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 823

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ النُّفَيْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ مَكْحُولٍ، عَنْ مَحْمُودِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ، عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، قَالَ كُنَّا خَلْفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي صَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ فَقَرَأَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَثَقُلَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْقِرَاءَةُ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ قَالَ ‏"‏ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَقْرَءُونَ خَلْفَ إِمَامِكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْنَا نَعَمْ هَذَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ لاَ تَفْعَلُوا إِلاَّ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ صَلاَةَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَقْرَأْ بِهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

We were behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at the dawn prayer, and he recited (the passage), but the recitation became difficult for him. Then when he finished, he said: Perhaps you recite behind your imam? We replied: Yes, it is so, Messenger of Allah. He said: Do not do so except when it is Fatihat al-Kitab, for he who does not recite it is not credited with having prayed.

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Hadith Questions & Answers

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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.