2/158. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 871 — Responsive Recitation
What A Person Should Say In His Ruku' And Prostration
Hadith About Responsive Qur’an Recitation in Prayer
Sunan Abi Dawud : 871
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 871
حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لِسُلَيْمَانَ أَدْعُو فِي الصَّلاَةِ إِذَا مَرَرْتُ بِآيَةِ تَخَوُّفٍ فَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَيْدَةَ عَنْ مُسْتَوْرِدٍ عَنْ صِلَةَ بْنِ زُفَرَ عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ أَنَّهُ صَلَّى مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَكَانَ يَقُولُ فِي رُكُوعِهِ " سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ " . وَفِي سُجُودِهِ " سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلَى " . وَمَا مَرَّ بِآيَةِ رَحْمَةٍ إِلاَّ وَقَفَ عِنْدَهَا فَسَأَلَ وَلاَ بِآيَةِ عَذَابٍ إِلاَّ وَقَفَ عِنْدَهَا فَتَعَوَّذَ .
Hudhaifa Narrated from:
Hudhaifah said that he prayed along with the Prophet (ﷺ), and that he said when bowing, “Glory be to my mighty Lord, “ and when he prostrated himself, “Glory be to my most high Lord," when he came to a verse which spoke of mercy, he stopped and made supplication, and when he came to a verse which spoke of punishment, he stopped and sought refuge in Allah.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 871In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 481English translation : Book 2, Hadith 870
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 871
This hadith teaches responsive recitation in prayer. Hudhaifah prayed with the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and heard him say “Glory be to my mighty Lord” in ruku and “Glory be to my most high Lord” in sujud. The hadith then shows how the Prophet responded to the Qur’an while reciting. When he came to a verse of mercy, he stopped and asked Allah. When he came to a verse of punishment, he stopped and sought refuge in Allah. The point is not just long recitation. It is attentive prayer. The words of the Qur’an were heard with the heart, and the prayer included asking for mercy and seeking protection when those meanings appeared.
What we learn from this hadith
- Ruku includes glorifying the mighty Lord.
- Sujud includes glorifying the most high Lord.
- A verse about mercy was met with supplication.
- A verse about punishment was met with seeking refuge.
