What is Sunan Abu Dawud 4003 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Dialects and Readings of the Qur'an (Kitab Al-Huruf Wa Al-Qira'at)), narrated by Narrated Abu Dharr:, states: "I was sitting behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who was riding a donkey while the sun was setting. He asked: Do you know where this sets ? I replied: Allah and his Apostle know best. He said: It sets…"

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 4003 in the Book of Dialects and Readings of the Qur'an (Kitab Al-Huruf Wa Al-Qira'at).

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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#4002

#4003

Sunan Abu Dawud

#4004

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Sunan Abu Dawud #4003

Dialects and Readings of the Qur'an (Kitab Al-Huruf Wa Al-Qira'at)

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ مَيْسَرَةَ، - الْمَعْنَى - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ حُسَيْنٍ، عَنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ عُتَيْبَةَ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ كُنْتُ رَدِيفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ عَلَى حِمَارٍ وَالشَّمْسُ عِنْدَ غُرُوبِهَا فَقَالَ ‏"‏ هَلْ تَدْرِي أَيْنَ تَغْرُبُ هَذِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَإِنَّهَا تَغْرُبُ فِي عَيْنِ حَامِيَةٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

I was sitting behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who was riding a donkey while the sun was setting. He asked: Do you know where this sets ? I replied: Allah and his Apostle know best. He said: It sets in a spring of warm water (Hamiyah).

Narrated by Narrated Abu Dharr:

Context

In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) shares a profound insight about the setting of the sun, illustrating a natural phenomenon with spiritual significance. His explanation serves to remind believers of the signs of Allah's creation and the wonders of the world around them.

Modern Application

In our daily lives, taking moments to appreciate natural phenomena can deepen our connection to creation. Reflecting on such signs can inspire gratitude and mindfulness in our interactions with the world.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Signs of Allah and Creation because it draws attention to the natural world as a manifestation of divine power and wisdom.

Signs of Allah Creation