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Sunan Ibn MajahThe Book of the Sunnah

Sunan Ibn Majah 253

Chapter: Gaining benefit from knowledge and acting in accordance with it

Differing grades 4 scholars’ grades Sunan Ibn Majah 253

Narrator:Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar

حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كَرِبٍ الأَزْدِيُّ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ ‏

"‏ مَنْ طَلَبَ الْعِلْمَ لِيُمَارِيَ بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ أَوْ لِيُبَاهِيَ بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ أَوْ لِيَصْرِفَ وُجُوهَ النَّاسِ إِلَيْهِ فَهُوَ فِي النَّارِ ‏"

It was narrated from Ibn 'Umar that:

The Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever seeks knowledge in order to argue with the foolish, or to show off before the scholars, or to attract people's attention, will be in Hell."

Reported by Ibn Majah (No. 253) and Ad-Darimi (No. 375).

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Classical commentary

Al-Sindi — Hashiyat al-Sindi on Sunan Ibn Majah

قَوْله ( حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كَرِب ) بِفَتْحِ الْكَاف وَكَسْر الرَّاء مَجْهُول كَذَا فِي التَّقْرِيب قَوْله ( لِيُمَارِيَ بِهِ السُّفَهَاء ) أَيْ يُجَادِل بِهِ ضِعَاف الْعُقُول قَوْله ( أَوْ لِيُبَاهِيَ بِهِ ) أَيْ يُفَاخِر ( أَوْ لِيَصْرِفَ وُجُوه النَّاس إِلَيْهِ ) أَيْ يَنْوِي بِهِ تَحْصِيل الْمَال وَالْجَاه وَصَرْف وُجُوه النَّاس الْعَوَامّ إِلَيْهِ وَجَعْلهمْ كَالْخَدَمِ لَهُ أَوْ جَعْلهمْ نَاظِرِينَ إِذَا تَكَلَّمَ مُتَعَجِّبِينَ مِنْ كَلَامه إِذَا تَكَلَّمَ مُجْتَمَعِينَ حَوْله إِذَا جَلَسَ قَوْله ( فَهُوَ فِي النَّار ) مَعْنَاهُ أَنَّهُ يَسْتَحِقّهَا بِلَا دَوَام ثُمَّ فَضْل اللَّه وَاسِع فَإِنْ شَاءَ عَفَا بِلَا دُخُول وَفِي الزَّوَائِد إِسْنَاده ضَعِيف لِضَعْفِ حَمَّاد وَأَبِي كَرِب ل…

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Scholars’ grades

The 4 scholars cited do not give the same grade: each one is shown below.

ScholarGradeApplies toWork
Al-Albanid. 1420 AH Good (hasan)Hasan The hadith No. 253
Shu'ayb al-Arna'utd. 1438 AH Good (hasan)Hasan Lighairihi The hadith No. 253
Zubair Ali Zaid. 1435 AH WeakDaif The hadith No. 253
Muhammad Fu'ad Abd al-Baqid. 1388 AH Good (hasan)Hasan The hadith No. 253

Other versions

On the same subject

Differing grades Sunan Ibn Majah 254

Do not seek knowledge in order to show off in front of the scholars, or to argue with the foolish;

"Do not seek knowledge in order to show off in front of the scholars, or to argue with the foolish; or to get the higher status in gatherings. Whoever does that, the Fire, the Fire."

"‏ لاَ تَعَلَّمُوا الْعِلْمَ لِتُبَاهُوا بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ وَلاَ لِتُمَارُوا بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ وَلاَ تَخَيَّرُوا بِهِ الْمَجَالِسَ فَمَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ فَالنَّارُ النَّارُ ‏"

Narrated by Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh Explained

Differing grades Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2654

from his father that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: "Whoever seeks knowledge to contend with the scholars, or to use it to argue with the fools, and to have people's faces turn towards him, then he shall be admitted to the Fire."

"‏ مَنْ طَلَبَ الْعِلْمَ لِيُجَارِيَ بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ أَوْ لِيُمَارِيَ بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ أَوْ يَصْرِفَ بِهِ وُجُوهَ النَّاسِ إِلَيْهِ أَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ النَّارَ ‏"

Narrated by Ka‘b ibn Mālik + 2 other versions

Differing grades Sunan Ibn Majah 260

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever seeks knowledge in order to argue with the foolish, or to show off before the scholars, or to attract people's attention, Allah will admit him to Hell.'"

"‏ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْعِلْمَ لِيُبَاهِيَ بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ وَيُمَارِيَ بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ وَيَصْرِفَ بِهِ وُجُوهَ النَّاسِ إِلَيْهِ أَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ جَهَنَّمَ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 1 other version

Differing grades Sunan Ibn Majah 259

"I heard the Messenger of Allah say: 'Do not acquire knowledge in order to show off before the scholars, or to argue with the foolish, or to attract people's attention, for whoever does that will be in Hell.'"

"‏ لاَ تَعَلَّمُوا الْعِلْمَ لِتُبَاهُوا بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ أَوْ لِتُمَارُوا بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ أَوْ لِتَصْرِفُوا وُجُوهَ النَّاسِ إِلَيْكُمْ فَمَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ فِي النَّارِ ‏"

Narrated by Hudhayfah

Thursday, October 15, 2026 4 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