Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter: The virtue of knowledge, and the saying of Allah the Exalted: ﴿يَرْفَعِ اللهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ وَاللهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ﴾ and His saying: ﴿رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا﴾.
Chapter: One who is asked about knowledge while he is engaged in speaking, so he completes his speech and then answers the questioner.
On the authority of Abū Hurayrah who said:
“While the Prophet ﷺ was in a gathering speaking to the people, a Bedouin came and said:
‘When is the Hour?’
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ continued speaking.
Some of the people said: ‘He heard what he said but disliked it.’
Others said: ‘Rather, he did not hear it.’
When he finished his speech, he said:
‘Where is the one who was asking about the Hour?’
He said: ‘Here I am, O Messenger of Allah.’
He said: ‘When trust is lost, then await the Hour.’
He said: ‘How will it be lost?’
He said: ‘When authority is entrusted to those unqualified for it, then await the Hour.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter: One who raises his voice with knowledge.
On the authority of ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr who said:
“The Prophet ﷺ stayed behind us during a journey we had taken, and he caught up with us while the prayer time had become very tight for us, and we were performing ablution. We began wiping over our feet, so he called out with the loudest of his voice:
‘Woe to the heels from the Fire!’ — two or three times.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter: The Narrator Saying “He narrated to us,” or “He informed us,” or “He conveyed to us.”
And Ibn Masʿūd said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ narrated to us — and he is the truthful, the believed.”
On the authority of Ibn ʿUmar who said:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Among the trees there is a tree whose leaves do not fall, and it is the example of the Muslim. So tell me what it is.”
He said: “The people began thinking of the desert trees.”
ʿAbdullāh said: “And it came to my mind that it is the date palm, but I felt shy.”
Then they said: “Tell us what it is, O Messenger of Allah.”
He said: “It is the date palm.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter: The Imam Presenting a Question to His Companions to Test the Knowledge They Possess
On the authority of Ibn ʿUmar, from the Prophet ﷺ, who said:
“Among the trees, there is a tree whose leaves do not fall, and it is like the Muslim. Tell me what it is.”
He said: “So the people began thinking of the trees of the desert.”
ʿAbdullāh said: “It occurred to my mind that it is the date palm, but I remained silent.”
Then they said: “Tell us what it is, O Messenger of Allah.”
He said: “It is the date palm.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter: What Has Been Mentioned Regarding Knowledge, and His Saying, the Most High: ﴿وَقُلْ رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا﴾
On the authority of Anas ibn Mālik who said:
“While we were sitting with the Prophet ﷺ in the mosque, a man entered riding a camel. He made it kneel in the mosque, then tied it, and then said to them: ‘Which one of you is Muhammad?’
The Prophet ﷺ was reclining among them.
So we said: ‘This white man who is reclining.’
The man said to him: ‘O son of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib.’
The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘I have answered you.’
The man said to the Prophet ﷺ: ‘I am going to ask you, and I will be strict in questioning you, so let nothing be held against me in your heart.’
He said: ‘Ask whatever you wish.’
The man said: ‘I ask you by your Lord and the Lord of those before you, has Allah sent you to all the people?’
He said: ‘O Allah, yes.’
He said: ‘I ask you by Allah, has Allah commanded you that we pray the five prayers in the day and night?’
He said: ‘O Allah, yes.’
He said: ‘I ask you by Allah, has Allah commanded you that we fast this month of the year?’
He said: ‘O Allah, yes.’
He said: ‘I ask you by Allah, has Allah commanded you to take this charity from our wealthy and distribute it among our poor?’
The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘O Allah, yes.’
So the man said: ‘I believe in what you have brought, and I am the messenger of those who are behind me from my people. And I am Dimām ibn Thaʿlabah, the brother of Banū Saʿd ibn Bakr.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter: What is Mentioned Regarding Handing Over (Manāwala) and the Writing of the People of Knowledge with Knowledge to the Various Lands
And Anas said: “ʿUthmān made copies of the Muṣḥaf and sent them to the regions. ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar, Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd, and Mālik regarded that as permissible.
