Sahih al-Bukhari #78
Knowledge
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ، خَالِدُ بْنُ خَلِيٍّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قَالَ قَالَ الأَوْزَاعِيُّ أَخْبَرَنَا الزُّهْرِيُّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّهُ تَمَارَى هُوَ وَالْحُرُّ بْنُ قَيْسِ بْنِ حِصْنٍ الْفَزَارِيُّ فِي صَاحِبِ مُوسَى، فَمَرَّ بِهِمَا أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ، فَدَعَاهُ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَقَالَ إِنِّي تَمَارَيْتُ أَنَا وَصَاحِبِي هَذَا فِي صَاحِبِ مُوسَى الَّذِي سَأَلَ السَّبِيلَ إِلَى لُقِيِّهِ، هَلْ سَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَذْكُرُ شَأْنَهُ فَقَالَ أُبَىٌّ نَعَمْ، سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَذْكُرُ شَأْنَهُ يَقُولُ
" بَيْنَمَا مُوسَى فِي مَلإٍ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، إِذْ جَاءَهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ أَتَعْلَمُ أَحَدًا أَعْلَمَ مِنْكَ قَالَ مُوسَى لاَ. فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَى مُوسَى بَلَى، عَبْدُنَا خَضِرٌ، فَسَأَلَ السَّبِيلَ إِلَى لُقِيِّهِ، فَجَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ الْحُوتَ آيَةً، وَقِيلَ لَهُ إِذَا فَقَدْتَ الْحُوتَ فَارْجِعْ، فَإِنَّكَ سَتَلْقَاهُ، فَكَانَ مُوسَى صلى الله عليه وسلم يَتَّبِعُ أَثَرَ الْحُوتِ فِي الْبَحْرِ. فَقَالَ فَتَى مُوسَى لِمُوسَى أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ، وَمَا أَنْسَانِيهِ إِلاَّ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ. قَالَ مُوسَى ذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِي. فَارْتَدَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا، فَوَجَدَا خَضِرًا، فَكَانَ مِنْ شَأْنِهِمَا مَا قَصَّ اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ ".
that he differed with Hur bin Qais bin Hisn Al-Fazari regarding the companion of the Prophet (ﷺ) Moses.
Meanwhile, Ubai bin Ka`b passed by them and Ibn `Abbas called him saying, "My friend (Hur) and I
have differed regarding Moses' companion whom Moses asked the way to meet. Have you heard
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) mentioning something about him? Ubai bin Ka`b said: "Yes, I heard the Prophet (ﷺ)
mentioning something about him (saying) while Moses was sitting in the company of some Israelites,
a man came and asked him: "Do you know anyone who is more learned than you? Moses replied:
"No." So Allah sent the Divine Inspiration to Moses: '--Yes, Our slave Khadir is more learned than
you. Moses asked Allah how to meet him (Al-Khadir). So Allah made the fish a sign for him and he
was told when the fish was lost, he should return (to the place where he had lost it) and there he would
meet him (Al-Khadir). So Moses went on looking for the sign of the fish in the sea. The servant-boy
of Moses said: 'Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock, I indeed forgot the fish, none
but Satan made me forget to remember it. On that Moses said, 'That is what we have been seeking.' So
they went back retracing their footsteps, and found Khadir. (and) what happened further about them is
narrated in the Holy Qur'an by Allah." (18.54 up to 18.82)
Narrated by Narrated Ibn `Abbas:
Context
In this hadith, Ibn Abbas and Hur bin Qais discuss the companion of Moses, prompting them to seek clarification from Ubai bin Ka'b. Ubai recounts how Moses, when asked about knowledge, was directed by Allah to seek out Khidr, illustrating the theme of seeking knowledge and guidance. This narrative connects to the broader Islamic principle of humility in knowledge.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prophetic Teachings and Divine Revelation because it highlights the importance of seeking knowledge and the divine guidance provided to the Prophets, as demonstrated in the story of Moses.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ الكَهۡفِ
Al-Kahf (The Cave)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
3 ayahs
قَالَ لَهُۥ مُوسَىٰ هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًۭا
Moses said to him, "May I follow you on [the condition] that you teach me from what you have been taught of sound judgement?"
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَىٰهُ لَآ أَبْرَحُ حَتَّىٰٓ أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ ٱلْبَحْرَيْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِىَ حُقُبًۭا
And [mention] when Moses said to his servant, "I will not cease [traveling] until I reach the junction of the two seas or continue for a long period."
فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلَٰمًۭا فَقَتَلَهُۥ قَالَ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًۭا زَكِيَّةًۢ بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍۢ لَّقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْـًۭٔا نُّكْرًۭا
So they set out, until when they met a boy, al-Khidh r killed him. [Moses] said, "Have you killed a pure soul for other than [having killed] a soul? You have certainly done a deplorable thing."
سُورَةُ طه
Taa-Haa (Taa-Haa)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَهَلْ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَىٰٓ
And has the story of Moses reached you? -
سُورَةُ النَّازِعَاتِ
An-Naazi'aat (Those who drag forth)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
هَلْ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَىٰٓ
Has there reached you the story of Moses? -
Common Words
48 total39 unique6 repeated
موسى4x
قال3x
هل2x
حتى2x
أتىك2x
حديث2x
له1x
أتبعك1x
على1x
أن1x
تعلمن1x
مما1x
علمت1x
رشدا1x
وإذ1x
لفتىه1x
لا1x
أبرح1x
أبلغ1x
مجمع1x
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About Sahih al-Bukhari
This hadith is #78 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Knowledge. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Ibn `Abbas:.