Sunan an-Nasa'i #311
The Book of Purification
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ خَرَجْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي بَعْضِ أَسْفَارِهِ حَتَّى إِذَا كُنَّا بِالْبَيْدَاءِ أَوْ ذَاتِ الْجَيْشِ انْقَطَعَ عِقْدٌ لِي فَأَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الْتِمَاسِهِ وَأَقَامَ النَّاسُ مَعَهُ وَلَيْسُوا عَلَى مَاءٍ وَلَيْسَ مَعَهُمْ مَاءٌ فَأَتَى النَّاسُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ - رضى الله عنه - فَقَالُوا أَلاَ تَرَى مَا صَنَعَتْ عَائِشَةُ أَقَامَتْ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَبِالنَّاسِ وَلَيْسُوا عَلَى مَاءٍ وَلَيْسَ مَعَهُمْ مَاءٌ . فَجَاءَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ - رضى الله عنه - وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَاضِعٌ رَأْسَهُ عَلَى فَخِذِي قَدْ نَامَ فَقَالَ حَبَسْتِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَالنَّاسَ وَلَيْسُوا عَلَى مَاءٍ وَلَيْسَ مَعَهُمْ مَاءٌ . قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَعَاتَبَنِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَقَالَ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَقُولَ وَجَعَلَ يَطْعُنُ بِيَدِهِ فِي خَاصِرَتِي فَمَا مَنَعَنِي مِنَ التَّحَرُّكِ إِلاَّ مَكَانُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى فَخِذِي فَنَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى أَصْبَحَ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَاءٍ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ آيَةَ التَّيَمُّمِ . فَقَالَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ مَا هِيَ بِأَوَّلِ بَرَكَتِكُمْ يَا آلَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ . قَالَتْ فَبَعَثْنَا الْبَعِيرَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَوَجَدْنَا الْعِقْدَ تَحْتَهُ .
"We went out with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on one of his journeys, and when we were in Al-Baida' or Dhat Al-Jaish, a necklace of mine broke and fell. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stayed there looking for it and the people stayed with him. There was no water near them, and they did not have water with them. The people came to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, and said: 'Do you see what 'Aishah has done? She has made the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the people stop and they are not near any water and they do not have water with them.' Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, came while the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was resting his head on my thigh and had gone to sleep. He said: 'You have detained the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the people, and they are not near any water and they do not have any water with them.'"
'Aishah said: "Abu Bakr rebuked me and said whatever Allah willed he would say. He started poking me on my hip, and the only thing that prevented me from moving was the fact that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was resting on my thigh. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) slept until morning when he woke up without any water. Then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime revealed the verse of Tayammum. Usaid bin Hudair said: 'This is not the first time we have been blessed because of you, O family of Abu Bakr!'" She said: "Then we made the camel that I had been riding stand up, and we found the necklace beneath it."
Narrated by It was narrated that 'Aishah said:
Context
In this narration, 'Aishah recounts an incident during a journey where the Prophet (ﷺ) paused to help her find a lost necklace. Despite the lack of water, the Prophet's (ﷺ) patience and the eventual revelation of Tayammum highlight the importance of community and compassion in times of difficulty.
Modern Application
This hadith illustrates the value of patience and support in relationships. In today's context, it encourages individuals to prioritize helping others and being present for loved ones, especially during challenging times.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Purification (Wudu/Taharah) because it led to the revelation of Tayammum, a form of purification when water is unavailable.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ القَصَصِ
Al-Qasas (The Stories)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
2 ayahs
فَجَآءَتْهُ إِحْدَىٰهُمَا تَمْشِى عَلَى ٱسْتِحْيَآءٍۢ قَالَتْ إِنَّ أَبِى يَدْعُوكَ لِيَجْزِيَكَ أَجْرَ مَا سَقَيْتَ لَنَا ۚ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُۥ وَقَصَّ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقَصَصَ قَالَ لَا تَخَفْ ۖ نَجَوْتَ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
Then one of the two women came to him walking with shyness. She said, "Indeed, my father invites you that he may reward you for having watered for us." So when he came to him and related to him the story, he said, "Fear not. You have escaped from the wrongdoing people."
وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَآءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةًۭ مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ ٱمْرَأَتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ ۖ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا ۖ قَالَتَا لَا نَسْقِى حَتَّىٰ يُصْدِرَ ٱلرِّعَآءُ ۖ وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌۭ كَبِيرٌۭ
And when he came to the well of Madyan, he found there a crowd of people watering [their flocks], and he found aside from them two women driving back [their flocks]. He said, "What is your circumstance?" They said, "We do not water until the shepherds dispatch [their flocks]; and our father is an old man."
سُورَةُ صٓ
Saad (The letter Saad)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَخُذْ بِيَدِكَ ضِغْثًۭا فَٱضْرِب بِّهِۦ وَلَا تَحْنَثْ ۗ إِنَّا وَجَدْنَٰهُ صَابِرًۭا ۚ نِّعْمَ ٱلْعَبْدُ ۖ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَوَّابٌۭ
[We said], "And take in your hand a bunch [of grass] and strike with it and do not break your oath." Indeed, We found him patient, an excellent servant. Indeed, he was one repeatedly turning back [to Allah].
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 التَّوۡبَةِ
At-Tawba (The Repentance)
1 ayah
مَا كَانَ لِأَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ أَن يَتَخَلَّفُوا۟ عَن رَّسُولِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَرْغَبُوا۟ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌۭ وَلَا نَصَبٌۭ وَلَا مَخْمَصَةٌۭ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَطَـُٔونَ مَوْطِئًۭا يَغِيظُ ٱلْكُفَّارَ وَلَا يَنَالُونَ مِنْ عَدُوٍّۢ نَّيْلًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُم بِهِۦ عَمَلٌۭ صَٰلِحٌ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
It was not [proper] for the people of Madinah and those surrounding them of the bedouins that they remain behind after [the departure of] the Messenger of Allah or that they prefer themselves over his self. That is because they are not afflicted by thirst or fatigue or hunger in the cause of Allah, nor do they tread on any ground that enrages the disbelievers, nor do they inflict upon an enemy any infliction but that is registered for them as a righteous deed. Indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of the doers of good.
Common Words
180 total143 unique20 repeated
من7x
ولا6x
ما4x
لا4x
ٱلله4x
إلى3x
أو3x
على2x
إن2x
أجر2x
عليه2x
قال2x
به2x
وأيديكم2x
وإن2x
كنتم2x
ماء2x
يريد2x
عليكم2x
عن2x
Related Hadiths
About Sunan an-Nasa'i
This hadith is #311 from Sunan an-Nasa'i, in the Book of The Book of Purification. It is graded Sahih and narrated by It was narrated that 'Aishah said:.