5/18. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1309 — Couples Remembering Allah at Night
The (Voluntary) Night Prayer
Hadith About Couples Praying Two Rak'ahs at Night Together
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1309
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1309
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ كَثِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ مِسْعَرٍ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الأَقْمَرِ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمِ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ شَيْبَانَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الأَقْمَرِ، - الْمَعْنَى - عَنِ الأَغَرِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، وَأَبِي، هُرَيْرَةَ قَالاَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِذَا أَيْقَظَ الرَّجُلُ أَهْلَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّيَا أَوْ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ جَمِيعًا كُتِبَا فِي الذَّاكِرِينَ وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ " . وَلَمْ يَرْفَعْهُ ابْنُ كَثِيرٍ وَلاَ ذَكَرَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ جَعَلَهُ كَلاَمَ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ قَالَ وَأُرَاهُ ذَكَرَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَحَدِيثُ سُفْيَانَ مَوْقُوفٌ .
AbuSa'id and AbuHurayrah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If a man awakens his wife at night, and then both pray or both offer two rak'ahs together, the (name of the) man will be recorded among those who mention the name of Allah, and the (name of the) woman will be recorded among those who mention the name of Allah.Ibn Kathir did not narrate this tradition as a statement of the Prophet (ﷺ), but he reported it as a statement of Abu Sa'id. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Ibn Mahdi from Sufyan and I think he mentioned the name of Sufyan. He also said: The tradition transmitted by Sufyan is a statement of the Companion (and not that of the Prophet).
[1] That is Muḥammad bin Kathīr, one of the two that the author narrated it from, and this Ibn Kathīr narrated it from Sufyān.[2] The second narration, which the author heard from Muḥammad bin Ḥātim is the version that is Marfū' , meaning, attributed to the Prophet ﷺ. The discussion before this is to indicate that those who narrated it from Sufyān, did not include that it was a statement of the Prophet ﷺ.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1309In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 60English translation : Book 5, Hadith 1304
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1309
This hadith is about couples praying two rak'ahs at night and being counted among those who remember Allah. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that if a man awakens his wife at night and both pray, or both offer two rak'ahs together, the man is recorded among the men who mention Allah and the woman among the women who mention Allah. The narration also includes Abu Dawud's note that one route was reported as a statement of Abu Sa'id rather than a direct prophetic statement. Staying close to the text, the main message is shared night prayer and shared remembrance. It makes the home a place where both spouses can take part in worship.
What we learn from this hadith
- Two spouses may support each other in night prayer.
- Two rak'ahs together are specifically mentioned in the report.
- The hadith connects night prayer with being recorded among those who remember Allah.
- Abu Dawud notes a difference in how one route was reported.
