2/26. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 479 — Respecting the Qiblah During Prayer
Spitting In A Masjid Is Disliked
Hadith About Not Spitting Toward the Qiblah
Sunan Abi Dawud : 479
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 479
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ بَيْنَمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَخْطُبُ يَوْمًا إِذْ رَأَى نُخَامَةً فِي قِبْلَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَتَغَيَّظَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ثُمَّ حَكَّهَا قَالَ وَأَحْسِبُهُ قَالَ فَدَعَا بِزَعْفَرَانٍ فَلَطَّخَهُ بِهِ وَقَالَ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ قِبَلَ وَجْهِ أَحَدِكُمْ إِذَا صَلَّى فَلاَ يَبْزُقْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ رَوَاهُ إِسْمَاعِيلُ وَعَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ نَافِعٍ وَمَالِكٌ وَعُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ وَمُوسَى بْنُ عُقْبَةَ عَنْ نَافِعٍ نَحْوَ حَمَّادٍ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَذْكُرُوا الزَّعْفَرَانَ وَرَوَاهُ مَعْمَرٌ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ وَأَثْبَتَ الزَّعْفَرَانَ فِيهِ وَذَكَرَ يَحْيَى بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ نَافِعٍ الْخَلُوقَ .
Ibn ‘Umar reported: One day while the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ)was giving sermon he suddenly saw phlegm on the wall towards the qiblah(the direction to which Muslims turn in prayer) of the mosque. So he became angry at people. He then scraped it and sent for saffron and stained with it. He then said: When any one of you prays, Allah, the Exalted, faces him: he, therefore, should not spit before him.
[1] A type of perfume commonly used by women which was made of saffron or the like, usually having a reddish or yellowish color. See An-Nihāyah .Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 479In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 89English translation : Book 2, Hadith 479
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 479
This hadith about not spitting toward the qiblah shows the seriousness of prayer manners. Ibn 'Umar reports that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saw phlegm on the qiblah wall of the mosque while giving a sermon. He became angry, scraped it off, and stained the place. He then said that when one of you prays, Allah, the Exalted, faces him, so he should not spit before him. The hadith links mosque cleanliness with deep respect in salah. The qiblah direction is not treated like any ordinary wall when people are praying. Search terms like “spitting toward qiblah hadith” and “Allah faces him in prayer hadith” are closely tied to this narration.
What we learn from this hadith
- Phlegm on the qiblah wall of the mosque was strongly disliked in this report.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم removed it himself and addressed the people.
- A person praying should not spit before him.
- The hadith teaches respect for the qiblah direction during prayer.
