The Supplication of Khaalid Ibn Al-Waleed When He Drank Poison
Fatwa No: 374422

Question

Asalamu alaikoum, I got a question about the dua that Khalid ibn walid (radi Allahu anhu) used to drink the poison he got offered and that didn't have effect on him with the permission of Allah Ta'ala. On most stories I read he used this one: Bismillahil-ladhi la yadurru ma`as-mihi shai'un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama'i, wa Huwas-Sami`ul-` Alim. And on a lecture I heard he used this one: bismillah khairi l asmaa rabbi l ardi wa rabbi samaa alladhi laysa ya dhurru ma ismi dah ar rahmani raheem. In the name of Allah, the best of all names he is the Lord of the heavens he is the Lord of the earth without the permission of Allah nothing can have an effect the most merciful the most kind. So what is the reason of these differences in the wordings of the dua ? And is it permissible to use this dua that Khalid ibn walid (radi Allahu anhu) used before eating or drinking something with the intention so that Allah Ta'ala protects you from what you are eating and drinking, even if it's not poison. Or would that considered a bida'h? So instead of bismillah what every muslim say before eating and drinking you say the additional wordings of the dua Khalid ibn walid (radi Allahu anhu) used. And what is the authenticity of this hadith: Ans Bin Malik (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates that Rasul-Allah said, "Whenever you eat or drink, read this, then you will not get any illness even if it has poison: Bismillahi wa billah aladhi laa yadhurro maa Ismehi shayyin fil-arde wala fis-samaaye; Yaa Hayyo, Yaa Qayyum (Rawahul Daylmee) In the Name of Allah, that Allah with Whose Name nothing can cause harm in the earth or the heavens; O Ye Who is The Ever-Living, O Ye Who is The Self-Subsisting Eternal.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The wording of the supplication of Khaalid when he drank the poison which we have come across is close to the version that you heard from the lecturer.

Ibn Katheer reported it in his book Al-Bidaayah wan-Nihaayah with the following wording:

In the name of Allah, the best of names, the Lord of the earth and the heavens, with Whose Name nothing (no illness) can cause harm, the Most Merciful, the Ever Merciful.

In the Musnad of Abu Ya’la, the wording of the narration only mentioned that Khaalid said: “Bismi Allah” (in the Name of Allah), and then he drank it, and it did not cause any harm to him.

The scholar who checked the authenticity of this narration commented saying: “Its men (in the chain of narration) are trustworthy but the chain is disconnected”, meaning that this narration is inauthentic.

If all these narrations are authentic, then this can be interpreted that one of the narrators summarized the wording, or other interpretations that the scholars may have provided to repel what could appear to be a contradiction.

There is nothing wrong in saying such a supplication sometimes before eating, but it should not be taken as a habit. Ibn Abu Shaybah narrated that Ibn Mas'ood said: “Whoever says when he puts down his food [on the table to eat]: ‘In the Name of Allah the best of Names, to Allah belongs whatever is on the earth and the heavens, with Whose Name nothing can cause harm, O Allah put blessings and a cure in it’; then that food will not harm him no matter what kind of food it is.

Nevertheless, we did not come across any scholar who ruled the abovementioned narration to be authentic or inauthentic. If it is authentic, it is evidence that it is permissible to say it before eating food.

As for the narration by Anas; it was reported in Musnad Al-Firdous by Ad-Daylami, but we have not come across any scholar who classified it as authentic or inauthentic, but the Musnad Al-Firdous includes inauthentic Ahadeeth.

Allah knows best.

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