سنن ابي داود
Abu Dawud
كتاب الطهارةPurification (Kitab Al-Taharah)
باب أَيَرُدُّ السَّلاَمَ وَهُوَ يَبُولُChapter: Returning Salam While Urinating?
Hadith 17
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْأَعْلَى ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ ، عَنْ الْحَسَنِ ، عَنْ حُضَيْنِ بْنِ الْمُنْذِرِ أَبِي سَاسَانَ ، عَنْ الْمُهَاجِرِ بْنِ قُنْفُذٍ ، أَنَّهُ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ يَبُولُ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ ، فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى تَوَضَّأَ ، ثُمَّ اعْتَذَرَ إِلَيْهِ ، فَقَالَ : " إِنِّي كَرِهْتُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلا عَلَى طُهْرٍ ، أَوْ قَالَ : عَلَى طَهَارَةٍ " .
Narrated Muhajir ibn Qunfudh: Muhajir came to the Prophet ﷺ while he was urinating. He saluted him. The Prophet ﷺ did not return the salutation to him until he performed ablution. He then apologised to him, saying: I disliked remembering Allah except in the state of purification.
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
➊ This narration comes through another chain, and that one is authentic; in it, it is only mentioned up to the point that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not respond to his greeting of salam. [صحيح مسلم، حديث : 370] Therefore, the latter part of Abu Dawud’s hadith number [17], which states that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed ablution (wudu)... this is not authentic. Thus, it is correctly established that one should not reply to a greeting of salam while urinating or defecating. However, it would not be correct to say that replying to salam or mentioning Allah is not permissible without ablution (wudu).
➋ It is also understood from this that a person who is sitting to relieve himself should not be greeted with salam. [ص۔ ی]
➊ This narration comes through another chain, and that one is authentic; in it, it is only mentioned up to the point that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not respond to his greeting of salam. [صحيح مسلم، حديث : 370] Therefore, the latter part of Abu Dawud’s hadith number [17], which states that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed ablution (wudu)... this is not authentic. Thus, it is correctly established that one should not reply to a greeting of salam while urinating or defecating. However, it would not be correct to say that replying to salam or mentioning Allah is not permissible without ablution (wudu).
➋ It is also understood from this that a person who is sitting to relieve himself should not be greeted with salam. [ص۔ ی]
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 17
Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
38. Commentary:
➊ It is not appropriate to greet a person who is urinating, but if someone mistakenly says salam, then after finishing urination, the reply may be given. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would generally remain in a state of ablution (wudu), so he performed ablution immediately and then replied. This is not necessary for every person, because ablution is not a condition for saying salam, replying to salam, or for reciting adhkar and supplications. Furthermore, when it is not necessary to be in a state of ablution to say salam, then it is also not necessary to be in a state of ablution to reply.
➋ According to our esteemed researcher, the chain of narration of this hadith is weak, and he states that there are other supporting narrations for this hadith, but he has not indicated whether those are authentic or weak. It is likely due to these supporting narrations that Shaykh al-Albani (rahimahullah) has declared this hadith to be authentic. Therefore, despite the aforementioned narration being weak in its chain, it is practicable due to the presence of other supporting narrations. For further details, see: [سلسلة الأحادیث الصحیحة ، رقم : 834]
➊ It is not appropriate to greet a person who is urinating, but if someone mistakenly says salam, then after finishing urination, the reply may be given. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would generally remain in a state of ablution (wudu), so he performed ablution immediately and then replied. This is not necessary for every person, because ablution is not a condition for saying salam, replying to salam, or for reciting adhkar and supplications. Furthermore, when it is not necessary to be in a state of ablution to say salam, then it is also not necessary to be in a state of ablution to reply.
➋ According to our esteemed researcher, the chain of narration of this hadith is weak, and he states that there are other supporting narrations for this hadith, but he has not indicated whether those are authentic or weak. It is likely due to these supporting narrations that Shaykh al-Albani (rahimahullah) has declared this hadith to be authentic. Therefore, despite the aforementioned narration being weak in its chain, it is practicable due to the presence of other supporting narrations. For further details, see: [سلسلة الأحادیث الصحیحة ، رقم : 834]
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 38
Maulana Ataullah Sajid
Commentary:
(1)
The mentioned narration is weak in its chain of transmission; however, this same narration is found through another route in Sahih Muslim, in which it is only stated up to the point that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not respond to his greeting. See: (Sahih Muslim, Book of Menstruation, Chapter on Tayammum, Hadith: 370).
Therefore, it is authentically established that one should not respond to a greeting while urinating or defecating, but it would not be correct to say that responding to a greeting or mentioning Allah is not permissible without ablution (wudu).
(2)
This hadith also shows that a person who is sitting to relieve himself should not be greeted with salam.
(3)
However, if someone does offer salam, then its response should not be given immediately; rather, it is recommended (mustahabb) that after finishing, one should perform ablution (wudu) or dry ablution (tayammum) and then respond to the greeting, as will be referenced in the benefits of the next hadith regarding the practice of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Therefore, there is no doubt regarding its recommendation.
(1)
The mentioned narration is weak in its chain of transmission; however, this same narration is found through another route in Sahih Muslim, in which it is only stated up to the point that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not respond to his greeting. See: (Sahih Muslim, Book of Menstruation, Chapter on Tayammum, Hadith: 370).
Therefore, it is authentically established that one should not respond to a greeting while urinating or defecating, but it would not be correct to say that responding to a greeting or mentioning Allah is not permissible without ablution (wudu).
(2)
This hadith also shows that a person who is sitting to relieve himself should not be greeted with salam.
(3)
However, if someone does offer salam, then its response should not be given immediately; rather, it is recommended (mustahabb) that after finishing, one should perform ablution (wudu) or dry ablution (tayammum) and then respond to the greeting, as will be referenced in the benefits of the next hadith regarding the practice of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Therefore, there is no doubt regarding its recommendation.
Source: Commentary on Sunan Ibn Mājah by Mawlānā ‘Atā’ullāh Sājid, Page: 350
