Question

Is there a Hadith similar to the following found in any other book(s) other than Sunan Abi Dawud?

Narrated Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (radiyallahu ‘anhu):

“I was sitting behind the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) who was riding a donkey while the sun was setting. He asked: Do you know where this sets ? I replied: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: It sets in a spring of warm water.”

Answer

Yes. Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim, Imam Ahmad and other Muhaddithun have recorded similar narrations. The following version appears in Sahih Bukhari:

Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) asked him when the sun set, ‘Do you know where it goes?’ He replied, ‘Allah and His Rasul know best.’ He said, ‘It goes and prostrates under the ‘Arsh. Then it asks permission and permission is granted. Soon [the time will come] when it will prostrate and it will not be accepted, and it will seek permission and permission will not be granted. [The sun will be told] ‘Go back from where you came,’ and it will rise in the west. That is what is referred to in the Verse, ‘And the sun moves in its fixed course. That is the Decree of The Mighty, The All Knowing.’ (Surah Yasin, Verse: 38)

(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 3199. Also see Hadith: 4802-4803-7424-7433)

Imam Muslim (rahimahullah) has recorded a longer version.

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 159)

Imam Ahmad (rahimahullah) has recorded the following version:

Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (radiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates, “I was with Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) on a donkey on which there was a saddle or a velvet [saddle blanket], at the time of sunset. He said, ‘O Abu Dharr, do you know where the sun sets?’ I said, ‘Allah and His Rasul know best.’ He said, ‘It sets in a warm spring, it then goes and prostrates before its Rabb, under the ‘Arsh. When it is time to rise, Allah permits it to go out and it rises. But, when He wants it to rise from where it set, He will hold it back. The sun will then say, ‘O my Rabb, I have a long distance to cover.’ Allah will say, ‘Rise where you have set.’ [i.e. from the west]. [When this takes place] then That no [disbelieving] person will get any good by believing then.”

(Musnad Ahmad, vol. 5 pg. 165)

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar