Jami' at-Tirmidhi
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2654
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَشْعَثِ، أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْمِقْدَامِ الْعِجْلِيُّ الْبَصْرِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا أُمَيَّةُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ طَلْحَةَ، حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " مَنْ طَلَبَ الْعِلْمَ لِيُجَارِيَ بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ أَوْ لِيُمَارِيَ بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ أَوْ يَصْرِفَ بِهِ وُجُوهَ النَّاسِ إِلَيْهِ أَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ النَّارَ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ . وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ طَلْحَةَ لَيْسَ بِذَاكَ الْقَوِيِّ عِنْدَهُمْ تُكُلِّمَ فِيهِ مِنْ قِبَلِ حِفْظِهِ .
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ibn Ka‘b ibn Malik reported from his father, who said he heard the Messenger of Allah say: ‘Whoever seeks knowledge in order to rival the scholars, argue with the foolish, or turn people’s attention toward himself, Allah will admit him to the Fire.’ Abu ‘Isa said: ‘This hadith is gharīb; we know it only through this route. Ishaq ibn Yahya ibn Talhah is not particularly strong according to the scholars, who criticized his retention.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source lists three motives: competing with scholars, disputing with fools, and attracting people’s attention. It explicitly notes the chain’s single route and a narrator weakness in memory.