Sunan Abu Dawud #1397
Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Ramadan
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبَّادُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ إِسْرَائِيلَ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، وَالأَسْوَدِ، قَالاَ أَتَى ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَقْرَأُ الْمُفَصَّلَ فِي رَكْعَةٍ . فَقَالَ أَهَذًّا كَهَذِّ الشِّعْرِ وَنَثْرًا كَنَثْرِ الدَّقَلِ لَكِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَقْرَأُ النَّظَائِرَ السُّورَتَيْنِ فِي رَكْعَةٍ الرَّحْمَنَ وَالنَّجْمَ فِي رَكْعَةٍ وَاقْتَرَبَتْ وَالْحَاقَّةَ فِي رَكْعَةٍ وَالطُّورَ وَالذَّارِيَاتِ فِي رَكْعَةٍ وَإِذَا وَقَعَتْ وَن فِي رَكْعَةٍ وَسَأَلَ سَائِلٌ وَالنَّازِعَاتِ فِي رَكْعَةٍ وَوَيْلٌ لِلْمُطَفِّفِينَ وَعَبَسَ فِي رَكْعَةٍ وَالْمُدَّثِّرَ وَالْمُزَّمِّلَ فِي رَكْعَةٍ وَهَلْ أَتَى وَلاَ أُقْسِمُ بِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ فِي رَكْعَةٍ . وَعَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ وَالْمُرْسَلاَتِ فِي رَكْعَةٍ وَالدُّخَانَ وَإِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ فِي رَكْعَةٍ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ هَذَا تَأْلِيفُ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ .
Alqamah and al-Aswad said: A man came to Ibn Mas'ud. He said: I recite the mufassal surahs in one rak'ah. You might recite it quickly as one recites verse (poetry) quickly, or as the dried dates fall down (from the tree).
But the Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite two equal surahs in one rak'ah; he would recite (for instance) surahs an-Najm (53) and ar-Rahman (55) in one rak'ah, surahs Iqtarabat (54) and al-Haqqah (69) in one rak'ah, surahs at-Tur (52) and adh-Dhariyat (51) in one rak'ah, surahs al-Waqi'ah (56) and Nun (68) in one rak'ah, surahs al-Ma'arij (70) and an-Nazi'at (79) in one rak'ah, surahs al-Mutaffifin (83) and Abasa (80) in one rak'ah, surahs al-Muddaththir (74) and al-Muzzammil (73) in one rak'ah, surahs al-Insan (76) and al-Qiyamah (75) in one rak'ah, surahs an-Naba' (78) and al-Mursalat (77) in one rak'ah, and surahs ad-Dukhan (44) and at-Takwir (81) in one rak'ah.
Abu Dawud said: This is the arrangement of Ibn Mas'ud himself
Narrated by Narrated Ibn Mas'ud:
Context
In this hadith narrated by Ibn Mas'ud, he recounts how the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) would recite two equal surahs in one rak'ah during prayer. This practice illustrates the Prophet's (ﷺ) approach to recitation, emphasizing the importance of thoughtful and meaningful engagement with the Qur'an.
Modern Application
Muslims today can take inspiration from this practice by aiming for a balanced and thoughtful recitation during their daily prayers, ensuring that they connect deeply with the meanings of the verses.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prayer because it provides insight into the recitation practices of the Prophet (ﷺ) during prayer.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ المُزَّمِّلِ
Al-Muzzammil (The Enshrouded One)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
2 ayahs
أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ تَرْتِيلًا
Or add to it, and recite the Qur'an with measured recitation.
۞ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدْنَىٰ مِن ثُلُثَىِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَنِصْفَهُۥ وَثُلُثَهُۥ وَطَآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مَعَكَ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ ۚ عَلِمَ أَن لَّن تُحْصُوهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَٱقْرَءُوا۟ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ ۚ عَلِمَ أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُم مَّرْضَىٰ ۙ وَءَاخَرُونَ يَضْرِبُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَبْتَغُونَ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ ۙ وَءَاخَرُونَ يُقَٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَٱقْرَءُوا۟ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ ۚ وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًۭا ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا۟ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍۢ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًۭا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًۭا ۚ وَٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۢ
Indeed, your Lord knows, [O Muhammad], that you stand [in prayer] almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you. And Allah determines [the extent of] the night and the day. He has known that you [Muslims] will not be able to do it and has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur'an. He has known that there will be among you those who are ill and others traveling throughout the land seeking [something] of the bounty of Allah and others fighting for the cause of Allah. So recite what is easy from it and establish prayer and give zakah and loan Allah a goodly loan. And whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allah. It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
سُورَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Al-Israa (The Night Journey)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِدُلُوكِ ٱلشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَقُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًۭا
Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed.
سُورَةُ الحِجۡرِ
Al-Hijr (The Rock)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
ٱلَّذِينَ جَعَلُوا۟ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ عِضِينَ
Who have made the Qur'an into portions.
سُورَةُ الفُرۡقَانِ
Al-Furqaan (The Criterion)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ جُمْلَةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِۦ فُؤَادَكَ ۖ وَرَتَّلْنَٰهُ تَرْتِيلًۭا
And those who disbelieve say, "Why was the Qur'an not revealed to him all at once?" Thus [it is] that We may strengthen thereby your heart. And We have spaced it distinctly.
Common Words
117 total88 unique17 repeated
ٱلله6x
من5x
ٱلقرءان4x
إن3x
ٱليل3x
ٱلذين3x
عليه2x
ترتيلا2x
علم2x
أن2x
فٱقرءوا2x
ما2x
تيسر2x
وءاخرون2x
فى2x
ٱلصلوة2x
ٱلفجر2x
أو1x
زد1x
ورتل1x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #1397 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Ramadan. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Ibn Mas'ud:.