Question

In the narration below, is the correct word, ‘mouth’ or ‘stomach’?

If there was one valley full of gold for the son of Adam, he would long for a second valley, and nothing would fill the stomach/mouth of the son of Adam but sand (of the grave).

JazakAllah khayran

Answer

This hadith is reported by various Sahabah (radiyallahu’anhum) with varied wordings, all of which are authentically recorded.

In Sahih Bukhari alone, the following words appear in separate versions:

stomach (البطن), eye (العين) and mouth (الفم), each one in place of the other.

(Sahih Bukhari, hadith numbers: 6436-6439)

The commentators mention that, although most of the narrations mention the stomach, the purpose of these wordings is the same; to show that man will never be satisfied till death (as man’s eyes, mouth and stomach are all covered by the sand in the grave)

(Fathul Bari, hadith: 6436 & Faidul Qadir, hadith: 7476)

 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,

 

Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar

 

Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar