Fatwa ID: 03990

Answered by: Alimah Sumeyye Sofu

Question

Assalamualaikum. What does it mean by the hadith, 'A believer is not stung twice from the same hole?'

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

The meaning of the hadith is as follows;

A believer should be careful so that people should not be able to trick him twice.

Imam An-Nawawy said: “The reason behind narrating the Hadith is that the Prophet, peace be upon him, captured Abu `Azzah, a poet, on the Day of Badr. He released him but made him promise not to fight or censure the Prophet again. Abu 'Azzah joined his people and then started over by censuring and attacking the Prophet, peace be upon him. He was captured again in the Battle of Uhud. He asked the Prophet, peace be upon him, to release him again but the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "A believer should not be stung twice from the same hole," and commanded the Companions to kill him."[1]

Only Allah knows best

Written by Alimah Sumeyye Sofu

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham