What is Sunan Abu Dawud 1400 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Ramadan), narrated by Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr:, states: "A man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: Teach me to read the Qur'an, Messenger of Allah. He said: Read three surahs which begin with A.L.R. He said: My age is advanced, my mind has…"

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 Sunan Abu Dawud, which contains 5,276 hadiths across 43 books. It is hadith number 1400 in the Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Ramadan.

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

Hadith numbering varies across editions and translations (USC-MSA, Dar as-Salam, Fath al-Bari, and others). If you followed a link citing a different number but landed here, you may have been redirected to the canonical version in our library. If you were looking for a different hadith entirely, use the search bar to find it by text.

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#1399

#1400

Sunan Abu Dawud

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Sunan Abu Dawud #1400

Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Ramadan

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ مُوسَى الْبَلْخِيُّ، وَهَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، أَخْبَرَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ، حَدَّثَنِي عَيَّاشُ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ الْقِتْبَانِيُّ، عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ هِلاَلٍ الصَّدَفِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ أَتَى رَجُلٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ أَقْرِئْنِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ اقْرَأْ ثَلاَثًا مِنْ ذَوَاتِ الرَّاءِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ كَبِرَتْ سِنِّي وَاشْتَدَّ قَلْبِي وَغَلُظَ لِسَانِي ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَاقْرَأْ ثَلاَثًا مِنْ ذَوَاتِ حم ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ مِثْلَ مَقَالَتِهِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ اقْرَأْ ثَلاَثًا مِنَ الْمُسَبِّحَاتِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ مِثْلَ مَقَالَتِهِ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَقْرِئْنِي سُورَةً جَامِعَةً ‏.‏ فَأَقْرَأَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏{‏ إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الأَرْضُ ‏}‏ حَتَّى فَرَغَ مِنْهَا ‏.‏ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ لاَ أَزِيدُ عَلَيْهَا أَبَدًا ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ الرَّجُلُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَفْلَحَ الرُّوَيْجِلُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ مَرَّتَيْنِ ‏.‏

A man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: Teach me to read the Qur'an, Messenger of Allah. He said: Read three surahs which begin with A.L.R. He said: My age is advanced, my mind has become dull (i.e. memory has grown weak), and my tongue has grown heavy). So he said: Then read three surahs which begin with H.M. He repeated the same words. So he said: Read three surahs which begin with the "Glorification of Allah". But he repeated the same excuse. The man then said: Teach me a comprehensive surah, Messenger of Allah. The Prophet (ﷺ) taught him Surah (99). "When the Earth is shaken with her earthquake". When he finished it, the man said: By Him Who sent you with truth, I shall never add anything to it. Then man then went away. The Prophet (ﷺ) said twice: The man received salvation.

Narrated by Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr:

Context

In this narration, a man approached the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) seeking guidance on how to read the Qur'an. The Prophet provided him with options based on his abilities, ultimately teaching him a comprehensive surah. The man's commitment to not add to what he learned reflects the importance of understanding and memorizing the Qur'an.

Modern Application

This hadith serves as an inspiration for those learning the Qur'an today. It highlights the importance of starting with manageable portions and encourages individuals to focus on understanding and memorizing the text, fostering a deeper connection with their faith.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Quran because it emphasizes the significance of learning and reciting the Qur'an, showcasing the Prophet's approach to teaching.

Quran