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.

ذِكْرُ تَمْثِيلِ الْمُصْطَفَى ﷺ الْمُوَاظِبَ عَلَى قِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ بِصَاحِبِ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ

ibnhibban:764al-Ḥusayn b. Idrīs > Aḥmad b. Abū Bakr > Mālik > Nāfiʿ > Ibn ʿUmar

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The example of the person who knows the Qur'an by heart is like the owner of tied camels. If he keeps them tied, he will control them, but if he releases them, they will run away." (Using translation from Bukhārī 5031)  

ابن حبّان:٧٦٤أَخْبَرَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ كَصَاحِبِ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنْ عَاهَدَ عَلَيْهَا أَمْسَكَهَا وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ»  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Nasāʾī, Ibn Mājah, Mālik, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Bayhaqī, Suyūṭī
bukhari:5031ʿAbdullāh b. Yūsuf > Mālik > Nāfiʿ > Ibn ʿUmar

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The example of the person who knows the Qur'an by heart is like the owner of tied camels. If he keeps them tied, he will control them, but if he releases them, they will run away."  

البخاري:٥٠٣١حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ؓ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ كَمَثَلِ صَاحِبِ الإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنْ عَاهَدَ عَلَيْهَا أَمْسَكَهَا وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ  

muslim:789aYaḥyá b. Yaḥyá > Mālik > Nāfiʿ > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar

The example of a man who has memorised the Qur'an is like that of a hobbled camel. If he remained vigilant, he would be able to retain it (with him), and if he loosened the hobbled camel it would escape.  

مسلم:٧٨٩aحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ كَمَثَلِ الإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنْ عَاهَدَ عَلَيْهَا أَمْسَكَهَا وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ  

nasai:942Qutaybah > Mālik > Nāfiʿ > Ibn ʿUmar

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The one who learns the Quran is like the owner of a hobbled camel. If he pays attention to it, he will keep it, but if he releases it, it will go away."  

النسائي:٩٤٢أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ كَمَثَلِ صَاحِبِ الإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِذَا عَاهَدَ عَلَيْهَا أَمْسَكَهَا وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ  

ibnmajah:3783Aḥmad b. al-Azhar > ʿAbd al-Razzāq > Maʿmar > Ayyūb > Nāfiʿ > Ibn ʿUmar

"The likeness of the Quran is that of a hobbled camel. If its owner ties its rope, he will keep it, but if he loosens its rope it will go away."  

ابن ماجة:٣٧٨٣حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الأَزْهَرِ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَنْبَأَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَثَلُ الْقُرْآنِ مَثَلُ الإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنْ تَعَاهَدَهَا صَاحِبُهَا بِعُقُلِهَا أَمْسَكَهَا عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَ عُقُلَهَا ذَهَبَتْ  

malik:15-7Mālik > Nāfiʿ > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi from Abdullah ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "A man who knows the Qur'an well is like a man who has a hobbled camel. If he takes care of it, he keeps it, and if he lets it go, it gets away."  

مالك:١٥-٧وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ كَمَثَلِ صَاحِبِ الإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنْ عَاهَدَ عَلَيْهَا أَمْسَكَهَا وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ  

ahmad:5923Isḥāq b. ʿĪsá > Mālik > Nāfiʿ > Ibn ʿUmar

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The example of the person who knows the Qur'an by heart is like the owner of tied camels. If he keeps them tied, he will control them, but if he releases them, they will run away." (Using translation from Bukhārī 5031)  

أحمد:٥٩٢٣حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عِيسَى أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ كَمَثَلِ صَاحِبِ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ فَإِنْ تَعَاهَدَهَا أَمْسَكَهَا وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ  

ahmad:4665Yaḥyá > ʿUbaydullāh > Nāfiʿ > Ibn ʿUmar

[Machine] From the Prophet ﷺ: The example of the one who has memorized the Quran is like the example of a tied camel. If its owner utilizes it, it will remain with him, and if he releases it, it will go away.  

أحمد:٤٦٦٥حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ أَخْبَرَنِي نَافِعٌ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنْ عَقَلَهَا صَاحِبُهَا حَبَسَهَا وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ  

ahmad:4759Wakīʿ > al-ʿUmarī > Nāfiʿ > Ibn ʿUmar

"The likeness of the Quran is that of a hobbled camel. If its owner ties its rope, he will keep it, but if he loosens its rope it will go away." (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 3783)   

أحمد:٤٧٥٩حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ حَدَّثَنَا الْعُمَرِيُّ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَثَلُ الْقُرْآنِ مَثَلُ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنْ تَعَاهَدَهَا صَاحِبُهَا أَمْسَكَهَا وَإِنْ تَرَكَهَا ذَهَبَتْ  

ahmad:4845Muḥammad b. ʿUbayd > ʿUbaydullāh > Nāfiʿ > Ibn ʿUmar

"The likeness of the Quran is that of a hobbled camel. If its owner ties its rope, he will keep it, but if he loosens its rope it will go away." (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 3783)  

أحمد:٤٨٤٥حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللهِ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الْقُرْآنِ مَثَلُ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنْ تَعَاهَدَهَا صَاحِبُهَا بِعُقُلِهَا أَمْسَكَهَا عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَ عُقُلَهَا ذَهَبَتْ  

ahmad:5315ʿAbd al-Raḥman Mālik > Nāfiʿ > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The one who learns the Quran is like the owner of a hobbled camel. If he pays attention to it, he will keep it, but if he releases it, it will go away." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 942)  

أحمد:٥٣١٥قَرَأْتُ عَلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ مَالِكٌ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ كَمَثَلِ صَاحِبِ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنْ عَاهَدَ عَلَيْهَا أَمْسَكَهَا وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ  

ذِكْرُ تَمْثِيلِ الْمُصْطَفَى ﷺ الْمُوَاظِبَ عَلَى قِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ، وَالْمُقَصِّرَ فِيهَا بِالْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ

ibnhibban:765ʿUmar b. Saʿīd b. Sinān > Aḥmad b. Abū Bakr > Mālik > Nāfiʿ > Ibn ʿUmar

"The likeness of the Quran is that of a hobbled camel. If its owner ties its rope, he will keep it, but if he loosens its rope it will go away." (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 3783)   

ابن حبّان:٧٦٥أَخْبَرَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ سَعِيدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «إِنَّ مَثَلَ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنْ عَاهَدَ عَلَيْهَا عَقَلَهَا وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ»  

nasai-kubra:1016Qutaybah b. Saʿīd > Mālik > Nāfiʿ > Ibn ʿUmar

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The example of the person who knows the Qur'an by heart is like the owner of tied camels. If he keeps them tied, he will control them, but if he releases them, they will run away." (Using translation from Bukhārī 5031)  

الكبرى للنسائي:١٠١٦أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ كَمَثَلِ صَاحِبِ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنَّ عَاهَدَ عَلَيْهَا أَمْسَكَهَا وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ»  

nasai-kubra:7987Qutaybah b. Saʿīd > Mālik > Nāfiʿ > Ibn ʿUmar

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The one who learns the Quran is like the owner of a hobbled camel. If he pays attention to it, he will keep it, but if he releases it, it will go away." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 942)  

الكبرى للنسائي:٧٩٨٧أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «مَثْلُ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ كَمَثَلِ صَاحِبِ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِذَا عَاهَدَ عَلَيْهَا أَمْسَكَهَا وَإِنْ أُطْلِقَتْ ذَهَبَتْ»  

bayhaqi:4051Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ > Abū Bakr b. Isḥāq > Ismāʿīl b. Isḥāq al-Qāḍī > ʿAbdullāh b. Maslamah > Mālik > And ʾNbʾ Ibrāhīm b. ʿIṣmah b. Ibrāhīm from my father > Yaḥyá b. Yaḥyá > Mālik > Nāfiʿ > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar

[Machine] "That the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: The example of the one who memorizes the Quran is like that of a tied camel. If he remains faithful to it, he keeps it, and if he releases it, it goes away."  

البيهقي:٤٠٥١أنبأ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ أنبأ أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ ثنا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ الْقَاضِي ثنا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ عَنْ مَالِكٍ قَالَ وَأنبأ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ عِصْمَةَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ثنا أَبِي ثنا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ كَمَثَلِ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنْ عَاهَدَ عَلَيْهَا أَمْسَكَهَا وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ  

رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ يُوسُفَ وَرَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ يَحْيَى كِلَاهُمَا عَنْ مَالِكٍ
suyuti:7675a
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السيوطي:٧٦٧٥a

"إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ صاحب القرآن كَمثَلِ صاحِبِ الإِبِلِ المُعَقَّلَة إِنْ عَاهَدَ عَلَيْها أَمْسَكهَا وإِنَّ أَطلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ ".  

مالك، [حم] أحمد [خ] البخاري [م] مسلم [ن] النسائي [هـ] ابن ماجة [حب] ابن حبّان عن ابن عمر