So he embraced Islam, and the Prophet ﷺ left, saying, ‘All praise is due to Allah who has saved him from the Fire.‘”¹

In this Hadith

The Prophet ﷺ demonstrated the most exemplary compassion towards his servants, even if they were from the People of the Book, and he was keen to guide them to Islam.

Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that there was a Jewish boy who served the Prophet ﷺ. The boy fell ill, and the Prophet ﷺ visited him to check on him. He sat by his head and invited him to Islam. The boy looked at his father, who was present, as if he hesitated—perhaps desiring Islam, but uncertain of his father’s reaction—so he turned to him. His father responded, ‘Obey Abu al-Qasim,’ which is a nickname of the Prophet ﷺ. The boy then embraced Islam, and Islam requires the declaration of the two testimonies: ‘I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,’ as mentioned in another narration of this story. The Prophet ﷺ left saying, ‘All praise is due to Allah who has saved him,’ meaning that Allah saved him from the Fire through me.

Among the benefits of this hadith:

• All guidance is from Allah—and to Him belongs all praise, first and last—and none can bestow guidance but He, the Exalted, the Most High.
• Visiting the sick, even if they are disbelievers, hoping it may lead to their guidance to Islam.
• The gentleness of the Prophet ﷺ sitting by the head of the sick, illustrating his kindness towards people.
• Employing disbelievers to serve Muslims in tasks suited to them, provided they are not feared for their deceit or treachery.
• Fulfilling covenants is from faith.
• Presenting Islam to children is permissible.

Adapted and lightly expanded from: https://dorar.net/hadith/sharh/6351