Sunan Abu Dawud #3419
Wages (Kitab Al-Ijarah)
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْمُتَوَكِّلِ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أَنَّ رَهْطًا، مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم انْطَلَقُوا فِي سَفْرَةٍ سَافَرُوهَا فَنَزَلُوا بِحَىٍّ مِنْ أَحْيَاءِ الْعَرَبِ فَاسْتَضَافُوهُمْ فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُضَيِّفُوهُمْ - قَالَ - فَلُدِغَ سَيِّدُ ذَلِكَ الْحَىِّ فَشَفَوْا لَهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ لاَ يَنْفَعُهُ شَىْءٌ . فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَوْ أَتَيْتُمْ هَؤُلاَءِ الرَّهْطَ الَّذِينَ نَزَلُوا بِكُمْ لَعَلَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ عِنْدَ بَعْضِهِمْ شَىْءٌ يَنْفَعُ صَاحِبَكُمْ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِنَّ سَيِّدَنَا لُدِغَ فَشَفَيْنَا لَهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَلاَ يَنْفَعُهُ شَىْءٌ فَهَلْ عِنْدَ أَحَدٍ مِنْكُمْ شَىْءٌ يَشْفِي صَاحِبَنَا يَعْنِي رُقْيَةً . فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ إِنِّي لأَرْقِي وَلَكِنِ اسْتَضَفْنَاكُمْ فَأَبَيْتُمْ أَنْ تُضَيِّفُونَا مَا أَنَا بِرَاقٍ حَتَّى تَجْعَلُوا لِي جُعْلاً . فَجَعَلُوا لَهُ قَطِيعًا مِنَ الشَّاءِ فَأَتَاهُ فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ بِأُمِّ الْكِتَابِ وَيَتْفُلُ حَتَّى بَرِئَ كَأَنَّمَا أُنْشِطَ مِنْ عِقَالٍ فَأَوْفَاهُمْ جُعْلَهُمُ الَّذِي صَالَحُوهُ عَلَيْهِ . فَقَالُوا اقْتَسِمُوا فَقَالَ الَّذِي رَقَى لاَ تَفْعَلُوا حَتَّى نَأْتِيَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَنَسْتَأْمِرَهُ . فَغَدَوْا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرُوا لَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
" مِنْ أَيْنَ عَلِمْتُمْ أَنَّهَا رُقْيَةٌ أَحْسَنْتُمْ وَاضْرِبُوا لِي مَعَكُمْ بِسَهْمٍ " .
Some of the Companions of Prophet (ﷺ) went on a journey. They encamped with a clan of the Arabs and sought hospitality from them, but they refused to provide them with any hospitality. The chief of the clan was stung by a scorpion or bitten by a snake. They gave him all sorts of treatment, but nothing gave him relied. One of them said: Would that you had gone to those people who encamped with you ; some of them might have something which could give you relief to your companion. (So they went and) one of them said: Our chief has been stung by a scorpion or bitten by a snake. We administered all sorts of medicine but nothing gave him relief. Has any of you anything, i.e. charm, which gives healing to our companion. One of those people said: I shall apply charm; we sought hospitality from you, but you refused to entertain us. I am not going to apply charm until you give me some wages. So they offered them a number of sheep. He then came to and recited Faithat-al-Kitab and spat until he was cured as if he were set free from a bond. Thereafter they made payment of the wages as agreed by them. They said: Apportion (the wages). The man who applied the charm said: Do not do until we come to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and consult him. So they came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) next morning and mentioned it to him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: From where did you learn that it was a charm ? You have done right. Give me a share along with you.
Narrated by Narrated Abu Sa’id Al Khudri :
Context
This hadith narrates an incident where a group of companions sought hospitality from a tribe but were denied. Later, when the tribe's chief was bitten by a snake, the companions offered their help in exchange for compensation. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ approved of their actions, emphasizing the importance of fair dealings and the ethics of interaction.
Modern Application
In modern contexts, this principle encourages fair trade and mutual respect in business transactions. It highlights the value of providing services while ensuring that both parties benefit from the interaction.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Ethics of Interaction and Hospitality in Islam because it illustrates the importance of fair compensation for services and the significance of hospitality in Islamic teachings.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ الكَهۡفِ
Al-Kahf (The Cave)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَتَيَآ أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ ٱسْتَطْعَمَآ أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا۟ أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًۭا يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُۥ ۖ قَالَ لَوْ شِئْتَ لَتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًۭا
So they set out, until when they came to the people of a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to offer them hospitality. And they found therein a wall about to collapse, so al-Khidh r restored it. [Moses] said, "If you wished, you could have taken for it a payment."
سُورَةُ التَّوۡبَةِ
At-Tawba (The Repentance)
3 ayahs
مَا كَانَ لِأَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ أَن يَتَخَلَّفُوا۟ عَن رَّسُولِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَرْغَبُوا۟ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌۭ وَلَا نَصَبٌۭ وَلَا مَخْمَصَةٌۭ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَطَـُٔونَ مَوْطِئًۭا يَغِيظُ ٱلْكُفَّارَ وَلَا يَنَالُونَ مِنْ عَدُوٍّۢ نَّيْلًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُم بِهِۦ عَمَلٌۭ صَٰلِحٌ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
It was not [proper] for the people of Madinah and those surrounding them of the bedouins that they remain behind after [the departure of] the Messenger of Allah or that they prefer themselves over his self. That is because they are not afflicted by thirst or fatigue or hunger in the cause of Allah, nor do they tread on any ground that enrages the disbelievers, nor do they inflict upon an enemy any infliction but that is registered for them as a righteous deed. Indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of the doers of good.
وَمِنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ وَيَتَّخِذُ مَا يُنفِقُ قُرُبَٰتٍ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَصَلَوَٰتِ ٱلرَّسُولِ ۚ أَلَآ إِنَّهَا قُرْبَةٌۭ لَّهُمْ ۚ سَيُدْخِلُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِى رَحْمَتِهِۦٓ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ
But among the bedouins are some who believe in Allah and the Last Day and consider what they spend as means of nearness to Allah and of [obtaining] invocations of the Messenger. Unquestionably, it is a means of nearness for them. Allah will admit them to His mercy. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
وَإِذَآ أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ أَنْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَجَٰهِدُوا۟ مَعَ رَسُولِهِ ٱسْتَـْٔذَنَكَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلطَّوْلِ مِنْهُمْ وَقَالُوا۟ ذَرْنَا نَكُن مَّعَ ٱلْقَٰعِدِينَ
And when a surah was revealed [enjoining them] to believe in Allah and to fight with His Messenger, those of wealth among them asked your permission [to stay back] and said, "Leave us to be with them who sit [at home]."
سُورَةُ عَبَسَ
Abasa (He frowned)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ
The Prophet frowned and turned away
Common Words
127 total102 unique14 repeated
ٱلله7x
ولا5x
أن4x
من3x
ما2x
ومن2x
ٱلأعراب2x
عن2x
لا2x
فى2x
لهم2x
إن2x
بٱلله2x
مع2x
فٱنطلقا1x
حتى1x
إذا1x
أتيا1x
أهل1x
قرية1x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #3419 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Wages (Kitab Al-Ijarah). It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Abu Sa’id Al Khudri :.