5/12. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1285 — Duha Prayer and Daily Charity
The Duha Prayer
Duha Prayer Charity Hadith: Everyday Good Deeds Count
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1285
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1285
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ، عَنْ عَبَّادِ بْنِ عَبَّادٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، - الْمَعْنَى - عَنْ وَاصِلٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ يَعْمُرَ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " يُصْبِحُ عَلَى كُلِّ سُلاَمَى مِنِ ابْنِ آدَمَ صَدَقَةٌ تَسْلِيمُهُ عَلَى مَنْ لَقِيَ صَدَقَةٌ وَأَمْرُهُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ صَدَقَةٌ وَنَهْيُهُ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ صَدَقَةٌ وَإِمَاطَتُهُ الأَذَى عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ صَدَقَةٌ وَبُضْعَةُ أَهْلِهِ صَدَقَةٌ وَيُجْزِئُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ رَكْعَتَانِ مِنَ الضُّحَى " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَحَدِيثُ عَبَّادٍ أَتَمُّ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ مُسَدَّدٌ الأَمْرَ وَالنَّهْىَ زَادَ فِي حَدِيثِهِ وَقَالَ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَزَادَ ابْنُ مَنِيعٍ فِي حَدِيثِهِ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَحَدُنَا يَقْضِي شَهْوَتَهُ وَتَكُونُ لَهُ صَدَقَةٌ قَالَ " أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ وَضَعَهَا فِي غَيْرِ حِلِّهَا أَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَأْثَمُ " .
Abu Dharr Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: In the morning alms are due for every bone in man's body. His salutation to everyone he meets is alms, his enjoining good is alms, his forbidding what is evil is alms, the removal of harmful thing from the way is alms, to have sexual intercourse with one's wife if alms, and two rak'ahs which one prays in the Duha serve instead of that.Abu Dawud said: The tradition narrated by 'Abbad is more perfect (than the version narrated by Musaddad). Musaddad did not mention in his version "the command (of good) and the prohibition (of evil)". Instead, he added in his version saying: "Such and such." Ibn Ma'na added in his version: "They (the people) said: Messenger of Allah, how is that one of us fulfills his desire and still there are alms for him (i.e. is rewarded)? He replied: What do you think if you had unlawful sexual intercourse, would he not have been a sinner ?
[1] Abū Dāwud narrated this Hadīth from two chains; Ahmad bin Manī' from 'Abbād bin 'Abbād; and, Musaddad bin Musarhad from Hammad bin Zaid.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1285In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 36English translation : Book 5, Hadith 1280
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1285
This Duha prayer charity hadith teaches that charity is not limited to money. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said that in the morning alms are due for every bone in a person's body. Then the hadith gives plain examples: greeting someone is alms, enjoining good is alms, forbidding evil is alms, removing harm from the road is alms, and lawful intimacy with one's wife is also counted as alms. The narration ends by saying that two rak'ahs prayed in Duha serve instead of all of that. The teaching is practical and close to daily life. A Muslim can turn simple, lawful, helpful actions into acts of worship, and Duha prayer is given a special place in this report.
What we learn from this hadith
- Charity can include words, actions, and helpful behavior.
- Greeting people, guiding to good, and removing harm are all named as alms.
- Lawful marital intimacy is counted as alms in this narration.
- Two rak'ahs of Duha serve instead of the daily charity mentioned in the hadith.
