8/17. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1460 — Ayat al-Kursi as the Greatest Verse
What Has Been Narrated About Ayat al-Kursi (The Verse Of The Footstool)
Ayat al-Kursi Hadith: The Greatest Verse in the Quran
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1460
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1460
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ إِيَاسٍ، عَنْ أَبِي السَّلِيلِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ رَبَاحٍ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، عَنْ أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَبَا الْمُنْذِرِ أَىُّ آيَةٍ مَعَكَ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ أَعْظَمُ " . قَالَ قُلْتُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ . قَالَ " أَبَا الْمُنْذِرِ أَىُّ آيَةٍ مَعَكَ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ أَعْظَمُ " . قَالَ قُلْتُ { اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ } قَالَ فَضَرَبَ فِي صَدْرِي وَقَالَ " لِيَهْنِ لَكَ يَا أَبَا الْمُنْذِرِ الْعِلْمُ " .
Ubayy b. Ka'b said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Abu al-Mundhir, which verse of Allah's Book that you have is creates ? I replied: Allah and His Apostle know best. He said: Abu al-Mundhir, which verse of Allah's that you have is greatest ? I said: Allah, there is no god but He, the Living, the Eternal. Thereupon he struck me on the beast and said: May knowledge be pleasant for you, Abu al-Mundhir.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1460In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 45English translation : Book 8, Hadith 1455
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1460
This Hadith about Ayat al-Kursi shows the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم testing and honoring the knowledge of Ubayy b. Ka'b, also called Abu al-Mundhir. The Prophet asked him which verse of Allah's Book was greatest. Ubayy first replied, “Allah and His Apostle know best.” When asked again, he answered with the opening of Ayat al-Kursi: “Allah, there is no god but He, the Living, the Eternal.” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then struck him on the chest and said, “May knowledge be pleasant for you, Abu al-Mundhir.” The Hadith centers on the greatness of this verse and the praise of sound Qur'an knowledge. This makes the report easy to remember.
What we learn from this hadith
- Ayat al-Kursi is identified as the greatest verse in this Hadith.
- Ubayy first answered with humility before giving the verse.
- The Prophet praised Ubayy's knowledge after his answer.
- The narration highlights learning and recognizing the rank of Qur'anic verses.
