0/4. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 22 — Checking Reports Before Sharing
The Weak Narrators, Liars, and Those Whose Hadith are Avoided
Hadith Verification: Why Knowledge Must Be Checked Before It Is Shared
Sahih Muslim : 22
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 22
حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الضَّبِّيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا نَافِعُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَسْأَلُهُ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ، لِي كِتَابًا وَيُخْفِي عَنِّي . فَقَالَ وَلَدٌ نَاصِحٌ أَنَا أَخْتَارُ لَهُ الأُمُورَ اخْتِيَارًا وَأُخْفِي عَنْهُ . قَالَ فَدَعَا بِقَضَاءِ عَلِيٍّ فَجَعَلَ يَكْتُبُ مِنْهُ أَشْيَاءَ وَيَمُرُّ بِهِ الشَّىْءُ فَيَقُولُ وَاللَّهِ مَا قَضَى بِهَذَا عَلِيٌّ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ ضَلَّ .
Ibn Abu Mulaika Narrated from:
I wrote to Ibn Abbās asking him to write something [pertaining to knowledge] for me and he withheld from me quite a bit, and said: ‘As [if he were] a sincere child, I will write for him something especially suited to his status withholding from him what would not benefit him’. [Ibn Abī Mulaykah] said: ‘So [Ibn Abbās] called for the judgment of Alī [bin Abī Tālib which was a book with which Alī would pass verdicts in Kuffah], and he began to write from it [with respect to the request of Ibn Abī Mulaykah] and he came upon something [not appropriate to the station of Alī regarding the science of verdicts]. So [Ibn Abbās] said: ‘By Allah, Alī did not give judgment according to this unless he was astray’.’
Reference : Sahih Muslim Introduction 22In-book reference : Introduction, Narration 21
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 22
This narration teaches careful handling of religious knowledge. Ibn Abi Mulaykah asked Ibn Abbas to write something for him, and Ibn Abbas chose what suited him while holding back what would not benefit him. This makes the hadith about knowledge and verification very practical. Not every piece of information is useful for every person at every time. The narration also shows Ibn Abbas reviewing what was attributed to the judgment of Ali and reacting strongly when he found something he did not accept as fitting. The main lesson is not to pass on written material blindly. In hadith authentication, a report needs checking before it is taught, shared, or used. A learner should seek beneficial knowledge, and a teacher should care about what will truly help the learner.
What we learn from this hadith
- A teacher may choose knowledge that best fits the learner’s need.
- Not every written report should be accepted without review.
- Knowledge should be shared with care, not in a careless way.
- Attributions to respected people need checking before they are repeated.
