Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sahih al-Bukhari, which contains 7,277 hadiths across 97 books. It is hadith number 3697 in the Book of Merits of the Helpers in Madinah (Ansaar).

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#3696

#3697

Sahih al-Bukhari

#3698

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Sahih al-Bukhari #3697

Q: What is Sahih al-Bukhari 3697 about?

This hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Merits of the Helpers in Madinah (Ansaar)), narrated by Narrated Abu Huraira:, states: "That once he was in the company of the Prophet (ﷺ) carrying a water pot for his ablution and for cleaning his private parts. While he was following him carrying it (i.e. the pot), the Prophet (ﷺ) sai…"

Merits of the Helpers in Madinah (Ansaar)

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي جَدِّي، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، رضى الله عنه أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَحْمِلُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِدَاوَةً لِوَضُوئِهِ وَحَاجَتِهِ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ يَتْبَعُهُ بِهَا فَقَالَ ‏"‏ مَنْ هَذَا ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَ أَنَا أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ ابْغِنِي أَحْجَارًا أَسْتَنْفِضْ بِهَا، وَلاَ تَأْتِنِي بِعَظْمٍ وَلاَ بِرَوْثَةٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأَتَيْتُهُ بِأَحْجَارٍ أَحْمِلُهَا فِي طَرَفِ ثَوْبِي حَتَّى وَضَعْتُ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفْتُ، حَتَّى إِذَا فَرَغَ مَشَيْتُ، فَقُلْتُ مَا بَالُ الْعَظْمِ وَالرَّوْثَةِ قَالَ ‏"‏ هُمَا مِنْ طَعَامِ الْجِنِّ، وَإِنَّهُ أَتَانِي وَفْدُ جِنِّ نَصِيبِينَ وَنِعْمَ الْجِنُّ، فَسَأَلُونِي الزَّادَ، فَدَعَوْتُ اللَّهَ لَهُمْ أَنْ لاَ يَمُرُّوا بِعَظْمٍ وَلاَ بِرَوْثَةٍ إِلاَّ وَجَدُوا عَلَيْهَا طَعَامًا ‏"‏‏.‏

That once he was in the company of the Prophet (ﷺ) carrying a water pot for his ablution and for cleaning his private parts. While he was following him carrying it (i.e. the pot), the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Who is this?" He said, "I am Abu Huraira." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Bring me stones in order to clean my private parts, and do not bring any bones or animal dung." Abu Huraira went on narrating: So I brought some stones, carrying them in the corner of my robe till I put them by his side and went away. When he finished, I walked with him and asked, "What about the bone and the animal dung?" He said, "They are of the food of Jinns. The delegate of Jinns of (the city of) Nasibin came to me--and how nice those Jinns were--and asked me for the remains of the human food. I invoked Allah for them that they would never pass by a bone or animal dung but find food on them."

Narrated by Narrated Abu Huraira:

Context

In this hadith, Abu Huraira narrates an incident where he was with the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) carrying a pot for his ablution. The Prophet (ﷺ) requested stones for cleaning after using the restroom, instructing him not to bring bones or dung, which he explained were food for the Jinn. This highlights the importance of cleanliness and the Prophet's awareness of the unseen world.

Modern Application

When performing wudu, Muslims today can reflect on the significance of cleanliness and the proper means of purification. This hadith encourages individuals to be mindful of their surroundings and to maintain a state of purity in their daily lives.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Spiritual Purity and Purification (Wudu/Taharah) because it emphasizes the importance of cleanliness in acts of worship and the Prophet's guidance on appropriate materials for purification.

Spiritual Purity Purification (Wudu/Taharah)