What is Sunan Abu Dawud 5136 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab)), narrated by Narrated al-Ala' ibn al-Hadrami:, states: "Some of the children of al-Ala' ibn al-Hadrami said: Al-Ala' ibn al-Hadrami was the governor of the Prophet (ﷺ) at al-Bahrayn, and when he wrote to him he began with his won name."

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 5136 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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#5135

#5136

Sunan Abu Dawud

#5137

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Sunan Abu Dawud #5136

General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab)

Sahih

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 حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ سِيرِينَ، - قَالَ أَحْمَدُ قَالَ مَرَّةً يَعْنِي هُشَيْمًا - عَنْ بَعْضِ وَلَدِ الْعَلاَءِ أَنَّ الْعَلاَءَ بْنَ الْحَضْرَمِيِّ كَانَ عَامِلَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الْبَحْرَيْنِ فَكَانَ إِذَا كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ بَدَأَ بِنَفْسِهِ ‏.‏

Some of the children of al-Ala' ibn al-Hadrami said: Al-Ala' ibn al-Hadrami was the governor of the Prophet (ﷺ) at al-Bahrayn, and when he wrote to him he began with his won name.

Narrated by Narrated al-Ala' ibn al-Hadrami:

Context

In this hadith, al-Ala' ibn al-Hadrami, a governor appointed by the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), is noted for his practice of starting his correspondence with his own name. This reflects the etiquette of communication and the importance of self-identification in official matters, showcasing the Prophet's emphasis on proper conduct in leadership.

Modern Application

In modern communication, this principle can be applied by ensuring clarity and professionalism in our interactions, especially in formal settings. It encourages individuals to take responsibility and ownership in their communications.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Prophetic Etiquette because it illustrates the proper conduct expected in communication as demonstrated by the Prophet (ﷺ).

Prophetic Etiquette