Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sahih al-Bukhari, which contains 7,277 hadiths across 97 books. It is hadith number 3598 in the Book of Companions of the Prophet.

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

Hadith numbering varies across editions and translations (USC-MSA, Dar as-Salam, Fath al-Bari, and others). If you followed a link citing a different number but landed here, you may have been redirected to the canonical version in our library. If you were looking for a different hadith entirely, use the search bar to find it by text.

‹

#3597

#3598

Sahih al-Bukhari

#3599

›

Sahih al-Bukhari #3598

Q: What is Sahih al-Bukhari 3598 about?

This hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Companions of the Prophet), narrated by Narrated Alqama:, states: "I went to Sham and was offering a two-rak`at prayer; I said, "O Allah! Bless me with a (pious) companion." Then I saw an old man coming towards me, and when he came near I said, (to myself), "I hope…"

Companions of the Prophet

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى، عَنْ أَبِي عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ مُغِيرَةَ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، دَخَلْتُ الشَّأْمَ فَصَلَّيْتُ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، فَقُلْتُ اللَّهُمَّ يَسِّرْ لِي جَلِيسًا‏.‏ فَرَأَيْتُ شَيْخًا مُقْبِلاً، فَلَمَّا دَنَا قُلْتُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يَكُونَ اسْتَجَابَ‏.‏ قَالَ مِنْ أَيْنَ أَنْتَ قُلْتُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ‏.‏ قَالَ أَفَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِيكُمْ صَاحِبُ النَّعْلَيْنِ وَالْوِسَادِ وَالْمِطْهَرَةِ أَوَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِيكُمُ الَّذِي أُجِيرَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ أَوَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِيكُمْ صَاحِبُ السِّرِّ الَّذِي لاَ يَعْلَمُهُ غَيْرُهُ كَيْفَ قَرَأَ ابْنُ أُمِّ عَبْدٍ ‏{‏وَاللَّيْلِ‏}‏ فَقَرَأْتُ ‏{‏وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى * وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّى * وَالذَّكَرِ وَالأُنْثَى‏}‏‏.‏ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاهُ إِلَى فِيَّ، فَمَا زَالَ هَؤُلاَءِ حَتَّى كَادُوا يَرُدُّونِي‏.‏

I went to Sham and was offering a two-rak`at prayer; I said, "O Allah! Bless me with a (pious) companion." Then I saw an old man coming towards me, and when he came near I said, (to myself), "I hope Allah has given me my request." The man asked (me), "Where are you from?" I replied, "I am from the people of Kufa." He said, "Weren't there amongst you the Carrier of the (Prophet's) shoes, Siwak and the ablution water container? Weren't there amongst you the man who was given Allah's Refuge from the Satan? And weren't there amongst you the man who used to keep the (Prophet's) secrets which nobody else knew? How did Ibn Um `Abd (i.e. `Abdullah bin Mas`ud) use to recite Surat-al-lail (the Night:92)?" I recited:-- "By the Night as it envelops By the Day as it appears in brightness. And by male and female." (92.1- 3) On that, Abu Darda said, "By Allah, the Prophet (ﷺ) made me read the Verse in this way after listening to him, but these people (of Sham) tried their best to let me say something different."

Narrated by Narrated Alqama:

Context

In this narration by Alqama, the hadith describes a personal experience of seeking knowledge. The narrator expresses a desire for a pious companion and reflects on the importance of learning from those who were close to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). This illustrates the value of seeking knowledge and companionship.

Modern Application

In modern contexts, this hadith encourages individuals to actively seek knowledge and to connect with knowledgeable companions. It emphasizes the importance of learning from those who have a deep understanding of the faith.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Prophetic Teachings and Seeking Knowledge because it emphasizes the significance of acquiring knowledge and the value of companionship in the pursuit of understanding.

Prophetic Teachings Seeking Knowledge