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Hadith #264 of 500 • Sunan Abu Dawud • Sahih

Sunan Abu Dawud 4969 (Book 43, Hadith 197) — Kindness, Mercy and Compassion

Narrated by Anas ibn Malik (رضي الله عنه) • Grade: Sahih (Al-Albani (Sahih); Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid (Sahih); Zubair Ali Zai (Isnaad Sahih Sahih Bukhari (847)))

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#264 • Sunan Abu Dawud 4969 (Book 43, Hadith 197)Sunan Abu DawudKindness, Mercy and Compassion
Sahih (Authentic)
Primary Companion Narrator
Anas ibn Malik (رضي الله عنه)

Anas b. Malik said

Book & Reference: General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab) (Book 43, Hadith 197)
Scholarly Grading Source: Al-Albani (Sahih); Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid (Sahih); Zubair Ali Zai (Isnaad Sahih Sahih Bukhari (847))

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا ثَابِتٌ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدْخُلُ عَلَيْنَا وَلِي أَخٌ صَغِيرٌ يُكْنَى أَبَا عُمَيْرٍ وَكَانَ لَهُ نُغَرٌ يَلْعَبُ بِهِ فَمَاتَ فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فَرَآهُ حَزِينًا فَقَالَ ‏"‏ مَا شَأْنُهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا مَاتَ نُغَرُهُ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ يَا أَبَا عُمَيْرٍ مَا فَعَلَ النُّغَيْرُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Anas b. Malik said :The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) used to come to visit us. I had a younger brother who was called Abu ‘Umair by Kunyah (surname). He had a sparrow with which he played, but it died. So one day the prophet (May peace be upon him) came to see him and saw him grieved. He asked: What is the matter with him? The people replied: His sparrow has died. He then said: Abu ‘Umair! What has happened to the little sparrow?

— Prof. Ahmad Hasan / Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Sunan Abu Dawud)

Audio Policy: Out of reverence for the words of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, synthetic or AI-generated speech is strictly disabled for Hadith narrations.
IslamTools Editorial Study Notes (Distinct from Prophetic Text)Kindness, Mercy and Compassion

Main Lesson & Core Meaning

The Most Merciful shows mercy to those who are merciful; show mercy to those on earth, and the One above the heavens will show mercy to you.

Practical Daily Application

Choose gentleness in family and community interactions, relieve the hardship of those in need, and treat animals and nature with compassion.

Key Islamic Terms & Vocabulary

Rahmah (الرحمة)

Active mercy, empathy, and compassionate care for creation.

Rifq (الرفق)

Gentleness and kindness, which beautifies everything it enters.

Shafaqah (الشفقة)

Tender concern for the weak, elderly, and vulnerable.

Scholarly Context & Jurisprudence Note

Scholars call the Hadith 'The Merciful are shown mercy by the Most Merciful' the foundational Hadith of Musalsal bil-Awwaliyyah, traditionally the first Hadith taught by masters to students.

Educational Note: This library is for Islamic study and education. Applying Hadith to complex personal legal matters (Fiqh) requires qualified scholarly guidance.

Noble Companion & Hadith Transmitterرضي الله عنه

أنس بن مالك الأنصاري الخزرجي

Anas ibn Malik (Anas ibn Malik al-Ansari)

The devoted attendant (Khadim) of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for ten years in Madinah, from the Hijrah until the Prophet's passing. He witnessed the Prophet's noble character firsthand andreceived his blessed supplication for abundant wealth, children, and long life in obedience.

