Sunan Ibn Majah
Sunan Ibn Majah 254
Gaining benefit from knowledge and acting in accordance with it
Arabic hadith text
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، أَنْبَأَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " لاَ تَعَلَّمُوا الْعِلْمَ لِتُبَاهُوا بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ وَلاَ لِتُمَارُوا بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ وَلاَ تَخَيَّرُوا بِهِ الْمَجَالِسَ فَمَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ فَالنَّارُ النَّارُ "
Translation
It was narrated from Jabir bin 'Abdullah that
The Prophet said: "Do not seek knowledge in order to show off in front of the scholars, or to argue with the foolish, and do not choose the best seat in a gathering, due to it (i.e. the knowledge which you have learned) for whoever does that, the Fire, the Fire (awaits him)."