And some of the people of the Ḥijāz used as evidence, concerning manāwala (handing over written texts), the narration of the Prophet ﷺ when he wrote a letter for the commander of the expedition and said: ‘Do not read it until you reach such-and-such place.’
When he reached that place, he read it to the people and informed them of the command of the Prophet ﷺ.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Narrated by ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās that he informed him:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent a man with his letter, and he commanded him to deliver it to the chief of Bahrain. The chief of Bahrain then delivered it to Khosrow. When he read it, he tore it up. And I think Ibn al-Musayyib said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then supplicated against them, that they be torn apart completely.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Narrated Anas ibn Malik: “The Prophet ﷺ wrote a letter or intended to write one, and it was said to him: ‘They do not read a letter except if it is sealed.’ So he took a silver seal, engraved with: ‘Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.’ I feel as if I can see its whiteness in his hand. I asked Qatadah: ‘Who said that the engraving was “Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah”?’ He said: ‘Anas.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter: Whoever sits at the end of the gathering and whoever finds a space in the circle and sits in it.
Narrated by Abu Waqid Al-Laythi: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting in the mosque with the people, when three men arrived. Two approached the Prophet ﷺ, and one went away. He said: They stood before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. One of them saw a space in the circle and sat in it. The other sat behind them, and the third turned away and left. When the Prophet ﷺ finished, he said: “Shall I inform you about the three men? The first one turned to Allah, so Allah sheltered him. The second was modest, so Allah was pleased with him. And the third turned away, so Allah turned away from him.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter: The Prophet ﷺ said: “A messenger may comprehend better than a listener.”
Narrated by Abu Bakrah, from his father: The Prophet ﷺ sat on his camel, and a man held its rein or bridle. He asked: “What day is this?!” We remained silent until we thought he might name it differently. He said: “Is it not the Day of Sacrifice?” We said: “Yes.” He asked: “And which month is this?” We remained silent until we thought he might call it by another name. He said: “Is it not Dhu al-Hijjah?” We said: “Yes.” He said: “Indeed, your blood, your wealth, and your honor are sacred among you, as sacred as this day of yours, in this month of yours, in this land of yours. Let the one who is present convey it to the one who is absent, for the one present may deliver it to someone more capable of understanding than himself.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter: Knowledge precedes speech and action, according to the words of Allah Almighty: ﴿فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ﴾, so He began with knowledge.
The scholars are the inheritors of the prophets and they inherited knowledge. Whoever takes it, takes a great portion, and whoever follows a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make for him a path to Paradise.
And Allah, Glorified and Exalted, said: ﴿إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ﴾, and He said: ﴿وَمَا يَعْقِلُهَا إِلَّا الْعَالِمُونَ﴾, and: ﴿وَقَالُوا لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِي أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ﴾, and He said: ﴿هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whomsoever Allah wishes good for, He grants understanding in the religion.”
Indeed, knowledge comes through learning.
Abu Dharr said: “If you had sealed this and I had pointed to its back, I would have carried out a word I heard from the Prophet ﷺ before you allowed it upon me, I would have executed it.”
And Ibn Abbas said: ﴿كُونُوا رَبَّانِيِّينَ﴾ — be scholars and jurists.
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter: That which the Prophet ﷺ would admonish them with and teach them, so that they would not be repelled.
