Question

Can you provide the correct wording and reference for the following narration?

العلم ثلاثة وما سوى ذلك فهو فضل: آية محكمة، أو سنة قائمة، أو فريضة عادلة

 

Answer

Imams Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah (rahimahumallah) have recorded this Hadith on the authority of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibnul ‘As (radiyallahu ‘anhuma).

Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibnul ‘As (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) reported that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “[True beneficial] Knowledge is of three types, anything else is superfluous; A clear Verse [from Quran], an established Sunnah [i.e. Hadith] or the rulings by which the inheritance is fairly divided [deduced from Quran and Sunnah].”

(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 2877, Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 54 with slight variation in the wording)

 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

 

Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala

 

Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar