TEN HADITH ON KNOWLEDGE

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Hadith 1

Anas ibn Malik, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ

Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.

Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 224, Grade: Sahih

Hadith 2

Abu Huraira, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

وَمَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَلْتَمِسُ فِيهِ عِلْمًا سَهَّلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِهِ طَرِيقًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ وَمَا اجْتَمَعَ قَوْمٌ فِي بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِ اللَّهِ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَيَتَدَارَسُونَهُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِلاَّ نَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّكِينَةُ وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ وَحَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَذَكَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُ

Whoever travels a path in search of knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise. People do not gather in the houses of Allah, reciting the book of Allah and studying it together, but that tranquility will descend upon them, mercy will cover them, angels will surround them, and Allah will mention them to those near him.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2699, Grade: Sahih

Hadith 3

Abu Darda, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

وَإِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ لَتَضَعُ أَجْنِحَتَهَا رِضًا لِطَالِبِ الْعِلْمِ وَإِنَّ الْعَالِمَ لَيَسْتَغْفِرُ لَهُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَوَاتِ وَمَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَالْحِيتَانُ فِي جَوْفِ الْمَاءِ وَإِنَّ فَضْلَ الْعَالِمِ عَلَى الْعَابِدِ كَفَضْلِ الْقَمَرِ لَيْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ عَلَى سَائِرِ الْكَوَاكِبِ وَإِنَّ الْعُلَمَاءَ وَرَثَةُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَإِنَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ لَمْ يُوَرِّثُوا دِينَارًا وَلَا دِرْهَمًا وَرَّثُوا الْعِلْمَ فَمَنْ أَخَذَهُ أَخَذَ بِحَظٍّ وَافِرٍ

Verily, the angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge. The inhabitants of the heavens and earth, even the fish in the depths of the water, seek forgiveness for the scholar. The virtue of the scholar over the worshiper is like the superiority of the moon over the stars. The scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets. They do not leave behind gold or silver coins, but rather they leave behind knowledge. Whoever has taken hold of it has been given an abundant share.

Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 3641, Grade: Sahih

Hadith 4

Abu Umamah, RadhiAllahu Anhu,  reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

فَضْلُ الْعَالِمِ عَلَى الْعَابِدِ كَفَضْلِي عَلَى أَدْنَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ وَأَهْلَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرَضِينَ حَتَّى النَّمْلَةَ فِي جُحْرِهَا وَحَتَّى الْحُوتَ لَيُصَلُّونَ عَلَى مُعَلِّمِ النَّاسِ الْخَيْرَ

The virtue of the scholar over the worshiper is like my virtue over the least of you. Verily, Allah, his angels, the inhabitants of the heavens and earth, even the ant in his hole and the fish, send blessings upon the one who teaches people what is good.

Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

عَالِمٌ عَامِلٌ مُعَلِّمٌ يُدْعَى كَبِيرًا فِي مَلَكُوتِ السَّمَوَاتِ

A scholar who works in teaching has a high status in the domain of the heavens.

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2685, Grade: Sahih

Hadith 5

Mu’awiyah, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

مَنْ يُرِدْ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُفَقِّهْهُ فِي الدِّينِ

If Allah intends goodness for someone, he gives him understanding of the religion.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 71, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

In another narration, the Prophet, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ بِالتَّعَلُّمِ وَالْفِقْهُ بِالتَّفَقُّهِ وَمَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُفَقِّهْهُ فِي الدِّينِ وَإِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ

O people, knowledge only comes by learning and understanding only comes by seeking understanding. For whomever Allah intends good, he gives him understanding of the religion. Verily, only those with knowledge fear Allah among his servants. (35:28)

Source: al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr 929, Grade: Hasan

Hadith 6

Abu Huraira, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

خَيْرُكُمْ إِسْلَامًا أَحَاسِنُكُمْ أَخْلَاقًا إِذَا فَقُهُوا

The best of you in Islam are those with the best character, if they have religious understanding.

Source: Musnad Aḥmad 9880, Grade: Sahih

Malik ibn Anas, RadhiAllahu Anhu, said:

إِنَّ حَقًّا عَلَى مَنْ طَلَبَ الْعِلْمَ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ وَقَارٌ وَسَكِينَةٌ وَخَشْيَةٌ وَأَنْ يَكُونَ مُتَّبِعًا لآثَارِ مَنْ مَضَى قَبْلَهُ

Verily, it is the duty of a student of knowledge to behave with dignity, tranquility, and reverence, and to follow the way of those who came before him.

Source: Jāmi’ Bayān al-‘Ilm 619

Hadith 7

Abu Musa, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Prophet, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

إِنَّ مَثَلَ مَا بَعَثَنِيَ اللَّهُ بِهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ الْهُدَى وَالْعِلْمِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَصَابَ أَرْضًا فَكَانَتْ مِنْهَا طَائِفَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ قَبِلَتْ الْمَاءَ فَأَنْبَتَتْ الْكَلَأَ وَالْعُشْبَ الْكَثِيرَ يَرْفَعْ وَكَانَ مِنْهَا أَجَادِبُ أَمْسَكَتْ الْمَاءَ فَنَفَعَ اللَّهُ بِهَا النَّاسَ فَشَرِبُوا مِنْهَا وَسَقَوْا وَرَعَوْا وَأَصَابَ طَائِفَةً مِنْهَا أُخْرَى إِنَّمَا هِيَ قِيعَانٌ لَا تُمْسِكُ مَاءً وَلَا تُنْبِتُ كَلَأً فَذَلِكَ مَثَلُ مَنْ فَقُهَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ وَنَفَعَهُ بِمَا بَعَثَنِيَ اللَّهُ بِهِ فَعَلِمَ وَعَلَّمَ وَمَثَلُ مَنْ لَمْ يَرْفَعْ بِذَلِكَ رَأْسًا وَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ هُدَى اللَّهِ الَّذِي أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ

Verily, the parable of the guidance and knowledge that Allah Almighty sent with me is the likeness of rain falling upon the earth. Among them is a good group which receives the water and thus there is abundant growth of herbage and grass. Among them is a barren land which retains the water and thus Allah benefits people from it; they drink from it and graze their animals. And it falls upon another group which is only abysmal; it does not retain water, nor does herbage grow. Such is the parable of one who understands the religion of Allah and benefits from what Allah sent with me; he learns and he teaches. Such is the parable of one who does not raise his head and does not accept the guidance Allah sent with me.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 79, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Hadith 8

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Prophet, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

لَا حَسَدَ إِلَّا فِي اثْنَتَيْنِ رَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ مَالًا فَسُلِّطَ عَلَى هَلَكَتِهِ فِي الْحَقِّ وَرَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ الْحِكْمَةَ فَهُوَ يَقْضِي بِهَا وَيُعَلِّمُهَا

There is no envy but in two cases: a man whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it rightly, and a man whom Allah has given wisdom and he judges and teaches with it.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 73, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Hadith 9

Uthman bin Affan, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Prophet, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

خَيْرُكُمْ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ وَعَلَّمَهُ

The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4739, Grade: Sahih

Hadith 10

Sahl ibn Sa’d, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Prophet, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:

وَاللَّهِ لَأَنْ يَهْدِيَ اللَّهُ بِكَ رَجُلًا خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَكَ حُمْرُ النَّعَمِ

By Allah, that Allah guides a man through you is better for you than a herd of expensive red camels.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2847, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi