Sahih al-Bukhari — hadith #5009–#5033
The verbatim English translation of each narration. Use the interactive reader for search and themes.
Sahih al-Bukhari uses the standard numbering. A Bukhari number here is the same narration you will find under that number on sunnah.com or in a printed edition.
Sahih Muslim is different, and this matters. Our Muslim numbers are site reader numbers — a running count through this translation, in which each chain of narration is listed separately. That gives about 7,458 entries where the standard numbering has roughly 3,000. A Sahih Muslim number on this site will not find the same hadith on sunnah.com, and following it there will usually land you on a different narration entirely. To check a Muslim narration elsewhere, search for its wording rather than its number. We state this plainly because a number that looks authoritative and is not is worse than no number at all.
The themes are our own navigational grouping, and these translations are no substitute for study of the Arabic with qualified scholars (see our editorial policy). A small number of entries with no translated text are omitted rather than guessed at.
Narrated Abu Mas'ud: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If somebody recited the last two Verses of Surat Al-Baqara at night, that will be sufficient for him
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered me to guard the Zakat revenue of Ramadan. Then somebody came to me and started stealing from the foodstuff. I caught him and said, "I will take you to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" Then Abu Huraira described the whole narration and said: That person said (to me), "(Please don't take me to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and I will tell you a few words by which Allah will benefit you.) When you go to your bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi, (2.255) for then there will be a guard from Allah who will protect you all night long, and Satan will not be able to come near you till dawn." (When the Prophet (ﷺ) heard the story) he said (to me), "He (who came to you at night) told you the truth although he is a liar; and it was Satan
Narrated Al-Bara':A man was reciting Surat Al-Kahf and his horse was tied with two ropes beside him. A cloud came down and spread over that man, and it kept on coming closer and closer to him till his horse started jumping (as if afraid of something). When it was morning, the man came to the Prophet, and told him of that experience. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "That was As-Sakina (tranquility) which descended because of (the recitation of) the Qur'an
Narrated Aslam:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was traveling on one of his journeys, and `Umar bin Al-Khattab was traveling along with him at night. `Umar asked him about something, but Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) did not answer him. He asked again, but he did not answer. He asked for the third time, but he did not answer. On that, `Umar said to himself, "May your mother lose you! You have asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) three times, but he did not answer at all!" `Umar said, "So I made my camel go fast till I was ahead of the people, and I was afraid that something might be revealed about me. After a little while I heard a call maker calling me, I said, 'I was afraid that some Qur'anic Verse might be revealed about me.' So I went to Allah's Apostle and greeted him. He said, 'Tonight there has been revealed to me a Surah which is dearer to me than that on which the sun shines (i.e. the world).' Then he recited: 'Verily! We have given you (O Muhammad), a manifest victory.' " (Surat al-Fath) No
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: A man heard another man reciting (Surat-Al-Ikhlas) 'Say He is Allah, (the) One.' (112. 1) repeatedly. The next morning he came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and informed him about it as if he thought that it was not enough to recite. On that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, this Surah is equal to one-third of the Qur'an
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:My brother, Qatada bin An-Nau'man said, "A man performed the night prayer late at night in the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) and he read: 'Say: He is Allah, (the) One,' (112.1) and read nothing besides that. The next morning a man went to the Prophet (ﷺ) ,~ and told him about that . (The Prophet (ﷺ) replied the same as (in Hadith 532) above
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri:The Prophet (ﷺ) said to his companions, "Is it difficult for any of you to recite one third of the Qur'an in one night?" This suggestion was difficult for them so they said, "Who among us has the power to do so, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?" Allah's Apostle replied: " Allah (the) One, the Self-Sufficient Master Whom all creatures need.' (Surat Al-Ikhlas 112.1--to the End) is equal to one third of the Qur'an
Narrated `Aisha:Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) became sick, he would recite Mu'awwidhat (Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An- Nas) and then blow his breath over his body. When he became seriously ill, I used to recite (these two Suras) and rub his hands over his body hoping for its blessings
Narrated 'Aisha: Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) went to bed every night, he used to cup his hands together and blow over it after reciting Surat Al-Ikhlas, Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas, and then rub his hands over whatever parts of his body he was able to rub, starting with his head, face and front of his body. He used to do that three times
Narrated Usaid bin Hudair: That while he was reciting Surat Al-Baqara (The Cow) at night, and his horse was tied beside him, the horse was suddenly startled and troubled. When he stopped reciting, the horse became quiet, and when he started again, the horse was startled again. Then he stopped reciting and the horse became quiet too. He started reciting again and the horse was startled and troubled once again. Then he stopped reciting and his son, Yahya was beside the horse. He was afraid that the horse might trample on him. When he took the boy away and looked towards the sky, he could not see it. The next morning he informed the Prophet who said, "Recite, O Ibn Hudair! Recite, O Ibn Hudair!" Ibn Hudair replied, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! My son, Yahya was near the horse and I was afraid that it might trample on him, so I looked towards the sky, and went to him. When I looked at the sky, I saw something like a cloud containing what looked like lamps, so I went out in order not to see it." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do you know what that was?" Ibn Hudair replied, "No." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Those were Angels who came near to you for your voice and if you had kept on reciting till dawn, it would have remained there till morning when people would have seen it as it would not have disappeared
