For a man to be stabbed in the head with an iron needle is better for him than for a woman to touch him who is not permissible [for him]*

*MUNKAR HADITH* 1️⃣3️⃣ *SUNNAH STUDIES* 📚 ⛔ *POPULAR HADITH THAT ARE NOT CONFIRMED* لأَنْ يُطْعَنَ فِي رَأْسِ رَجُلٍ بِمِخْيَطٍ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ تَمَسَّهُ امْرَأَةٌ لا تَحِلُّ *For a man to be stabbed in the head with an iron needle is better for him than for a woman to touch him who is not permissible [for him]* This narration is often used to show the severity of touching a woman who is non-maḥram, however, these are not from the words of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ). Ar-Rūyānī, aṭ-Ṭabarānī, and al-Bayhaqī (with similar wording) reported this by way of Shaddād ibn Sa’īd, from Abū al-’Alā’ (who is Yazīd ibn ‘Abd-il-Lāh al-’Āmirī), from Ma’qil ibn Yasār, from the Prophet (ﷺ). Shaddād ibn Sa’īd, however, was weakened by some. [1] Yaḥyā ibn Ma’īn, Aḥmad, al-Bazzār, and an-Nasā’ī said he was thiqah (trustworthy). Al-’Uqaylī said, “He is truthful. In his narrations are matters, [for] he has more than one ḥadīth that none has followed [him in reporting].” Abū Aḥmad al-Ḥākim and al-Bayhaqī said, “He is not strong.” Ibn Ḥibbān said, “Perhaps he erred.” Ad-Dāraquṭnī said, “He can be taken into consideration” – meaning if others follow his narration. Ibn Abī Shaybah, on the other hand, reported this by way of Bashīr ibn ‘Uqbah, from Yazīd ibn ‘Abd-il-Lāh, from Ma’qil ibn Yasār as his words saying: لَأَنْ يَعْمِدَ أَحَدُكُمْ إلَى مِخْيَطٍ فَيَغْرِزُ بِهِ فِي رَأْسِي أَحَبُّ إلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ تَغْسِلَ رَأْسِي امْرَأَةٌ لَيْسَتْ مِنِّي ذَاتَ مَحْرَمٍ *For one of you to resort to [taking] a needle and drive it into my head would be better for me than for a woman to wash my head while she is non-maḥram to me [2]* Bashīr ibn ‘Uqbah is thiqah and was relied upon by al-Bukhārī and Muslim, so it becomes clear that Shaddād made a mistake by elevating this narration to being the words of the Prophet (ﷺ). *A narration with a similar meaning was also reported by Sa’īd ibn Manṣūr and Ibn al-Ja’d, but this only comes by way of Dāwūd ibn ‘Umar, from ‘Abd-ul-Lāh ibn Abī Zakarīyyā, from the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ). [3] There is some weakness to Dāwūd ibn ‘Umar, and ‘Abd-ul-Lāh ibn Abī Zakariyyā is a Tābi’ī who is only known to have narrated from Umm ad-Dardā’, so there may be one or more people missing between himself and the Prophet (ﷺ). In addition to this, while some spoke about his character as a person, his status as a narrator is also uncertain.* In summary, the best that can be said about this narration is that they are the personal words of the Ṣaḥābī Ma’qil ibn Yasār and not the words of the Prophet (ﷺ). And Allāh (ﷻ) knows best. _________________________ [1] Musnad ar-Rūyānī (1283), Al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr (486 and 487), and Shu’ab al-Īmān (5182) [2] Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah (17316) [3] Sunan Sa’īd ibn Manṣūr (2168), Musnad Ibn al-Ja’d (2493) *#WEAK_AHAADEETH*