Sahih al-Bukhari #4603
Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh))
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي الضُّحَى، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ دَخَلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ مَنْ عَلِمَ شَيْئًا فَلْيَقُلْ بِهِ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ فَلْيَقُلِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ، فَإِنَّ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ أَنْ يَقُولَ لِمَا لاَ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ، قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِنَبِيِّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم {قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ} وَسَأُحَدِّثُكُمْ عَنِ الدُّخَانِ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَعَا قُرَيْشًا إِلَى الإِسْلاَمِ فَأَبْطَئُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ " اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَيْهِمْ بِسَبْعٍ كَسَبْعِ يُوسُفَ "، فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ سَنَةٌ فَحَصَّتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى أَكَلُوا الْمَيْتَةَ وَالْجُلُودَ حَتَّى جَعَلَ الرَّجُلُ يَرَى بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ دُخَانًا مِنَ الْجُوعِ، قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ {فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ * يَغْشَى النَّاسَ هَذَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ} قَالَ فَدَعَوْا {رَبَّنَا اكْشِفْ عَنَّا الْعَذَابَ إِنَّا مُؤْمِنُونَ * أَنَّى لَهُمُ الذِّكْرَى وَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مُبِينٌ * ثُمَّ تَوَلَّوْا عَنْهُ وَقَالُوا مُعَلَّمٌ مَجْنُونٌ * إِنَّا كَاشِفُو الْعَذَابِ قَلِيلاً إِنَّكُمْ عَائِدُونَ} أَفَيُكْشَفُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ قَالَ فَكُشِفَ ثُمَّ عَادُوا فِي كُفْرِهِمْ، فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {يَوْمَ نَبْطِشُ الْبَطْشَةَ الْكُبْرَى إِنَّا مُنْتَقِمُونَ}.
We came upon `Abdullah bin Mas`ud and he said "O people! If somebody knows something, he can
say it, but if he does not know it, he should say, "Allah knows better,' for it is a sign of having
knowledge to say about something which one does not know, 'Allah knows better.' Allah said to His
Prophet: 'Say (O Muhammad ! ) No wage do I ask of You for this (Qur'an) nor am I one of the
pretenders (a person who pretends things which do not exist).' (38.86) Now I will tell you about Ad-
Dukhan (the smoke), Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) invited the Quraish to embrace Islam, but they delayed their
response. So he said, "O Allah! Help me against them by sending on them seven years of famine
similar to the seven years of famine of Joseph." So the famine year overtook them and everything was
destroyed till they ate dead animals and skins. People started imagining to see smoke between them
and the sky because of severe hunger. Allah said:
'Then watch you for the Day that the sky will bring forth a kind of smoke plainly visible, covering the
people. . . This is painful torment.' (44.10-11) (So they invoked Allah) "Our Lord! Remove the
punishment from us really we are believers." How can there be an (effectual) reminder for them when
an Apostle, explaining things clearly, has already come to them? Then they had turned away from him
and said: 'One taught (by a human being), a madman?' 'We shall indeed remove punishment for a
while, but truly, you will revert (to disbelief).' (44.12-15) Will the punishment be removed on the Day
of Resurrection?" `Abdullah added, "The punishment was removed from them for a while but they
reverted to disbelief, so Allah destroyed them on the Day of Badr. Allah said:
'The day We shall seize you with a mighty grasp. We will indeed (then) exact retribution." (44.16)
Narrated by Narrated Masruq:
Context
Abdullah bin Mas'ud advises that one should speak only of what they know and acknowledge when they do not have knowledge. This reflects the importance of humility in knowledge and the responsibility that comes with sharing information.
Modern Application
In today's information age, this hadith serves as a reminder to verify facts before sharing them. It encourages individuals to seek knowledge responsibly and to admit when they are unsure, fostering a culture of honesty and integrity.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prophetic Warning and Divine Revelation because it emphasizes the importance of truthful communication and the responsibilities associated with knowledge.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ إِبۡرَاهِيمَ
Ibrahim (Abraham)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَأَنذِرِ ٱلنَّاسَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ فَيَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ رَبَّنَآ أَخِّرْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ قَرِيبٍۢ نُّجِبْ دَعْوَتَكَ وَنَتَّبِعِ ٱلرُّسُلَ ۗ أَوَلَمْ تَكُونُوٓا۟ أَقْسَمْتُم مِّن قَبْلُ مَا لَكُم مِّن زَوَالٍۢ
And, [O Muhammad], warn the people of a Day when the punishment will come to them and those who did wrong will say, "Our Lord, delay us for a short term; we will answer Your call and follow the messengers." [But it will be said], "Had you not sworn, before, that for you there would be no cessation?
سُورَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Al-Israa (The Night Journey)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحَاطَ بِٱلنَّاسِ ۚ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا ٱلرُّءْيَا ٱلَّتِىٓ أَرَيْنَٰكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةًۭ لِّلنَّاسِ وَٱلشَّجَرَةَ ٱلْمَلْعُونَةَ فِى ٱلْقُرْءَانِ ۚ وَنُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلَّا طُغْيَٰنًۭا كَبِيرًۭا
And [remember, O Muhammad], when We told you, "Indeed, your Lord has encompassed the people." And We did not make the sight which We showed you except as a trial for the people, as was the accursed tree [mentioned] in the Qur'an. And We threaten them, but it increases them not except in great transgression.
سُورَةُ الأَحۡقَافِ
Al-Ahqaf (The Dunes)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ عَارِضًۭا مُّسْتَقْبِلَ أَوْدِيَتِهِمْ قَالُوا۟ هَٰذَا عَارِضٌۭ مُّمْطِرُنَا ۚ بَلْ هُوَ مَا ٱسْتَعْجَلْتُم بِهِۦ ۖ رِيحٌۭ فِيهَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ
And when they saw it as a cloud approaching their valleys, they said, "This is a cloud bringing us rain!" Rather, it is that for which you were impatient: a wind, within it a painful punishment,
سُورَةُ الشُّعَرَاءِ
Ash-Shu'araa (The Poets)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَهُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمِ ٱلظُّلَّةِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ
And they denied him, so the punishment of the day of the black cloud seized them. Indeed, it was the punishment of a terrible day.
سُورَةُ الأَنفَالِ
Al-Anfaal (The Spoils of War)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَإِذْ قَالُوا۟ ٱللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَٰذَا هُوَ ٱلْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ أَوِ ٱئْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍۢ
And [remember] when they said, "O Allah, if this should be the truth from You, then rain down upon us stones from the sky or bring us a painful punishment."
Common Words
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من4x
يوم3x
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ما2x
وإذ2x
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ٱلناس1x
يأتيهم1x
ٱلعذاب1x
فيقول1x
ٱلذين1x
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About Sahih al-Bukhari
This hadith is #4603 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh)). It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Masruq:.