Hadith Details

Discover timeless wisdom from the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Read this hadith in Arabic and English, share it with others, or explore related narrations from the same chapter.

Sunan Abi Dawud

كتاب الصلاة

Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat)

Chapter 2Hadith 490

حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ لَهِيعَةَ، وَيَحْيَى بْنُ أَزْهَرَ، عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ الْمُرَادِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ الْغِفَارِيِّ، أَنَّ عَلِيًّا، - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - مَرَّ بِبَابِلَ وَهُوَ يَسِيرُ فَجَاءَهُ الْمُؤَذِّنُ يُؤَذِّنُ بِصَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ فَلَمَّا بَرَزَ مِنْهَا أَمَرَ الْمُؤَذِّنَ فَأَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ قَالَ إِنَّ حَبِيبِي صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَانِي أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ فِي الْمَقْبُرَةِ وَنَهَانِي أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ فِي أَرْضِ بَابِلَ فَإِنَّهَا مَلْعُونَةٌ ‏.‏

AbuSalih al-Ghifari reported: Ali (once) passed by Babylon during his travels. The mu'adhdhin (the person who calls for prayer) came to him to call for the afternoon prayer. When he passed by that place, he commanded to announce for the prayer. After finishing the prayer he said: My affectionate friend (i.e. the Prophet) prohibited me to say prayer in the graveyard. He also forbade me to offer prayer in Babylon because it is accursed.

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What is hadith in Islam?
A hadith is a narration of what Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, did, or approved. Hadith complement the Quran and help Muslims understand how to practice their faith in daily life. Each entry on Random Hadith shows the Arabic text, English translation, and full citation so you can read and verify the source.
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Where does this hadith come from?
Each narration displayed on Random Hadith includes its book, chapter, and hadith number. These references point to established Islamic collections such as Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and the Sunan works. You can use the citation to locate the same report in printed editions or to explore related hadiths from the same chapter on this site.
When Allah wants two hearts to meet, what is the hadith?
A widely quoted teaching states that when Allah wants two people to meet, He makes their paths converge — often summarized as when He wants two hearts to meet, they will meet. Muslims frequently reflect on this narration as a reminder of divine decree (qadar), trust in Allah's plan, and patience regarding relationships and life events. Always verify wording and grading with qualified scholars and authentic sources.