Question

Is the following Hadith authentic and is it found in Sahih Bukhari ?

Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) mentioned:

I am the city of knowledge, Abu Bakr is its foundation, Umar it’s walls, Uthman its roof and ‘Ali its door.

(Bukhari 2nd volume page 224)

Answer

This Hadith is not in Sahih Bukhari. One should exercise caution when attributing a Hadith to Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) as well as to any authentic Hadith collection.

The Hadith in question is recorded in Musnadul Firdaws without a chain of narrators, thus it cannot be verified. After citing a few similar narrations, Hafiz Sakhawi (rahimahullah) states that the words used in most of the above narrations are too feeble to be words which Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would use ( و ألفاظ أكثرها ركيكة).

(Musnadul Firdaws, Hadith: 105, Al Maqasidul Hasanah, Hadith: 189, Kashful Khafa, vol. 1, pg. 184/5. Also see Al La-Alil Masnu’ah, vol. 1, pg. 308 )

The following Hadith may be quoted instead:

“I am the city of knowledge and ‘Ali is it’s gate”

See here for more details on this Hadith.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,

Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar