Seek knowledge even if it was in China

1-8-2006 | IslamWeb

Question:

seek knowledge even if you to venture to china is this hadith authentic?

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

The Prophetic narration which reads: "Seek knowledge even if it was in China.", is a weak narration and it is not authentic from the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). This narration is reported by Al-Bayhaqi, Ibn 'Ady', and Ibn 'Abdul-Birr  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them. Nonetheless, Al-Bayhaqi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said: 'The context of the narration is well-known but its chain of narrators is weak.'

Furthermore, Al-Munaawi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said: 'Ibn Hibbaan said that this narration is false and has no source.' Moreover, Ibn Al-Jawzi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him ruled that this is a fabricated narration. Besides, Ath-Thahabi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said: 'The chain of narrators of this narration is not authentic.'  Finally, Al-Albaani  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said: 'This is a fabricated narration.'

To conclude, the ruling of the scholars of Prophetic narrations  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them is almost the same that this narration is not authentic and should not be attributed to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention )

Allaah Knows best.

www.islamweb.net