#690: On the Hadith: Knowledge is the Lost Item of a Believer

QUESTION:

“Assalaamu’alaykum. Please does anyone one know the evidence for the hadith, “knowledge is the lost property of a Muslim. ….”?”

ANSWER:

Wa Alaykum Salām Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh.

Alhamdulillāh.

The Noble Imām Abū Khaythamah – Rahimahullāh – recorded in his Book Kitābu Al-‘Ilm from the trustworthy Tābi’ī Abū Hāshim ‘Abdullah bn ‘Ubayd Al-Makkī – rahimahullāh – that he said:

الْعِلْمُ ضَالَّةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ

“Knowledge is the Lost Item of the Believer”

This Athar has been confirmed authentic to this Tābi’ī – rahimahullāh.

However it is not Authentically attributed to the Rasūl – salallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam – that he said so and all the Ahādith that attribute the wording to him have been graded weak by the Ulamā of Hadīth.

Example of this is the other wording of the Hadith recorded by Ibn Mājah and At-Tirmidhī from Abū Hurayrah that the Rasūl – salallāhu Alayhi Wasallam – said:

الكلمة الحكمة ضالة المؤمن فحيث وجدها فهو أحق بها

“A word of Wisdom is a lost item of the Believer, wherever he finds it, he is most deserving of it.”

At-Tirmidhī graded it Da’īf (Weak) in his Sunan and Al-Albānī rahimahullāh in his Ad-Da’īfah

Though it’s attribution to the Rasūl – salallāhu Alayhi Wasallam – is false, it’s meaning and implication is sound and true as has been mentioned by the Ulamā. Imam Ibn ‘AbdilBarr has mentioned this in his book Jāmi’u Bayāni Al-Ilmi Wa Fadlihi

And Allāh knows best.

Bārakallāhu Fīkum
Jazākumullāhu Khayran

9th Rabi’u Ath-thani, 1440H.

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