Chapter 25.0

“Do not ask the people of the Scripture about anything.”

باب قَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ لاَ تَسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ عَنْ شَىْءٍ ‏"‏

3 hadiths

Chain of narration · Isnād

Each narrator name opens their biography and classical source evidence.

5 transmitters

Narrated by 'Abdullah bin al-Zubair bin 'IsafromSufyan bin 'UyaynahfromMas'ar bin KadamfromQays bin Muslim al-JadlifromTariq bin Shahab

Hadith text · Matn

وَقَالَ أَبُو الْيَمَانِ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، أَخْبَرَنِي حُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، سَمِعَ مُعَاوِيَةَ، يُحَدِّثُ رَهْطًا مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، وَذَكَرَ كَعْبَ الأَحْبَارِ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَصْدَقِ هَؤُلاَءِ الْمُحَدِّثِينَ الَّذِينَ يُحَدِّثُونَ عَنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ، وَإِنْ كُنَّا مَعَ ذَلِكَ لَنَبْلُو عَلَيْهِ الْكَذِبَ‏.‏

English translation

Narrated Humaid bin 'Abdur-Rahman that he heard Mu'awiya talking to a group of people from Quraish at Al-Madina, and on mentioning Ka'b Al-Ashbar, he said, "He was one of the most truthful of those who used to talk about the people of the Scripture, yet we used to detect certain faults in his information."

Sahih al-Bukhari, 7362sahih

Chain of narration · Isnād

Each narrator name opens their biography and classical source evidence.

5 transmitters

Narrated by Yahya bin Yahya bin Bukayrfromal-Laith bin Sa'dfrom'Aqil bin Khalid bin 'Aqilfromal-ZuhrifromAnas bin Malik

Hadith text · Matn

‏ لاَ تُصَدِّقُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ، وَلاَ تُكَذِّبُوهُمْ وَقُولُوا ‏{‏آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ‏}‏ ‏

‏‏.‏ الآيَةَ‏.‏

English translation

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The people of the Book used to read the Torah in Hebrew and then explain it in Arabic to the Muslims. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said (to the Muslims). "Do not believe the people of the Book, nor disbelieve them, but say, 'We believe in Allah and whatever is revealed to us, and whatever is revealed to you.' "

Original Arabic chain wording

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ كَانَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ يَقْرَءُونَ التَّوْرَاةَ بِالْعِبْرَانِيَّةِ وَيُفَسِّرُونَهَا بِالْعَرَبِيَّةِ لأَهْلِ الإِسْلاَمِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

Sahih al-Bukhari, 7363sahih

Hadith text · Matn

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كَيْفَ تَسْأَلُونَ أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ عَنْ شَىْءٍ، وَكِتَابُكُمُ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَحْدَثُ، تَقْرَءُونَهُ مَحْضًا لَمْ يُشَبْ وَقَدْ حَدَّثَكُمْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ بَدَّلُوا كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَغَيَّرُوهُ وَكَتَبُوا بِأَيْدِيهِمُ الْكِتَابَ وَقَالُوا هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ‏.‏ لِيَشْتَرُوا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً، أَلاَ يَنْهَاكُمْ مَا جَاءَكُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ عَنْ مَسْأَلَتِهِمْ، لاَ وَاللَّهِ مَا رَأَيْنَا مِنْهُمْ رَجُلاً يَسْأَلُكُمْ عَنِ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ‏.‏

English translation

Narrated Ubaidullah:

Ibn `Abbas said, "Why do you ask the people of the scripture about anything while your Book (Qur'an) which has been revealed to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) is newer and the latest? You read it pure, undistorted and unchanged, and Allah has told you that the people of the scripture (Jews and Christians) changed their scripture and distorted it, and wrote the scripture with their own hands and said, 'It is from Allah,' to sell it for a little gain. Does not the knowledge which has come to you prevent you from asking them about anything? No, by Allah, we have never seen any man from them asking you regarding what has been revealed to you!"