2/11. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 422 — Waiting for Isha Prayer
The Time For The Later Isha'
Waiting for Isha Prayer Is Prayer: A Hadith on Patience
Sunan Abi Dawud : 422
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 422
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ الْمُفَضَّلِ، حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ بْنُ أَبِي هِنْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ صَلَّيْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلاَةَ الْعَتَمَةِ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ حَتَّى مَضَى نَحْوٌ مِنْ شَطْرِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ " خُذُوا مَقَاعِدَكُمْ " . فَأَخَذْنَا مَقَاعِدَنَا فَقَالَ " إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ صَلَّوْا وَأَخَذُوا مَضَاجِعَهُمْ وَإِنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَزَالُوا فِي صَلاَةٍ مَا انْتَظَرْتُمُ الصَّلاَةَ وَلَوْلاَ ضَعْفُ الضَّعِيفِ وَسَقَمُ السَّقِيمِ لأَخَّرْتُ هَذِهِ الصَّلاَةَ إِلَى شَطْرِ اللَّيْلِ " .
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri Narrated from:
We observed the prayer after nightfall with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he did not come out till about half the night had passed. He then said: Take your places. We then took our places. Then he said: The people have prayed and gone to bed, but you are still engaged in prayer as long as you wait for the prayer. Were it not for the weakness of the weak and for the sickness of the sick. I would delay this prayer till half the night had gone.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 422In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 32English translation : Book 2, Hadith 422
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 422
This Hadith explains the value of waiting for Isha prayer and also shows the mercy of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم toward people with weakness or sickness. The companions waited after nightfall, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم came out when about half the night had passed. He told them that while other people had prayed and gone to bed, they were still counted as being in prayer as long as they were waiting for the prayer. That is the main teaching here. At the same time, he said he would have delayed this prayer until half the night if not for the weak and the sick. So this Isha prayer Hadith joins two ideas: patience in worship and kindness toward people’s limits.
What we learn from this hadith
- Waiting for prayer with the intention to pray is treated with great value.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم considered the condition of weak and sick people.
- Isha could be delayed, but ease for the community was taken into account.
