Book 40: The Book Concerning The Use Of Correct Words
Overview
Sahih Muslim Book 40 focuses on the intersection of theology and daily vocabulary, demonstrating how Islamic doctrine permeates everyday speech. The text contains several distinct linguistic mandates. First, it features a Hadith Qudsi (a direct quote from Allah via Muhammad) forbidding the cursing of 'Dahr' (Time), asserting that Allah Himself is Time, or the sovereign alternator of day and night. Second, it forbids calling grapes or wine 'karm' (meaning worthy of respect), reserving that title exclusively for the Muslim believer. Third, it strictly regulates master-servant terminology, forbidding slaves from calling their masters 'Lord' or masters calling their servants 'bondman/slave-girl,' insisting that all humans are equally slaves to Allah alone. Fourth, it corrects how one should speak of their own soul, replacing the word 'evil' with 'remorseless.' Finally, the text concludes with minor behavioral etiquettes, including a cautionary anecdote about an Israelite woman using musk and wooden sandals for deceptive vanity, an encouragement to accept gifted flowers, and a description of the Prophet's fumigation practices using aloeswood and camphor. The overarching theme is the enforcement of Tawhid (the oneness and supremacy of God) through the micromanagement of human language.
Key Figures
- Allah (The Exalted and Glorious) - The supreme deity who asserts He is 'Time' (Dahr), the only true Lord, and who claims to be 'caused pain' by humans cursing time.
- Muhammad (Allah's Messenger / Apostle) - The authoritative lawgiver who mediates these linguistic rules and whose personal habits (like fumigation) are recorded as exemplary.
- The Israelite Woman - An unnamed figure in an anecdote used to illustrate the use of musk, though contextually associated with vanity and deception regarding her height and scent.
- Abu Huraira, 'A'isha, Abu Sa'id Khudri, 'Alqama b. Wa'il, Nafi', Ibn Umar - The primary transmitters (sahabah) of these oral traditions.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Divine Identity and Time (Dahr)
Assertion
Allah is synonymous with, or the absolute controller of, Time (Dahr). Cursing time is equivalent to cursing Allah and causes Him pain.
Evidence from Text
The son of Adam causes Me pain as he says: Woe be upon the Time. None of you should say this: Woe be upon the Time, as I am the Time (because) I alternate the day and the night [040:5714].
Evangelical Comparison
In Christian theology, God is the eternal, uncreated Creator of all things, including the dimension of time (Genesis 1:1, 2 Timothy 1:9). He is transcendent and impassible, meaning His divine nature cannot be injured or 'caused pain' by the petty complaints of humans. This Hadith Qudsi presents a theological friction point by having Allah declare 'I am the Time' (Dahr). While Islamic scholars often interpret this metaphorically to mean Allah is the *creator* of time, the literal wording borders on temporal pantheism. Furthermore, the assertion that a human complaining about time 'causes Me pain' contradicts the biblical view of God's unshakeable sovereignty and impassibility, though the Bible does speak of God being grieved by profound moral wickedness (Genesis 6:6), not by linguistic colloquialisms.
Universal Bondage to Allah
Assertion
All human beings are fundamentally slaves or bondmen to Allah, and human masters must not be addressed with titles of lordship.
Evidence from Text
None of you should say: My bondman and my slave-girl, for all of you are the bondmen of Allah... and the servant should not say: My Lord, but should say: My chief [040:5724, 040:5725].
Evangelical Comparison
This doctrine highlights a fundamental anthropological and soteriological divide between Islam and Evangelical Christianity. The Hadith strictly enforces a master-slave paradigm, demanding that vocabulary reflect humanity's ultimate status as 'bondmen of Allah.' While the New Testament acknowledges that believers are 'slaves to righteousness' (Romans 6:18) and servants of Christ, the ultimate redemptive goal is adoption. Galatians 4:7 explicitly states, 'So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.' The Islamic text actively suppresses any terminology that might blur the lines of absolute, distant lordship, whereas the biblical Gospel invites believers into intimate familial union with God as 'Abba, Father' (Romans 8:15).
Sanctity of the Believer (Karm)
Assertion
The term 'karm' (worthy of respect) must not be applied to grapes or wine, but is reserved exclusively for the Muslim believer.
Evidence from Text
None of you should call 'Inab (grape) as al-karm, for karm is a Muslim person [040:5717].
Evangelical Comparison
This mandate serves to elevate the social identity of the Muslim believer above all else, ensuring that words denoting high respect ('karm') are not wasted on inanimate objects or agricultural products. In Evangelical Christianity, believers are indeed called saints and are highly valued by God (1 Peter 2:9), but there is no biblical precedent for banning secular words for fruit or wine to protect the ego or status of the believer. The biblical focus is on the believer showing respect to others (Philippians 2:3) rather than demanding linguistic exclusivity for their own honor.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text enforces a strict master-slave theology where God is a distant Lord who is easily offended by vocabulary errors, whereas Evangelicalism teaches a Father-child theology where believers are adopted and justified by grace.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap centers on the nature of God (Theology Proper) and the nature of humanity's relationship to Him (Anthropology/Soteriology). In this Hadith, Allah is depicted as highly reactive to human colloquialisms, claiming to be 'caused pain' when someone curses time. This anthropopathism contradicts the orthodox Christian understanding of God's impassibility and transcendent majesty. Furthermore, the text's obsessive regulation of the words 'Lord' and 'bondman' reinforces a rigid, unyielding master-slave dynamic. Islam fundamentally views the highest pinnacle of human existence as 'Abd Allah' (slave of God). Evangelical Christianity agrees that humans are servants of the Most High, but insists that the New Covenant brings a radical paradigm shift: adoption. Through Christ's atoning work, believers are brought into the family of God (John 1:12, Galatians 4:7). The heavy burden of linguistic legalism found in this Hadith is entirely absent in the New Testament, which focuses on the transformation of the heart rather than the policing of secular vocabulary.
