9/29. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1652 — Fear It May Be Sadaqah
On Giving Sadaqah To Banu Hashim
Hadith About a Found Date and Sadaqah Caution
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1652
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1652
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَجَدَ تَمْرَةً فَقَالَ " لَوْلاَ أَنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ تَكُونَ صَدَقَةً لأَكَلْتُهَا " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ رَوَاهُ هِشَامٌ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ هَكَذَا .
Anas Narrated from:
Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) found a date and said: Were it not that I fear it may be part of the sadaqah, I would eat it.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1652In-book reference : Book 9, Hadith 97English translation : Book 9, Hadith 1648
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1652
This Hadith about a found date gives the same careful lesson in direct words. Anas reports that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم found a date and said that if he did not fear it might be from sadaqah, he would eat it. The meaning stays close to the wording: the date itself was small, but the concern was serious because it might belong to a category not lawful for him. This Hadith is often searched as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم found a date hadith. It teaches that a believer should not treat small things as meaningless when halal and haram may be involved. Care in small matters can protect a person’s conduct.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم considered the possibility that the date was sadaqah.
- Small items can still require care when lawful use is unclear.
- Avoiding doubtful benefit can be part of clean religious practice.
