Volume 1, Book 3, Number 121: Narrated Abu Huraira:
I have memorized two kinds of knowledge from Allah's Apostle . I have propagated one of them to you and if I propagated the second, then my pharynx (throat) would be cut (i.e. killed).
Imam Ibn Hajr al Asqalani (rah) in his great Fath al Bari explains this hadith that the second knowledge is knowledge of future events
One of the explaination of Abu Huraira (ra) in that particular hadith, was that he was referring to a disaster that was going to hapen to the believers in the year of fitna ,Ali (ra) was killed and during Yazid reign many believers were slaughtered.
Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani (rah) explains the Hadeeth above, as follows:ref: Fath al-Baari, Kitaab al-Ilm.. Chapter: On Preserving Knowledge
“The Ulema understood/took this type of Ilm (Knowledge), that he, Abu Hurayrah (ra), did not transmit/propagate, as a (meaning) reference to those Ahadeeth that mention/reveal the names of the Ameers (leaders) of evil, their conditions and their era/period..
And Abu Hurayrah (ra) used to point towards some of this (Knowledge) without declaration, fearing for himself - from them, such as his saying: ‘I seek refuge with Allah from the head of the sixty, and the Leadership of the Youth’ - indicating/pointing towards the Khaleefah of Yazeed Ibn Mu’awiyyah, due to it being the year sixty after Hijrah..
And Allah aza wajall answered the Du’aa of Abu Hurayrah (ra), as he passed away a year before this (occurrence)..
Ibn al-Muneer (rah) said: ‘The Baatiniyyah made (used) this Hadeeth as a means to making their falsehood (seem) correct, as they believed that the Shariah has a Dhaahir (apparent meaning/knowledge) and Baatin (hidden/inner/secret meaning/knowledge), and the result of that Baatin is dissolution of the Deen’He said:
‘Abu Hurayrah (ra) intended/meant by his saying “(then my pharynx/throat) would be cut” – meaning: that the People of Injustice would cut his neck/head off if they had heard him criticising/finding faults with their actions,
And what supports this, is that - the written Ahadeeth, if they were from the Ahkaam (rulings), he would not have concealed it, because of what he, Abu Hurayrah (ra), mentioned in the 1st hadeeth (of this chapter in Saheeh al-Bukhari - see below), and (his citation of) the Ayah that condemns (curses) those that conceal knowledge..
And other(s) said: ‘It could mean matters relating to the Signs of the Hour, changes in conditions, and fierce battles at the end of time – so then the ones who were not familiar with it, would reject it’..”
The Imaam mentions: If this type of knowledge would have been from the Ahkaam (rulings), then Abu Hurayrah (ra) would NOT have concealed it, due to the following Hadeeth that he also narrated - within the same Chapter: Preserving Knowledge, Kitaab al-Ilm:
Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated:“People say that I have narrated many Hadiths (The Prophet's narrations). Had it not been for two verses in the Qur'an, I would not have narrated a single Hadith, and the verses are:"Lo! Those who hide the proofs and the guidance which We revealed, after We had made it clear to mankind in the Scripture: such are accursed of Allah and accursed of those who have the power to curse.Except those who repent and amend and make manifest (the truth). These it is toward whom I relent. I am the Relenting, the Merciful." Qur'an, chapter 2, Al-Baqarah, verse 159-160
And no doubt our Muhajir (emigrant) brothers used to be busy in the market with their business (bargains) and our Ansari brothers used to be busy with their property (agriculture). But I (Abu Huraira) used to stick to Allah's Apostle contented with what will fill my stomach and I used to attend that which they used not to attend and I used to memorize that which they used not to memorize.”Saheeh al-Bukhari: Vol 1, Book 3, Hadeeth 118 Additionally, Al-Imaam mentions that the Type of Ilm which Abu Hurayrah (rah) held back, was related to Fitan, Turmoil etc.. In particular, the names of the “Leaders of Evil”, their conditions and Era/Period..
This point has also been mentioned in the following Hadeeth..Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (ra) Narrated:“I swear by Allah, I do not know whether my companions have forgotten or have pretended to forgot. I swear by Allah that the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) did not omit a leader of a wrong belief (fitnah) -- up to the end of the world -- whose followers reach the number of three hundred and upwards but he mentioned to us his name, his father's name and the name of his tribe.”
Sunan Abi Dawud: Book 35, Number 4231 During the course of his discussion, Al-Haafidh proceeds to quote Ibn Al-Muneer (rah) on how the “Baatiniyyah” (mis)used the Hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (ra) (i.e. Two Kinds of Knowledge) in an attempt to prove their Falsehood as the “Haqq”....Abdus Salaam Harun states:“The word Baatiniyyah, referred to as the Baatinites, is derived from the word “Baatin” which means the inside of a thing. The Baatinites are those who claim that the Shariah has a Dhaahir (outer aspect) and a Baatin (inner aspect)”..
al-Mu’jam al-Qaseet, 2/91Imaam Abu Hamid al-Ghazzali (rah) observes that The Baatiniyyah “were given this name because of their claim that the Literal texts of the Qur’aan and the Ahadeeth have inner meanings which are like the kernel of a nut in relation to its shell”Fadaaih al-Baatiniyyah, p.11“They also say that the exterior of the texts delude the ignorant masses into seeing only beautiful pictures which to the intelligent few are mere symbols and signs pointing to hidden realities.”
Taken from Talbees Iblees - Ibn al-Jawzee (rah), p.52
Conclusion - The Knowledge which was NOT revealed (i.e. concealed) is related to the events of the future and Fitan (Trials) – it has NOTHING to do with the Rulings in the Shariah (as it is not permissible to conceal Guidance from one another).. Nor does it relate to any matter which can take us further away from the Hell Fire or bring us closer to Paradise.
Courtesy :Daee
