Sunan Abu Dawud (Abu Dawud's Hadith Collection)
One of the six canonical hadith collections in Sunni Islam with a special focus on legal narrations.
Sunan Abu Dawud is one of the six canonical hadith collections (al-Kutub al-Sittah) in Sunni Islam. It was compiled by Imam Abu Dawud Sulayman ibn al-Ash'ath al-Sijistani (817-889 CE) and contains approximately 5,274 hadith selected from 500,000 narrations.
The work has a particular focus on legal narrations (ahadith al-ahkam) and is therefore an invaluable source for Islamic jurisprudence. Abu Dawud organized his collection into 43 books, of which "Kitab al-Salah" (The Book of Prayer) is the most comprehensive.
Imam Abu Dawud was a student of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and traveled to Iraq, Egypt, Syria, and Khorasan to collect narrations. He wrote to the people of Mecca: "I have not included in my book any hadith that there is consensus to reject." His collection is particularly important for detailed descriptions of the Prophet's (peace be upon him) manner of prayer.
Related terms
Mashhad (Imam Reza's City)
The sacred city in Iran with Imam Reza's shrine, Iran's most visited pilgrimage destination.
Madhhab (School of Law)
An Islamic school of law with its own methodology for legal derivation from the sacred sources.
Tawassul (Intercession/Mediation)
Seeking nearness to Allah through holy persons such as the Prophet and Ahl al-Bayt.
Qiyas (Analogical Reasoning)
Legal analogy used to derive Islamic rules for new situations based on established rules.
Khalifah (Caliph/Successor)
The political and religious leader of the Muslim community after the Prophet's passing.
Ikhlas (Sincerity)
Pure sincerity in worship — acting solely for the sake of Allah.