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.
Qurʾān Bukhārī Muslim Nasāʾī Abū Dāwūd Tirmidhī Ibn Mājah Mālik Aḥmad Dārimī Ḥākim Ibn Ḥibbān Ṭabarānī Nasāʾī's Kubrá Bayhaqī al-Luʾluʾ wa-al-Marjān Ibn Rajab's Fifty Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn Aḥmad's Zuhd Suyūṭī
suyuti:5132a –

I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "Allah does not take away knowledge by taking it away from the servants' ˹selves˺, rather he takes it away by the passage of the scholars until none of them remain. The people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who when consulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will lead the people astray." (Using translation from Bukhārī 100)   

السيوطي:٥١٣٢a –

"إِنَّ الله لَا يَقْبِض الْعِلْمَ انْتزاعا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ الْعُلَماء ، وَلكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقبضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ حتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يُبْقِ عَالِمًا. أَتَّخذ النَّاسُ رءُوسًا جُهّالًا فَسُئِلوا فَأفْتَوْا بِغيرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وأَضَلَّوُا".  

[حم] أحمد [ش] ابن أبى شيبة [خ] البخاري [م] مسلم [ت] الترمذي [هـ] ابن ماجة عن ابن عمر، والخطيب عن عائشة

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Tirmidhī, Ibn Mājah, Aḥmad, Dārimī, Ibn Ḥibbān, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Suyūṭī

Knowledge will be lifted by the passing away of scholars leaving behind ignorant people who will mislead others

bukhari:100 – Ismāʿīl b. Abū Ūways > Mālik > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ

I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "Allah does not take away knowledge by taking it away from the servants' ˹selves˺, rather he takes it away by the passage of the scholars until none of them remain. The people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who when consulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will lead the people astray."  

البخاري:١٠٠ – حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِي أُوَيْسٍ؛ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ؛ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ؛ عَنْ أَبِيهِ؛ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ الْعِبَادِ، وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يُبْقِ عَالِمًا۔ اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالاً فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا۔»  

قَالَ الْفِرَبْرِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا عَبَّاسٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ عَنْ هِشَامٍ نَحْوَهُ
muslim:2673a – Qutaybah b. Saʿīd > Jarīr > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ

Verily, Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the people but He takes away knowledge by taking away the scholars, so that when He leaves no learned person, people turn to the ignorant as their leaders; then they are asked to deliver religious verdicts and they deliver them without knowledge, they go astray, and lead others astray.  

مسلم:٢٦٧٣a – حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ يَقُولُ

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَتْرُكْ عَالِمًا اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالاً فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا  

tirmidhi:2652 – Hārūn b. Isḥāq al-Hamdānī > ʿAbdah b. Sulaymān > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ

that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Indeed Allah does not take away knowledge by removing it from the people, but He takes away knowledge by taking the scholars, until there remains no scholar and the people begin to ask the ignorant leaders, so they give their verdict without knowledge. They will go astray and lead the people astray."  

الترمذي:٢٦٥٢ – حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَتْرُكْ عَالِمًا اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالاً فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ وَزِيَادِ بْنِ لَبِيدٍ  

قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَقَدْ رَوَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ الزُّهْرِيُّ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو وَعَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ مِثْلَ هَذَا
ibnmajah:52 – [Chain 1] Abū Kurayb Muḥammad b. al-ʿAlāʾ > ʿAbdullāh b. Idrīs And ʿAbdah Waʾabū Muʿāwiyah Waʿabd Allāh b. Numayr And Muḥammad b. Bishr [Chain 2] Sūwayd b. Saʿīd > ʿAlī b. Mushir And Mālik b. Anas Waḥafṣ b. Maysarah Washuʿayb b. Isḥāq > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ

the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Allah will not take away knowledge by removing it from people (from their hearts). Rather He will take away knowledge by taking away the scholars, then when there are no scholars left, the people will take the ignorant as their leaders. They will be asked questions and they will issue verdicts without knowledge, thus they will go astray and lead others astray.'"  

ابن ماجة:٥٢ – حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ وَعَبْدَةُ وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ وَمَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ وَحَفْصُ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ وَشُعَيْبُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ فَإِذَا لَمْ يُبْقِ عَالِمًا اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالاً فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا  

ahmad:6511 – Yaḥyá > Hishām Amlāh ʿAlaynā from my father

Verily, Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the people but He takes away knowledge by taking away the scholars, so that when He leaves no learned person, people turn to the ignorant as their leaders; then they are asked to deliver religious verdicts and they deliver them without knowledge, they go astray, and lead others astray. (Using translation from Muslim 2673a)  

أحمد:٦٥١١ – حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى عَنْ هِشَامٍ أَمْلَاهُ عَلَيْنَا حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو مِنْ فِيهِ إِلَى فِيَّ يَقُولُ

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَتْرُكْ عَالِمًا اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُؤَسَاءَ جُهَّالًا فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا  

ahmad:6787 – Wakīʿ > Hishām from his father > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr

the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Allah will not take away knowledge by removing it from people (from their hearts). Rather He will take away knowledge by taking away the scholars, then when there are no scholars left, the people will take the ignorant as their leaders. They will be asked questions and they will issue verdicts without knowledge, thus they will go astray and lead others astray.'" (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 52)  

أحمد:٦٧٨٧ – حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامٌ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْزِعُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَبِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يُبْقِ عَالِمًا اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُؤَسَاءَ جُهَّالًا فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا  

darimi:245 – Jaʿfar b. ʿAwn > Hishām from his father > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr

the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Allah will not take away knowledge by removing it from people (from their hearts). Rather He will take away knowledge by taking away the scholars, then when there are no scholars left, the people will take the ignorant as their leaders. They will be asked questions and they will issue verdicts without knowledge, thus they will go astray and lead others astray.'" (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 52)  

الدارمي:٢٤٥ – أَخْبَرَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ عَوْنٍ أَنبَأَنَا هِشَامٌ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَكِنْ قَبْضُ الْعِلْمِ قَبْضُ الْعُلَمَاءِ فَإِذَا لَمْ يُبْقِ عَالِمًا اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالًا فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا  

ذِكْرُ وَصْفِ الْأَئِمَّةِ الْمُضِلِّينَ الَّتِي كَانَ يَتَخَوَّفُهَا عَلَى أُمَّتِهِ ﷺ

ibnhibban:4571 – al-ʿAbbās b. al-Faḍl b. Shādhān al-Muqrī Abū al-Qāsim > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. ʿUmar al-Aṣfahānī Rustah > Ibn Abū ʿAdī > Muḥammad b. Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father from his grandfather > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr

the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Allah will not take away knowledge by removing it from people (from their hearts). Rather He will take away knowledge by taking away the scholars, then when there are no scholars left, the people will take the ignorant as their leaders. They will be asked questions and they will issue verdicts without knowledge, thus they will go astray and lead others astray.'" (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 52)   

ابن حبّان:٤٥٧١ – أَخْبَرَنَا الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ الْمُقْرِيُ أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عُمَرَ الْأَصْفَهَانِيُّ رُسْتَهْ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يُبْقِ عَالِمًا اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُؤَسَاءَ جُهَّالًا فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا» فَلَقِيتُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو بِسَنَةٍ فَحَدَّثَنِيهُ  

ذِكْرُ الْبَيَانِ بِأَنَّ قَوْلَهُ ﷺ «حَتَّى يُقْبَضَ الْعِلْمُ» أَرَادَ بِهِ ذَهَابَ مَنْ يُحْسِنُ عِلْمَهُ ﷺ لَا أَنَّ عِلْمَهُ يُرْفَعُ قَبْلَ قِيَامِ السَّاعَةِ

ibnhibban:6719 – Abū Yaʿlá from Kitābih > Abū al-Rabīʿ al-Zahrānī > Ḥammād b. Zayd > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr

the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Allah will not take away knowledge by removing it from people (from their hearts). Rather He will take away knowledge by taking away the scholars, then when there are no scholars left, the people will take the ignorant as their leaders. They will be asked questions and they will issue verdicts without knowledge, thus they will go astray and lead others astray.'" (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 52)   

