9/28. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1644 — Patience Is a Wide Gift
On Abstinence From Begging
Hadith About Patience and Contentment in Islam
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1644
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1644
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ اللَّيْثِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أَنَّ نَاسًا، مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ سَأَلُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَعْطَاهُمْ ثُمَّ سَأَلُوهُ فَأَعْطَاهُمْ حَتَّى إِذَا نَفِدَ مَا عِنْدَهُ قَالَ " مَا يَكُونُ عِنْدِي مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلَنْ أَدَّخِرَهُ عَنْكُمْ وَمَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْ يُعِفَّهُ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ يَسْتَغْنِ يُغْنِهِ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ يَتَصَبَّرْ يُصَبِّرْهُ اللَّهُ وَمَا أَعْطَى اللَّهُ أَحَدًا مِنْ عَطَاءٍ أَوْسَعَ مِنَ الصَّبْرِ " .
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri Narrated from:
Some of the Ansar begged from the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) and he gave them something. They later begged from him again and he gave them something so that what he had was exhausted. He then said :What I have I shall never store away from you but Allah will strengthen the abstinence of him who abstains, will give a satisfaction to him who wants to be satisfied, and will strengthen the endurance of him who shows endurance. No one has been given a more ample gift than endurance.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1644In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 89English translation : Book 9, Hadith 1640
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1644
This Hadith about patience and contentment begins with people from the Ansar asking the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم for help. He gave them until what he had was gone. Then he explained a lasting lesson: whatever good he had, he would not keep it away from them. But the person who seeks to abstain, Allah strengthens his abstinence. The one who seeks satisfaction, Allah gives him satisfaction. The one who shows patience, Allah strengthens his patience. The Hadith closes by saying that no one has been given a gift wider than patience. The teaching is not coldness toward the needy. It joins generosity with inner strength, asking less, and learning to carry hardship with sabr.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم gave from what he had and did not hide good from people.
- A person who tries to abstain from asking is helped toward restraint.
- Patience is described as a wide and valuable gift.
