Is Abu Huraira’s Hadith About Hidden Knowledge Authentic?


Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

 

Question 

“I received two vessels of knowledge from the Rasul of Allah (saw), I gave one of them away, as for the other one, if I were to dare to open its lid, you would behead me!”

Is the aforementioned narration from Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) authentic?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

Yes, the following narration of Abu Huraira is authentic

Imam al-Bukhari (Allah have mercy on him) narrates on the authority Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) that he said, “I have memorized from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) two containers (of knowledge): as for one of them, I have spread it amongst you; and as for the other, had I spread it amongst you, this throat (of mine) would have been cut.” [Bukhari]

Understanding This Narration

The scholars have discussed the commentary of this narration to great detail. The first of the two vessels (of knowledge) is understood to mean the knowledge of the rulings of the Sacred Law. The second, however, was understood in various ways, as follows:

1) Knowledge of coming tribulations

2) Knowledge of evil rulers and their descriptions

3) Spiritual realities that the commoner would not understand

[Mubarakpuri, Mir’at al-Mafatih]

Hope this helps

Allah knows best

[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

 

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he completed four years at the Darul Uloom seminary in New York, where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences. He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he stayed for three years studying in Dar Al-Mustafa under some of the greatest scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib. In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Qur’an and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Qur’anic exegesis, Islamic history, and several texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.