2/4. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 401 — Delay Zuhr in Severe Heat
The Time For Zurh Prayer
Hadith About Delaying Zuhr Prayer in Severe Heat
Sunan Abi Dawud : 401
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 401
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ الطَّيَالِسِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو الْحَسَنِ، - قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ هُوَ مُهَاجِرٌ - قَالَ سَمِعْتُ زَيْدَ بْنَ وَهْبٍ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا ذَرٍّ، يَقُولُ كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَرَادَ الْمُؤَذِّنُ أَنْ يُؤَذِّنَ الظُّهْرَ فَقَالَ " أَبْرِدْ " . ثُمَّ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُؤَذِّنَ فَقَالَ " أَبْرِدْ " . مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا حَتَّى رَأَيْنَا فَىْءَ التُّلُولِ ثُمَّ قَالَ " إِنَّ شِدَّةَ الْحَرِّ مِنْ فَيْحِ جَهَنَّمَ فَإِذَا اشْتَدَّ الْحَرُّ فَأَبْرِدُوا بِالصَّلاَةِ " .
Abu Dharr Narrated from:
We were in the company of the Prophet (ﷺ). The mu'adhdhin intended to call for the Zuhr prayer. He said: Make it cooler. He then intended to call for prayer. He said twice or thrice: Make it cooler. We then witnessed the shadow of the mounds. He then said: The intensity of heat comes from the bubbling over of the Hell; so when the heat is violent, offer (the Zuhr) prayer when it becomes cooler.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 401In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 11English translation : Book 2, Hadith 401
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 401
The core message of this hadith is the timing of Zuhr prayer during severe heat. Abu Dharr describes a real moment with the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, when the mu'adhdhin wanted to call the adhan for Zuhr. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told him, more than once, to make it cooler. The prayer was not ignored; it was delayed until the shadow of the mounds could be seen. The hadith about delaying Zuhr prayer also gives a clear reason: violent heat is connected to the bubbling over of Hell. So when the heat is violent, the instruction is to offer Zuhr when it becomes cooler. This teaches care, patience, and respect for prayer time without making worship needlessly hard.
What we learn from this hadith
- Zuhr prayer may be delayed in violent heat until it becomes cooler.
- The adhan and prayer timing were handled with care, not haste.
- The hadith links extreme heat with the bubbling over of Hell.
- Worship should be performed with attention to the Prophet's صلى الله عليه وسلم instruction.
