What is Sunan Abu Dawud 4258 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Trials and Fierce Battles (Kitab Al-Fitan Wa Al-Malahim)), narrated by Narrated Sa'd ibn AbuWaqqas:, states: "I asked: Messenger of Allah! tell me if someone enters my house and extends his hands to kill me (what should I do?) The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied: Be like the two sons of Adam. The narrator Yazi…"

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 4258 in the Book of Trials and Fierce Battles (Kitab Al-Fitan Wa Al-Malahim).

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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#4257

#4258

Sunan Abu Dawud

#4259

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Sunan Abu Dawud #4258

Trials and Fierce Battles (Kitab Al-Fitan Wa Al-Malahim)

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ الرَّمْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُفَضَّلٌ، عَنْ عَيَّاشٍ، عَنْ بُكَيْرٍ، عَنْ بُسْرِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ حُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الأَشْجَعِيِّ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ سَعْدَ بْنَ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ دَخَلَ عَلَىَّ بَيْتِي وَبَسَطَ يَدَهُ لِيَقْتُلَنِي قَالَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ كُنْ كَابْنَىْ آدَمَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَتَلاَ يَزِيدُ ‏{‏ لَئِنْ بَسَطْتَ إِلَىَّ يَدَكَ ‏}‏ الآيَةَ ‏.‏

I asked: Messenger of Allah! tell me if someone enters my house and extends his hands to kill me (what should I do?) The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied: Be like the two sons of Adam. The narrator Yazid (ibn Khalid) then recited the verse: "If thou dost stretch they hand against me to slay me."

Narrated by Narrated Sa'd ibn AbuWaqqas:

Context

In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) advises a man on how to respond if someone attempts to kill him. He refers to the story of the sons of Adam, emphasizing the importance of restraint and moral conduct in the face of violence.

Modern Application

This principle can be applied today as a call for non-violence and moral integrity. It encourages individuals to respond to aggression with dignity and to seek peaceful resolutions.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Good Deeds and Prophetic Conduct because it illustrates the ethical behavior expected of Muslims in challenging situations.

Good Deeds Prophetic Conduct

Related Ayahs

سُورَةُ المَائـِدَةِ

Al-Maaida (The Table)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

2 ayahs

لَئِنۢ بَسَطتَ إِلَىَّ يَدَكَ لِتَقْتُلَنِى مَآ أَنَا۠ بِبَاسِطٍۢ يَدِىَ إِلَيْكَ لِأَقْتُلَكَ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

If you should raise your hand against me to kill me - I shall not raise my hand against you to kill you. Indeed, I fear Allah, Lord of the worlds.

۞ وَٱتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ٱبْنَىْ ءَادَمَ بِٱلْحَقِّ إِذْ قَرَّبَا قُرْبَانًۭا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ مِنَ ٱلْءَاخَرِ قَالَ لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ

And recite to them the story of Adam's two sons, in truth, when they both offered a sacrifice [to Allah], and it was accepted from one of them but was not accepted from the other. Said [the latter], "I will surely kill you." Said [the former], "Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous [who fear Him].

سُورَةُ صٓ

Saad (The letter Saad)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

إِذْ دَخَلُوا۟ عَلَىٰ دَاوُۥدَ فَفَزِعَ مِنْهُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَا تَخَفْ ۖ خَصْمَانِ بَغَىٰ بَعْضُنَا عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا تُشْطِطْ وَٱهْدِنَآ إِلَىٰ سَوَآءِ ٱلصِّرَٰطِ

When they entered upon David and he was alarmed by them? They said, "Fear not. [We are] two adversaries, one of whom has wronged the other, so judge between us with truth and do not exceed [it] and guide us to the sound path.

سُورَةُ القَصَصِ

Al-Qasas (The Stories)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى قَتَلْتُ مِنْهُمْ نَفْسًۭا فَأَخَافُ أَن يَقْتُلُونِ

He said, "My Lord, indeed, I killed from among them someone, and I fear they will kill me.

سُورَةُ آلِ عِمۡرَانَ

Aal-i-Imraan (The Family of Imraan)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوا۟ لِإِخْوَٰنِهِمْ وَقَعَدُوا۟ لَوْ أَطَاعُونَا مَا قُتِلُوا۟ ۗ قُلْ فَٱدْرَءُوا۟ عَنْ أَنفُسِكُمُ ٱلْمَوْتَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ

Those who said about their brothers while sitting [at home], "If they had obeyed us, they would not have been killed." Say, "Then prevent death from yourselves, if you should be truthful."

Common Words

88 total73 unique13 repeated

من3x

قال3x

إلى2x

ما2x

إنى2x

ٱلله2x

رب2x

بٱلحق2x

إذ2x

يتقبل2x

على2x

منهم2x

قالوا2x

لئن1x

بسطت1x

يدك1x

لتقتلنى1x

أنا1x

بباسط1x

يدى1x

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About Sunan Abu Dawud

This hadith is #4258 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Trials and Fierce Battles (Kitab Al-Fitan Wa Al-Malahim). It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Sa'd ibn AbuWaqqas:.

Browse all Sunan Abu Dawud All Hadith Collections

Sunan Abu Dawud #4258

Context

Modern Application

Topics

Related Ayahs

Common Words

Related Hadiths

About Sunan Abu Dawud

About This Hadith