2/135. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 796 — What Is Recorded from Prayer
What Has Been Narrated Concering Shortening The Prayer
Hadith About How Much of Prayer Is Recorded
Sunan Abi Dawud : 796
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 796
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ بَكْرٍ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ مُضَرَ - عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلاَنَ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَنَمَةَ الْمُزَنِيِّ، عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ يَاسِرٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَنْصَرِفُ وَمَا كُتِبَ لَهُ إِلاَّ عُشْرُ صَلاَتِهِ تُسْعُهَا ثُمُنُهَا سُبُعُهَا سُدُسُهَا خُمُسُهَا رُبُعُهَا ثُلُثُهَا نِصْفُهَا " .
'Ammar bin Yasir Narrated from:
I heard the apostle of Allah (ﷺ) say: A man returns after saying his prayer while a tenth part of his prayer, or a ninth part, or an eight part, or a seventh part, or a sixth part, or a fifth part, or a third part, or half of it, is recorded for him.
[1] In some of the manuscripts there is a discrepancy in the sequence here.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 796In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 406English translation : Book 2, Hadith 789
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 796
This hadith gives a serious reminder about the quality of salah. Ammar ibn Yasir reports that he heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم say that a man may finish his prayer while only a part of it is recorded for him. The hadith lists different portions, such as one tenth, one ninth, one eighth, one seventh, one sixth, one fifth, one fourth, one third, or half. The text does not explain every reason for these portions, so we should not add claims beyond it. The safe message is that prayer is not only about going through outward motions. A person should care about the prayer being accepted and recorded in a meaningful way. This hadith encourages attention, humility, and seriousness in salah.
What we learn from this hadith
- A person may receive only a portion of the prayer recorded for him.
- Prayer should be performed with care, not treated as an empty routine.
- The hadith encourages attention to the quality of salah.
- The wording reminds believers to take prayer seriously.
