Sunan Abu Dawud #911

Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat)
Da'if

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

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنِ الأَشْعَثِ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ سُلَيْمٍ - عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، - رضى الله عنها - قَالَتْ سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ الْتِفَاتِ الرَّجُلِ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّمَا هُوَ اخْتِلاَسٌ يَخْتَلِسُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنْ صَلاَةِ الْعَبْدِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏
I asked the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) about looking to the sides during prayer. He said: It is something which the devil snatches from a servant’s prayers.
Narrated by ‘A’ishah said:

Context

In this hadith, A’ishah inquires about the act of looking around during prayer, to which the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) responds that it is a distraction caused by the devil. This highlights the significance of maintaining focus and concentration during prayer, which is essential for a meaningful spiritual experience.

Modern Application

Today, many Muslims strive to maintain focus during their prayers by minimizing distractions, such as avoiding looking around. This practice enhances their connection to Allah and deepens their spiritual experience during salah.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Prayer and Prophetic Conduct because it addresses the importance of concentration during prayer as taught by the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).

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And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing.
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He said, "I saw what they did not see, so I took a handful [of dust] from the track of the messenger and threw it, and thus did my soul entice me."

Common Words

69 total59 unique6 repeated
ٱلله4x
ٱلصلوة3x
من3x
فإذا2x
وعلى2x
ٱلشيطن2x
بسم1x
ٱلرحمن1x
ٱلرحيم1x
عبس1x
وتولى1x
قضيتم1x
فٱذكروا1x
قيما1x
وقعودا1x
جنوبكم1x
ٱطمأننتم1x
فأقيموا1x
إن1x
كانت1x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud

This hadith is #911 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat). It is graded Da'if and narrated by ‘A’ishah said:.

About This Hadith