1/80. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 198 — Quran Recitation During Guard Duty
Wudu' From Bleeding
Quran Recitation During Guard Duty: The Ansari Who Kept Praying
Sunan Abi Dawud : 198
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 198
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو تَوْبَةَ الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، حَدَّثَنِي صَدَقَةُ بْنُ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ عَقِيلِ بْنِ جَابِرٍ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ خَرَجْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم - يَعْنِي فِي غَزْوَةِ ذَاتِ الرِّقَاعِ - فَأَصَابَ رَجُلٌ امْرَأَةَ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَحَلَفَ أَنْ لاَ أَنْتَهِي حَتَّى أُهَرِيقَ دَمًا فِي أَصْحَابِ مُحَمَّدٍ فَخَرَجَ يَتْبَعُ أَثَرَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَنَزَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَنْزِلاً فَقَالَ مَنْ رَجُلٌ يَكْلَؤُنَا فَانْتَدَبَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَرَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَ " كُونَا بِفَمِ الشِّعْبِ " . قَالَ فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ الرَّجُلاَنِ إِلَى فَمِ الشِّعْبِ اضْطَجَعَ الْمُهَاجِرِيُّ وَقَامَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ يُصَلِّي وَأَتَى الرَّجُلُ فَلَمَّا رَأَى شَخْصَهُ عَرَفَ أَنَّهُ رَبِيئَةٌ لِلْقَوْمِ فَرَمَاهُ بِسَهْمٍ فَوَضَعَهُ فِيهِ فَنَزَعَهُ حَتَّى رَمَاهُ بِثَلاَثَةِ أَسْهُمٍ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ وَسَجَدَ ثُمَّ انْتَبَهَ صَاحِبُهُ فَلَمَّا عَرَفَ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ نَذِرُوا بِهِ هَرَبَ وَلَمَّا رَأَى الْمُهَاجِرِيُّ مَا بِالأَنْصَارِيِّ مِنَ الدَّمِ قَالَ سَبْحَانَ اللَّهِ أَلاَ أَنْبَهْتَنِي أَوَّلَ مَا رَمَى قَالَ كُنْتُ فِي سُورَةٍ أَقْرَأُهَا فَلَمْ أُحِبَّ أَنْ أَقْطَعَهَا .
Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:
We proceeded in the company of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for the battle of Dhat ar-Riqa. One of the Muslims killed the wife of one of the unbelievers. He (the husband of the woman killed) took an oath saying: I shall not rest until I kill one of the companions of Muhammad. He went out following the footsteps of the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) encamped at a certain place. He said: Who will keep a watch on us? A person from the Muhajirun (Emigrants) and another from the Ansar (Helpers) responded. He said: Go to the mouth of the mountain-pass.When they went to the mouth of the mountain-pass the man from the Muhajirun lay down while the man from the Ansar stood praying. The man (enemy) came to them. When he saw the person he realised that he was the watchman of the Muslims. He shot him with an arrow and hit the target. But he (took the arrow out and) threw it away. He (the enemy) then shot three arrows. Then he (the Muslim) bowed and prostrated and awoke his companion. When he (the enemy) perceived that they (the Muslims) had become aware of his presence, he ran away.When the man from the Muhajirun saw the (man from the Ansar) bleeding, he asked him: Glory be to Allah! Why did you not wake me up the first time when he shot at you. He replied: I was busy reciting a chapter of the Qur'an. I did not like to leave it.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 198In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 198English translation : Book 1, Hadith 198
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 198
This hadith tells a powerful scene from the journey to Dhat ar-Riqa. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked who would keep watch, and one Muhajir and one Ansari went to the mouth of the mountain-pass. The Muhajir lay down, while the Ansari stood in prayer. An enemy saw him, recognized him as a guard, and shot arrows at him. The Ansari removed the arrows and continued until three arrows had struck him. Then he bowed, prostrated, and woke his companion. When asked why he did not wake him earlier, he said he was reciting a chapter of the Qur’an and did not like to cut it off. The main lesson in the text is love for recitation while still guarding the group.
What we learn from this hadith
- The companions took turns guarding the Muslims.
- The Ansari was praying while keeping watch.
- He valued the Qur’an recitation and did not like to cut it short.
- He still woke his companion after bowing and prostrating.
