Hadith 176
أَخْبَرَنَا أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ الْأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ: "إِنَّ الَّذِي يُفْتِي النَّاسَ فِي كُلِّ مَا يُسْتَفْتَى لَمَجْنُونٌ".
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Any person who answers whatever he is asked is insane.
Hadith 177
أَخْبَرَنَا أَخْبَرَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: "إِنَّمَا يُفْتِي النَّاسَ ثَلَاثَةٌ: رَجُلٌ إِمَامٌ أَوْ وَالٍ، وَرَجُلٌ يَعْلَمُ نَاسِخَ الْقُرْآنِ مِنْ الْمَنْسُوخِ"، قَالُوا: يَا حُذَيْفَةُ، وَمَنْ ذَاكَ ؟، قَالَ: "عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ، أَوْ أَحْمَقُ مُتَكَلِّفٌ".
Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Three types of people can give fatwa: the Imam, or the ruler of the government, or the person who is knowledgeable about the abrogating and abrogated verses of the Qur'an. The people asked: Who can such a person be? He said: Either Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), or a foolish ignoramus who takes it upon himself.
Hadith 178
أَخْبَرَنَا أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ بْنِ حُذَيْفَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ حُذَيْفَةُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ: "إِنَّمَا يُفْتِي النَّاسَ أَحَدُ ثَلَاثَةٍ: رَجُلٌ عَلِمَ نَاسِخَ الْقُرْآنِ مِنْ مَنْسُوخِهِ"، قَالُوا: وَمَنْ ذَاكَ ؟، قَالَ: "عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ، قَالَ: وَأَمِيرٌ لَا يَجِدُ بُدًّا، أَوْ أَحْمَقُ مُتَكَلِّفٌ"، ثُمَّ قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: فَلَسْتُ بِوَاحِدٍ مِنْ هَذَيْنِ، وَأَرْجُو أَنْ لَا أَكُونَ الثَّالِثَ.
Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: One of three can give a fatwa. The one who has knowledge of the abrogating and abrogated. The people asked: Who is such a person? He replied: Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), or such a leader who has no choice but to give a fatwa, or a foolish person who takes it upon himself. Then Muhammad ibn Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) said: I am not among those two (i.e., the ruler or governor), and I hope not to become the third (the foolish self-imposer) either.
Hadith 179
أَخْبَرَنَا أَخْبَرَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ عَوْنٍ، عَنْ الْأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: "مَنْ عَلِمَ مِنْكُمْ عِلْمًا، فَلْيَقُلْ بِهِ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ، فَلْيَقُلْ لِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ: اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ، فَإِنَّ: الْعَالِمَ إِذَا سُئِلَ عَمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُ، قَالَ: اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَعْلَمُ، وَقَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ لِرَسُولِهِ: قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ سورة ص آية 86".
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Whoever among you has knowledge should make it apparent, and whoever does not have knowledge should say about what he does not know: «لا أعلم» (that is, "I do not know"), because if a scholar is asked about something he does not know, he should say «الله أعلم», just as Allah Almighty said to His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): "Say: I do not ask you for any reward for it, nor am I one of those who pretend." [سورة ص: 86/38]
Hadith 180
أَخْبَرَنَا أَخْبَرَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ أَبِي رَجَاءٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْمُهَلَّبِ، أَنَّ أَبَا مُوسَى رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ فِي خُطْبَتِهِ: "مَنْ عَلِمَ عِلْمًا، فَلْيُعَلِّمْهُ النَّاسَ، وَإِيَّاهُ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا لَا عِلْمَ لَهُ بِهِ فَيَمْرُقَ مِنْ الدِّينِ وَيَكُونَ مِنْ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ".
It is narrated from Abu al-Muhallab that Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) said during a sermon: Whoever has knowledge should teach the people, and beware, whoever does not have knowledge about something should not say anything regarding it. If he does so, he will go out of the religion and will be among those who are pretentious.
Hadith 181
أَخْبَرَنَا أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَوْنٍ، عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ، عَنْ أَبِي الْبَخْتَرِيِّ، وَزَاذَانَ، قَالَا: قَالَ عَلِيٌّ رِضْوَانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ: "وَا بَرْدَهَا عَلَى الْكَبِدِ إِذَا سُئِلْتُ عَمَّا لَا أَعْلَمُ، أَنْ أَقُولَ: اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ".
Abu’l-Bakhtari and Zadhan said: Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: How much coolness of the heart there is when I am asked about something of which I have no knowledge, and I say «الله أعلم» “Allah knows best.”
Hadith 182
أَخْبَرَنَا أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شَرِيكٌ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ، عَنْ أَبِي الْبَخْتَرِيِّ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رِضْوَانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ، قَالَ: "يَا بَرْدَهَا عَلَى الْكَبِدِ أَنْ تَقُولَ لِمَا لَا تَعْلَمُ: اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ".
