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سنن ابن ماجه
Ibn Majah
(أبواب كتاب السنة)Chapters: The Book of the Sunnah
بَابُ : فَضْلِ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَالْحَثِّ عَلَى طَلَبِ الْعِلْمِChapter: The virtue of the scholars, and encouragement to seek knowledge
Hadith 224
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ ، حَدَّثَنَا كَثِيرُ بْنُ شِنْظِيرٍ ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ ، وَوَاضِعُ الْعِلْمِ عِنْدَ غَيْرِ أَهْلِهِ كَمُقَلِّدِ الْخَنَازِيرِ الْجَوْهَرَ ، وَاللُّؤْلُؤَ ، وَالذَّهَبَ " .
´It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:` "Seeking knowledge is a duty upon every Muslim, and he who imparts knowledge to those who do not deserve it, is like one who puts a necklace of jewels, pearls and gold around the neck of swines."
Related hadith on this topic
Brief Explanation
1؎ : The meaning of this hadith is that it is obligatory (fard) upon every Muslim to learn those religious matters which are necessary, such as matters of creed (‘aqidah), prayer (salah), fasting (sawm), or it means that if a Muslim is faced with a particular issue, it is necessary for him to ask the scholars about it. Otherwise, seeking knowledge is a communal obligation (fard kifayah); if some people acquire it, the rest will not be held accountable before Allah, but if everyone abandons learning religious knowledge, then all will be sinful. Imam Bayhaqi, in his book "Al-Madkhal ila al-Sunan," says that perhaps what is meant is that learning that knowledge is obligatory, ignorance of which is not permissible for any adult, or that knowledge is meant which a Muslim needs, for example, a trader needs to know the rulings and matters of buying and selling, and a warrior (ghazi) needs to know the rulings and matters of jihad. Or it is that seeking knowledge is an individual obligation (fard ‘ayn) upon every Muslim, but when some people, whose knowledge suffices for all, are engaged in acquiring knowledge, then the rest will not be held accountable for abandoning its pursuit. Then he narrates the statement of Ibn al-Mubarak that when he was asked about the explanation of this hadith, he said: What is meant is that when a Muslim needs to know a particular matter, it is necessary for him to ask a scholar so that he may acquire knowledge of it. And this is indicated in the verse: «فاسألوا أهل الذكر».
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Ataullah Sajid
Commentary:
(1)
By "every Muslim" is meant both men and women, because acting upon the rulings of the Shariah is obligatory upon both men and women; therefore, they should know what is permissible and what is impermissible. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam taught both men and women the religion and explained its rulings to them.
(2)
This narration is weak in its chain of transmission, but its first part (the obligation of seeking knowledge) is correct in meaning, i.e., acquiring the necessary knowledge of the rulings of Shariah is obligatory upon every Muslim man and woman.
(1)
By "every Muslim" is meant both men and women, because acting upon the rulings of the Shariah is obligatory upon both men and women; therefore, they should know what is permissible and what is impermissible. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam taught both men and women the religion and explained its rulings to them.
(2)
This narration is weak in its chain of transmission, but its first part (the obligation of seeking knowledge) is correct in meaning, i.e., acquiring the necessary knowledge of the rulings of Shariah is obligatory upon every Muslim man and woman.
Source: Commentary on Sunan Ibn Mājah by Mawlānā ‘Atā’ullāh Sājid, Page: 224
Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai
Authentication of the Hadith:
The chain of narration for this report is severely weak.
◄ Its narrator, Qari Abu ‘Umar Hafs bin Sulayman al-Asadi al-Bazzaz al-Kufi: Hafs bin Abi Dawud, the companion of ‘Asim, was severely weak and criticized in hadith narration.
