5/23. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1320 — Abundant Prostration
The Time That The Prophet (saws) Would Pray At Night
Abundant Prostration Hadith: Help Yourself With Many Sujood
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1320
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1320
حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْهِقْلُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ السَّكْسَكِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَبِيعَةَ بْنَ كَعْبٍ الأَسْلَمِيَّ، يَقُولُ : كُنْتُ أَبِيتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم آتِيهِ بِوَضُوئِهِ وَبِحَاجَتِهِ، فَقَالَ : " سَلْنِي " . فَقُلْتُ : مُرَافَقَتَكَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ . قَالَ : " أَوَغَيْرَ ذَلِكَ " . قُلْتُ : هُوَ ذَاكَ . قَالَ : " فَأَعِنِّي عَلَى نَفْسِكَ بِكَثْرَةِ السُّجُودِ " .
Rabi'ah bin Ka'b Al-Aslami Narrated from:
I used to live with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at night. I would bring water for his ablution and his need. He asked: Ask me. I said: Your company in Paradise. He said: Is there anything other than that? I said: It is only that. He said: Help me for yourself by making prostrations abundantly.
[1] See An-Nasā’ī no. 1619: “I used to stay over night at the Prophet’s ﷺ apartment” and with further explanation according to At-Tirmidhi no. 3416: “I would spend the night at the door of the Prophet ﷺ.” Muslim recorded similar to the version of the author, and versions similar to all of these were recorded by Ahmad.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1320In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 71English translation : Book 5, Hadith 1315
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1320
This hadith is about abundant prostration, often searched as help me by making many prostrations hadith or Rabi'ah ibn Ka'b hadith. Rabi'ah used to stay with the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم at night and bring water for his ablution and needs. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told him to ask. Rabi'ah asked for the Prophet's company in Paradise. When asked if he wanted anything else, he said that was all. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم replied: help me for yourself by making prostrations abundantly. The report connects a high request with personal effort in prayer. It does not give a fixed number of prostrations; it points to much sujood as the advised path in this text.
What we learn from this hadith
- Rabi'ah served the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم at night by bringing water.
- He asked for the Prophet's company in Paradise.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم directed him to abundant prostration.
- The hadith links a great request with personal effort in prayer.
