64/75. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4392 — Praying for Guidance Instead of Against People
The story of Daus and Tufail bin ‘Amr Ad-Dausi
Hadith About Praying for Guidance: The Prophet’s Dua for Daus
Sahih Bukhari : 4392
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4392
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ ابْنِ ذَكْوَانَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ جَاءَ الطُّفَيْلُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ إِنَّ دَوْسًا قَدْ هَلَكَتْ، عَصَتْ وَأَبَتْ، فَادْعُ اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِمْ. فَقَالَ " اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ دَوْسًا وَأْتِ بِهِمْ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Tufail bin `Amr came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "The Daus (nation) have perished as they disobeyed and refused to accept Islam. So invoke Allah against them." But the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O Allah! Give guidance to the Daus (tribe) and bring them (to Islam)!"
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4392In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 415USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 675
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4392
This hadith about praying for guidance shows mercy in a very clear way. Tufail bin Amr came to the Prophet and said that Daus had disobeyed and refused. He asked the Prophet to invoke Allah against them. The Prophet did not do that. Instead, he said, “O Allah! Give guidance to Daus and bring them.” The main message is found right in the words of the hadith: when others reject the truth, a believer may still ask Allah to guide them. It is not a text about weakness; it is a text about mercy and hope. The Prophet chose a dua for guidance rather than a curse against the tribe.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet prayed for guidance when asked to pray against Daus.
- A believer may hope for people to return to the truth.
- Mercy can appear in the way a person makes dua.
- Rejection by others does not have to end the door of guidance.
