What is Sunan Abu Dawud 3208 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Funerals (Kitab Al-Jana'iz)), narrated by Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:, states: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Breaking a dead man's bone is like breaking it when he is alive."

Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Da'if. The grade indicates the level of authenticity based on the chain of narration and content analysis.

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 3208 in the Book of Funerals (Kitab Al-Jana'iz).

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 #3208

Funerals (Kitab Al-Jana'iz)

Da'if

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

حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ سَعْدٍ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَعِيدٍ - عَنْ عَمْرَةَ بِنْتِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ كَسْرُ عَظْمِ الْمَيِّتِ كَكَسْرِهِ حَيًّا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Breaking a dead man's bone is like breaking it when he is alive.

Narrated by Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:

Context

In this hadith, Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin, reports that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ equated the act of breaking a dead man's bone to breaking it while he is alive. This statement underscores the sanctity of the deceased and the respect that must be afforded to them even after death.

Modern Application

This principle is relevant today as it encourages us to treat the deceased with dignity and respect. It reminds us of the ethical considerations surrounding how we handle the remains of those who have passed, emphasizing compassion and care.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Prophetic Conduct because it reflects the ethical treatment and respect that should be afforded to the deceased.

Prophetic Conduct

Related Ayahs

سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ

Al-Baqara (The Cow)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

2 ayahs

فَقُلْنَا ٱضْرِبُوهُ بِبَعْضِهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُحْىِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ وَيُرِيكُمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

So, We said, "Strike the slain man with part of it." Thus does Allah bring the dead to life, and He shows you His signs that you might reason.

أَوْ كَٱلَّذِى مَرَّ عَلَىٰ قَرْيَةٍۢ وَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا قَالَ أَنَّىٰ يُحْىِۦ هَٰذِهِ ٱللَّهُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۖ فَأَمَاتَهُ ٱللَّهُ مِا۟ئَةَ عَامٍۢ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُۥ ۖ قَالَ كَمْ لَبِثْتَ ۖ قَالَ لَبِثْتُ يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍۢ ۖ قَالَ بَل لَّبِثْتَ مِا۟ئَةَ عَامٍۢ فَٱنظُرْ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِكَ وَشَرَابِكَ لَمْ يَتَسَنَّهْ ۖ وَٱنظُرْ إِلَىٰ حِمَارِكَ وَلِنَجْعَلَكَ ءَايَةًۭ لِّلنَّاسِ ۖ وَٱنظُرْ إِلَى ٱلْعِظَامِ كَيْفَ نُنشِزُهَا ثُمَّ نَكْسُوهَا لَحْمًۭا ۚ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُۥ قَالَ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ

Or [consider such an example] as the one who passed by a township which had fallen into ruin. He said, "How will Allah bring this to life after its death?" So Allah caused him to die for a hundred years; then He revived him. He said, "How long have you remained?" The man said, "I have remained a day or part of a day." He said, "Rather, you have remained one hundred years. Look at your food and your drink; it has not changed with time. And look at your donkey; and We will make you a sign for the people. And look at the bones [of this donkey] - how We raise them and then We cover them with flesh." And when it became clear to him, he said, "I know that Allah is over all things competent."

سُورَةُ الوَاقِعَةِ

Al-Waaqia (The Inevitable)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

فَأَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبِينَ

And if the deceased was of those brought near to Allah,

سُورَةُ التَّوۡبَةِ

At-Tawba (The Repentance)

1 ayah

وَلَا تُصَلِّ عَلَىٰٓ أَحَدٍۢ مِّنْهُم مَّاتَ أَبَدًۭا وَلَا تَقُمْ عَلَىٰ قَبْرِهِۦٓ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَمَاتُوا۟ وَهُمْ فَٰسِقُونَ

And do not pray [the funeral prayer, O Muhammad], over any of them who has died - ever - or stand at his grave. Indeed, they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and died while they were defiantly disobedient.

سُورَةُ الشَّمۡسِ

Ash-Shams (The Sun)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ نَاقَةَ ٱللَّهِ وَسُقْيَٰهَا

And the messenger of Allah [Salih] said to them, "[Do not harm] the she-camel of Allah or [prevent her from] her drink."

Common Words

108 total84 unique12 repeated

ٱلله6x

على5x

قال5x

لبثت3x

إلى3x

يحى2x

ولا2x

أو2x

مائة2x

عام2x

ثم2x

وٱنظر2x

فقلنا1x

ٱضربوه1x

ببعضها1x

كذلك1x

ٱلموتى1x

ويريكم1x

ءايته1x

لعلكم1x

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About Sunan Abu Dawud

This hadith is #3208 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Funerals (Kitab Al-Jana'iz). It is graded Da'if and narrated by Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:.

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Sunan Abu Dawud #3208

Context

Modern Application

Topics

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Common Words

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About Sunan Abu Dawud

About This Hadith