Knowledge
كتاب العلم
Chapter 1: The superiority of knowledge
Chapter 6: What is said about knowledge
While we were sitting with the Prophet (ﷺ) in the mosque, a man came riding on a camel. He made his camel kneel down in the mosque, tied its foreleg and then said: "Who amongst you is Muhammad?" At that time the Prophet (ﷺ) was sitting amongst us (his companions) leaning on his arm. We replied, "This white man reclining on his arm." The man then addressed him, "O Son of `Abdul Muttalib." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I am here to answer your questions." The man said to the Prophet, "I want to ask you something and will be hard in questioning. So do not get angry." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Ask whatever you want." The man said, "I ask you by your Lord, and the Lord of those who were before you, has Allah sent you as an Apostle to all the mankind?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "By Allah, yes." The man further said, "I ask you by Allah. Has Allah ordered you to offer five prayers in a day and night (24 hours).? He replied, "By Allah, Yes." The man further said, "I ask you by Allah! Has Allah ordered you to observe fasts during this month of the year (i.e. Ramadan)?" He replied, "By Allah, Yes." The man further said, "I ask you by Allah. Has Allah ordered you to take Zakat (obligatory charity) from our rich people and distribute it amongst our poor people?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "By Allah, yes." Thereupon that man said, "I have believed in all that with which you have been sent, and I have been sent by my people as a messenger, and I am Dimam bin Tha`laba from the brothers of Bani Sa`d bin Bakr."
Chapter 7: What is said regarding the hand to hand exchange (of books of knowledge), and the writing of knowledge by religious scholars to different countries
Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) gave a letter to a person and ordered him to go and deliver it to the Governor of Bahrain. (He did so) and the Governor of Bahrain sent it to Chousroes, who read that letter and then tore it to pieces. (The sub-narrator (Ibn Shihab) thinks that Ibn Al-Musaiyab said that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) invoked Allah against them (saying), "May Allah tear them into pieces, and disperse them all totally.)"
Once the Prophet (ﷺ) wrote a letter or had an idea of writing a letter. The Prophet (ﷺ) was told that they (rulers) would not read letters unless they were sealed. So the Prophet (ﷺ) got a silver ring made with "Muhammad Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)" engraved on it. As if I were just observing its white glitter in the hand of the Prophet.
Chapter 8: Whoever sat at the farther end of a gathering. And whoever found a place amongst a gathering and took his seat there
While Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was sitting in the mosque with some people, three men came. Two of them came in front of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and the third one went away. The two persons kept on standing before Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) for a while and then one of them found a place in the circle and sat there while the other sat behind the gathering, and the third one went away. When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) finished his preaching, he said, "Shall I tell you about these three persons? One of them betook himself to Allah, so Allah took him into His grace and mercy and accommodated him, the second felt shy from Allah, so Allah sheltered Him in His mercy (and did not punish him), while the third turned his face from Allah and went away, so Allah turned His face from him likewise. "
Chapter 11: The Prophet (saws) used to take care of the people in preaching by selecting a suitable time so that they might not run away (never made them averse or bored them with religious talk and knowledge all the time)
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Facilitate things to people (concerning religious matters), and do not make it hard for them and give them good tidings and do not make them run away (from Islam).
Chapter 14: (The superiority of) comprehending knowledge
We were with the Prophet (ﷺ) and fresh dates of a palm tree were brought to him. On that he said, "Amongst the trees, there is a tree which resembles a Muslim." I wanted to say that it was the datepalm tree but as I was the youngest of all (of them) I kept quiet. And then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "It is the date-palm tree."
Chapter 17: The statement of the Prophet (saws): "O Allah! Bestow on him (Ibn Abbas) the knowledge of the Book (the Qur'an)
Once the Prophet (ﷺ) embraced me and said, "O Allah! Bestow on him the knowledge of the Book (Qur'an).
Chapter 20: The superiority of a person who learns (Islam, becomes a religious scholar) and then teaches it to others
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the rain water and Allah benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, making their animals drink from it and for irrigation of the land for cultivation. (And) a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation (then that land gave no benefits). The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah's religion and gets benefit (from the knowledge) which Allah has revealed through me (the Prophets and learns and then teaches others. The last example is that of a person who does not care for it and does not take Allah's guidance revealed through me (He is like that barren land.)"
