8/12. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1449 — Long Standing and Sincere Charity
Long Standing During Prayer
Best Deeds in Hadith: Long Standing, Charity, and Leaving the Forbidden
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1449
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1449
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ، قَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ حَدَّثَنِي عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ الأَزْدِيِّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ حُبْشِيٍّ الْخَثْعَمِيِّ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سُئِلَ أَىُّ الأَعْمَالِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ " طُولُ الْقِيَامِ " . قِيلَ فَأَىُّ الصَّدَقَةِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ " جُهْدُ الْمُقِلِّ " . قِيلَ فَأَىُّ الْهِجْرَةِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ " مَنْ هَجَرَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ " . قِيلَ فَأَىُّ الْجِهَادِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ " مَنْ جَاهَدَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ بِمَالِهِ وَنَفْسِهِ " . قِيلَ فَأَىُّ الْقَتْلِ أَشْرَفُ قَالَ " مَنْ أُهْرِيقَ دَمُهُ وَعُقِرَ جَوَادُهُ " .
'Abd Allah b. Habshi al-Khath'ami Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked: Which of the actions is better ? He replied: Standing for long time (in prayer). He was again asked: Which alms is better ? He replied: The alms given by a man possessing small property acquired by his labour.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1449In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 34English translation : Book 8, Hadith 1444
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1449
This Hadith about the best deeds records a series of questions asked to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. He said that long standing in prayer is a better action. When asked about charity, he said it is the charity given by a person with small means from what he has earned. The Arabic text also mentions answers about hijrah, striving, and the most honorable kind of being killed. The main lesson is that value is not only in public size or outward amount. Long standing in prayer shows devotion, and charity from limited means shows real effort. For searches like best deeds in Islam hadith or best charity hadith, the wording points to sincere effort in worship and giving.
What we learn from this hadith
- Long standing in prayer is praised in this report.
- Charity from limited means is valued in the Hadith.
- Leaving what Allah has forbidden is named as a form of hijrah in the Arabic text.
- The Hadith links good deeds with effort, sacrifice, and obedience.
