3/12. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1197 — Prostrating When Seeing a Sign
Prostrating At Times Of Calamities
Hadith About Prostration: When You See a Sign, Prostrate
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1197
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1197
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي صَفْوَانَ الثَّقَفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَلْمُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ أَبَانَ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، قَالَ قِيلَ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ مَاتَتْ فُلاَنَةُ بَعْضُ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَخَرَّ سَاجِدًا فَقِيلَ لَهُ أَتَسْجُدُ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ فَقَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ آيَةً فَاسْجُدُوا " . وَأَىُّ آيَةٍ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ ذَهَابِ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم
'Ikrimah Narrated from:
Ibn Abbas was informed that so-and-so, a certain wife of the Prophet (ﷺ), had died. He fell down prostrating himself. He was questioned: Why do you prostrate yourself this moment? He said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: When you see a portent (an accident), prostrate yourselves. And which portent (accident) can be greater than the death of a wife of the Prophet (ﷺ).
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1197In-book reference : Book 3, Hadith 37English translation : Book 3, Hadith 1193
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1197
This hadith moves from eclipse reports to the wider idea of responding to signs. Ikrimah says Ibn Abbas was told that one of the wives of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had died. He fell down in prostration. When someone asked why he prostrated at that moment, he answered with the statement of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم: “When you see a portent, prostrate yourselves.” Then Ibn Abbas said, “Which portent can be greater than the death of a wife of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم?” The report shows how Ibn Abbas understood the loss as a serious sign. The teaching should be kept close to the text: when a sign is seen, the response mentioned here is prostration.
What we learn from this hadith
- Ibn Abbas prostrated when he heard the news.
- He based his action on the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم words about seeing a sign.
- He viewed the death of a wife of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم as a great portent.
- The report links signs with prostration.