Ibn Mas‘ud said: “The Prophet ﷺ would give us admonition on certain days, due to his dislike that we be burdened with boredom.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Anas reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Make things easy and do not make them difficult, give glad tidings and do not repel [people].”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter: Whoever Assigns Specific Days for the People of Knowledge
Abu Wa’il reported: “Abdullah used to remind people every Thursday. A man said to him: ‘O Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman, I wish you reminded us every day.’ He said: ‘What prevents me from doing so is that I dislike to bore you, and I assign to you the reminder as the Prophet ﷺ used to assign to us, fearing that we might grow weary.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter: Whomever Allah Wishes Good, He Gives Understanding in Religion
Mu‘awiyah reported: I heard the Prophet ﷺ say: “Whomever Allah wishes good for, He grants understanding of the religion. I am only a distributor, and Allah is the One Who gives. This nation will never cease to remain upon the matter of Allah; no one who opposes them will harm them until the command of Allah comes.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter: Understanding in Knowledge
Narrated Mujahid: “I accompanied Ibn ‘Umar to Medina, and I did not hear him narrate from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ except one hadith. He said: ‘We were with the Prophet ﷺ when a jummar (a young palm shoot) was brought, and he said: “Among the trees, there is one whose example is like the example of a Muslim.” I wanted to say: “It is the palm tree,” but I was the youngest among the people, so I remained silent. The Prophet ﷺ said: “It is indeed the palm tree.”’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter on delight in knowledge and wisdom, and Umar said: Acquire understanding before you become leaders
The Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no envy except in two cases: a man whom Allah has granted wealth, and he uses it in righteousness, and a man whom Allah has granted wisdom; he judges by it and teaches it.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter on what was mentioned about Moses, peace be upon him, traveling in the sea to Al-Khidr
“He said that he and Al-Hurr ibn Qais ibn Hisn Al-Fazari disputed about the companion of Moses. Ibn Abbas said: He is Al-Khidr. Then Ubayy ibn Ka’b passed by them. Ibn Abbas called him and said: I disputed with my companion about the companion of Moses, who asked Moses for the way to meet him. Have you heard the Prophet ﷺ mention him? He said: Yes, I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: While Moses was among a gathering of the Children of Israel, a man came to him and said: Do you know anyone more knowledgeable than you? Moses said: No. Then Allah revealed to Moses: Yes, our servant Al-Khidr. So Moses asked for the way to him, and Allah made the fish an indication for him, and it was said to him: If you lose the fish, return, for you will meet it. He followed the trail of the fish in the sea. His servant said to Moses: ‘Do you see, when we took shelter by the rock, indeed I forgot the fish, and none made me forget it except Satan.’ Moses said: ‘That is what we sought, so they returned following their tracks.’ They found Al-Khidr, and this was among the matters that Allah narrated in His Book.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter: The Saying of the Prophet ﷺ: “O Allah, teach him the Book.”
Ibn ʿAbbās said:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ embraced me and said: ‘O Allah, teach him the Book.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Abdullah ibn ʿAbbas said:
“I approached riding a donkey while I had reached the age of puberty. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was praying in Mina, not next to a wall. I passed between the rows and let the donkey wander, then I entered the row, and this was not objected to me.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Maḥmūd ibn al-Rabīʿ reported:
“I recall that I received a light strike from the Prophet ﷺ on my face when I was five years old, from a bucket.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Ibn ʿAbbās reported:
Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh traveled a month’s journey to ʿAbdullāh ibn Unays in a single narration.
He said:
“Ibn ʿAbbās and al-Ḥurr ibn Qays ibn Ḥiṣn al-Fazārī disputed concerning the companion of Moses. Ubayy ibn Kaʿb passed by them, and Ibn ʿAbbās called him and said: ‘My companion and I disputed about the companion of Moses who asked the way to meet him. Did you hear the Prophet ﷺ mention him?’
Ubayy said: ‘Yes, I heard the Prophet ﷺ mention him, saying: “While Moses was among a gathering of the Children of Israel, a man came to him and asked, ‘Do you know anyone more knowledgeable than you?’ Moses said, ‘No.’ Allah then revealed to Moses: ‘Yes, Our servant Ḫaḍir.’ So he asked the way to meet him. Allah made the fish a sign for him, and it was told to him: ‘If you lose the fish, return, for you will find him.’
Thus Moses followed the trail of the fish in the sea. Moses’ servant said to him: ‘Do you see when we lodged at the rock? Indeed, I forgot the fish, and only Satan made me forget to mention it.’ Moses said: ‘That is what we sought,’ and they traced back their steps. They found Ḫaḍir, and what they did is what Allah recounted in His Book.’”’
