Sunan an-Nasa'i

Sunan an-Nasa'i 848

Arabic hadith text

أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ آمُرَ بِحَطَبٍ فَيُحْطَبَ ثُمَّ آمُرَ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَيُؤَذَّنَ لَهَا ثُمَّ آمُرَ رَجُلاً فَيَؤُمَّ النَّاسَ ثُمَّ أُخَالِفَ إِلَى رِجَالٍ فَأُحَرِّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ بُيُوتَهُمْ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ يَعْلَمُ أَحَدُهُمْ أَنَّهُ يَجِدُ عَظْمًا سَمِينًا أَوْ مَرْمَاتَيْنِ حَسْنَتَيْنِ لَشَهِدَ الْعِشَاءَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Translation

Qutaybah narrated to us from Malik, from Abu Az-Zinad, from Al-Araj, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'By the One in Whose hand is my soul, I considered ordering firewood to be gathered, then ordering that the prayer be announced, and appointing a man to lead the people. Then I would go to the men who stayed away and burn their houses over them. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if one of them knew he would find a meaty bone or two choice morsels, he would attend the night prayer.'

Translation notes
  • The Arabic names the food incentive as a fatty bone or two good portions; it does not specify the exact cut.