Sahih al-Bukhari #4616
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 يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي الضُّحَى، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ أَنْ تَقُولَ لِمَا لاَ تَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَالَ لِنَبِيِّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم {قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ}
إِنَّ قُرَيْشًا لَمَّا غَلَبُوا النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَاسْتَعْصَوْا عَلَيْهِ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَيْهِمْ بِسَبْعٍ كَسَبْعِ يُوسُفَ فَأَخَذَتْهُمْ سَنَةٌ أَكَلُوا فِيهَا الْعِظَامَ وَالْمَيْتَةَ مِنْ الْجَهْدِ حَتَّى جَعَلَ أَحَدُهُمْ يَرَى مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ كَهَيْئَةِ الدُّخَانِ مِنْ الْجُوعِ قَالُوا  رَبَّنَا اكْشِفْ عَنَّا الْعَذَابَ إِنَّا مُؤْمِنُونَ  فَقِيلَ لَهُ إِنْ كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَادُوا فَدَعَا رَبَّهُ فَكَشَفَ عَنْهُمْ فَعَادُوا فَانْتَقَمَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُمْ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى  فَارْتَقِبْ يَوْمَ تَأْتِي السَّمَاءُ بِدُخَانٍ مُبِينٍ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ إِنَّا مُنْتَقِمُونَ.
It is a sign of having knowledge that, when you do not know something, you say: 'Allah knows better.'
Allah said to his Prophet:
'Say: 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) When the Quraish troubled and stood against the Prophet (ﷺ) he said,
"O Allah! Help me against them by afflicting them with seven years of famine like the seven years of
Joseph." So they were stricken with a year of famine during which they ate bones and dead animals
because of too much suffering, and one of them would see something like smoke between him and the
sky because of hunger. Then they said: Our Lord! Remove the torment from us, really we are
believers. (44.12) And then it was said to the Prophet (by Allah), "If we remove it from them. they
will revert to their ways (of heathenism)." So the Prophet (ﷺ) invoked his Lord, who removed the
punishment from them, but later they reverted (to heathenism), whereupon Allah punished them on
the day of the Battle of Badr, and that is what Allah's Statement indicates:
'Then watch for the day that the sky will bring forth a kind of smoke plainly visible...we will indeed
(then) exact retribution.' (44.10).
Narrated by Narrated `Abdullah:
Context
In this narration, Abdullah bin 'Umar conveys the importance of humility in knowledge. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) teaches that acknowledging one's ignorance and deferring to Allah's knowledge is a sign of wisdom. This reflects the broader theme of seeking knowledge while recognizing the limits of human understanding.
Modern Application
Today, this principle encourages individuals to remain humble in their pursuits of knowledge. It promotes a culture of continuous learning and respect for the limits of one's understanding, fostering a community that values inquiry and humility.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prophetic Warning and Divine Revelation because it highlights the importance of recognizing Allah's ultimate knowledge and the humility required in the pursuit of understanding.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ الأَعۡرَافِ
Al-A'raaf (The Heights)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قُل لَّآ أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِى نَفْعًۭا وَلَا ضَرًّا إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ ٱلْغَيْبَ لَٱسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ ٱلْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِىَ ٱلسُّوٓءُ ۚ إِنْ أَنَا۠ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌۭ وَبَشِيرٌۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يُؤْمِنُونَ
Say, "I hold not for myself [the power of] benefit or harm, except what Allah has willed. And if I knew the unseen, I could have acquired much wealth, and no harm would have touched me. I am not except a warner and a bringer of good tidings to a people who believe."
سُورَةُ المُلۡكِ
Al-Mulk (The Sovereignty)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قُلْ إِنَّمَا ٱلْعِلْمُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَإِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ نَذِيرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ
Say, "The knowledge is only with Allah, and I am only a clear warner."
سُورَةُ الزُّمَرِ
Az-Zumar (The Groups)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
2 ayahs
أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَبْسُطُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يُؤْمِنُونَ
Do they not know that Allah extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]? Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۚ قُلْ أَفَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَنِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلْ هُنَّ كَٰشِفَٰتُ ضُرِّهِۦٓ أَوْ أَرَادَنِى بِرَحْمَةٍ هَلْ هُنَّ مُمْسِكَٰتُ رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ قُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ عَلَيْهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and the earth?" they would surely say, "Allah." Say, "Then have you considered what you invoke besides Allah? If Allah intended me harm, are they removers of His harm; or if He intended me mercy, are they withholders of His mercy?" Say, "Sufficient for me is Allah; upon Him [alone] rely the [wise] reliers."
سُورَةُ الأَنبِيَاءِ
Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قَالَ رَبِّى يَعْلَمُ ٱلْقَوْلَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
The Prophet said, "My Lord knows whatever is said throughout the heaven and earth, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing."
Common Words
98 total74 unique15 repeated
ٱلله7x
قل4x
من3x
إن3x
إلا2x
ما2x
أنا2x
نذير2x
لقوم2x
يؤمنون2x
فى2x
وٱلأرض2x
أرادنى2x
هل2x
هن2x
لا1x
أملك1x
لنفسى1x
نفعا1x
ولا1x
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About Sahih al-Bukhari
This hadith is #4616 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 `Abdullah:.