What is Sunan Abu Dawud 4691 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 (May peace be upon him) as saying :, states: "When one commits fornication, one is not a believer ; when one steals, one is not a believer ; when one drinks, one is not a believer ; and repentance is placed before him."

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 4691 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.

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#4690

#4691

Sunan Abu Dawud

#4692

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Sunan Abu Dawud #4691

Model Behavior of the Prophet (Kitab Al-Sunnah)

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو صَالِحٍ الأَنْطَاكِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ الْفَزَارِيُّ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لاَ يَزْنِي الزَّانِي حِينَ يَزْنِي وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلاَ يَسْرِقُ حِينَ يَسْرِقُ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلاَ يَشْرَبُ الْخَمْرَ حِينَ يَشْرَبُهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَالتَّوْبَةُ مَعْرُوضَةٌ بَعْدُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

When one commits fornication, one is not a believer ; when one steals, one is not a believer ; when one drinks, one is not a believer ; and repentance is placed before him.

Narrated by Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying :

Context

In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ explains that a person who commits sins such as fornication, theft, or drinking alcohol cannot be considered a true believer at that moment. This statement emphasizes the importance of faith in guiding one's actions and the concept of repentance as a means to return to faith. It illustrates the struggle between sin and belief.

Modern Application

Today, this principle encourages individuals to seek repentance and strive for personal growth. It highlights the importance of recognizing one's mistakes and taking steps to improve one's character and faith.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Repentance and Sin because it addresses the relationship between belief and sinful actions, emphasizing the need for repentance.

Repentance Sin