What is Sunan Abu Dawud 2930 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Tribute, Spoils, and Rulership (Kitab Al-Kharaj, Wal-Fai' Wal-Imarah)), narrated by Narrated 'Abd al-Rahman b. Samurah:, states: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: 'Abdul al-Rahman b. Samurah, do not ask for the position of commander, for if you are given it after asking you will be left to discharge it yourself, but if you…"

Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Hasan li ghairih. Hasan hadiths are considered good and acceptable 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 2930 in the Book of Tribute, Spoils, and Rulership (Kitab Al-Kharaj, Wal-Fai' Wal-Imarah).

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.

‹

#2929

#2930

Sunan Abu Dawud

#2931

›

Sunan Abu Dawud #2930

Tribute, Spoils, and Rulership (Kitab Al-Kharaj, Wal-Fai' Wal-Imarah)

Hasan li ghairih

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

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ الْبَزَّازُ، حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ، وَمَنْصُورٌ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ لِيَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ سَمُرَةَ لاَ تَسْأَلِ الإِمَارَةَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذَا أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ وُكِلْتَ فِيهَا إِلَى نَفْسِكَ وَإِنْ أُعْطِيتَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ أُعِنْتَ عَلَيْهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: 'Abdul al-Rahman b. Samurah, do not ask for the position of commander, for if you are given it after asking you will be left to discharge it yourself, but if you are given it without asking you will be helped to discharge it.

Narrated by Narrated 'Abd al-Rahman b. Samurah:

Context

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ advises 'Abd al-Rahman b. Samurah against seeking leadership positions. He explains that if one is given a position after asking for it, they will be left to manage it alone, whereas if appointed without asking, they will receive assistance. This highlights the value of humility and the nature of leadership.

Modern Application

In today's world, this principle can be applied to leadership roles in various fields. It suggests that true leaders should focus on serving others rather than seeking power for its own sake, fostering a culture of collaboration and support.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Leadership and Authority and Prophetic Teachings because it emphasizes the qualities of humility in leadership and the importance of seeking guidance and support in positions of authority.

Leadership and Authority Prophetic Teachings