Hadith 5018

وَقَالَ اللَّيْثُ : حَدَّثَنِي يَزِيدُ بْنُ الْهَادِ ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، عَنْ أُسَيْدِ بْنِ حُضَيْرٍ ، قَالَ : " بَيْنَمَا هُوَ يَقْرَأُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ وَفَرَسُهُ مَرْبُوطَةٌ عِنْدَهُ إِذْ جَالَتِ الْفَرَسُ فَسَكَتَ ، فَسَكَتَتْ ، فَقَرَأَ فَجَالَتِ الْفَرَسُ ، فَسَكَتَ وَسَكَتَتِ الْفَرَسُ ، ثُمَّ قَرَأَ فَجَالَتِ الْفَرَسُ ، فَانْصَرَفَ وَكَانَ ابْنُهُ يَحْيَى قَرِيبًا مِنْهَا ، فَأَشْفَقَ أَنْ تُصِيبَهُ ، فَلَمَّا اجْتَرَّهُ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ حَتَّى مَا يَرَاهَا ، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ حَدَّثَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَقَالَ : اقْرَأْ يَا ابْنَ حُضَيْرٍ ، اقْرَأْ يَا ابْنَ حُضَيْرٍ ، قَالَ : فَأَشْفَقْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنْ تَطَأَ يَحْيَى وَكَانَ مِنْهَا قَرِيبًا ، فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي ، فَانْصَرَفْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي إِلَى السَّمَاءِ ، فَإِذَا مِثْلُ الظُّلَّةِ فِيهَا أَمْثَالُ الْمَصَابِيحِ ، فَخَرَجَتْ حَتَّى لَا أَرَاهَا ، قَالَ : وَتَدْرِي مَا ذَاكَ ؟ قَالَ : لَا ، قَالَ : تِلْكَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ دَنَتْ لِصَوْتِكَ ، وَلَوْ قَرَأْتَ لَأَصْبَحَتْ يَنْظُرُ النَّاسُ إِلَيْهَا لَا تَتَوَارَى مِنْهُمْ ".
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 Apostle! 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 said, "Do you know what that was?" Ibn Hudair replied, "No." The Prophet 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.
Hadith Reference صحيح البخاري / كتاب فضائل القرآن / 5018
Hadith Grading محدثین: أحاديث صحيح البخاريّ كلّها صحيحة
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
Angels are unseen beings; therefore, Allah the Exalted concealed them from sight on this occasion as well.
From this, the immense virtue of Surah Al-Baqarah is established.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 5018
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:

In one narration, it is mentioned that when this incident occurred, Usayd ibn Hudayr radi Allahu anhu was reciting the Qur’an in the place where he used to dry his dates.
(Sahih Muslim, Salat al-Musafirin wa Qasruha, Hadith: 895(796))


Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah says that Usayd ibn Hudayr radi Allahu anhu had a very melodious voice.
In one narration, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“O Ibn Hudayr! Keep reciting.
Allah Ta’ala has given you the beautiful voice of Dawud alayhis salam.”
From this hadith, it is understood that it was due to this melodious recitation that the angels descended from the heavens.
(Fath al-Bari: 9/81)


From this hadith, the virtue of Usayd ibn Hudayr radi Allahu anhu is known, and also the virtue of reciting Surah al-Baqarah in the night prayer (tahajjud) is indicated.
It is also understood that being occupied with worldly matters sometimes causes one to be deprived of great good, even if those occupations are permissible and lawful.


It is also understood that the people of faith can see angels in this world, and for them, seeing the angels is a means of mercy.
And Allah knows best.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 5018