Abu’l-Bakhtari narrated: Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: How good it is (how soothing to the heart) that you say about what you do not know: «الله أعلم»
Hadith 183
أَخْبَرَنَا أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَيْرُ بْنُ عَرْفَجَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا رَزِينٌ أَبُو النُّعْمَانِ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، قَالَ: "إِذَا سُئِلْتُمْ عَمَّا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ، فَاهْرُبُوا"، قَالُوا: وَكَيْفَ الْهَرَبُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ؟، قَالَ: "تَقُولُونَ: اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ".
It is narrated from Abu Nu’man Razin that Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said: When you are asked about something you do not know, then run away from answering it. Razin said: O Commander of the Faithful! How should we run away? He replied: Say «الله أعلم».
Hadith 184
أَخْبَرَنَا أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ الْبَطِينِ، عَنْ عَزْرَةَ التَّمِيمِيِّ، قَالَ: قَالَ عَلِيٌّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ: "وَا بَرْدَهَا عَلَى الْكَبِدِ، ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ"، قَالُوا: وَمَا ذَلِكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ؟، قَالَ: "أَنْ يُسْأَلَ الرَّجُلُ عَمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُ، فَيَقُولُ: اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ".
It is narrated from Uzrah Tamimi that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said three times: "It is the coolness of the heart." The people asked: "What is that, O Commander of the Faithful?" He replied: "That a man is asked about something he does not know, and he says: «الله أعلم»"
Hadith 185
أَخْبَرَنَا أَخْبَرَنَا فَرْوَةُ بْنُ أَبِي الْمَغْرَاءِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا، أَنَّ رَجُلًا سَأَلَهُ عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ فَقَالَ: لَا عِلْمَ لِي بِهَا، فَلَمَّا أَدْبَرَ الرَّجُلُ، قَالَ بْنُ عُمَرَ: "نِعْمَ مَا قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ، سُئِلَ عَمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُ، فَقَالَ: لَا عِلْمَ لِي بِهِ".
Hisham bin Urwah narrated from his father (Urwah) that a man asked Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) about an issue, so he said: I do not know about it. When that man left, Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: What Ibn Umar said was correct; he was asked about something he did not know, so he said: I do not know about it.
Hadith 186
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ مُغِيرَةَ، عَنْ الشَّعْبِيِّ، قَالَ: "لَا أَدْرِي نِصْفُ الْعِلْمِ".
Imam Sha’bi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: «لا أدري» (To say “I do not know”) is half of knowledge.
Hadith 187
أَخْبَرَنَا أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ الْعُمَرِيُّ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَى ابْنَ عُمَرَ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ، فَقَالَ: "لَا عِلْمَ لِي، ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ بَعْدَ أَنْ قَفَّي الرَّجُلُ، فَقَالَ: نِعْمَ مَا قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ ! يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُ، فَقَالَ: لَا عِلْمَ لِي"، يَعْنِي: ابْنُ عُمَرَ نَفْسَهُ.
Nafi' said: A man came and asked Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) about something, so he said: I do not know. Then when the man went away, he turned and said: What Ibn Umar said was correct. He is asked about something he does not know, so he said: I do not know (i.e., about himself).
Hadith 188
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مُغِيرَةَ، قَالَ: "كَانَ عَامِرٌ إِذَا سُئِلَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ، يَقُولُ: لَا أَدْرِي، فَإِنْ رُدُّوا عَلَيْهِ، قَالَ: إِنْ شِئْتَ كُنْتُ حَلَفْتُ لَكَ بِاللَّهِ إِنْ كَانَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ".
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Mughira (may Allah be pleased with him) that when Sayyiduna Amir al-Sha'bi (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about something, he would say «لا أدري» (I do not know). If he was asked again, he would say firmly: I swear by Allah for you, if I had knowledge of it (that is, by Allah, I do not have knowledge of it).
Hadith 189
أَخْبَرَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنْ حَفْصٍ، عَنْ أَشْعَثَ، عَنْ ابْنِ سِيرِينَ، قَالَ: "مَا أُبَالِي سُئِلْتُ عَمَّا أَعْلَمُ أَوْ مَا لَا أَعْلَمُ، لِأَنِّي إِذَا سُئِلْتُ عَمَّا أَعْلَمُ، قُلْتُ مَا أَعْلَمُ، وَإِذَا سُئِلْتُ عَمَّا لَا أَعْلَمُ قُلْتُ: لَا أَعْلَمُ".
It is narrated from Ash'ath, may Allah have mercy on him, that Imam Muhammad bin Sirin, may Allah have mercy on him, said: I do not care whether I am asked about something I know or not. Because if I am asked about something I know, I answer accordingly, and if I do not know, I say «لا أعلم» that I do not know.
Hadith 190
حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ، عَنْ حَفْصٍ، عَنْ الْأَعْمَشِ، قَالَ: "مَا سَمِعْتُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ يَقُولُ قَطُّ: حَلَالٌ وَلَا حَرَامٌ، إِنَّمَا كَانَ يَقُولُ: كَانُوا يَتَكْرَهُونَ، وَكَانُوا يَسْتَحِبُّونَ".
It is narrated from A‘mash that I never heard Imam Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i (may Allah have mercy on him) say that this is halal and this is haram; rather, he used to say: People considered this disliked, or people considered this recommended.