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Abu Musa reported:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The example of the guidance and knowledge with which Allah sent me is like heavy rain that falls on the earth. Some of it is pure land that absorbs the water and brings forth abundant grass and crops. Some of it is barren land that holds the water and benefits the people—they drink, irrigate, and plant from it. And some of it is like low-lying ground that neither holds water nor brings forth vegetation. That is the example of the one who understands the religion of Allah and benefits from what Allah sent me with—he learns and teaches it. And the example of the one who does not lift his head to it, and does not accept the guidance Allah sent me with, is like the barren ground.”
Abu ‘Abd Allah said: Ishaq reported: “Among it was some land that retained little water, a flat plain, and smooth sand from the earth.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Anas reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Among the signs of the Hour will be that knowledge is lifted, ignorance becomes established, wine is drunk, and adultery appears.”
Rabi‘ah said:
“It is not appropriate for anyone who possesses any knowledge to waste it on themselves.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Anas reported:
“I will narrate to you a hadith that no one will narrate to you after me. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:
‘Among the signs of the Hour will be that knowledge decreases, ignorance becomes apparent, adultery becomes widespread, women increase in number, and men decrease, until there will be fifty women for one man who maintains them.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Ibn ʿUmar reported:
“I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘While I was sleeping, I was given a cup of milk, and I drank until I felt as if the moisture was coming out through my fingernails. Then I gave the remaining portion to ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb.
They said: ‘What did you give first, O Messenger of Allah?’ He ﷺ said: ‘Knowledge.’”
Chapter: Knowledge
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ reported:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood during the Farewell Hajj at Minā for the people to ask him questions.
A man came and said: ‘I did not realize, so I shaved before I slaughtered?’ He ﷺ said: ‘Slaughter, there is no harm.’
Another came and said: ‘I did not realize, so I slaughtered before I stoned (the Jamrah)?’ He ﷺ said: ‘Stone, there is no harm.’
The Prophet ﷺ was not asked about anything that was done earlier or later except that he said: ‘Do it, there is no harm.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Ibn ʿAbbās reported:
“The Prophet ﷺ was asked during his Hajj: ‘I slaughtered before I stoned (the Jamrah)?’ He gestured with his hand and said: ‘There is no harm.’
‘I shaved my head before I slaughtered?’ He gestured with his hand and said: ‘There is no harm.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Abū Hurayrah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Knowledge will be taken away, ignorance and trials will appear, and al-harj will increase.”
It was asked: “O Messenger of Allah, what is al-harj?” He said, gesturing with his hand and twisting it, as if indicating killing.
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Asmāʾ reported:
“I came to ʿĀ’ishah while she was praying and said: ‘What is the matter with the people?’ She pointed to the sky, and behold, the people were standing. She said: ‘Subḥān Allāh.’ I asked: ‘A sign?’ She nodded her head: ‘Yes.’
I stood until I felt faint and poured water over my head. The Prophet ﷺ praised Allah and extolled Him, then said: ‘There is nothing that I have not been shown except that I have seen it in my station, even Paradise and Hell. It was revealed to me that you will be tested in your graves in a manner similar or close—I do not know which.’
Asmāʾ said: It is the trial of the False Messiah (al-Masīḥ ad-Dajjāl). It is said: ‘What do you know about this man?’ As for the believer or the certain one—I do not know which—Asmāʾ said: ‘He says: He is Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. He brought us the clear proofs and guidance, and we answered and followed. He is Muhammad.’ This is said three times: ‘Sleep in peace, we know you were certain about him.’
As for the hypocrite or the doubtful—I do not know which—Asmāʾ said: ‘He says: I do not know. I heard the people saying something, so I said it.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Abū Jamrah reported:
“I used to interpret between Ibn ʿAbbās and the people. He said: ‘The delegation of ʿAbd al-Qays has come to the Prophet ﷺ.’ He asked: ‘Who is the delegation or who are the people?’ They said: ‘Rabīʿah.’
He said: ‘Welcome to the people or the delegation, not with disgrace or regret.’ They said: ‘We come to you from a distant district, and between us and you is this area of the disbelievers of Muḍar, and we cannot come to you except in a sacred month. Command us in a matter so that we may inform those behind us, and we may enter Paradise through it.’
