Hadith on Nafs: Only the strong can defeat their lower-self

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The strong are not those who defeat people. Rather, the strong are those who defeat their own ego.”

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān 717

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Arna’ut

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَيْسَ الشَّدِيدُ مَنْ غَلَبَ النَّاسَ وَلَكِنَّ الشَّدِيدَ مَنْ غَلَبَ نَفْسَهُ

717 صحيح ابن حبان باب الفقر والزهد والقناعة ذكر الإخبار بأن الشديد الذي غلب نفسه

2/493 المحدث شعيب الأرناؤوط خلاصة حكم المحدث إسناده صحيح على شرط الشيخين في تخريج صحيح ابن حبان

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Abu Amina Elias
Abu Amina Elias (Justin Parrott) is an academic librarian, researcher, and translator specializing in the Quran, Hadith, and their commentaries. He is a former instructor of Islamic Creed for Mishkah University.
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