Sunan an-Nasa'i #911
The Book of the Commencement of the Prayer
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، عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا السَّائِبِ، مَوْلَى هِشَامِ بْنِ زُهْرَةَ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ صَلَّى صَلاَةً لَمْ يَقْرَأْ فِيهَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فَهِيَ خِدَاجٌ هِيَ خِدَاجٌ هِيَ خِدَاجٌ " . غَيْرُ تَمَامٍ . فَقُلْتُ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ إِنِّي أَحْيَانًا أَكُونُ وَرَاءَ الإِمَامِ . فَغَمَزَ ذِرَاعِي وَقَالَ اقْرَأْ بِهَا يَا فَارِسِيُّ فِي نَفْسِكَ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَسَمْتُ الصَّلاَةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ فَنِصْفُهَا لِي وَنِصْفُهَا لِعَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ " . قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " اقْرَءُوا يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ { الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ } يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَمِدَنِي عَبْدِي . يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ { الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ } يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَثْنَى عَلَىَّ عَبْدِي . يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ { مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ } يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مَجَّدَنِي عَبْدِي . يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ { إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ } فَهَذِهِ الآيَةُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ . يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ { اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ * صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ } فَهَؤُلاَءِ لِعَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ " .
"I heard Abu Hurairah say: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever offers a prayer in which he does not recite Umm Al-Quran (Al Fatihah), it is deficient, it is deficient, it is deficient, incomplete." I (Abu As-Sa'ib) said: 'O Abu Hurairah, sometimes I am behind the Imam.' He poked me in the arm and said: 'Recite it to yourself, O Persian! For I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: "Allah says: "I have divided prayer between Myself and My slave into two halves, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.'" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Recite, for when the slave says: All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of all that exists, Allah says: 'My slave has praised Me.' And when he says: The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, Allah says: 'My slave has extolled Me.' And when he says: The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection), Allah says: 'My slave has glorified Me' . And when he says: You (alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help (for each and everything), He says: 'This is between Me and My slave, and My slave shall have what he has asked for.' And when he says: 'Guide us to the straight way, the way of those on whom You have bestowed Your grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray, He says: 'This is for My slave, and My slave shall have what he asked for.'"
Narrated by Abu As-Sa'ib- the freed slave of Hisham bin Zuhrah-said:
Context
In this narration, Abu Hurairah recounts the Prophet Muhammad's (ﷺ) emphasis on the recitation of Umm Al-Quran (Al-Fatihah) in prayer. The Prophet declared that a prayer without this essential surah is deficient. This highlights the critical role of Al-Fatihah in the prayer ritual and its significance in connecting the worshipper with Allah.
Modern Application
This hadith underscores the importance of reciting Al-Fatihah during daily prayers. It encourages Muslims to ensure they are engaged in their prayers, reflecting on the meanings of the verses as they recite them, whether alone or behind an Imam.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prayer because it stresses the necessity of reciting Al-Fatihah in every unit of prayer.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ المُزَّمِّلِ
Al-Muzzammil (The Enshrouded One)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
۞ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدْنَىٰ مِن ثُلُثَىِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَنِصْفَهُۥ وَثُلُثَهُۥ وَطَآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مَعَكَ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ ۚ عَلِمَ أَن لَّن تُحْصُوهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَٱقْرَءُوا۟ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ ۚ عَلِمَ أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُم مَّرْضَىٰ ۙ وَءَاخَرُونَ يَضْرِبُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَبْتَغُونَ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ ۙ وَءَاخَرُونَ يُقَٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَٱقْرَءُوا۟ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ ۚ وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًۭا ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا۟ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍۢ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًۭا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًۭا ۚ وَٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۢ
Indeed, your Lord knows, [O Muhammad], that you stand [in prayer] almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you. And Allah determines [the extent of] the night and the day. He has known that you [Muslims] will not be able to do it and has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur'an. He has known that there will be among you those who are ill and others traveling throughout the land seeking [something] of the bounty of Allah and others fighting for the cause of Allah. So recite what is easy from it and establish prayer and give zakah and loan Allah a goodly loan. And whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allah. It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
سُورَةُ الأَنبِيَاءِ
Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قَالَ رَبِّى يَعْلَمُ ٱلْقَوْلَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
The Prophet said, "My Lord knows whatever is said throughout the heaven and earth, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing."
سُورَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Al-Israa (The Night Journey)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِدُلُوكِ ٱلشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَقُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًۭا
Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed.
سُورَةُ النَّمۡلِ
An-Naml (The Ant)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَأَنْ أَتْلُوَا۟ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ ۖ فَمَنِ ٱهْتَدَىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِى لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَقُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُنذِرِينَ
And to recite the Qur'an." And whoever is guided is only guided for [the benefit of] himself; and whoever strays - say, "I am only [one] of the warners."
سُورَةُ العَنكَبُوتِ
Al-Ankaboot (The Spider)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
ٱتْلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلَذِكْرُ ٱللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ
Recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do.
Common Words
138 total103 unique16 repeated
من7x
ٱلله7x
إن4x
ما4x
ٱلصلوة4x
يعلم3x
ٱليل3x
فى3x
وٱلله2x
علم2x
أن2x
فٱقرءوا2x
تيسر2x
ٱلقرءان2x
وءاخرون2x
ٱلفجر2x
ربك1x
أنك1x
تقوم1x
أدنى1x
Related Hadiths
About Sunan an-Nasa'i
This hadith is #911 from Sunan an-Nasa'i, in the Book of The Book of the Commencement of the Prayer. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Abu As-Sa'ib- the freed slave of Hisham bin Zuhrah-said:.