For All Ages
Imagine you have a boss who gets really, really upset if you use the wrong word for a grape, or if you complain about the time of day. He says, 'I am the time, and you are hurting my feelings!' He also reminds you constantly that you are just his slave. That is how God is described in this text. But in the Bible, God is like a perfect, loving Father. Because of what Jesus did, we aren't just slaves anymore; we are adopted as His very own children! God cares much more about our hearts loving Him than us perfectly memorizing a dictionary of banned words.
Friction Points
Theology Proper (Attributes of God)
The text claims Allah is 'caused pain' by humans cursing time, and identifies Allah as Time itself.
Sola Scriptura
Imposes strict, extra-biblical linguistic laws binding the conscience of the believer.
Soteriology (Adoption)
Demands all humans identify strictly as 'bondmen' and 'slave-girls', denying the biblical reality of adoption as sons and daughters of God.
Sola Fide
Implies that God's favor is maintained through the meticulous performance of vocabulary rules rather than faith in a finished redemptive work.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Lord (Rabb)"
In This Text
A title so exclusively divine that it is forbidden to be used by a servant addressing a human master.
In Evangelicalism
A title of supreme authority belonging to God (Kurios), but also freely and permissibly used in secular contexts for human masters or authorities without threatening God's supremacy.
"Time (Dahr)"
In This Text
Identified directly with Allah Himself, or as an entity so closely tied to His action of alternating day and night that cursing it is cursing Him.
In Evangelicalism
A created dimension that God authored and exists outside of. God is eternal, not synonymous with time.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Remaining in the favor of Allah by avoiding actions or words that displease Him or cause Him pain.
How Attained: Through strict obedience to the Prophet's behavioral and linguistic commands.
Basis of Assurance: No assurance is provided; the believer must constantly monitor their speech to avoid accidental blasphemy.
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text stands in stark contrast to Sola Fide. It places a heavy burden of works—specifically linguistic legalism—on the believer. Justification by faith alone (Romans 5:1) offers peace with God, whereas this text threatens that God is actively displeased by the misuse of everyday words.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Do not abuse or curse Dahr (Time).
- Do not say 'Woe be upon the Time.'
- Do not call grapes or wine 'al-karm'.
- Call grapes 'al-habala' or 'Inab'.
- Do not say 'My bondman' or 'My slave-girl'.
- Say 'My servant', 'my girl', 'my young man', or 'my boy'.
- A servant must not say 'My Lord' to their master.
- A servant must say 'My chief' or 'My patron'.
- Do not say 'Supply drink to your lord, feed your lord, help your lord in performing ablution'.
- Do not say 'My soul has become evil'.
- Say 'My soul has become remorseless'.
- Do not reject a gifted flower.
Implicit Obligations
- Monitor everyday vocabulary constantly to ensure it aligns with Islamic theological hierarchies.
- Protect the absolute uniqueness of Allah by refusing to share His titles (Lord) with humans.
- Maintain the elevated social dignity of the Muslim believer in everyday speech.
Ritual Requirements
- Fumigation practices using aloeswood (unmixed) or aloeswood mixed with camphor, as modeled by the Prophet.
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- If God is truly sovereign and all-powerful, why would He be 'caused pain' by a human complaining about the time or the weather?
- The text emphasizes that we are all bondmen and slave-girls of Allah. Does Islam offer a path to ever become a 'child' or 'friend' of God, or is the relationship permanently master and slave?
- How do you ensure you never accidentally use the wrong word and displease God? Does this make you feel anxious about your daily speech?
- If the transmitters of the Hadith admit to 'slight variations of wording' in these rules, how can we be sure which exact words God wants us to use?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The desire for pure, honoring speech.
Christians also value pure speech, but Jesus taught that words are merely an overflow of the heart. True purity of speech comes not from memorizing a banned-word list, but from a heart transformed by the Holy Spirit.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The believer must constantly police their everyday vocabulary (what to call grapes, how to address a boss, how to describe their own soul) out of fear of displeasing God. This creates a hyper-vigilant, anxiety-inducing religious experience where a simple slip of the tongue is viewed as a theological offense.
The explicit reinforcement that humans are merely 'bondmen' and 'slave-girls' limits the intimacy a believer can have with God. It prevents the assurance, love, and security found in a Father-child relationship, leaving the believer in a state of perpetual servitude without the hope of inheritance.