He commanded them regarding four things and forbade them regarding four things. He commanded them to believe in Allah alone. He said: ‘Do you know what it is to believe in Allah alone?’ They said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said: ‘Testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing prayer, giving zakah, fasting Ramadan, and giving one-fifth (khums) of the gains from war spoils.’
And he forbade them regarding dubbāʾ, ḥantam, and muzaffat.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
ʿUqbah ibn al-Ḥārith reported:
“He married the daughter of Abī Ihāb ibn ʿAzīz. A woman came to him and said: ‘I have nursed ʿUqbah and the one you married.’ ʿUqbah said to her: ‘I do not know that you nursed me, nor did you inform me.’
So he set out to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Medina and asked him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘How is that, when it has already been stated?’
ʿUqbah then separated from her, and she married another man.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
ʿUmar reported:
“I had a neighbor from the Ansār in Banu Umayyah ibn Zayd, which is one of the elevated areas of Medina, and we used to take turns visiting the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: one day I would go, and one day he would go. When it was my turn, I would bring him the news of that day from revelation and other matters, and when it was his turn, he did the same.
On the day it was my Ansār neighbor’s turn, he struck my door very hard and said: ‘Has something happened?’ I was startled, so I went out to him, and he said: ‘A great matter has occurred.’
I then entered upon Ḥafṣah and found her crying. I asked: ‘Has the Messenger of Allah ﷺ divorced you?’ She said: ‘I do not know.’
Then I entered upon the Prophet ﷺ and said while standing: ‘Have you divorced your wives?’ He said: ‘No.’ I said: ‘Allāhu Akbar.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Abū Masʿūd al-Anṣārī reported:
“A man said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I can hardly catch the prayer because so-and-so prolongs it for us.’ I have not seen the Prophet ﷺ in any admonition more angry than that day. He said: ‘O people, you are driving them away. Whoever leads the people in prayer should shorten it, for among them are the sick, the weak, and those with needs.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Zayd ibn Khālid al-Juhānī reported:
“A man asked the Prophet ﷺ about found property (luqṭa). He said: ‘Identify its container (or its wīqā’), and its strap, then define it for a year, then benefit from it, and if its owner comes, return it to him.’
The man asked: ‘What about a stray camel?’ He became angry until his cheeks turned red, or his face turned red, and said: ‘What is it to you? It has its waterer and its herder; it drinks water and grazes on trees. Leave it until its Lord meets it.’
The man asked: ‘What about stray sheep?’ He said: ‘For you, or your brother, or for the wolf.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Abū Mūsā reported:
“The Prophet ﷺ was asked about things he disliked. When it was asked excessively, he became angry, then said to the people: ‘Ask me about whatever you wish.’
A man said: ‘Who is my father?’ He said: ‘Your father is Ḥudhāfah.’
Then another stood up and said: ‘Who is my father, O Messenger of Allah?’ He said: ‘Your father is Sālim, the freedman of Shaybah.’
When ʿUmar saw what was on his face, he said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, we repent to Allah.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Anas ibn Mālik reported:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out, and ʿAbdullāh ibn Ḥudhāfah stood up and said: ‘Who is my father?’ He was told: ‘Your father is Ḥudhāfah.’ Then he frequently said: ‘Ask me.’ So ʿUmar prostrated on his knees and said: ‘We are pleased with Allah as our Lord, with Islam as our religion, and with Muhammad ﷺ as our Prophet.’ Then he remained silent.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Ibn ʿUmar said: The Prophet ﷺ said: “Have I conveyed it three times?”
Anas reported from the Prophet ﷺ that:
“Whenever he greeted, he greeted three times, and whenever he spoke a word, he repeated it three times.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Anas reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whenever he spoke a word, he would repeat it three times so that it could be understood from him. And whenever he approached a group and greeted them, he would greet them three times.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr said:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ lagged behind on a journey we were on. He caught up with us while we had delayed the prayer—the ʿAṣr prayer—and were performing ablution. We were wiping over our feet, when he called out in his loudest voice: ‘Woe to the heels from the Fire!’ twice or three times.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Three have two rewards: A man from the People of the Book who believes in his Prophet and believes in Muhammad ﷺ; a slave who fulfills the rights of Allah and the rights of his master; and a man who has a female slave and disciplines her properly, teaches her properly, then frees her and marries her—he has two rewards.”