Verified Biographical Summary

Source Verification & Scholarly Audit Record

APPROVED_FOR_PUBLICATION
Collection: Sunan Abu Dawud (Sunan Abu Dawud 4969 (Book 43, Hadith 197))
Scholarly Grading Source: Al-Albani (Sahih); Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid (Sahih); Zubair Ali Zai (Isnaad Sahih Sahih Bukhari (847))
Al-Albani: SahihMuhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid: SahihZubair Ali Zai: Isnaad Sahih Sahih Bukhari (847)
SOURCE_IDENTIFIEDARABIC_TEXT_VERIFIEDREFERENCE_VERIFIEDNARRATOR_VERIFIEDAUTHENTICITY_VERIFIEDTRANSLATION_VERIFIEDCOPYRIGHT_VERIFIEDEDITORIAL_REVIEWEDAPPROVED_FOR_PUBLICATION

Related Quranic Ayahs

Surah Al-Anbiya 21:107Surah Al-Balad 90:17

Related Prophetic Hadith

#244•Sahih al-Bukhari 2512 (Book 48, Hadith 5)Sahih al-BukhariKindness, Mercy and Compassion
Sahih (Authentic)
Primary Companion Narrator:Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه)
Book & Reference: Mortgaging (Bk. 48, No. 5)

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُقَاتِلٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا زَكَرِيَّاءُ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ ‏ "‏ الرَّهْنُ يُرْكَبُ بِنَفَقَتِهِ إِذَا كَانَ مَرْهُونًا، وَلَبَنُ الدَّرِّ يُشْرَبُ بِنَفَقَتِهِ إِذَا كَانَ مَرْهُونًا، وَعَلَى الَّذِي يَرْكَبُ وَيَشْرَبُ النَّفَقَةُ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The mortgaged animal can be used for riding as long as it is fed and the milk of the milch animal can be drunk according to what one spends on it. The one who rides the animal or drinks its milk should provide the expenditures

— Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan (Sahih al-Bukhari English Translation)

Scholarly Grading Source: Imam Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari (Ijma' / Scholarly Consensus)
Full Reference & Explanation
#245•Sahih Muslim 6601 (Book 45, Hadith 99)Sahih MuslimKindness, Mercy and Compassion
Sahih (Authentic)
Primary Companion Narrator:Aisha bint Abi Bakr (رضي الله عنها)
Book & Reference: The Book of Virtue, Enjoining Good Manners, and Joining of the Ties of Kinship (Bk. 45, No. 99)

حَدَّثَنَا حَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى التُّجِيبِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي حَيْوَةُ، حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ الْهَادِ، عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ حَزْمٍ، عَنْ عَمْرَةَ، - يَعْنِي بِنْتَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ - عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ رَفِيقٌ يُحِبُّ الرِّفْقَ وَيُعْطِي عَلَى الرِّفْقِ مَا لاَ يُعْطِي عَلَى الْعُنْفِ وَمَا لاَ يُعْطِي عَلَى مَا سِوَاهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

A'isha, the wife of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:'A'isha, verily Allah is kind and He loves kindness and confers upon kindness which he does not confer upon severity and does not confer upon anything else besides it (kindness)

— Abdul Hamid Siddiqui (Sahih Muslim English Translation)

Scholarly Grading Source: Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj (Ijma' / Scholarly Consensus)
Full Reference & Explanation
#246•Sunan Abu Dawud 4941 (Book 43, Hadith 169)Sunan Abu DawudKindness, Mercy and Compassion
Sahih (Authentic)
Primary Companion Narrator:Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As (رضي الله عنهما)
Book & Reference: General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab) (Bk. 43, No. 169)

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَمُسَدَّدٌ، - الْمَعْنَى - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ أَبِي قَابُوسَ، مَوْلًى لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، يَبْلُغُ بِهِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ الرَّاحِمُونَ يَرْحَمُهُمُ الرَّحْمَنُ ارْحَمُوا أَهْلَ الأَرْضِ يَرْحَمْكُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ لَمْ يَقُلْ مُسَدَّدٌ مَوْلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو وَقَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The Compassionate One has mercy on those who are merciful. If you show mercy to those who are on the earth, He Who is in the heaven will show mercy to you. Musaddad did not say: The client of 'Adb Allah b. 'Amr. He said: The Prophet (ﷺ) said

— Prof. Ahmad Hasan / Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Sunan Abu Dawud)

Scholarly Grading Source: Al-Albani (Sahih); Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid (Sahih); Shuaib Al Arnaut (Sahih Lighairihi); Zubair Ali Zai (Isnaad Hasan)
Full Reference & Explanation
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