0/8. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 52 — Knowledge Taken by Scholars’ Death
Avoiding individual opinion and analogy (with regard to matters of religion)
Hadith About Knowledge Being Taken Away
Sunan Ibn Majah : 52
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 52
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، وَعَبْدَةُ، وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، وَمَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ، وَحَفْصُ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ، وَشُعَيْبُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ فَإِذَا لَمْ يُبْقِ عَالِمًا اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالاً فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا " .
Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'as Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Allah will not take away knowledge by removing it from people (from their hearts). Rather He will take away knowledge by taking away the scholars, then when there are no scholars left, the people will take the ignorant as their leaders. They will be asked questions and they will issue verdicts without knowledge, thus they will go astray and lead others astray.'"
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 52In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 0English translation : Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 52
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 52
This Hadith about knowledge being taken away explains how religious knowledge can disappear from people. The Prophet said Allah will not remove knowledge by simply pulling it from people’s hearts. Rather, knowledge will be taken away by the taking away of scholars. Then, when no scholar remains, people will take ignorant leaders. These leaders will be asked questions and will issue verdicts without knowledge. As a result, they will go astray and lead others astray. The Hadith teaches respect for real knowledge and warns against religious answers without a sound basis. It also reminds people not to treat ignorance as leadership.
What we learn from this hadith
- Knowledge is taken away through the death of scholars.
- Ignorant leadership in religion can mislead people.
- Giving verdicts without knowledge is dangerous.
- People should seek guidance from those who truly know.
