49/47. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3837 — Abu Hurairah and Hadith Knowledge
The Virtues Of Abu Hurairah, May Allah Be Pleased With Him
Hadith About Abu Hurairah Hearing More Hadith
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 3837
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 3837
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي شُعَيْبٍ الْحَرَّانِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ الْحَرَّانِيُّ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَبِي عَامِرٍ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى طَلْحَةَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَرَأَيْتَ هَذَا الْيَمَانِيَ يَعْنِي أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِحَدِيثِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْكُمْ نَسْمَعُ مِنْهُ مَا لاَ نَسْمَعُ مِنْكُمْ أَوْ يَقُولُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا لَمْ يَقُلْ . قَالَ أَمَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ سَمِعَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا لَمْ نَسْمَعْ فَلاَ أَشُكُّ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا لَمْ نَسْمَعْ وَذَاكَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ مِسْكِينًا لاَ شَىْءَ لَهُ ضَيْفًا لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدُهُ مَعَ يَدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكُنَّا نَحْنُ أَهْلَ بُيُوتَاتٍ وَغِنًى وَكُنَّا نَأْتِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم طَرَفَىِ النَّهَارِ فَلاَ نَشُكُّ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا لَمْ نَسْمَعْ وَلاَ نَجِدُ أَحَدًا فِيهِ خَيْرٌ يَقُولُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا لَمْ يَقُلْ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ . وَقَدْ رَوَاهُ يُونُسُ بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ .
Malik bin Abi 'Amir Narrated from:
A Man Came To Talhah Bin 'Ubaidullah And Said: 'O Abu Muhammad, Do You See This Yemeni - Meaning: Abu Hurairah - Is He More Knowledgeable Of The Ahadith Of The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Than You? We Hear From Him What We Do Not Hear From You, Or Does He Attribute To The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) What He Did Not Say?'He Said: 'As For His Having Heard From The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) What We Did Not Hear From Him, Then That Is Because He Was Poor, Having Nothing, A Guest Of The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ), His Hand Was In The Hand Of The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ). And We Used To Be People Of Houses And Wealth, And We Used To Come To The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) At The Two Ends Of The Day. I Do Not Doubt That He Heard From The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) What We Did Not Hear, And You Will Not Find Anyone In Whom There Is Good Attributing To The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) What He Did Not Say.'
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3837In-book reference : Book 49, Hadith 237English translation : Vol. 1, Book 46, Hadith 3837
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 3837
This hadith about Abu Hurairah hearing more hadith answers a concern raised to Talhah bin Ubaidullah. A man asked whether Abu Hurairah knew more hadith than others or was saying things the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not say. Talhah replied that he did not doubt Abu Hurairah heard things they did not hear. He explained that Abu Hurairah was poor, had little, and was a guest of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, while others had homes and wealth and came at the two ends of the day. Talhah also said that a person with good would not attribute to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم what he did not say. The narration defends Abu Hurairah’s close access and trustworthiness.
What we learn from this hadith
- Abu Hurairah’s many narrations are linked to his close time with the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- Talhah defended Abu Hurairah from the idea of false attribution.
- Different companions had different levels of time and access with the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
