37/15. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 4172 — Do Not Report Only the Bad
Wisdom
Hadith About Wisdom and Fair Speech
Sunan Ibn Majah : 4172
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 4172
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَوْسِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَجْلِسُ يَسْمَعُ الْحِكْمَةَ ثُمَّ لاَ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ صَاحِبِهِ إِلاَّ بِشَرِّ مَا يَسْمَعُ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ أَتَى رَاعِيًا فَقَالَ يَا رَاعِي أَجْزِرْنِي شَاةً مِنْ غَنَمِكَ . قَالَ اذْهَبْ فَخُذْ بِأُذُنِ خَيْرِهَا . فَذَهَبَ فَأَخَذَ بِأُذُنِ كَلْبِ الْغَنَمِ " . قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ حَدَّثَنَاهُ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَهُ وَقَالَ فِيهِ " بِأُذُنِ خَيْرِهَا شَاةً " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The likeness of the one who sits and listen to wisdom then only speaks of the bad things that he had heard, is that of a man who comes to a shepherd and says: “O shepherd, give me one of your sheep to slaughter,” and (the shepherd) says: “Go and grab the ear of the best of them.” Then he goes and grabs the ear of the sheepdog.’” Another chain reports a similar hadith.
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4172In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 73English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4172
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 4172
This hadith about wisdom and fair speech warns against a bad habit. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم described a person who sits and listens to wisdom, but when he speaks about the one he heard from, he mentions only the bad things. The example is striking: a man asks a shepherd for a sheep to slaughter. The shepherd tells him to take the best one, but he grabs the sheepdog instead. The point is clear from the image. Some people hear good and bad, but choose to carry only what is worst. For anyone searching for a hadith about speaking fairly, this narration teaches us not to ignore wisdom while spreading only faults.
What we learn from this hadith
- A person should not listen to wisdom and then report only bad things.
- Fairness in speech means recognizing the good that was heard.
- Choosing the worst while leaving the best is blameworthy in this example.
- The hadith warns against spreading faults while ignoring benefit.
