What is Sunan Abu Dawud 3910 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Divination and Omens (Kitab Al-Kahanah Wa Al-Tatayyur)), narrated by Narrated Mu'awiyah b. al-Hakam al-Sulami:, states: "I said: Messenger of Allah! among us there are men who practice divination by drawing lines. He said: There was a Prophet who drew lines, so if anyone does it as he drew lines, that is right."

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 3910 in the Book of Divination and Omens (Kitab Al-Kahanah Wa Al-Tatayyur).

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

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#3909

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Sunan Abu Dawud

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Sunan Abu Dawud #3910

Divination and Omens (Kitab Al-Kahanah Wa Al-Tatayyur)

Sahih

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 يَحْيَى، عَنِ الْحَجَّاجِ الصَّوَّافِ، حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ هِلاَلِ بْنِ أَبِي مَيْمُونَةَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ السُّلَمِيِّ، قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمِنَّا رِجَالٌ يَخُطُّونَ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏ "‏ كَانَ نَبِيٌّ مِنَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ يَخُطُّ فَمَنْ وَافَقَ خَطَّهُ فَذَاكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

I said: Messenger of Allah! among us there are men who practice divination by drawing lines. He said: There was a Prophet who drew lines, so if anyone does it as he drew lines, that is right.

Narrated by Narrated Mu'awiyah b. al-Hakam al-Sulami:

Context

Mu'awiyah b. al-Hakam al-Sulami narrates a conversation with the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) regarding the practice of divination through drawing lines. The Prophet acknowledges that a previous Prophet had engaged in this practice, indicating a level of acceptance under certain conditions. This illustrates the balance between tradition and guidance in Islamic teachings.

Modern Application

This hadith can be applied today by encouraging individuals to seek guidance from their traditions while being mindful of the context and appropriateness of certain practices. It promotes a thoughtful approach to cultural practices that may intersect with religious beliefs.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Prophetic Conduct and Divine Revelation because it reflects the Prophet's acknowledgment of prior practices while guiding followers on acceptable behaviors.

Prophetic Conduct Divine Revelation