What is Sunan Abu Dawud 448 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat)), narrated by Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:, states: "I was not commanded to build high mosques. Ibn Abbas said: You will certainly adorn them as the Jews and Christians did."

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 448 in the Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat).

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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#447

#448

Sunan Abu Dawud

#449

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Sunan Abu Dawud #448

Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat)

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ بْنِ سُفْيَانَ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي فَزَارَةَ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ الأَصَمِّ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَا أُمِرْتُ بِتَشْيِيدِ الْمَسَاجِدِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ لَتُزَخْرِفُنَّهَا كَمَا زَخْرَفَتِ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى ‏.‏

I was not commanded to build high mosques. Ibn Abbas said: You will certainly adorn them as the Jews and Christians did.

Narrated by Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:

Context

In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) expresses that he was not commanded to build high mosques, suggesting a focus on functionality and humility in worship spaces. Ibn Abbas's comment reflects concerns about the potential for excessive adornment, drawing a comparison to the practices of Jews and Christians.

Modern Application

This principle can be applied today by encouraging communities to prioritize the purpose of mosques over their physical grandeur. It serves as a reminder to focus on the spiritual aspects of worship rather than the materialistic embellishments of the prayer space.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Adornment Guidelines because it addresses the issue of excessive decoration in places of worship, urging simplicity and humility.

Adornment Guidelines

Related Ayahs

سُورَةُ يُونُسَ

Yunus (Jonas)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

2 ayahs

وَأَنْ أَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًۭا وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ

And [commanded], 'Direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth, and never be of those who associate others with Allah;

فَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَمَا سَأَلْتُكُم مِّنْ أَجْرٍ ۖ إِنْ أَجْرِىَ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ

And if you turn away [from my advice] then no payment have I asked of you. My reward is only from Allah, and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims."

سُورَةُ المَائـِدَةِ

Al-Maaida (The Table)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِلَّا مَآ أَمَرْتَنِى بِهِۦٓ أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّكُمْ ۚ وَكُنتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًۭا مَّا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِى كُنتَ أَنتَ ٱلرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَأَنتَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ شَهِيدٌ

I said not to them except what You commanded me - to worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them as long as I was among them; but when You took me up, You were the Observer over them, and You are, over all things, Witness.

سُورَةُ الكَهۡفِ

Al-Kahf (The Cave)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَعْثَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّۭ وَأَنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَآ إِذْ يَتَنَٰزَعُونَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَمْرَهُمْ ۖ فَقَالُوا۟ ٱبْنُوا۟ عَلَيْهِم بُنْيَٰنًۭا ۖ رَّبُّهُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِهِمْ ۚ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ غَلَبُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَمْرِهِمْ لَنَتَّخِذَنَّ عَلَيْهِم مَّسْجِدًۭا

And similarly, We caused them to be found that they [who found them] would know that the promise of Allah is truth and that of the Hour there is no doubt. [That was] when they disputed among themselves about their affair and [then] said, "Construct over them a structure. Their Lord is most knowing about them." Said those who prevailed in the matter, "We will surely take [for ourselves] over them a masjid."

سُورَةُ الذَّارِيَاتِ

Adh-Dhaariyat (The Winnowing Winds)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.

Common Words

92 total74 unique9 repeated

عليهم5x

من3x

ما3x

إلا3x

أن3x

ٱلله3x

على3x

وأن2x

أمرهم2x

أقم1x

وجهك1x

للدين1x

حنيفا1x

ولا1x

تكونن1x

ٱلمشركين1x

قلت1x

لهم1x

أمرتنى1x

به1x

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About Sunan Abu Dawud

This hadith is #448 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat). It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:.

Browse all Sunan Abu Dawud All Hadith Collections

Sunan Abu Dawud #448

Context

Modern Application

Topics

Related Ayahs

Common Words

Related Hadiths

About Sunan Abu Dawud

About This Hadith