Sunan Abu Dawud #229
Purification (Kitab Al-Taharah)
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَلِمَةَ، قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ - رضى الله عنه - أَنَا وَرَجُلاَنِ رَجُلٌ مِنَّا وَرَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي أَسَدٍ - أَحْسِبُ فَبَعَثَهُمَا عَلِيٌّ - رضى الله عنه - وَجْهًا وَقَالَ إِنَّكُمَا عِلْجَانِ فَعَالِجَا عَنْ دِينِكُمَا . ثُمَّ قَامَ فَدَخَلَ الْمَخْرَجَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَدَعَا بِمَاءٍ فَأَخَذَ مِنْهُ حَفْنَةً فَتَمَسَّحَ بِهَا ثُمَّ جَعَلَ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ فَأَنْكَرُوا ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الْخَلاَءِ فَيُقْرِئُنَا الْقُرْآنَ وَيَأْكُلُ مَعَنَا اللَّحْمَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَحْجُبُهُ - أَوْ قَالَ يَحْجُزُهُ - عَنِ الْقُرْآنِ شَىْءٌ لَيْسَ الْجَنَابَةَ .
Abdullah ibn Salamah said: I, accompanied by other two persons, one from us and the other from Banu Asad, called upon Ali. He sent them to a certain territory (on some mission) saying: You are sturdy and vigorous people; hence display your power for religion. He then stood and entered the toilet. He then came out and called for water and took a handful of it. Then he wiped (his hands) with it and began to recite the Qur'an. They were surprised at this (action).
Thereupon he said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came out from the privy and taught us the Qur'an and took meat with us. Nothing prevented him; or the narrator said: Nothing prevented him from (reciting) the Qur'an except sexual defilement.
Narrated by Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib:
Context
In this hadith narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is shown to have engaged in normal activities, such as reciting the Qur'an after using the bathroom. This illustrates the Prophet's (ﷺ) approach to maintaining spiritual practices without rigid restrictions, emphasizing the accessibility of religious observance.
Modern Application
Today, many Muslims find comfort in knowing that spiritual practices can be integrated into everyday life, even after engaging in mundane activities. This encourages a balanced approach to faith that is both practical and meaningful.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prophetic Conduct and Purification (Wudu/Taharah) because it demonstrates the Prophet's (ﷺ) actions regarding recitation of the Qur'an in relation to cleanliness.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ
An-Nisaa (The Women)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنتُمْ سُكَٰرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَعْلَمُوا۟ مَا تَقُولُونَ وَلَا جُنُبًا إِلَّا عَابِرِى سَبِيلٍ حَتَّىٰ تَغْتَسِلُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَآءَ أَحَدٌۭ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لَٰمَسْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا۟ مَآءًۭ فَتَيَمَّمُوا۟ صَعِيدًۭا طَيِّبًۭا فَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا
O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying or in a state of janabah, except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you have washed [your whole body]. And if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your hands [with it]. Indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Forgiving.
سُورَةُ المَائـِدَةِ
Al-Maaida (The Table)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغْسِلُوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَرَافِقِ وَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًۭا فَٱطَّهَّرُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَآءَ أَحَدٌۭ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لَٰمَسْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا۟ مَآءًۭ فَتَيَمَّمُوا۟ صَعِيدًۭا طَيِّبًۭا فَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍۢ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.
سُورَةُ الرَّحۡمَٰن
Ar-Rahmaan (The Beneficent)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
عَلَّمَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ
Taught the Qur'an,
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Al-Baqara (The Cow)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْمَحِيضِ ۖ قُلْ هُوَ أَذًۭى فَٱعْتَزِلُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فِى ٱلْمَحِيضِ ۖ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوهُنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَطْهُرْنَ ۖ فَإِذَا تَطَهَّرْنَ فَأْتُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلتَّوَّٰبِينَ وَيُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ
And they ask you about menstruation. Say, "It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then come to them from where Allah has ordained for you. Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves."
سُورَةُ البَيِّنَةِ
Al-Bayyina (The Evidence)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
رَسُولٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ يَتْلُوا۟ صُحُفًۭا مُّطَهَّرَةًۭ
A Messenger from Allah, reciting purified scriptures
Common Words
144 total92 unique36 repeated
أو6x
من5x
ٱلله5x
حتى3x
وإن3x
كنتم3x
ٱلنساء3x
وأيديكم3x
إلى3x
يأيها2x
ٱلذين2x
ءامنوا2x
ٱلصلوة2x
ما2x
ولا2x
جنبا2x
مرضى2x
على2x
سفر2x
جاء2x
Related Hadiths
About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #229 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Purification (Kitab Al-Taharah). It is graded Da'if and narrated by Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib:.