What is Sunan Abu Dawud 1462 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Witr), narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said:, states: "A man heard another man reciting "Say, He is Allah, One" He was repeating it. When the next morning came, he went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and mentioned to him. The man tool it (this surah) as a…"

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 1462 in the Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Witr.

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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Sunan Abu Dawud #1462

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

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، سَمِعَ رَجُلاً، يَقْرَأُ ‏{‏ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ‏}‏ يُرَدِّدُهَا فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ جَاءَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لَهُ وَكَانَ الرَّجُلُ يَتَقَالُّهَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنَّهَا لَتَعْدِلُ ثُلُثَ الْقُرْآنِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

A man heard another man reciting "Say, He is Allah, One" He was repeating it. When the next morning came, he went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and mentioned to him. The man tool it (this surah) as a small one. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, it is equivalent to a third of the Qur'an.

Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said:

Context

This hadith illustrates the value of the Surah Al-Ikhlas, as the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) emphasizes its significance by stating that it is equivalent to a third of the Qur'an. The context arises from a man who underestimated the surah's importance after hearing it repeatedly. The Prophet's affirmation serves to elevate the status of this short chapter.

Modern Application

In our daily recitation of the Qur'an, we may sometimes overlook shorter surahs. This hadith encourages individuals to appreciate the depth and significance of all parts of the Qur'an, including those that seem brief, reminding us that every verse holds immense value.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Quran because it highlights the profound importance of Surah Al-Ikhlas, illustrating that even short chapters can carry great weight in Islamic teachings.

Quran