5/13. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1296 — Two Rak'ahs With Humility
The Prayer During Daytime
Two Rak'ahs With Tashahhud Hadith: Humility in Prayer
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1296
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1296
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ رَبِّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ أَبِي أَنَسٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، عَنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " الصَّلاَةُ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى أَنْ تَشَهَّدَ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَأَنْ تَبَاءَسَ وَتَمَسْكَنَ وَتُقْنِعَ بِيَدَيْكَ وَتَقُولَ اللَّهُمَّ اللَّهُمَّ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فَهِيَ خِدَاجٌ " . سُئِلَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى قَالَ إِنْ شِئْتَ مَثْنَى وَإِنْ شِئْتَ أَرْبَعًا .
Muttalib Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Prayer is to be offered in two rak'ahs; and you should recite the tashahhud at the end of two rak'ahs, and express your distress and humility and raise your hands and say praying: O Allah, O Allah. He who does not do so does not offer a perfect prayer. Abu Dawud was asked about offering prayer at night in two rak'ahs. He said: They may be two if you like and four if you like.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1296In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 47English translation : Book 5, Hadith 1291
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1296
This two rakahs with tashahhud hadith describes prayer with both structure and feeling. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said that prayer is to be offered in two rak'ahs. He then mentioned reciting the tashahhud at the end of two rak'ahs, expressing distress and humility, raising the hands, and saying in supplication: O Allah, O Allah. The report says that whoever does not do so does not offer a perfect prayer. The focus is not only the number of rak'ahs. It also points to a humble heart and a needy posture before Allah. Abu Dawud's added answer about night prayer records a separate comment: it may be two if one likes and four if one likes.
What we learn from this hadith
- The hadith describes prayer as being offered in two rak'ahs.
- It mentions tashahhud at the end of two rak'ahs.
- Humility, need, raised hands, and supplication are named in the report.
- The narration says leaving this makes the prayer imperfect.
