5/28. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1369 — Balance in Worship and Rights
The Command To Pray It Moderately
Hadith About Balance in Worship and Giving Each Right Its Due
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1369
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1369
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمِّي، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنِ ابْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، : أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعَثَ إِلَى عُثْمَانَ بْنِ مَظْعُونٍ فَجَاءَهُ فَقَالَ : " يَا عُثْمَانُ أَرَغِبْتَ عَنْ سُنَّتِي " . قَالَ : لاَ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، وَلَكِنْ سُنَّتَكَ أَطْلُبُ . قَالَ : " فَإِنِّي أَنَامُ وَأُصَلِّي، وَأَصُومُ وَأُفْطِرُ، وَأَنْكِحُ النِّسَاءَ، فَاتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَا عُثْمَانُ، فَإِنَّ لأَهْلِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ لِضَيْفِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّ لِنَفْسِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، فَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ، وَصَلِّ وَنَمْ " .
A'isha Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) called 'Uthman b. Maz'un. When he came to him, he said: 'Uthman, did you dislike my practice? He said: No, by Allah, but I seek your practice. He said: I sleep, I pray, I keep fast, I (sometimes) leave fast, and I marry women. Fear Allah, 'Uthman, your wife has a right on you, your guest has a right on you, your self has a right on you; you should keep fast and (sometimes) leave fast, and pray and sleep.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1369In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 120English translation : Book 5, Hadith 1364
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1369
This hadith about balance in worship records the Prophet's advice to Uthman ibn Maz'un. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked him whether he disliked his practice. Uthman replied that he did not, and that he sought the Prophet's practice. The Prophet then explained his way: he sleeps and prays, fasts and sometimes leaves fasting, and marries women. He then told Uthman to fear Allah and reminded him that his wife had a right over him, his guest had a right over him, and his own self had a right over him. The final advice is clear: fast and sometimes leave fasting, pray and sleep. The hadith speaks directly to balanced worship, family rights, guest rights, and self-care. It does not reject worship; it places worship in a steady and human pattern.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet's practice included worship, rest, fasting, and sometimes not fasting.
- A wife, a guest, and one's own self each have rights.
- Religious effort should not ignore the responsibilities named in the hadith.
- The Prophet guided Uthman toward prayer with sleep and fasting with breaks.
