Sunan Abu Dawud #4906
General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab)
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَمْيَاءِ، أَنَّ سَهْلَ بْنَ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ، حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّهُ، دَخَلَ هُوَ وَأَبُوهُ عَلَى أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فِي زَمَانِ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ وَهُوَ أَمِيرُ الْمَدِينَةِ فَإِذَا هُوَ يُصَلِّي صَلاَةً خَفِيفَةً دَقِيقَةً كَأَنَّهَا صَلاَةُ مُسَافِرٍ أَوْ قَرِيبًا مِنْهَا فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ قَالَ أَبِي يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ أَرَأَيْتَ هَذِهِ الصَّلاَةَ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ أَوْ شَىْءٌ تَنَفَّلْتَهُ قَالَ إِنَّهَا الْمَكْتُوبَةُ وَإِنَّهَا لَصَلاَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا أَخْطَأْتُ إِلاَّ شَيْئًا سَهَوْتُ عَنْهُ - فَقَالَ - إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَقُولُ " لاَ تُشَدِّدُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِكُمْ فَيُشَدَّدَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَإِنَّ قَوْمًا شَدَّدُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ فَشَدَّدَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَتِلْكَ بَقَايَاهُمْ فِي الصَّوَامِعِ وَالدِّيَارِ { رَهْبَانِيَّةً ابْتَدَعُوهَا مَا كَتَبْنَاهَا عَلَيْهِمْ } " . ثُمَّ غَدَا مِنَ الْغَدِ فَقَالَ أَلاَ تَرْكَبُ لِتَنْظُرَ وَلِتَعْتَبِرَ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَرَكِبُوا جَمِيعًا فَإِذَا هُمْ بِدِيَارٍ بَادَ أَهْلُهَا وَانْقَضَوْا وَفَنَوْا خَاوِيَةً عَلَى عُرُوشِهَا فَقَالَ " أَتَعْرِفُ هَذِهِ الدِّيَارَ " . فَقُلْتُ مَا أَعْرَفَنِي بِهَا وَبِأَهْلِهَا هَذِهِ دِيَارُ قَوْمٍ أَهْلَكَهُمُ الْبَغْىُ وَالْحَسَدُ إِنَّ الْحَسَدَ يُطْفِئُ نُورَ الْحَسَنَاتِ وَالْبَغْىُ يُصَدِّقُ ذَلِكَ أَوْ يُكَذِّبُهُ وَالْعَيْنُ تَزْنِي وَالْكَفُّ وَالْقَدَمُ وَالْجَسَدُ وَاللِّسَانُ وَالْفَرْجُ يُصَدِّقُ ذَلِكَ أَوْ يُكَذِّبُهُ .
Sahl ibn AbuUmamah said that he and his father (AbuUmamah) visited Anas ibn Malik at Medina during the time (rule) of Umar ibn AbdulAziz when he (Anas ibn Malik) was the governor of Medina. He was praying a very short prayer as if it were the prayer of a traveller or near it.
When he gave a greeting, my father said: May Allah have mercy on you! Tell me about this prayer: Is it obligatory or supererogatory?
He said: It is obligatory; it is the prayer performed by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). I did not make a mistake except in one thing that I forgot.
He said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say: Do not impose austerities on yourselves so that austerities will be imposed on you, for people have imposed austerities on themselves and Allah imposed austerities on them. Their survivors are to be found in cells and monasteries. (Then he quoted:) "Monasticism, they invented it; we did not prescribe it for them."
Next day he went out in the morning and said: will you not go out for a ride, so that you may see something and take a lesson from it?
He said: Yes. Then all of them rode away and reached a land whose inhabitants had perished, passed away and died. The roofs of the town had fallen in.
He asked: Do you know this land? I said: Who acquainted me with it and its inhabitants? (Anas said:) This is the land of the people whom oppression and envy destroyed. Envy extinguishes the light of good deeds, and oppression confirms or falsifies it. The eye commits fornication, and the palm of the hand, the foot, body, tongue and private part of the body confirm it or deny it.
Narrated by Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
Context
Anas ibn Malik recounts an encounter where he learns about the Prophet Muhammad's (ﷺ) approach to prayer and the importance of not imposing strictness on oneself. This hadith emphasizes the need for balance and moderation in religious practices, warning against excessive austerity.
Modern Application
This principle encourages individuals to practice their faith with balance, avoiding extremes that may lead to burnout or discouragement. It promotes a healthy and sustainable approach to spirituality.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prayer and Prophetic Conduct because it highlights the significance of moderation in religious practices and the Prophet's example.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ مَرۡيَمَ
Maryam (Mary)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَكَانَ يَأْمُرُ أَهْلَهُۥ بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱلزَّكَوٰةِ وَكَانَ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦ مَرْضِيًّۭا
And he used to enjoin on his people prayer and zakah and was to his Lord pleasing.
سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ
An-Nisaa (The Women)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
2 ayahs
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ قِيلَ لَهُمْ كُفُّوٓا۟ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقِتَالُ إِذَا فَرِيقٌۭ مِّنْهُمْ يَخْشَوْنَ ٱلنَّاسَ كَخَشْيَةِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْ أَشَدَّ خَشْيَةًۭ ۚ وَقَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا لِمَ كَتَبْتَ عَلَيْنَا ٱلْقِتَالَ لَوْلَآ أَخَّرْتَنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ قَرِيبٍۢ ۗ قُلْ مَتَٰعُ ٱلدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌۭ وَٱلْءَاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌۭ لِّمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا
Have you not seen those who were told, "Restrain your hands [from fighting] and establish prayer and give zakah"? But then when fighting was ordained for them, at once a party of them feared men as they fear Allah or with [even] greater fear. They said, "Our Lord, why have You decreed upon us fighting? If only You had postponed [it for] us for a short time." Say, The enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is better for he who fears Allah. And injustice will not be done to you, [even] as much as a thread [inside a date seed]."
وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَقْصُرُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَن يَفْتِنَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ كَانُوا۟ لَكُمْ عَدُوًّۭا مُّبِينًۭا
And when you travel throughout the land, there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer, [especially] if you fear that those who disbelieve may disrupt [or attack] you. Indeed, the disbelievers are ever to you a clear enemy.
سُورَةُ المَائـِدَةِ
Al-Maaida (The Table)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغْسِلُوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَرَافِقِ وَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًۭا فَٱطَّهَّرُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَآءَ أَحَدٌۭ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لَٰمَسْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا۟ مَآءًۭ فَتَيَمَّمُوا۟ صَعِيدًۭا طَيِّبًۭا فَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍۢ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.
سُورَةُ عَبَسَ
Abasa (He frowned)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ
The Prophet frowned and turned away
Common Words
147 total121 unique16 repeated
إلى5x
أو4x
ٱلذين3x
ٱلصلوة3x
ٱلله3x
من3x
عليكم3x
وكان2x
ٱلقتال2x
إذا2x
وأيديكم2x
وإن2x
كنتم2x
يريد2x
أن2x
إن2x
يأمر1x
أهله1x
بٱلصلوة1x
وٱلزكوة1x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #4906 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab). It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Anas ibn Malik:.