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 الأدب

General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab)

Chapter 43Hadith 5159

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، قَالَ كُنْتُ أَضْرِبُ غُلاَمًا لِي فَسَمِعْتُ مِنْ خَلْفِي صَوْتًا ‏"‏ اعْلَمْ أَبَا مَسْعُودٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى مَرَّتَيْنِ ‏"‏ لَلَّهُ أَقْدَرُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْكَ عَلَيْهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَالْتَفَتُّ فَإِذَا هُوَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هُوَ حُرٌّ لِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَمَا إِنَّكَ لَوْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ لَلَفَعَتْكَ النَّارُ أَوْ ‏"‏ لَمَسَّتْكَ النَّارُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

when I was beating a servant of mine, I heard a voice behind me saying: know, Abu Mas’ud-Ibn al-Muthanna said: “twice”-that Allah has more power over you than you have over him. I turned round and saw that it was that it was the prophet (May peace be upon him). I said : Messenger of Allah! He is free for Allah’s sake. He said : If you had not done it, fire would have burned you or the fire would have touched you.

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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.