On one occasion, Imaam Abu Dawood (rahimahullah) was aboard a ship when he heard a person on the shore sneeze and recite the sunnah du‘aa saying, “Alhamdulillah”.

On hearing the person sneeze and recite the sunnah du‘aa “Alhamdulillah”, Imaam Abu Dawood (rahimahullah) immediately hired a small boat, for the fee of one dirham (silver coin), and requested to be taken from the ship to the shore. When he arrived at the shore, he went to the person who had sneezed and replied to his sneeze in the sunnah manner by saying, “Yarhamukallah”, and thereafter returned to the ship.