Jami` at-Tirmidhi #2722
Chapters on Knowledge
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
" إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَتْرُكْ عَالِمًا اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالاً فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا " . وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ وَزِيَادِ بْنِ لَبِيدٍ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَقَدْ رَوَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ الزُّهْرِيُّ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو وَعَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِثْلَ هَذَا .
that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Indeed Allah does not take away knowledge by removing it from the people, but He takes away knowledge by taking the scholars, until there remains no scholar and the people begin to ask the ignorant leaders, so they give their verdict without knowledge. They will go astray and lead the people astray."
Narrated by Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As:
Context
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warns that knowledge will not be taken away from people abruptly but will diminish as scholars pass away. This hadith highlights the importance of seeking knowledge and the dangers of ignorance, especially when unqualified individuals lead others astray.
Modern Application
In contemporary contexts, this principle encourages individuals to value education and seek knowledge from credible sources, as ignorance can lead to misguided beliefs and actions.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Knowledge and Warning because it underscores the critical role of scholars in preserving knowledge and the risks associated with ignorance.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ آلِ عِمۡرَانَ
Aal-i-Imraan (The Family of Imraan)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
2 ayahs
مَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُؤْتِيَهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحُكْمَ وَٱلنُّبُوَّةَ ثُمَّ يَقُولَ لِلنَّاسِ كُونُوا۟ عِبَادًۭا لِّى مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَٰكِن كُونُوا۟ رَبَّٰنِيِّۦنَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَبِمَا كُنتُمْ تَدْرُسُونَ
It is not for a human [prophet] that Allah should give him the Scripture and authority and prophethood and then he would say to the people, "Be servants to me rather than Allah," but [instead, he would say], "Be pious scholars of the Lord because of what you have taught of the Scripture and because of what you have studied."
وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِمَن تَبِعَ دِينَكُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ ٱلْهُدَىٰ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ أَن يُؤْتَىٰٓ أَحَدٌۭ مِّثْلَ مَآ أُوتِيتُمْ أَوْ يُحَآجُّوكُمْ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ ٱلْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ
And do not trust except those who follow your religion." Say, "Indeed, the [true] guidance is the guidance of Allah. [Do you fear] lest someone be given [knowledge] like you were given or that they would [thereby] argue with you before your Lord?" Say, "Indeed, [all] bounty is in the hand of Allah - He grants it to whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Wise."
سُورَةُ الأَحۡقَافِ
Al-Ahqaf (The Dunes)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قَالَ إِنَّمَا ٱلْعِلْمُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَأُبَلِّغُكُم مَّآ أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِۦ وَلَٰكِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰكُمْ قَوْمًۭا تَجْهَلُونَ
He said, "Knowledge [of its time] is only with Allah, and I convey to you that with which I was sent; but I see you [to be] a people behaving ignorantly."
سُورَةُ التَّوۡبَةِ
At-Tawba (The Repentance)
1 ayah
وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوْمًۢا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَىٰهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يُبَيِّنَ لَهُم مَّا يَتَّقُونَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
And Allah would not let a people stray after He has guided them until He makes clear to them what they should avoid. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of all things.
سُورَةُ المَائـِدَةِ
Al-Maaida (The Table)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
۞ يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرُّسُلَ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَآ أُجِبْتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّٰمُ ٱلْغُيُوبِ
[Be warned of] the Day when Allah will assemble the messengers and say, "What was the response you received?" They will say, "We have no knowledge. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen"
Common Words
106 total82 unique15 repeated
ٱلله8x
ما4x
إن3x
كان2x
أن2x
يؤتيه2x
ٱلكتب2x
كونوا2x
من2x
كنتم2x
عند2x
قوما2x
قل2x
عليم2x
علم2x
لبشر1x
وٱلحكم1x
وٱلنبوة1x
ثم1x
يقول1x
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About Jami` at-Tirmidhi
This hadith is #2722 from Jami` at-Tirmidhi, in the Book of Chapters on Knowledge. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As:.