What is Sunan Abu Dawud 661 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat)), narrated by jabir b. Samurah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:, states: "Why do you stand in rows as the angels do in the presence of their Lord? We asked: how do the angles stand in rows in the presence of their Lord? He replied: they make the first row complete and keep…"

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 661 in the Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat).

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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#660

#661

Sunan Abu Dawud

#662

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Sunan Abu Dawud #661

Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat)

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 مُحَمَّدٍ النُّفَيْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ سُلَيْمَانَ الأَعْمَشَ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ، فِي الصُّفُوفِ الْمُقَدَّمَةِ فَحَدَّثَنَا عَنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ بْنِ رَافِعٍ، عَنْ تَمِيمِ بْنِ طَرْفَةَ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَلاَ تَصُفُّونَ كَمَا تَصُفُّ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْنَا وَكَيْفَ تَصُفُّ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ قَالَ ‏"‏ يُتِمُّونَ الصُّفُوفَ الْمُقَدَّمَةَ وَيَتَرَاصُّونَ فِي الصَّفِّ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Why do you stand in rows as the angels do in the presence of their Lord? We asked: how do the angles stand in rows in the presence of their Lord? He replied: they make the first row complete and keep close together in the row.

Narrated by jabir b. Samurah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:

Context

Jabir b. Samurah narrates that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ emphasized the importance of standing in rows during prayer, likening it to the angels standing before Allah. This hadith underscores the significance of unity and order in communal worship. The takeaway is the importance of maintaining proper formation in prayer to enhance the collective experience.

Modern Application

In daily salah, congregants can ensure they stand closely together in rows, fostering a sense of community and unity during prayer. This practice can enhance the spiritual atmosphere and collective focus.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Prayer and Prophetic Conduct because it illustrates the importance of maintaining order and unity in prayer, as taught by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Prayer Prophetic Conduct