What is Sunan Abu Dawud 4611 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Model Behavior of the Prophet (Kitab Al-Sunnah)), narrated by Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:, states: "If anyone summons other to follow right guidance, his reward will be equivalent to that of the people who follow him, without their rewards being diminished in any respect on that account; and if anyo…"

Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Hasan 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 4611 in the Book of Model Behavior of the Prophet (Kitab Al-Sunnah).

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.

‹

#4610

#4611

Sunan Abu Dawud

#4612

›

Sunan Abu Dawud #4611

Model Behavior of the Prophet (Kitab Al-Sunnah)

Hasan Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ جَعْفَرٍ - قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي الْعَلاَءُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ - عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ دَعَا إِلَى هُدًى كَانَ لَهُ مِنَ الأَجْرِ مِثْلُ أُجُورِ مَنْ تَبِعَهُ لاَ يَنْقُصُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْئًا وَمَنْ دَعَا إِلَى ضَلاَلَةٍ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الإِثْمِ مِثْلُ آثَامِ مَنْ تَبِعَهُ لاَ يَنْقُصُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ آثَامِهِمْ شَيْئًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

If anyone summons other to follow right guidance, his reward will be equivalent to that of the people who follow him, without their rewards being diminished in any respect on that account; and if anyone summons others to follow error the sin of which sins being diminished in any respect on that account.

Narrated by Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:

Context

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) teaches that those who guide others towards righteousness will receive rewards equivalent to those who follow them, while those who lead others astray bear the weight of their sins. This hadith emphasizes the profound impact of one's actions and the responsibility that comes with influencing others.

Modern Application

In modern life, this principle can be seen in various contexts, such as mentorship, education, and social media. Individuals are encouraged to share positive and constructive messages, knowing that their influence can lead to significant outcomes for others.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Good Deeds and Reward of Deeds because it highlights the rewards associated with guiding others towards righteousness.

Good Deeds Reward of Deeds