◄ Abu Hatim al-Razi said:
“He is weak in hadith, does not speak the truth, and is abandoned in hadith.” [كتاب الجرح والتعديل 3؍174]
◄ Imam Muslim said:
«متروك الحديث» [كتاب الكنيٰ قلمي ص71؍147]
◄ Imam al-Bukhari said:
«تركوه» “That is, the hadith scholars have declared him abandoned.” [كتاب الضعفاء : 73]
◄ The majority of hadith scholars have criticized Qari Hafs bin Abi Dawud, and the most just statement regarding him is as follows:
«متروك فى الحديث، ثقة فى القرآن»
“He is abandoned in hadith, but trustworthy (thiqah) in the transmission of the Qur’an.” See: [تحفة الاقوياء ص29]
◄ Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani said:
«متروك الحديث مع إمامته فى القراءة.»
“Despite being an imam in recitation, he is abandoned in hadith.” [تقريب التهذيب :1405]
Benefit:
The detailed referencing of the narrations with «طلب العلم فريضة عليٰ كل مسلم» has been done by Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah in his book: [تخريج أحاديث مشكلة الفقر وكيف عالجها الإسلام ص 48۔ 62 ح86], and he has declared it authentic, but all its chains are weak and rejected. For example:
➊ In the narration of [تاريخ دمشق لابن عساكر 58؍144، دوسرا نسخه 15؍1461/ 1], [امالي ابن سمعون 23], and [مشيخة الآبنوسي 154], the reliability of Abu ‘Ali Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfah Qasim is unknown, Qatadah was a well-known mudallis (obfuscator), and the narration (if authentic up to him) is with «عن».
◄ Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah could not find information about one of the narrators of this chain, Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi al-Khanajir, even though he is mentioned in the books al-Jarh wa al-Ta‘dil [2؍73], Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’ [13؍240], and al-Mustadrak of al-Hakim [4؍399 ح8207 وقال ابن صاعد : وكان ثقة مأمونًا], and he was trustworthy and truthful.
➋ In the narration of [المعجم الصغير للطبراني 1؍16 ح22 بترقيمي، دوسرا نسخه ص6], Hukm bin ‘Atiyyah is weak according to the majority; see: [سنن الترمذي بتحقيقي : 3668].
‘Abbas bin Isma‘il al-Hashimi is of unknown status «وثقه ابن حبان وحده بتوثيق لين», and the reliability of Ahmad bin Bishr bin Habib al-Bayruti is unknown.
➌ In the narration of al-Fawa’id by Tamam al-Razi [مخطوط ص9ب، مطبوع 1؍32 ح56، دوسرا نسخه 8؍2], the reliability and status of Abu Bakr bin Abi Shaybah Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Baghdadi are unknown.
◄ Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Shabib bin Ziyad and Abu Bakr bin Abi Shaybah were trustworthy, but in the narration of al-Fawa’id, it is Muhammad bin Ahmad, not Ahmad bin Muhammad, and it is not known on what basis Shaykh al-Albani changed Muhammad bin Ahmad to Ahmad bin Muhammad.
➍ ‘A’idh bin Ayyub al-Tusi is unknown, and the narration with Isma‘il bin Abi Khalid, who was a mudallis, is also weak.
↰ In summary, the narration “seeking knowledge is an obligation” is weak and rejected with all its chains.
Al-Bayhaqi said regarding «اطلبو العلم ولو بالصين فإن طلب العلم فريضة عليٰ كل مسلم»:
«هذا حديث متنه مشهور وأسانيده ضعيفة. لا أعرف له إسنادا يثبت بمثله الحديث. والله أعلم»
The text of this hadith is well-known, but its chains are weak. I do not know of any chain by which this hadith is established. «والله اعلم» [المدخل الي السنن الكبريٰ : 325]
◄ Whereas Abu ‘Ali al-Husayn bin ‘Ali al-Hafiz al-Naysaburi rahimahullah considered this hadith authentic, but the preferred view is that this narration is not established and is weak. «والله اعلم»
The chain of narration for this report is severely weak.
◄ Its narrator, Qari Abu ‘Umar Hafs bin Sulayman al-Asadi al-Bazzaz al-Kufi: Hafs bin Abi Dawud, the companion of ‘Asim, was severely weak and criticized in hadith narration.
