Sahih al-Bukhari #7020
Holding Fast to the Qur'an and Sunnah
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ يُونُسَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي حَرْثٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، وَهْوَ يَتَوَكَّأُ عَلَى عَسِيبٍ، فَمَرَّ بِنَفَرٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ سَلُوهُ عَنِ الرُّوحِ. وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لاَ تَسْأَلُوهُ لاَ يُسْمِعْكُمْ مَا تَكْرَهُونَ. فَقَامُوا إِلَيْهِ فَقَالُوا يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ حَدِّثْنَا عَنِ الرُّوحِ. فَقَامَ سَاعَةً يَنْظُرُ فَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِ، فَتَأَخَّرْتُ عَنْهُ حَتَّى صَعِدَ الْوَحْىُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ {وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي}.
I was with the Prophet (ﷺ) at one of the farms of Medina while he was leaning on a date palm leaf-stalk.
He passed by a group of Jews and some of them said to the other, Ask him (the Prophet) about the
spirit. Some others said, "Do not ask him, lest he should tell you what you dislike" But they went up
to him and said, "O Abal Qasim! Inform us bout the spirit." The Prophet (ﷺ) stood up for a while, waiting.
I realized that he was being Divinely Inspired, so I kept away from him till the inspiration was over.
Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "(O Muhammad) they ask you regarding the spirit, Say: The spirit its
knowledge is with my Lord (i.e., nobody has its knowledge except Allah)" (17.85) (This is a miracle
of the Qur'an that all the scientists up till now do not know about the spirit, i.e, how life comes to a
body and how it goes away at its death) (See Hadith No. 245, Vol. 6)
Narrated by Narrated Ibn Masud:
Context
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was approached by a group of Jews who asked about the spirit. He paused, indicating he was receiving divine revelation, and then conveyed that knowledge of the spirit is solely with Allah. This moment illustrates the limitations of human understanding and the importance of divine guidance.
Modern Application
In contemporary life, this hadith reminds us to recognize the limits of our knowledge and to seek guidance from credible sources. It encourages humility in our quest for understanding, particularly regarding complex matters that may be beyond human comprehension.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prophetic Teachings and Divine Revelation because it showcases the Prophet's role in conveying divine messages and the nature of knowledge that belongs to Allah alone.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Al-Israa (The Night Journey)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلرُّوحِ ۖ قُلِ ٱلرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّى وَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًۭا
And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little."
سُورَةُ الأَعۡرَافِ
Al-A'raaf (The Heights)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَىٰهَا ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّى ۖ لَا يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَآ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ ثَقُلَتْ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ لَا تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلَّا بَغْتَةًۭ ۗ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِىٌّ عَنْهَا ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the Hour: when is its arrival? Say, "Its knowledge is only with my Lord. None will reveal its time except Him. It lays heavily upon the heavens and the earth. It will not come upon you except unexpectedly." They ask you as if you are familiar with it. Say, "Its knowledge is only with Allah, but most of the people do not know."
سُورَةُ النَّحۡلِ
An-Nahl (The Bee)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قُلْ نَزَّلَهُۥ رُوحُ ٱلْقُدُسِ مِن رَّبِّكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ لِيُثَبِّتَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَهُدًۭى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ
Say, [O Muhammad], "The Pure Spirit has brought it down from your Lord in truth to make firm those who believe and as guidance and good tidings to the Muslims."
سُورَةُ الأَحۡزَابِ
Al-Ahzaab (The Clans)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يَسْـَٔلُكَ ٱلنَّاسُ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ تَكُونُ قَرِيبًا
People ask you concerning the Hour. Say," Knowledge of it is only with Allah. And what may make you perceive? Perhaps the Hour is near."
سُورَةُ المَائـِدَةِ
Al-Maaida (The Table)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
إِذْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَٰعِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ ٱذْكُرْ نِعْمَتِى عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَتِكَ إِذْ أَيَّدتُّكَ بِرُوحِ ٱلْقُدُسِ تُكَلِّمُ ٱلنَّاسَ فِى ٱلْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًۭا ۖ وَإِذْ عَلَّمْتُكَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ وَٱلْإِنجِيلَ ۖ وَإِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنَ ٱلطِّينِ كَهَيْـَٔةِ ٱلطَّيْرِ بِإِذْنِى فَتَنفُخُ فِيهَا فَتَكُونُ طَيْرًۢا بِإِذْنِى ۖ وَتُبْرِئُ ٱلْأَكْمَهَ وَٱلْأَبْرَصَ بِإِذْنِى ۖ وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِى ۖ وَإِذْ كَفَفْتُ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ عَنكَ إِذْ جِئْتَهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ فَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ إِنْ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ
[The Day] when Allah will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Pure Spirit and you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and [remember] when I taught you writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and when you designed from clay [what was] like the form of a bird with My permission, then you breathed into it, and it became a bird with My permission; and you healed the blind and the leper with My permission; and when you brought forth the dead with My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from [killing] you when you came to them with clear proofs and those who disbelieved among them said, "This is not but obvious magic."
Common Words
142 total101 unique21 repeated
قل5x
من4x
إلا4x
وإذ4x
بإذنى4x
عن3x
ٱلساعة3x
إنما3x
علمها3x
عند3x
لا3x
ٱلله3x
ٱلناس3x
إذ3x
ٱلروح2x
ربى2x
وما2x
يسـلونك2x
فى2x
ٱلقدس2x
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About Sahih al-Bukhari
This hadith is #7020 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Holding Fast to the Qur'an and Sunnah. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Ibn Masud:.