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 3417 in the Book of Wages (Kitab Al-Ijarah).

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

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#3416

#3417

Sunan Abu Dawud

#3418

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Sunan Abu Dawud #3417

Q: What is Sunan Abu Dawud 3417 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Wages (Kitab Al-Ijarah)), narrated by Narrated Ubaydah ibn as-Samit:, states: "I taught some persons of the people of Suffah writing and the Qur'an. A man of them presented to me a bow. I said: It cannot be reckoned property; may I shoot with it in Allah's path? I must come to…"

Wages (Kitab Al-Ijarah)

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، وَحُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرُّؤَاسِيُّ، عَنْ مُغِيرَةَ بْنِ زِيَادٍ، عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ نُسَىٍّ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ بْنِ ثَعْلَبَةَ، عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، قَالَ عَلَّمْتُ نَاسًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الصُّفَّةِ الْكِتَابَ وَالْقُرْآنَ فَأَهْدَى إِلَىَّ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ قَوْسًا فَقُلْتُ لَيْسَتْ بِمَالٍ وَأَرْمِي عَنْهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لآتِيَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلأَسْأَلَنَّهُ فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ رَجُلٌ أَهْدَى إِلَىَّ قَوْسًا مِمَّنْ كُنْتُ أُعَلِّمُهُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْقُرْآنَ وَلَيْسَتْ بِمَالٍ وَأَرْمِي عَنْهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنْ كُنْتَ تُحِبُّ أَنْ تُطَوَّقَ طَوْقًا مِنْ نَارٍ فَاقْبَلْهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

I taught some persons of the people of Suffah writing and the Qur'an. A man of them presented to me a bow. I said: It cannot be reckoned property; may I shoot with it in Allah's path? I must come to the Apostle of of Allah (ﷺ) and ask him (about it). So I came to him and said : Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), one of those whom I have been teaching writing and the Qur'an has presented me a bow, and as it cannot be reckoned property, may I shoot with it in Allah's path? He said: If you want to have a necklace of fire on you, accept it.

Narrated by Narrated Ubaydah ibn as-Samit:

Context

This hadith recounts an incident where Ubaydah ibn as-Samit, who taught the Qur'an to some individuals, received a bow as a gift from one of his students. He sought the guidance of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) regarding its acceptance, considering it not to be property. The Prophet (ﷺ) warned him that accepting it could lead to severe consequences, metaphorically describing it as a 'necklace of fire.' This highlights the importance of intentions and the implications of accepting gifts in the context of teaching and charity.

Modern Application

In today's context, this hadith reminds us of the importance of being mindful of our intentions when receiving gifts, especially in professional or educational settings. It encourages us to reflect on whether accepting such gifts aligns with our values and responsibilities.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Charity and Prophetic Conduct because it illustrates the significance of intentions behind accepting gifts and the ethical considerations involved in teaching and guiding others.

Charity Prophetic Conduct