Narrated `Abdul `Aziz bin Rufai':Shaddad bin Ma'qil and I entered upon Ibn `Abbas. Shaddad bin Ma'qil asked him, "Did the Prophet (ﷺ) leave anything (besides the Qur'an)?" He replied. "He did not leave anything except what is Between the two bindings (of the Qur'an)." Then we visited Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyya and asked him (the same question). He replied, "The Prophet (ﷺ) did not leave except what is between the bindings (of the Qur'an)
Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The example of him (a believer) who recites the Qur'an is like that of a citron which tastes good and smells good. And he (a believer) who does not recite the Qur'an is like a date which is good in taste but has no smell. And the example of a dissolute wicked person who recites the Qur'an is like the Raihana (sweet basil) which smells good but tastes bitter. And the example of a dissolute wicked person who does not recite the Qur'an is like the colocynth which tastes bitter and has no smell
Narrated Ibn `Umar:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Your life in comparison to the lifetime of the past nations is like the period between the time of `Asr prayer and sunset. Your example and the example of the Jews and Christians is that of person who employed laborers and said to them, "Who will work for me till the middle of the day for one Qirat (a special weight)?' The Jews did. He then said, "Who will work for me from the middle of the day till the `Asr prayer for one Qirat each?" The Christians worked accordingly. Then you (Muslims) are working from the `Asr prayer till the Maghrib prayer for two Qirats each. They (the Jews and the Christians) said, 'We did more labor but took less wages.' He (Allah) said, 'Have I wronged you in your rights?' They replied, 'No.' Then He said, 'This is My Blessing which I give to whom I wish
Narrated Talha:I asked `Abdullah bin Abi `Aufa, "Did the Prophet (ﷺ) make a will (to appoint his successor or bequeath wealth)?" He replied, "No." I said, "How is it prescribed then for the people to make wills, and they are ordered to do so while the Prophet (ﷺ) did not make any will?" He said, "He made a will wherein he recommended Allah's Book
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah does not listen to a prophet as He listens to a prophet who recites the Qur'an in a pleasant tone." The companion of the sub-narrator (Abu Salama) said, "It means, reciting it aloud
Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah does not listen to a prophet as He listens to a prophet who recites the Qur'an in a loud and pleasant tone." Sufyan said, "This saying means: a prophet who regards the Qur'an as something that makes him dispense with many worldly pleasures
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Not to wish to be the like except of two men. A man whom Allah has given the knowledge of the Book and he recites it during the hours of the night, and a man whom Allah has given wealth, and he spends it in charity during the night and the hours of the day
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Not to wish to be the like of except two men: A man whom Allah has taught the Qur'an and he recites it during the hours of the night and during the hours of the day, and his neighbor listens to him and says, 'I wish I had been given what has been given to so-and-so, so that I might do what he does; and a man whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it on what is just and right, whereupon an other man May say, 'I wish I had been given what so-and-so has been given, for then I would do what he does
Narrated `Uthman:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it
Narrated `Uthman bin `Affan:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The most superior among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it
Narrated Sahl bin Sa`d:A lady came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and declared that she had decided to offer herself to Allah and His Apostle. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I am not in need of women." A man said (to the Prophet) "Please marry her to me." The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to him), "Give her a garment." The man said, "I cannot afford it." The Prophet said, "Give her anything, even if it were an iron ring." The man apologized again. The Prophet then asked him, "What do you know by heart of the Qur'an?" He replied, "I know such-andsuch portion of the Qur'an (by heart)." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Then I marry her to you for that much of the Qur'an which you know by heart
Narrated Sahl bin Sa`d:A lady came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I have come to you to offer myself to you." He raised his eyes and looked at her and then lowered his head. When the lady saw that he did not make any decision, she sat down. On that, a man from his companions got up and said. "O Allah's Apostle! If you are not in need of this woman, then marry her to me." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Do you have anything to offer her?" He replied. "No, by Allah, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Go to your family and see if you can find something.' The man went and returned, saying, "No, by Allah, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I have not found anything." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Try to find something, even if it is an iron ring.'' He went again and returned, saying, "No, by Allah, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), not even an iron ring, but I have this waist sheet of mine." The man had no upper garment, so he intended to give her, half his waist sheet. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, ''What would she do with your waist sheet? If you wear it, she will have nothing of it over her body, and if she wears it, you will have nothing over your body." So that man sat for a long period and then got up, and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saw him going away, so he ordered somebody to call him. When he came, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked him, " How much of the Qur'an do you know?" He replied, "I know such Surat and such Surat and such Surat," and went on counting it, The Prophet (ﷺ) asked him, "Can you recite it by heart?" he replied, "Yes." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Go, I have married this lady to you for the amount of the Qur'an you know by heart
Narrated Ibn `Umar:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The example of the person who knows the Qur'an by heart is like the owner of tied camels. If he keeps them tied, he will control them, but if he releases them, they will run away
Narrated `Abdullah:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "It is a bad thing that some of you say, 'I have forgotten such-and-such verse of the Qur'an,' for indeed, he has been caused (by Allah) to forget it. So you must keep on reciting the Qur'an because it escapes from the hearts of men faster than camel do
Narrated Abu Musa:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Commit yourself to the Qur'an, for by Him in whose Hand is my soul, it is surely more prone to break away than a camel in its bind