Then ʿĀmir said: “We gave her to you for nothing; she had previously been mounted on what was beneath her to Medina.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Ibn ʿAbbās said, or ʿAṭā’ said: “Ibn ʿAbbās reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out, and Bilāl was with him. He thought they had not been informed, so he admonished them and commanded them concerning charity. A woman would throw her earring and ring, and Bilāl would take them in the edge of his garment.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Abū Hurayrah reported that he said:
“It was said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, who are the happiest people by your intercession on the Day of Resurrection?’
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Indeed, Abu Hurayrah, I thought no one would ask me about this hadith before you, because of what I have seen of your eagerness for hadith. The happiest people by my intercession on the Day of Resurrection are those who say: “There is no deity but Allah” sincerely from their heart or self.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz wrote to Abū Bakr ibn Ḥazm:
“Look at what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said and write it down; for I fear the loss of lessons of knowledge and the disappearance of scholars. Do not accept except the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ. Spread knowledge and sit together until those who do not know are taught, for knowledge does not perish until it becomes secret.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:
“Indeed, Allah does not remove knowledge by taking it away from the servants, but He removes knowledge by the taking of the scholars. So when no scholar remains, the people will take ignorant leaders; they are asked and give rulings without knowledge, and they go astray and lead others astray.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī reported:
“The women said to the Prophet ﷺ: ‘The men have outnumbered us; appoint for us a day of your own.’
He promised them a day and met them on it. He admonished them and gave them instruction. Among what he said to them:
‘No woman among you who presents three of her children will enter the Fire.’
A woman asked: ‘And two?’
He said: ‘And two.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Ibn Abī Mulaykah reported: That ʿĀ’ishah, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, would not hear anything she did not understand without reviewing it until she understood it. And the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever is accounted for will be punished.”
ʿĀ’ishah said: “I said: Does He not say, Allah Almighty: ‘He will be reckoned with an easy reckoning’?”
He said: “That is merely a display, but whoever is disputed over in the accounting will perish.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Abū Shurayḥ reported: He said to ʿAmr ibn Saʿīd while sending messengers to Makkah:
“Permit me, O Commander, to tell you words spoken by the Prophet ﷺ the day after the Conquest. My ears heard them, my heart retained them, and my eyes saw when he spoke them. He praised Allah and extolled Him, then said:
‘Indeed, Allah has made Makkah sacred, and the people did not make it sacred. So it is not permissible for anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day to shed blood there, nor to cut down a tree there. If anyone is permitted to fight the Messenger of Allah ﷺ therein, then say: Allah has permitted His Messenger, but He has not permitted you. Indeed, He permitted me in it for an hour of the day, then its sanctity returned today as it was yesterday. Let the one who is present convey it to the one who is absent.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Abū Bakrah reported: The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Indeed, your blood, your wealth—and I think he said—your honor are sacred to you, as is the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours. Let the one who is present convey it to the one who is absent.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib reported: The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Do not lie upon me, for whoever lies upon me, let him enter the Fire.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Abdullāh ibn az-Zubayr said:
“I said to az-Zubayr: ‘I do not hear you narrate from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ like so-and-so and so-and-so.’
He said: ‘Indeed, I did not part from him, but I heard him say: Whoever lies upon me, let him take his seat in the Fire.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Anas said:
“It prevents me from narrating much to you that the Prophet ﷺ said:
‘Whoever deliberately lies upon me, let him take his seat in the Fire.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Salamah reported: I heard the Prophet ﷺ say:
“Whoever attributes to me that which I did not say, let him take his seat in the Fire.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Abū Hurayrah reported from the Prophet ﷺ who said:
“Name yourselves with my name, but do not take my kunya. Whoever sees me in a dream has indeed seen me, for Satan does not assume my form. And whoever deliberately lies upon me, let him take his seat in the Fire.”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
Chapter: Writing Down Knowledge.
Abū Juḥayfah said:
“I said to ʿAlī: ‘Do you have any written book?’
He said: ‘No, except the Book of Allah, or understanding which a Muslim man is granted, or what is in this sheet.’
