65/18.1. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4724 — Night Prayer and Human Argument
"But man is ever more quarrelsome than anything." (V.18:54)
Hadith About Tahajjud Prayer and Excuses
Sahih Bukhari : 4724
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4724
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُسَيْنٍ، أَنَّ حُسَيْنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ، أَخْبَرَهُ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم طَرَقَهُ وَفَاطِمَةَ قَالَ " أَلاَ تُصَلِّيَانِ ". {رَجْمًا بِالْغَيْبِ} لَمْ يَسْتَبِنْ. {فُرُطًا} نَدَمًا {سُرَادِقُهَا} مِثْلُ السُّرَادِقِ، وَالْحُجْرَةِ الَّتِي تُطِيفُ بِالْفَسَاطِيطِ، {يُحَاوِرُهُ} مِنَ الْمُحَاوَرَةِ {لَكِنَّا هُوَ اللَّهُ رَبِّي} أَىْ لَكِنْ أَنَا هُوَ اللَّهُ رَبِّي ثُمَّ حَذَفَ الأَلِفَ وَأَدْغَمَ إِحْدَى النُّونَيْنِ فِي الأُخْرَى. {زَلَقًا} لاَ يَثْبُتُ فِيهِ قَدَمٌ. {هُنَالِكَ الْوَلاَيَةُ} مَصْدَرُ الْوَلِيِّ. {عُقُبًا} عَاقِبَةٌ وَعُقْبَى وَعُقْبَةٌ وَاحِدٌ وَهْىَ الآخِرَةُ قِبَلاً وَقُبُلاً وَقَبَلاً اسْتِئْنَافًا {لِيُدْحِضُوا} لِيُزِيلُوا، الدَّحْضُ الزَّلَقُ.
'Ali Narrated from:
One night Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to him and Fatima and said, "Don't you (both offer the (Tahajjud) prayer?" `Ali said, 'When Allah wishes us to get up, we get up."The Prophet (ﷺ) then recited: 'But man is more quarrelsome than anything.' (18.54)(See Hadith No. 227, Vol. 2)
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4724In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 246USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 248
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4724
This hadith about Tahajjud prayer shows Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم visiting Ali and Fatima at night and asking, Do you both not pray. Ali replied that when Allah wished them to get up, they got up. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then recited the verse that man is more quarrelsome than anything. The hadith is not a full legal discussion of night prayer. It shows a gentle call toward worship and a reminder that people may answer with arguments when invited to do good. For readers searching for Tahajjud prayer hadith or the hadith of Ali and Fatima at night, the main point is personal reflection. A believer can ask whether an excuse is helping them obey Allah or keeping them from a good act.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم encouraged his family toward night prayer.
- A person may respond to good advice with an excuse.
- The verse reminds us that humans can be argumentative.
- The hadith points to self-checking when invited to worship.
