Sunan Abi Dawud: Book 21, Hadith 48
Narrated Anas ibn Malik: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) passed Hamzah who was killed and disfigured. He said: If Safiyyah were not grieved, I would have left him until the birds and beasts of prey would have eaten him, and he would have been resurrected from their bellies. The garments were scanty and the slain were in great number. So one, two and three persons were shrouded in one garment. The narrator Qutaybah added: They were then buried in one grave. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked: Which of the two learnt the Qur’an more? He then advanced him toward the qiblah (direction of prayer).
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدٌ، – يَعْنِي ابْنَ الْحُبَابِ – ح وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو صَفْوَانَ، – يَعْنِي الْمَرْوَانِيَّ – عَنْ أُسَامَةَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، – الْمَعْنَى – أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَرَّ عَلَى حَمْزَةَ وَقَدْ مُثِّلَ بِهِ فَقَالَ ” لَوْلاَ أَنْ تَجِدَ صَفِيَّةُ فِي نَفْسِهَا لَتَرَكْتُهُ حَتَّى تَأْكُلَهُ الْعَافِيَةُ حَتَّى يُحْشَرَ مِنْ بُطُونِهَا ” . وَقَلَّتِ الثِّيَابُ وَكَثُرَتِ الْقَتْلَى فَكَانَ الرَّجُلُ وَالرَّجُلاَنِ وَالثَّلاَثَةُ يُكَفَّنُونَ فِي الثَّوْبِ الْوَاحِدِ – زَادَ قُتَيْبَةُ – ثُمَّ يُدْفَنُونَ فِي قَبْرٍ وَاحِدٍ فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَسْأَلُ ” أَيُّهُمْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ قُرْآنًا ” . فَيُقَدِّمُهُ إِلَى الْقِبْلَةِ .
Sunan Abi Dawud: Book 21, Hadith 48
The above hadith is from the Sunan Abi Dawud collection of hadiths. Compiled by Imam Abu Dawud al-Sijistani, Sunan Abi Dawud is revered for its extensive and practical coverage of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). Its structure is deliberately thematic, with the over 4,800 hadiths sorted into dedicated books addressing specific areas of daily life and worship. This includes detailed chapters on ritual purity (tahara), prayer (salah), alms-giving (zakat), pilgrimage (hajj), marriage (nikah), and commercial law. This logical organization has made it an indispensable primary source for scholars, jurists, and students seeking the Prophetic precedents that form the basis of Islamic law and ethical conduct.
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For more Hadith in Book 21: Funerals (Kitab Al-Jana’iz)