He said: ‘I said: What is in this sheet?’
He said: ‘(It contains rulings concerning) blood money, the freeing of captives, and that no Muslim is to be killed in retaliation for a disbeliever.’”
Bāb al-ʿIlm (Chapter: Knowledge)
On the authority of Abū Hurayrah:
“Indeed, the tribe of Khuza‘ah killed a man from Banī Layth during the year of the Conquest of Makkah, in retaliation for one of their slain persons whom they had killed. The Prophet ﷺ was informed of that, so he mounted his riding animal, then delivered a sermon and said:
‘Verily, Allah withheld from Makkah killing—or the Elephant; Abū ʿAbdillāh was unsure—and He empowered over them the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the believers. Lo! It was not lawful for anyone before me, nor will it be lawful for anyone after me. Indeed, it was made lawful for me for an hour of a day. Lo! It is (now) sacred in this hour of mine: its thorny plants are not to be cut, its trees are not to be chopped, and its lost property is not to be picked up except by one who will announce it. Whoever is killed, then he is (entitled to) the better of the two options: either blood money is paid, or the family of the slain person exact retribution.’
Then a man from the people of Yemen came and said: ‘Write for me, O Messenger of Allah.’
He said: ‘Write for Abū so-and-so.’
Then a man from Quraysh said: ‘Except for al-Idhkhir, O Messenger of Allah; for we use it in our houses and our graves.’
The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Except al-Idhkhir, except al-Idhkhir.’”
Recording Knowledge
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah who said:
“None of the companions of the Prophet ﷺ narrated more hadith from him than I did, except what came from ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr. He used to write (the hadith), whereas I did not write.”
Chapter of Knowledge
Narrated Ibn ʿAbbās:
“When the illness of the Prophet ﷺ became severe, he said: ‘Bring me a book so that I may write for you something after which you will never go astray.’
ʿUmar said: ‘The Prophet ﷺ is overcome by pain, and we have the Book of Allah; the Book of Allah is sufficient for us.’
So they differed among themselves, and noise and dispute increased.
The Prophet ﷺ then said: ‘Leave me, for it is not appropriate to argue in my presence.’
Ibn ʿAbbās came out saying: ‘Indeed, the great misfortune — the greatest misfortune — is what came between the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his writing.’”
The Chapter of Knowledge
The Prophet’s wife Umm Salama reported:
“The Prophet ﷺ woke up during the night and said:
‘Glory be to Allah! What trials have been sent down tonight, and what treasures have been opened! Wake the women who dwell in the chambers, for a woman may be clothed in this world yet naked in the Hereafter.’”
Discussing Knowledge at Night
Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“The Prophet ﷺ led us in the ‘Ishā’ prayer near the end of his life.
When he finished and gave salām, he stood and said:
‘Do you realize what night this is?
From the beginning of one hundred years from now, no one who is alive on the face of the earth today will remain.’”
The Prophet’s Night Prayer Observed by Ibn ‘Abbās
Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them) said:
“I spent the night in the house of my aunt Maymūnah bint al-Ḥārith, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, and the Prophet ﷺ was with her on her night.
He prayed ʿIshā’, then returned to his home and prayed four rakʿahs.
Then he slept, then got up and said, ‘Has the little boy fallen asleep?’ — or a similar expression.
He stood to pray, so I stood to his left, but he placed me on his right.
He then prayed five rakʿahs, then prayed two rakʿahs, then slept until I heard his snoring — or a sound like snoring — then he went out for the prayer.”
Abu Hurayrah’s Commitment to Preserving Knowledge
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“People say, ‘Abu Hurayrah narrates too much.’
If it were not for two verses in the Book of Allah, I would not narrate a single hadith.
Then he recited: ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ … الرَّحِيمُ﴾.
Our brothers from the Muhājirīn were occupied with trading in the markets,
and our brothers from the Anṣār were occupied with working their lands.
But Abu Hurayrah would stay with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ having enough only to fill his stomach, attending gatherings they did not attend, and memorizing what they did not memorize.”
