1/81. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 201 — Dozing Before Prayer and Wudu
Wudu' From Sleeping
Hadith About Isha Prayer, Dozing, and Ablution
Sunan Abi Dawud : 201
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 201
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، وَدَاوُدُ بْنُ شَبِيبٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ الْبُنَانِيِّ، أَنَّ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ أُقِيمَتْ صَلاَةُ الْعِشَاءِ فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ لِي حَاجَةً . فَقَامَ يُنَاجِيهِ حَتَّى نَعَسَ الْقَوْمُ أَوْ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ ثُمَّ صَلَّى بِهِمْ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ وُضُوءًا .
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
(The people) stood up for the night prayer and a man stood up and spoke forth: Messenger of Allah, I have to say something to you. He (the Prophet) entered into secret conversation with him, till the people or some of the people dozed off, ad then he led them in prayer. He (Thabit al-Bunani) did not mention ablution.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 201In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 201English translation : Book 1, Hadith 201
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 201
This hadith is often searched as a hadith about dozing before prayer and wudu. The report says the people stood for the night prayer, then a man said he had something to tell the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet listened to him privately until the people, or some of them, dozed off. After that, he led them in prayer. The key point in the wording is simple: Thabit al-Bunani did not mention ablution. So the lesson should stay close to the text. It shows the Prophet giving time to someone’s need before prayer, and it notes that dozing happened before the prayer was led.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet gave attention to a person who had a need before the prayer.
- Some people dozed while waiting, and the prayer was still led afterward.
- The narrator carefully noted that ablution was not mentioned in this report.
