Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad:12600Haytham b. Khārijah > Rishdīn b. Saʿd > ʿAbdullāh b. al-Walīd > Abū Ḥafṣ > Anas b. Mālik

[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ said, "The example of scholars on earth is like the example of stars in the sky. They are followed in the darkness of the land and sea. When the stars disappear, the guides are about to go astray."  

أحمد:١٢٦٠٠حَدَّثَنَا هَيْثَمُ بْنُ خَارِجَةَ حَدَّثَنَا رِشْدِينُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ عَنْ أَبِي حَفْصٍ حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ يَقُولُ

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِنَّ مَثَلَ الْعُلَمَاءِ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَثَلِ النُّجُومِ فِي السَّمَاءِ يُهْتَدَى بِهَا فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ فَإِذَا انْطَمَسَتِ النُّجُومُ أَوْشَكَ أَنْ تَضِلَّ الْهُدَاةُ  


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Collected by Suyūṭī
suyuti:7086a
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السيوطي:٧٠٨٦a

"إِنَّ مَثَلَ الْعُلَمَاءِ فِى الأَرْضِ كَمَثَل النجوم فِى السَّمَاءِ يُهْتَدَى بها في ظُلُمَاتِ البرِّ والبحر فإِذا انْطَمَسَتْ النُّجُومُ أَوْشَكَ أَنْ تَضِلَّ الْهُدَاةُ".  

[حم] أحمد والرامهرمزى في الأَمْثَال عن أَنس