◄ Abu Hatim al-Razi said:
“He is weak in hadith, does not speak the truth, and is abandoned in hadith.” [كتاب الجرح والتعديل 3؍174]
◄ Imam Muslim said:
«متروك الحديث» [كتاب الكنيٰ قلمي ص71؍147]
◄ Imam al-Bukhari said:
«تركوه» “That is, the hadith scholars have declared him abandoned.” [كتاب الضعفاء : 73]
◄ The majority of hadith scholars have criticized Qari Hafs bin Abi Dawud, and the most just statement regarding him is as follows:
«متروك فى الحديث، ثقة فى القرآن»
“He is abandoned in hadith, but trustworthy (thiqah) in the transmission of the Qur’an.” See: [تحفة الاقوياء ص29]
◄ Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani said:
«متروك الحديث مع إمامته فى القراءة.»
“Despite being an imam in recitation, he is abandoned in hadith.” [تقريب التهذيب :1405]
Benefit:
The detailed referencing of the narrations with «طلب العلم فريضة عليٰ كل مسلم» has been done by Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah in his book: [تخريج أحاديث مشكلة الفقر وكيف عالجها الإسلام ص 48۔ 62 ح86], and he has declared it authentic, but all its chains are weak and rejected. For example:
➊ In the narration of [تاريخ دمشق لابن عساكر 58؍144، دوسرا نسخه 15؍1461/ 1], [امالي ابن سمعون 23], and [مشيخة الآبنوسي 154], the reliability of Abu ‘Ali Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Abi Hudhayfah Qasim is unknown, Qatadah was a well-known mudallis (obfuscator), and the narration (if authentic up to him) is with «عن».
◄ Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah could not find information about one of the narrators of this chain, Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi al-Khanajir, even though he is mentioned in the books al-Jarh wa al-Ta‘dil [2؍73], Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’ [13؍240], and al-Mustadrak of al-Hakim [4؍399 ح8207 وقال ابن صاعد : وكان ثقة مأمونًا], and he was trustworthy and truthful.
➋ In the narration of [المعجم الصغير للطبراني 1؍16 ح22 بترقيمي، دوسرا نسخه ص6], Hukm bin ‘Atiyyah is weak according to the majority; see: [سنن الترمذي بتحقيقي : 3668].
‘Abbas bin Isma‘il al-Hashimi is of unknown status «وثقه ابن حبان وحده بتوثيق لين», and the reliability of Ahmad bin Bishr bin Habib al-Bayruti is unknown.
➌ In the narration of al-Fawa’id by Tamam al-Razi [مخطوط ص9ب، مطبوع 1؍32 ح56، دوسرا نسخه 8؍2], the reliability and status of Abu Bakr bin Abi Shaybah Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Baghdadi are unknown.
◄ Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Shabib bin Ziyad and Abu Bakr bin Abi Shaybah were trustworthy, but in the narration of al-Fawa’id, it is Muhammad bin Ahmad, not Ahmad bin Muhammad, and it is not known on what basis Shaykh al-Albani changed Muhammad bin Ahmad to Ahmad bin Muhammad.
➍ ‘A’idh bin Ayyub al-Tusi is unknown, and the narration with Isma‘il bin Abi Khalid, who was a mudallis, is also weak.
↰ In summary, the narration “seeking knowledge is an obligation” is weak and rejected with all its chains.
Al-Bayhaqi said regarding «اطلبو العلم ولو بالصين فإن طلب العلم فريضة عليٰ كل مسلم»:
«هذا حديث متنه مشهور وأسانيده ضعيفة. لا أعرف له إسنادا يثبت بمثله الحديث. والله أعلم»
The text of this hadith is well-known, but its chains are weak. I do not know of any chain by which this hadith is established. «والله اعلم» [المدخل الي السنن الكبريٰ : 325]
◄ Whereas Abu ‘Ali al-Husayn bin ‘Ali al-Hafiz al-Naysaburi rahimahullah considered this hadith authentic, but the preferred view is that this narration is not established and is weak. «والله اعلم»
Source: Adwa al-Masabih fi Tahqiq Mishkat al-Masabih, Page: 218
