Authentic Hadith pertaining to KNOWLEDGE Extracted from Imam Nawawi’s Reference “The Gardens of Righteousness” translated and presented by Shaykh Ahmad Darwish, Anne (Khadeijah) Stephens Allah.com Muhammad.com Mosque.com ©1984-2012 Darwish Family. All rights reserved BOOK 59 Allah, the Exalted says: “Say: 'Lord, increase me in knowledge.'” 20:114 Koran “Say: 'Are they equal, those who know and those who do not know?'” 39:9 Koran “And Allah will raise up in ranks those who believed among you and those who have been given knowledge.” 58:11 Koran “But it is only those amongst His worshipers that fear Allah who have knowledge.” 35:28 Koran REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH & VALUE OF KNOWLEDGE REMEMBRANCE AND KNOWLEDGE |H 1413 “The world is cursed and so is all that is in it except the remembrance of Allah, the High and that which is near to it, and the learned person and the student." Tirmidhi with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. THE BLESSING AND REWARD OF ALLAH WHEN ALLAH DESIRES GOOD FOR SOMEONE |H 1405 “Upon whosoever Allah desires good, He gives knowledge of faith.” Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Mu'awiah who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. THE RICH AND THE WISE |H 1406 “There are only two categories of people worthy of envy, they are: a man to whom Allah has given wealth so he spent it on the truth; and a man to whom Allah has given wisdom with which he judges and teaches.” Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to ibn Mas'ud who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. THOSE WHO BENEFIT FROM GUIDANCE AND KNOWLEDGE |H 1407 “Concerning the guidance and knowledge with which I have been endowed, it can be compared to rain which falls upon the land. Part of the land is good and fertile; the dry grass turns green and an abundance of fresh new grass is produced. Another part is dry but stores water and with it Allah benefits people, they drink from it and use it for cultivation. Another part is a barren plain that neither retains water, nor yet produces fresh grass. Such are the cases of those who understand the religion sent down by Allah and benefit from that with which Allah has sent to me, studying and teaching it. There are those who do not raise their heads to gain religious knowledge nor do they accept the guidance with which I have been sent." Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Abu Musa who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. THE REWARD OF GUIDING A PERSON TO ISLAM |H 1408 “Before the Battle of Khaybar the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, announced: ‘Tomorrow I shall give the standard to a man in whose hands Allah will bestow victory upon us. He loves Allah and His Messenger, praise and peace be upon him, and Allah and His Messenger love him.’ The Companions spent the night guessing and discussing who they thought would receive the standard. Next morning they went to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, each hoping that they would be the recipient. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, asked, ‘Where is Ali, the son of Abu Talib?’ He was told Ali had sore eyes, so he said, ‘Send for him.’ When he came, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, put his saliva in his eyes and prayed for him. Thereupon Ali recovered as if his eyes had never been troubled. Then the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, gave him the standard. Ali asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, shall I fight them till they become like us?’ He replied, ‘Continue until you reach them. Then invite them to Islam and explain to them their obligations to Allah. If just one person is guided by Allah through you that will be better for you than a herd of (valuable) red camels.’" Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Sahl son of Sa'ad who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. RECOMPENSE FOR THOSE WHO GUIDE TO ALLAH |H 1411 “Whosoever calls another to guidance will have a recompense equal to the recompense of whosoever follows him, and this will not diminish the recompense of either of them.” Muslim with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. SEEKING KNOWLEDGE EASES THE WAY TO PARADISE |H 1410 “For whosoever follows a path for seeking knowledge, Allah will ease the way to Paradise.” Muslim with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. REWARD OF SINCERE WITNESSING |H 416 “Mu'az was riding pillion behind the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, when the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, called to him and he replied: ‘Obedient with happiness and much help O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him,’ He repeated this three times. Then the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said: ‘For those worshipers of Allah who sincerely bear witness that there is no god except Allah, and that Muhammad is His worshiper and Messenger, Allah has forbidden the Fire for them!’ Mu'az asked: "O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, shall I tell everyone so that they may rejoice?’ He replied: ‘No, perhaps they would depend upon this entirely.’ When death approached Mu'az, he disclosed what the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, had told him, fearing that he would be guilty of withholding some of the knowledge he had been given.” Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Anas who related this hadith THREE THINGS THAT REMAIN AFTER DEATH |H 1412 “When a person dies his actions come to an end except in three matters that he leaves behind: Continuous charity. Knowledge from which benefit can be derived. A virtuous son who prays for him.” Muslim with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. ATTRIBUTING A FALSE STATEMENT TO THE PROPHET, praise and peace be upon him |H 1409 “Convey something from me to the people even if it is only a verse; and you may narrate the events from the Children of Israel without harm. But whosoever deliberately attributes something to me, something which is untrue, will find his seat in Hell.” Bukhari with a chain up to Abdullah the son of Amr son of Al 'As who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. IMPORTANCE OF KNOWLEDGE SEARCH FOR KNOWLEDGE |H 1414 “Whosoever goes forth in search of knowledge is busy in the Way of Allah until he returns from his quest.” Tirmidhi with a chain up to Anas who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. KNOWLEDGE IS NEVER ENDING |H 1415 “A believer never has his fill of knowledge till he reaches Paradise.” Tirmidhi with a chain up to Abu Sa'id Khudri who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. QUESTIONS ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT |H 408 “The worshiper of Allah will remain standing on the Day of Judgement until he is questioned about his age and how he spent it; about his knowledge and what he did with it, about his wealth and the way in which he acquired it and how it was spent; and about his body and how he used it.” Tirmidhi with a chain up to Abu Barzah who related that the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said this. SUPPLICATIONS FOR THE KNOWLEDGEABLE |H 1416 “In a similar way, as I am above the least of you so is a learned person more superior than a worshiper. Then he said, ‘Allah, His angels and all those in the heavens and the earth, even the ants in their ant hills and the fish in the water supplicate for those who instruct people with beneficial knowledge.’" Tirmidhi with a chain up to Abu Umamah who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. THE KNOWLEDGEABLE ARE THE INHERITORS OF THE PROPHETS |H 1417 “For whosoever traverses a path seeking knowledge, Allah eases a path to Paradise for him. The angels spread their wings for a seeker of knowledge, being pleased with what he is doing, and all that is in the heavens and the earth, even the fish in the water, ask for forgiveness for the knowledgeable person. A learned person is as superior to a worshiper as the moon is superior to all the planets. The knowledgeable are the inheritors of the prophets and indeed the prophets do not leave an inheritance of dirhams and dinars, but only knowledge. Whosoever takes it, takes a vast share." Abu Daud and Tirmidhi with a chain up to Abu Darda' who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. THE HUMILITY OF A KNOWLEDGEABLE YOUTH |H 359 “I (Abu Sa'id Samurah son of Jundab) was just a boy during the time of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, and committed to memory what he said, but I do not relate that which I committed to memory because there are men amongst us who are older than myself.” Muslim with a chain up to Abu Sa'id Samurah son of Jundab who related this. WHO SHOULD LEAD THE PRAYER |H 349 “When people are gathered for prayer, whosoever is the most well versed in the recitation of the Koran among them should lead the prayer. However, if they are all equal in that respect, then the one who is the most well versed in the sunnah (Prophetic quotations and ways) among them. If they are all equal in that respect, then it should be the one who migrated earliest; however, if they are all equal in every respect, then the leader should be the eldest among them. No one should lead the prayer without asking the permission of the other, nor should they occupy another's seat in his house without his permission.” We are informed: “The first one among them to accept Islam. (This is instead of the eldest among them.)” "The leader of the prayer should be the one who is the most well versed in the Book of Allah among the congregation. However, if they are all equal in that respect, it should be the most senior migrant among them. Then, if they are all equal on that count it should be the eldest among them." Muslim with a chain up to Uqbah son of Amr who related that the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said this. TRANSMITTING THE PROPHETIC QUOTATIONS |H 1418 from us and conveys it as he heard it. Perhaps the informed will comprehend more than the hearer." Tirmidhi with a chain up to ibn Mas'ud who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. PUNISHMENT FOR CONCEALING KNOWLEDGE |H 1419 “Whosoever is asked about knowledge and conceals it will be bridled with a bridle of Fire on the Day of Judgement.” Abu Daud and Tirmidhi with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED FOR WORLDLY GAIN FAME AND FORTUNE |H 1420 “Whosoever acquires knowledge through which the Pleasure of Allah, the Mighty, the Glorified, is sought in order to attain thereby some worldly desire will not receive even the fragrance of Paradise on the Day of Judgement.” Abu Daud with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. KNOWLEDGE JUST BEFORE THE END OF THE WORLD LEADERSHIP WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE |H 1421 “Allah will not withdraw knowledge by snatching it from people, but it will taken away through the death of knowledgeable people. So that when there are no knowledgeable people left, people will elect the ignorant to be their leaders, asking them for guidance and they will issue their edicts without knowledge. They themselves will be astray and lead others astray." Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Abdullah son of Amr, the son of Al 'As who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this. INDEX KNOWLEDGE BOOK 59 KORAN REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH & VALUE OF KNOWLEDGE REMEMBRANCE AND KNOWLEDGE THE BLESSING AND REWARD OF ALLAH WHEN ALLAH DESIRES GOOD FOR SOMEONE THE RICH AND THE WISE THOSE WHO BENEFIT FROM GUIDANCE AND KNOWLEDGE THE REWARD OF GUIDING A PERSON TO ISLAM RECOMPENSE FOR THOSE WHO GUIDE TO ALLAH SEEKING KNOWLEDGE EASES THE WAY TO PARADISE REWARD OF SINCERE WITNESSING THREE THINGS THAT REMAIN AFTER DEATH ATTRIBUTING A FALSE STATEMENT TO THE PROPHET, praise and peace be upon him IMPORTANCE OF KNOWLEDGE SEARCH FOR KNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE IS NEVER ENDING QUESTIONS ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT SUPPLICATIONS FOR THE KNOWLEDGEABLE THE KNOWLEDGEABLE ARE THE INHERITORS OF THE PROPHETS THE HUMILITY OF A KNOWLEDGEABLE YOUTH WHO SHOULD LEAD THE PRAYER TRANSMITTING THE PROPHETIC QUOTATIONS PUNISHMENT FOR CONCEALING KNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED FOR WORLDLY GAIN FAME AND FORTUNE KNOWLEDGE JUST BEFORE THE END OF THE WORLD LEADERSHIP WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE