Home
Discover Islam
Quran Recitations
Lectures
Fatwa
Articles
Fiqh
E-Books
Women
Boys & Girls 
Enter Question
View By Subject
Fatwa Of The Week
Selected Fatwa
Fatwa CenterSheeth (Seth) was prophet
Question
Assalaamu alaykum. What does Islam say about Sheeth (Seth), peace be upon him, the third son of Adam and Eve, peace be upon them?
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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
Sheeth (Sheth) was one of the sons of Aadam (Adam), may Allah exalt their mention, and he became his successor, in addition to being a messenger as well. In the following lines, we shall cite some statements of the scholars in this regard. Ibn Katheer 
wrote, “The meaning of the name Sheeth is 'the gift from Allah'; Aadam and Eve named him Sheeth because they were blessed with him after Haabeel (Abel) was killed...” [Qasas Al-Anbiyaa’]
Ibn Katheer also wrote:
“When Aadam 
died, his son Sheeth acted as his successor. He was a Prophet as well, according to the text of the hadeeth narrated by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh on the authority of Abu Tharr 
who related that Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, ‘Fifty scriptures were revealed to Sheeth.’
This hadeeth narrated by Ibn Hibbaan was classified as Saheeh (sound) by some scholars and as Dha'eef (weak) by others. Imaam As-Suyooti wrote, ‘It was cited by Ibn Hibbaan in his book Saheeh Ibn Hibbaan (as sound) and by Ibn Al-Jawzi in his book Al-Mawdhoo‘aat (Fabricated Ahaadeeth). The two are at opposite ends, and the correct view is that it is a weak hadeeth; neither sound nor fabricated, as we have underlined in Mukhtasar Al-Mawdhoo‘aat.’” [Ad-Durr Al-Manthoor]
Sharh An-Nawawi reads:
“Regarding the words of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, (in a long hadeeth about the Day of Judgment): ‘...go to Noah, the first messenger sent by Allah, The Exalted...’ Al-Qaadhi said that these words negate the claim that Aadam and Sheeth were Messengers sent with a message to their people; rather, Aadam was sent to his sons. They were not disbelievers, and he was commanded to teach them faith and obedience to Allah, and his son Sheeth was his successor among them.”
Al-Qastallaani wrote:
“The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, told Abu Tharr that Noah was the first Messenger, and this means that he was the first Messenger of Allah after Aadam, Sheeth, and Idrees (Enoch). It could also mean that the three were Prophets of Allah and not Messengers; indeed, Aadam was commissioned by Allah, and Sheeth received divine scripture from Allah, and this indicates that he was sent by Allah or by his father to his children, who were believers and worshiped Allah alone, in order to teach them the divine laws of their Lord.” [Irshaad As-Saari ‘ala Saheeh Al-Bukhaari]
Allah knows best.
Search Fatwa
Fatwa Subject
