Sunan an-Nasa'i #320
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 عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ تَمِيمٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنِ الْحَكَمِ، وَسَلَمَةُ، عَنْ ذَرٍّ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبْزَى، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، جَاءَ إِلَى عُمَرَ - رضى الله عنه - فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَجْنَبْتُ فَلَمْ أَجِدِ الْمَاءَ . فَقَالَ عُمَرُ لاَ تُصَلِّ . فَقَالَ عَمَّارٌ أَمَا تَذْكُرُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ أَنَا وَأَنْتَ فِي سَرِيَّةٍ فَأَجْنَبْنَا فَلَمْ نَجِدْ مَاءً فَأَمَّا أَنْتَ فَلَمْ تُصَلِّ وَأَمَّا أَنَا فَتَمَعَّكْتُ فِي التُّرَابِ ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ فَلَمَّا أَتَيْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَقَالَ
" إِنَّمَا يَكْفِيكَ " . وَضَرَبَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِيَدَيْهِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ ثُمَّ نَفَخَ فِيهِمَا فَمَسَحَ بِهِمَا وَجْهَهُ وَكَفَّيْهِ - شَكَّ سَلَمَةُ وَقَالَ لاَ أَدْرِي فِيهِ إِلَى الْمِرْفَقَيْنِ أَوْ إِلَى الْكَفَّيْنِ - قَالَ عُمَرُ نُوَلِّيكَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَا تَوَلَّيْتَ قَالَ شُعْبَةُ كَانَ يَقُولُ الْكَفَّيْنِ وَالْوَجْهَ وَالذِّرَاعَيْنِ . فَقَالَ لَهُ مَنْصُورٌ مَا تَقُولُ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذْكُرُ الذِّرَاعَيْنِ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُكَ . فَشَكَّ سَلَمَةُ فَقَالَ لاَ أَدْرِي ذَكَرَ الذِّرَاعَيْنِ أَمْ لاَ .
"I have become Junub and I cannot find any water." 'Umar said: "Do not pray." 'Ammar said: "Do you not remember, O Commander of the Believers, when you and I were on a campaign and became Junub, and we could not find any water. You did not pray, but I rolled in the dust then prayed. When we came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) I told him about that and he said: 'This would have been sufficient for you,' and then Prophet (ﷺ) struck the earth with his hands then blew on them and wiped his face and hands - (one of the narrators) Salamah was uncertain and said: "I do not know if he said it should be up to the elbows or just the hands." - 'Umar said: "We will let you bear the burden of what you took upon yourself." (One of the narrators) Shu'bah said: "He used to say the hands, face and forearms." (Another) Mansur said to him: "What are you saying? No one mentions the forearms except you." Salamah was not certain and said: "I do not know whether he mentioned the forearms or not."
Narrated by It was narrated from Ibn 'Abdur-Rahman bin Abza, from his father, that a man came to 'Umar, may Allah be please with him, and said:
Context
This hadith recounts an incident involving 'Umar and 'Ammar discussing the proper way to purify oneself when water is unavailable. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) demonstrated a method of using dust for purification. The takeaway is the flexibility in practicing cleanliness and the importance of maintaining prayer.
Modern Application
Today, this principle can be applied in situations where water is scarce, reminding individuals to find alternative methods for purification while ensuring they maintain their prayer obligations.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prayer and Purification (Wudu/Taharah) because it addresses the practices of purification and the importance of prayer in various circumstances.
Related Ayahs
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 النِّسَاءِ
An-Nisaa (The Women)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
2 ayahs
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنتُمْ سُكَٰرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَعْلَمُوا۟ مَا تَقُولُونَ وَلَا جُنُبًا إِلَّا عَابِرِى سَبِيلٍ حَتَّىٰ تَغْتَسِلُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَآءَ أَحَدٌۭ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لَٰمَسْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا۟ مَآءًۭ فَتَيَمَّمُوا۟ صَعِيدًۭا طَيِّبًۭا فَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا
O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying or in a state of janabah, except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you have washed [your whole body]. And 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 find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your hands [with it]. Indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Forgiving.
وَإِذَا كُنتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَلْتَقُمْ طَآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنْهُم مَّعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوٓا۟ أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ فَإِذَا سَجَدُوا۟ فَلْيَكُونُوا۟ مِن وَرَآئِكُمْ وَلْتَأْتِ طَآئِفَةٌ أُخْرَىٰ لَمْ يُصَلُّوا۟ فَلْيُصَلُّوا۟ مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا۟ حِذْرَهُمْ وَأَسْلِحَتَهُمْ ۗ وَدَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَوْ تَغْفُلُونَ عَنْ أَسْلِحَتِكُمْ وَأَمْتِعَتِكُمْ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيْكُم مَّيْلَةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ ۚ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِن كَانَ بِكُمْ أَذًۭى مِّن مَّطَرٍ أَوْ كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَن تَضَعُوٓا۟ أَسْلِحَتَكُمْ ۖ وَخُذُوا۟ حِذْرَكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلْكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابًۭا مُّهِينًۭا
And when you are among them and lead them in prayer, let a group of them stand [in prayer] with you and let them carry their arms. And when they have prostrated, let them be [in position] behind you and have the other group come forward which has not [yet] prayed and let them pray with you, taking precaution and carrying their arms. Those who disbelieve wish that you would neglect your weapons and your baggage so they could come down upon you in one [single] attack. But there is no blame upon you, if you are troubled by rain or are ill, for putting down your arms, but take precaution. Indeed, Allah has prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment.
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Al-Baqara (The Cow)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَلَمَّا فَصَلَ طَالُوتُ بِٱلْجُنُودِ قَالَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُبْتَلِيكُم بِنَهَرٍۢ فَمَن شَرِبَ مِنْهُ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّى وَمَن لَّمْ يَطْعَمْهُ فَإِنَّهُۥ مِنِّىٓ إِلَّا مَنِ ٱغْتَرَفَ غُرْفَةًۢ بِيَدِهِۦ ۚ فَشَرِبُوا۟ مِنْهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلًۭا مِّنْهُمْ ۚ فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَهُۥ هُوَ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ قَالُوا۟ لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا ٱلْيَوْمَ بِجَالُوتَ وَجُنُودِهِۦ ۚ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَٰقُوا۟ ٱللَّهِ كَم مِّن فِئَةٍۢ قَلِيلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةًۭ كَثِيرَةًۢ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ
And when Saul went forth with the soldiers, he said, "Indeed, Allah will be testing you with a river. So whoever drinks from it is not of me, and whoever does not taste it is indeed of me, excepting one who takes [from it] in the hollow of his hand." But they drank from it, except a [very] few of them. Then when he had crossed it along with those who believed with him, they said, "There is no power for us today against Goliath and his soldiers." But those who were certain that they would meet Allah said, "How many a small company has overcome a large company by permission of Allah. And Allah is with the patient."
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].
Common Words
245 total165 unique49 repeated
أو7x
من7x
ٱلله6x
ٱلذين4x
كنتم4x
عليكم4x
إن4x
ءامنوا3x
إلى3x
ٱلصلوة3x
وأيديكم3x
وإن3x
مرضى3x
منه3x
ولا3x
إلا3x
يأيها2x
جنبا2x
على2x
سفر2x
Related Hadiths
About Sunan an-Nasa'i
This hadith is #320 from Sunan an-Nasa'i, in the Book of The Book of Purification. It is graded Sahih and narrated by It was narrated from Ibn 'Abdur-Rahman bin Abza, from his father, that a man came to 'Umar, may Allah be please with him, and said:.