2/11. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 419 — Isha and the Third Night Moon
The Time For The Later Isha'
Isha Prayer Time and the Moon on the Third Night
Sunan Abi Dawud : 419
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 419
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، عَنْ بَشِيرِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ، عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ، قَالَ أَنَا أَعْلَمُ النَّاسِ، بِوَقْتِ هَذِهِ الصَّلاَةِ صَلاَةِ الْعِشَاءِ الآخِرَةِ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّيهَا لِسُقُوطِ الْقَمَرِ لِثَالِثَةٍ .
Narrated An-Nu'man ibn Bashir: I am the one who is best informed of the time of this prayer, i.e. the night prayer. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to offer it at the hour when the moon went down on its third night.
[2] Meaning, according to his observations, while the amount of time it takes for the moon to set on the third will differ from place to place, and it also differs month to month in the same location, as clearly explained by Shaikh Ahmad Shakir in his commentary on Sunan At-Tirmidhi .Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 419In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 29English translation : Book 2, Hadith 419
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 419
This report gives a time sign for Isha prayer. An-Nu'man ibn Bashir says he was best informed about the time of this prayer, meaning the later night prayer, and that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم used to offer it at the hour when the moon went down on its third night. For readers searching for Isha prayer moon hadith, this narration gives a natural sign rather than a clock time. It does not mention hardship, delay for the whole night, or a command to all people in every case. It simply reports the Prophet's صلى الله عليه وسلم practice with the timing described by the third-night moon going down. The core lesson is careful attention to the known time of Isha.
What we learn from this hadith
- The report describes Isha timing by the moon on its third night.
- An-Nu'man says he was well informed about this prayer time.
- The hadith uses a natural sign rather than a clock.
- The narration stays focused on the later night prayer.
