Al-Kafi · Hadith 6

The Book on Virtue of Knowledge · Chapter on Those who use their Knowledge to Fill their Stomach and are Boastful for it · Volume 1, book 2, chapter 14, Hadith 6

Original Arabic text

6 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ رِبْعِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ طَلَبَ الْعِلْمَ لِيُبَاهِيَ بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ أَوْ يُمَارِيَ بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ أَوْ يَصْرِفَ بِهِ وُجُوهَ النَّاسِ إِلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ إِنَّ الرِّئَاسَةَ لا تَصْلُحُ إِلا لاهْلِهَا.

Published English translation

6. Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Hammed ibn ‘Isa from Ri’ab‘i ibn ‘Abdallah that Abu Ja’far (al-Baqir) (as) said, "He who seeks knowledge to boast among scholars, engage in disputes with the foolish, or attract people's attention to himself, then let him prepare a seat for himself in the Hellfire. Indeed, leadership is not suitable except for those who deserve it."

Narrator and transmission

See the transmission information preserved in the original source text.

Attributed scholarly assessments

Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: مرسل

Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (1/150)

Assessment transcribed from the source's named scholar and reference. No new grading or consensus is asserted; differing entries remain separate.

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi: Catalogue non-inclusion note (not an authenticity grade)

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī

Source records non-inclusion in this scholar's selection; this is not itself a weak or authentic grade.

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edition: Al-Kafi, volume 1, Thaqalayn digital edition / Muhammad Sarwar translation
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translator: Muhammad Sarwar
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