2/54. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 557 — Steps to the Mosque Recorded
What Has Been Narrated Regarding The Rewards Of Walking To The Prayer
Hadith About Steps to the Mosque and Returning Home
Sunan Abi Dawud : 557
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 557
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ النُّفَيْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ التَّيْمِيُّ، أَنَّ أَبَا عُثْمَانَ، حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، قَالَ كَانَ رَجُلٌ لاَ أَعْلَمُ أَحَدًا مِنَ النَّاسِ مِمَّنْ يُصَلِّي الْقِبْلَةَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ أَبْعَدَ مَنْزِلاً مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلِ وَكَانَ لاَ تُخْطِئُهُ صَلاَةٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَقُلْتُ لَوِ اشْتَرَيْتَ حِمَارًا تَرْكَبُهُ فِي الرَّمْضَاءِ وَالظُّلْمَةِ . فَقَالَ مَا أُحِبُّ أَنَّ مَنْزِلِي إِلَى جَنْبِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَنُمِيَ الْحَدِيثُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ قَوْلِهِ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ أَرَدْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكْتَبَ لِي إِقْبَالِي إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ وَرُجُوعِي إِلَى أَهْلِي إِذَا رَجَعْتُ . فَقَالَ " أَعْطَاكَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ أَنْطَاكَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ مَا احْتَسَبْتَ كُلَّهُ أَجْمَعَ " .
Ubayy bin Ka'b Narrated from:
There was a certain person, out of all people of Medina, who used to pray in the mosque. I do not know that any one of them lived at a farther distance than that man. Still he never missed the prayer in congregation in the mosque. I said: it would be better if you buy a donkey and ride it in heat and darkness. He said: I do not like that my house be by the side of the mosque.The discourse reached the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said him about it. He said: I did it so that my walking to the mosque and return to my home when I return be recorded. He said: Allah has granted all this to you; Allah has granted all that you reckoned.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 557In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 167English translation : Book 2, Hadith 557
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 557
This Hadith about steps to the mosque tells of a man in Medina who lived far from the mosque yet did not miss congregational prayer. Ubayy ibn Kab suggested he buy a donkey to ride in heat and darkness. The man said he did not want his house to be beside the mosque, because he wanted his walking to the mosque and his return home to be recorded. When this reached the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, the man explained his intention. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that Allah had granted him all that he had hoped for. The Hadith teaches the value of sincere effort in walking to prayer and returning home.
What we learn from this hadith
- The man kept attending the mosque despite living far away.
- He hoped for reward for both going to the mosque and returning home.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم confirmed that Allah granted what he had reckoned.