ابن حبّان:٦٧١٩ – أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو يَعْلَى مِنْ كِتَابِهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الزَّهْرَانِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعُلَمَاءَ بِعِلْمِهِمْ حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَبْقَ عَالِمٌ اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُؤَسَاءَ جُهَّالًا فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا»  

ذِكْرُ الْإِخْبَارِ عَمَّا يَظْهَرُ فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ مِنَ الْمُنْتَحِلِينَ لِلْعِلْمِ وَالْمُفْتِينَ فِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ عِلْمٍ، وَلَا اسْتِحْقَاقٍ لَهُ نَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ فِتَنِهِمْ

ibnhibban:6723 – al-Ḥusayn b. Muḥammad b. Muṣʿab Bimarw > Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbd al-Ḥakam from my father > al-Layth b. Saʿd > Muḥammad b. ʿAjlān > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Indeed, Allah does not snatch away knowledge from the people by snatching it away from them after giving it to them. However, He takes away knowledge by taking away the scholars. So when there is no scholar remaining, the people will appoint ignorant leaders whom they will ask for religious verdicts (fatwas) without knowledge, and they will give verdicts without knowledge, thus leading astray themselves and others."  

ابن حبّان:٦٧٢٣ – أَخْبَرَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُصْعَبٍ بِمَرْوَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَكَمِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي عَنِ اللَّيْثِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَجْلَانَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَنْزِعُ الْعِلْمَ مِنَ النَّاسِ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنْهُمْ بَعْدَ إِذْ أَعْطَاهُمُوهُ وَلَكِنْ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ فَإِذَا لَمْ يَبْقَ عَالِمٌ اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُؤَسَاءَ جُهَّالًا يَسْتَفْتُونَهُمْ فَيُفْتُونَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَيُضِلُّونَ وَيَضِلُّونَ»  

nasai-kubra:5876 – ʿAmr b. ʿAlī

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Indeed, Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it away from the scholars, but He takes away knowledge by taking away the scholars until there remains no scholar, and people take ignorant ones as leaders who are asked and they give fatwas without knowledge, thus they go astray and lead others astray." Abdul Wahab said, "So I met Hisham ibn Urwah and he told me from his father from Abdullah ibn Amr from the Prophet ﷺ something similar to this."  

الكبرى للنسائي:٥٨٧٦ – أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ الثَّقَفِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ وَيَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِي قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعَالِمَ بِعِلْمِهِ فَإِذَا لَمْ يَبْقَ عَالِمٌ اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالًا فَسُئِلُوا فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا» قَالَ عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ فَلَقِيتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ عُرْوَةَ فَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ مِثْلَهُ  

suyuti:5134a –

the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Allah will not take away knowledge by removing it from people (from their hearts). Rather He will take away knowledge by taking away the scholars, then when there are no scholars left, the people will take the ignorant as their leaders. They will be asked questions and they will issue verdicts without knowledge, thus they will go astray and lead others astray.'" (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 52)   

السيوطي:٥١٣٤a –

"إِنَّ الله ﷻ لَا يَقْبِضُ الْعِلمَ انْتزَاعًا يَنْتَزِعُه مِنَ النَّاسِ، وَلكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعُلَمَاءُ فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ الْعُلَمَاءُ أتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رؤُوسًا جُهَّالًا فَسُئِلوا فَأَفْتوا بَغَيرِ عِلْمٍ فَضلُّوا، وَأَضلُّوا عَن سَوَاءِ السَّبِيلِ".  

[طس] الطبرانى في الأوسط عن أَبي هريرة