Chapter 23: To give a religious verdict while riding an animal or standing on anything else
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) stopped (for a while near the Jimar) at Mina during his last Hajj for the people and they were asking him questions. A man came and said, "I forgot and got my head shaved before slaughtering the Hadi (sacrificing animal)." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "There is no harm, go and do the slaughtering now." Then another person came and said, "I forgot and slaughtered (the camel) before Rami (throwing of the pebbles) at the Jamra." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do the Rami now and there is no harm." The narrator added: So on that day, when the Prophet (ﷺ) was asked about anything (as regards the ceremonies of Hajj) performed before or after its due time, his reply was: "Do it (now) and there is no harm."
Chapter 27: To fix the duties in rotation for learning (religious) knowledge
My Ansari neighbor from Bani Umaiya bin Zaid who used to live at `Awali Al-Medina and used to visit the Prophet (ﷺ) by turns. He used to go one day and I another day. When I went I used to bring the news of that day regarding the Divine Inspiration and other things, and when he went, he used to do the same for me. Once my Ansari friend, in his turn (on returning from the Prophet), knocked violently at my door and asked if I was there." I became horrified and came out to him. He said, "Today a great thing has happened." I then went to Hafsa and saw her weeping. I asked her, "Did Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) divorce you all?" She replied, "I do not know." Then, I entered upon the Prophet (ﷺ) and said while standing, "Have you divorced your wives?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied in the negative. On that I said, "Allahu-Akbar (Allah is Greater)." (See Hadith No. 119, Vol. 3 for details)
Chapter 30: Repeating ones talk thrice in order to make others understand
Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) asked permission to enter, he knocked the door thrice with greeting and whenever he spoke a sentence (said a thing) he used to repeat it thrice. (See Hadith No. 261, Vol. 8).
Chapter 32: The preaching (and teaching) of the (religious) knowledge to women by the Imam (Chief)
Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came out while Bilal was accompanying him. He went towards the women thinking that they had not heard him (i.e. his sermon). So he preached them and ordered them to pay alms. (Hearing that) the women started giving alms; some donated their ear-rings, some gave their rings and Bilal was collecting them in the corner of his garment.
Chapter 35: Should a day be fixed for women in order to teach them religion (apart from men)?
Some women requested the Prophet (ﷺ) to fix a day for them as the men were taking all his time. On that he promised them one day for religious lessons and commandments. Once during such a lesson the Prophet said, "A woman whose three children die will be shielded by them from the Hell fire." On that a woman asked, "If only two die?" He replied, "Even two (will shield her from the Hell-fire).
Chapter 38: The sin of a person who tells a lie against the Prophet (saws)
I said to my father, 'I do not hear from you any narration (Hadith) of Allah s Apostle as I hear (his narration) from so and so?" Az-Zubair replied. l was always with him (the Prophet) and I heard him saying "Whoever tells a lie against me (intentionally) then (surely) let him occupy, his seat in Hellfire.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Name yourselves with my name (use my name) but do not name yourselves with my Kunya name (i.e. Abul Qasim). And whoever sees me in a dream then surely he has seen me for Satan cannot impersonate me. And whoever tells a lie against me (intentionally), then (surely) let him occupy his seat in Hell-fire."
Chapter 40: The knowledge and its teaching and preaching at night
One night Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got up and said, "Subhan Allah! How many afflictions have been descended tonight and how many treasures have been disclosed! Go and wake the sleeping lady occupants of these dwellings (his wives) up (for prayers). A well-dressed (soul) in this world may be naked in the Hereafter. "
Chapter 42: (What is said regarding) the memorization of (religious) knowledge
People say that I have narrated many Hadiths (The Prophet's narration). Had it not been for two verses in the Qur'an, I would not have narrated a single Hadith, and the verses are: "Verily those who conceal the clear sign and the guidance which We have sent down . . . (up to) Most Merciful." (2:159-160). And no doubt our Muhajir (emigrant) brothers used to be busy in the market with their business (bargains) and our Ansari brothers used to be busy with their property (agriculture). But I (Abu Huraira) used to stick to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) contented with what will fill my stomach and I used to attend that which they used not to attend and I used to memorize that which they used not to memorize.
I have memorized two kinds of knowledge from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) . I have propagated one of them to you and if I propagated the second, then my pharynx (throat) would be cut (i.e. killed).