The Prophet ﷺ Helping Abu Hurayrah Remember Knowledge
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I hear many narrations from you, but I forget them.’
He said, ‘Spread your cloak.’ So I spread it.
Then he scooped with his hands and said, ‘Gather it.’
I gathered it, and after that I did not forget anything.”
Two Types of Knowledge
u Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“I memorized two types of knowledge from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
As for one of them, I have conveyed it.
As for the other, if I were to convey it, this throat would be cut.”
The Importance of Listening to Scholars
Jareer (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ said to him during the Farewell Pilgrimage:
“Tell the people to listen attentively.”
Then he said:
“Do not turn back into disbelievers after me, striking the necks of one another.”
It Is Recommended for a Scholar to Attribute Knowledge to Allah
Saeed ibn Jubayr said:
“I said to Ibn Abbas: Nawf al-Bakali claims that the Musa mentioned in this story is not the Musa of the Children of Israel, but another Musa.”
Ibn Abbas replied:
“The enemy of Allah has lied! Ubayy ibn Ka‘b narrated to us from the Prophet ﷺ:
Musa the Prophet once stood to address the Children of Israel. He was asked, ‘Who is the most knowledgeable among the people?’ He replied, ‘I am.’
So Allah reproached him because he did not refer knowledge back to Him.
Allah revealed to him: ‘There is a servant of Mine at the junction of the two seas who is more knowledgeable than you.’
Musa said, ‘My Lord, how can I reach him?’
He was told: ‘Take a fish in a basket; when you lose it, you will find him there.’
So Musa set out with his servant Yusha‘ ibn Nun, carrying a fish in a basket. When they reached the rock, they rested and fell asleep. The fish slipped out of the basket and made its way into the sea as described in the verse:
﴿فَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ سَرَبًا﴾
They continued walking through the night and the next day. When Musa felt tired, he said:
﴿آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِنْ سَفَرِنَا هَذَا نَصَبًا﴾
The servant replied:
﴿أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ﴾
Musa said:
﴿ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِي﴾
So they returned following their footsteps until they reached the rock. There they found a man covered with a garment. Musa greeted him.
Al-Khidr said, ‘How can there be peace in this land?’
Musa said, ‘I am Musa.’
Al-Khidr asked, ‘Musa of the Children of Israel?’
He replied, ‘Yes.’
Musa said:
﴿هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَى أَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِي مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًا﴾
Al-Khidr replied:
﴿إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا﴾
Then he added: “O Musa, I have knowledge from Allah that you do not know, and you have knowledge that I do not know.”
Musa said:
﴿سَتَجِدُنِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ صَابِرًا وَلَا أَعْصِي لَكَ أَمْرًا﴾
They continued along the seashore until a ship passed by. Its crew recognized Al-Khidr and carried them without payment. A bird came and pecked at the sea. Al-Khidr said: “O Musa, my knowledge and your knowledge, compared to Allah’s knowledge, is no more than what this bird has taken from the sea.”
Then Al-Khidr removed a plank from the ship. Musa said:
“People who carried us for free—did you break their ship to drown its people?”
Al-Khidr replied:
﴿أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا﴾
Musa said:
﴿لَا تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ﴾
This was Musa’s first mistake, made out of forgetfulness.
They continued until they found some boys playing. Al-Khidr seized one of them and killed him. Musa said:
﴿أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ﴾
Al-Khidr replied:
﴿أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا﴾
They continued until they came to a town. They asked its people for food, but the people refused to host them. Then they found a wall about to collapse, and Al-Khidr repaired it. Musa said:
﴿لَوْ شِئْتَ لَاتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا﴾
Al-Khidr said:
﴿هَذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ﴾
The Prophet ﷺ concluded:
“May Allah have mercy on Musa. If only he had been patient, we would have learned more of their story.”
The Chapter of Knowledge
Abu Musa reported:
“A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is fighting in the cause of Allah? For one of us may fight out of anger or out of tribal zeal.’
The Prophet ﷺ raised his head toward him — and he only raised his head because the man was standing — and said:
‘Whoever fights so that the Word of Allah is supreme, then he is in the cause of Allah.’”
