43/46. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2380b — Correcting a Claim About Musa
The Virtues Of Al-Khadir, Peace Be Upon Him
Musa and Khadir Hadith: Correcting Reports with Care
Sahih Muslim : 2380b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2380b
حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى الْقَيْسِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُعْتَمِرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ التَّيْمِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ رَقَبَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، قَالَ قِيلَ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِنَّ نَوْفًا يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ مُوسَى الَّذِي ذَهَبَ يَلْتَمِسُ الْعِلْمَ لَيْسَ بِمُوسَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ . قَالَ أَسَمِعْتَهُ يَا سَعِيدُ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ . قَالَ كَذَبَ نَوْفٌ .
Sa, id b. jubair Narrated from:
It was said to Ibn 'Abbas that Nauf al-Bikali was of the opinion that Moses who went in search of knowledge was not the Moses of Bani Isra'il. He said: Sa'id, did you hear it from him? I said: Yes. Thereupon he said that Nauf had not stated the fact.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2380bIn-book reference : Book 43, Hadith 222USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 30, Hadith 5865
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2380b
This short narration focuses on a correction made by Ibn Abbas. Sa'id b. Jubair reported that Nauf al-Bikali claimed the Musa who went in search of knowledge was not the Musa of Bani Isra'il. Ibn Abbas asked Sa'id whether he had heard that directly from Nauf. When Sa'id said yes, Ibn Abbas rejected the claim and said Nauf had not stated the fact. The core topic here is careful transmission. The hadith does not retell the full story of Musa and Khadir, but it protects an important point inside that story: the seeker of knowledge was Musa of Bani Isra'il. It also shows that reports should be checked before being accepted.
What we learn from this hadith
- Claims about prophetic reports should be checked carefully.
- Ibn Abbas corrected what he saw as an incorrect statement about Musa.
- The narration confirms that the Musa seeking knowledge was Musa of Bani Isra'il.
- Short reports can preserve important details about longer narrations.
