FatwaFederal TerritoriesQuran & Hadith
Irsyad al-Hadith Siri ke-33: Hadis penciptaan Hawa daripada tulang rusuk
What does the hadith mean when it says Eve or woman was created from a rib, and is it a literal creation?
Short answer
Scholars differ on this hadith. One view takes it as the actual creation of Eve from Adam's rib, while the second view reads it as a metaphor, held by Ibn Hajar, al-Qurtubi and many contemporary scholars.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Irsyad al-Hadith
- Topic
- Quran & Hadith
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Scholars differ on this hadith. One view takes it as the actual creation of Eve from Adam's rib, while the second view reads it as a metaphor, held by Ibn Hajar, al-Qurtubi and many contemporary scholars. This fatwa prefers the second view, because women's character differs from men's and is likened to a rib, the hadith does not mention Adam's rib, and a sound narration says woman is like a rib. The phrase 'one soul' in surah al-Zumar is explained as the same kind, namely humankind.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
kami lebih cenderung kepada pendapat yang kedua yang menyatakan bahawa maksud hadis tersebut adalah sekadar perumpamaan dan bukannya wanita itu diciptakan daripada tulang rusuk.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “Irsyad al-Hadith Siri ke-33: Hadis penciptaan Hawa daripada tulang rusuk”, 30 March 2016. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-al-hadith/1518-irsyad-al-hadith-siri-ke-33-hadis-penciptaan-hawa. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/meaning-of-hadith-woman-created-from-rib/