What is Sunan Abu Dawud 4896 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab)), narrated by Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying:, states: "when two men abuse one another, what they say is laid to the charge of the one who began it, so long as the one who is wronged does not go over the score."

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 4896 in the Book of General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab).

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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#4895

#4896

Sunan Abu Dawud

#4897

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Sunan Abu Dawud #4896

General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab)

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 عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ - عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ الْمُسْتَبَّانِ مَا قَالاَ فَعَلَى الْبَادِي مِنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَعْتَدِ الْمَظْلُومُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

when two men abuse one another, what they say is laid to the charge of the one who began it, so long as the one who is wronged does not go over the score.

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

Context

In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) addresses the issue of verbal disputes between two individuals. He teaches that the one who initiates the insult bears the greater responsibility, as long as the wronged party does not exceed the bounds of propriety in their response. This highlights the ethical implications of speech and accountability.

Modern Application

In everyday interactions, this principle encourages individuals to be mindful of their words and actions. It serves as a reminder to avoid provoking others and to take responsibility for our own behavior, fostering healthier communication and conflict resolution.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Ethics of Speech and Moral Responsibility because it underscores the importance of accountability in verbal exchanges and the ethical implications of initiating conflict.

Ethics of Speech Moral Responsibility