2/75. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 610 — Standing on the Imam’s Right
If Two People Are Praying, One Of Whom Is The Imam, How Should They Stand?
Hadith About Standing on the Imam’s Right Side
Sunan Abi Dawud : 610
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 610
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ أَبِي سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ بِتُّ فِي بَيْتِ خَالَتِي مَيْمُونَةَ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَأَطْلَقَ الْقِرْبَةَ فَتَوَضَّأَ ثُمَّ أَوْكَأَ الْقِرْبَةَ ثُمَّ قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ فَقُمْتُ فَتَوَضَّأْتُ كَمَا تَوَضَّأَ ثُمَّ جِئْتُ فَقُمْتُ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ فَأَخَذَنِي بِيَمِينِهِ فَأَدَارَنِي مِنْ وَرَائِهِ فَأَقَامَنِي عَنْ يَمِينِهِ فَصَلَّيْتُ مَعَهُ .
`Abdullah bin `Abbas Narrated from:
When I was spending a night in the house of my maternal aunt Maimunah, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up at night, opened the mouth of the water skin and performed ablution. He then closed the mouth of the water-skin and stood for prayer. Then I got up and performed ablution as he did; then I came and stood on his left side. He took my hand, turned me round behind his back and set me on his right side; and I prayed along with him.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 610In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 220English translation : Book 2, Hadith 610
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 610
This Hadith is a clear source for the search phrase standing on the imam’s right side. Ibn Abbas spent the night in the house of his aunt Maimunah. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم got up at night, opened the water skin, performed ablution, closed it, and stood for prayer. Ibn Abbas also made ablution and came to pray with him, but he first stood on the Prophet’s left side. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم took his hand, turned him around behind his back, and placed him on his right side. Ibn Abbas then prayed with him. The Hadith teaches the position of a single follower in a simple and direct way, using the Prophet’s own correction.
What we learn from this hadith
- Ibn Abbas followed the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in making ablution before prayer.
- A single follower was moved from the left side to the imam’s right side.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected the position gently by moving Ibn Abbas.
- The narration shows night prayer being prayed in a small setting.
