8/26. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1521 — Hadith About Repentance and Two Rak'ahs
About Seeking Forgiveness
Hadith About Repentance: Two Rak'ahs and Seeking Allah's Forgiveness
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1521
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1521
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ الثَّقَفِيِّ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ الأَسَدِيِّ، عَنْ أَسْمَاءَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ الْفَزَارِيِّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا، - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - يَقُولُ كُنْتُ رَجُلاً إِذَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَدِيثًا نَفَعَنِي اللَّهُ مِنْهُ بِمَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَنْفَعَنِي وَإِذَا حَدَّثَنِي أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ اسْتَحْلَفْتُهُ فَإِذَا حَلَفَ لِي صَدَّقْتُهُ قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَصَدَقَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ - رضى الله عنه - أَنَّهُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ يُذْنِبُ ذَنْبًا فَيُحْسِنُ الطُّهُورَ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ فَيُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ إِلاَّ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ " . ثُمَّ قَرَأَ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ { وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ } إِلَى آخِرِ الآيَةِ .
Abu Bakr As-Siddiq Narrated from:
Asma' bint al-Hakam said: I heard Ali say: I was a man; when I heard a tradition from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), Allah benefited me with it as much as He willed. But when some one of his companions narrated a tradition to me I adjured him. When he took an oath, I testified him.AbuBakr narrated to me a tradition, and AbuBakr narrated truthfully. He said: I heard the apostle of Allah (ﷺ) saying: When a servant (of Allah) commits a sin, and he performs ablution well, and then stands and prays two rak'ahs, and asks pardon of Allah, Allah pardons him.He then recited this verse: "And those who, when they commit indecency or wrong their souls, remember Allah" (Al-Qur'an 3:135).
[1] Āl Imrān 3:135.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1521In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 106English translation : Book 8, Hadith 1516
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1521
This hadith about repentance shows a simple path back to Allah after a person falls into sin. The teaching is clear: a servant commits a sin, makes ablution well, stands for two rak'ahs, and asks Allah for pardon. The hadith then states that Allah pardons him. The report also shows Ali's care in accepting narrations from the Companions, and Abu Bakr is described as truthful in what he narrated. The core message is not to treat sin lightly, but also not to lose hope. When a believer remembers Allah after wronging the soul, turns to prayer, and asks forgiveness, the door of pardon is open by Allah's mercy as stated in this narration.
What we learn from this hadith
- When a person sins, the hadith directs him to return to Allah through good ablution, prayer, and seeking pardon.
- Two rak'ahs can be a sincere way to turn back to Allah after doing wrong.
- The verse mentioned in the hadith links remembering Allah after sin with asking forgiveness.
