6/13. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 336f — Duha Prayer and Protection
It is recommended to pray Duha, the least of which is two rak`ah, the best of which is eight, and the average of which is four or six, and encouragement to do so regularly
Umm Hani’s Duha Hadith: Eight Rak'ahs and Given Protection
Sahih Muslim : 336f
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 336f
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِي النَّضْرِ، أَنَّ أَبَا مُرَّةَ، مَوْلَى أُمِّ هَانِئٍ بِنْتِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، سَمِعَ أُمَّ هَانِئٍ بِنْتَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، تَقُولُ ذَهَبْتُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَامَ الْفَتْحِ فَوَجَدْتُهُ يَغْتَسِلُ وَفَاطِمَةُ ابْنَتُهُ تَسْتُرُهُ بِثَوْبٍ - قَالَتْ - فَسَلَّمْتُ فَقَالَ " مَنْ هَذِهِ " . قُلْتُ أُمُّ هَانِئٍ بِنْتُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ . قَالَ " مَرْحَبًا بِأُمِّ هَانِئٍ " . فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ غُسْلِهِ قَامَ فَصَلَّى ثَمَانِيَ رَكَعَاتٍ مُلْتَحِفًا فِي ثَوْبٍ وَاحِدٍ . فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ زَعَمَ ابْنُ أُمِّي عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ أَنَّهُ قَاتِلٌ رَجُلاً أَجَرْتُهُ فُلاَنُ بْنُ هُبَيْرَةَ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " قَدْ أَجَرْنَا مَنْ أَجَرْتِ يَا أُمَّ هَانِئٍ " . قَالَتْ أُمُّ هَانِئٍ وَذَلِكَ ضُحًى .
Umm Hani Narrated from:
I went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the day of the Conquest of Mecca and found him taking a bath, and Fatimah, his daughter, had provided him privacy with the help of a cloth. I gave him salutation and he said: Who is she? I said: It is Umm Hani, daughter of Abu Talib. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Greeting for Umm Hani.When he had completed the bath, he stood up and observed eight rak'ahs wrapped up in one cloth. When he turned back (after the prayer), I said to him: Messenger of Allah, the son of my mother 'Ali b. Abu Talib is going to kill a person, Fulan b. Hubaira whom I have given protection. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: We too have given protection whom you have given protection, O Umm Hani. Umm Hani said: It was the forenoon (prayer).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 336fIn-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 99USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1555
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 336f
This Hadith from Umm Hani contains two clear parts. First, she came to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم on the day of the Conquest of Mecca and found him bathing while Fatimah shielded him with a cloth. After greeting her, he welcomed her. When he finished bathing, he stood and prayed eight rak'ahs while wrapped in one cloth. Umm Hani then mentioned that Ali intended to kill a man whom she had given protection. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم replied that they also had given protection to the one she had protected. Umm Hani added that it was Duha time. The core topic is Duha prayer and protection, and both points come directly from the text.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم prayed eight rak'ahs at Duha time in Umm Hani’s report.
- Fatimah shielded him with a cloth while he bathed.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم welcomed Umm Hani when she identified herself.
- He honored the protection Umm Hani had given to a man.
