Sunan Abu Dawud #334
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 ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، أَخْبَرَنَا وَهْبُ بْنُ جَرِيرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبِي قَالَ، سَمِعْتُ يَحْيَى بْنَ أَيُّوبَ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ أَبِي أَنَسٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ الْمِصْرِيِّ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ، قَالَ احْتَلَمْتُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ بَارِدَةٍ فِي غَزْوَةِ ذَاتِ السَّلاَسِلِ فَأَشْفَقْتُ إِنِ اغْتَسَلْتُ أَنْ أَهْلِكَ فَتَيَمَّمْتُ ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ بِأَصْحَابِي الصُّبْحَ فَذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " يَا عَمْرُو صَلَّيْتَ بِأَصْحَابِكَ وَأَنْتَ جُنُبٌ " . فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ بِالَّذِي مَنَعَنِي مِنَ الاِغْتِسَالِ وَقُلْتُ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ { وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا } فَضَحِكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلَمْ يَقُلْ شَيْئًا . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ مِصْرِيٌّ مَوْلَى خَارِجَةَ بْنِ حُذَافَةَ وَلَيْسَ هُوَ ابْنَ جُبَيْرِ بْنِ نُفَيْرٍ .
I had a sexual dream on a cold night in the battle of Dhat as-Salasil. I was afraid, if I washed I would die. I, therefore, performed tayammum and led my companions in the dawn prayer. They mentioned that to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said: Amr, you led your companions is prayer while you were sexually defiled? I informed him of the cause which impeded me from washing. And I said: I heard Allah say: "Do not kill yourself, verily Allah is merciful to you." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) laughed and did not say anything.
Abu Dawud said: 'Abd al-Rahman b. Jubair is an Egyptian and a freed slave of Kharijah b. Hudhafah. He is not Jubair b. Nufair
Narrated by Narrated Amr ibn al-'As:
Context
In this hadith, Amr ibn al-'As recounts an incident during a battle where he was unable to perform ghusl due to the cold weather. Instead, he performed tayammum and led his companions in prayer. When this was brought to the attention of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), he acknowledged Amr's reasoning with understanding, illustrating the flexibility and mercy in Islamic practices regarding purification.
Modern Application
Muslims today can draw from this hadith when faced with difficulties in performing wudu or ghusl. It encourages them to seek alternatives like tayammum when necessary, reflecting the practical nature of Islamic teachings.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prayer and Purification (Wudu/Taharah) because it discusses the conditions under which one can lead prayer despite not being in a state of full ritual purity.
Related Ayahs
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 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 الأَنفَالِ
Al-Anfaal (The Spoils of War)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
إِذْ يُرِيكَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِى مَنَامِكَ قَلِيلًۭا ۖ وَلَوْ أَرَىٰكَهُمْ كَثِيرًۭا لَّفَشِلْتُمْ وَلَتَنَٰزَعْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَلَّمَ ۗ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ
[Remember, O Muhammad], when Allah showed them to you in your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many, you [believers] would have lost courage and would have disputed in the matter [of whether to fight], but Allah saved [you from that]. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.
سُورَةُ عَبَسَ
Abasa (He frowned)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُۥ يَزَّكَّىٰٓ
But what would make you perceive, [O Muhammad], that perhaps he might be purified
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Al-Baqara (The Cow)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ ٱلصِّيَامِ ٱلرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَآئِكُمْ ۚ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌۭ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌۭ لَّهُنَّ ۗ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنكُمْ ۖ فَٱلْـَٰٔنَ بَٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَٱبْتَغُوا۟ مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۚ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ ٱلْخَيْطُ ٱلْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ ٱلْخَيْطِ ٱلْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ ٱلْفَجْرِ ۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا۟ ٱلصِّيَامَ إِلَى ٱلَّيْلِ ۚ وَلَا تُبَٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَٰكِفُونَ فِى ٱلْمَسَٰجِدِ ۗ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ
It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset. And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allah, so do not approach them. Thus does Allah make clear His ordinances to the people that they may become righteous.
Common Words
198 total130 unique41 repeated
ٱلله8x
أو6x
إلى5x
من5x
كنتم4x
لكم4x
وأيديكم3x
وإن3x
ما3x
عليكم3x
وأنتم3x
حتى3x
فى3x
يأيها2x
ٱلذين2x
ءامنوا2x
ٱلصلوة2x
جنبا2x
مرضى2x
على2x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #334 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Purification (Kitab Al-Taharah). It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Amr ibn al-'As:.