Seek Refuge in Allah from Being Among the Ignorant
Du‘ā from Surah Al-Baqarah [2:67]: I seek refuge in Allah from being among the ignorant. A powerful supplication of Prophet Musa (AS), supported by authentic hadiths on seeking protection from ignorance, misguidance, and trials.
Seeking refuge from being among the ignorant [2:67]
اَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰهِ اَنْ اَكُوْنَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِيْنَ
I seek refuge in Allah from being among the ignorant.
A‘ūdhu billāhi an akūna minal-jāhilīn.
Context of the Du‘ā: The supplication of Prophet Mūsā (AS) to Allah in response to the falsehood of his people.
Sūrah Al-Baqarah – 2:67
Amr ibn Maymūn al-Awdī (RA) narrated:حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ، سَمِعْتُ عَمْرَو بْنَ مَيْمُونٍ الأَوْدِيَّ، قَالَ كَانَ سَعْدٌ يُعَلِّمُ بَنِيهِ هَؤُلاَءِ الْكَلِمَاتِ كَمَا يُعَلِّمُ الْمُعَلِّمُ الْغِلْمَانَ الْكِتَابَةَ، وَيَقُولُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَتَعَوَّذُ مِنْهُنَّ دُبُرَ الصَّلاَةِ “ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُرَدَّ إِلَى أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الدُّنْيَا، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ ”. فَحَدَّثْتُ بِهِ مُصْعَبًا فَصَدَّقَهُ.
Just as a teacher teaches writing to the students, Sa‘d (RA) used to teach his children these words and would say: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to seek refuge through them after the prayer: “O Allah! I seek refuge in You from cowardice, extreme old age, the trials of this world, and the punishment of the grave.” The narrator said: When I reported this hadith to Mus‘ab (RA), he affirmed its authenticity.
Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 2822
Hadith Status: Sahih
Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās (RA) narrated:
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 صلى الله عليه وسلم 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.
He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the hearts of the servants, but I fear He will take away knowledge by taking away the scholars. When no scholar remains, people will appoint ignorant ones as their leaders. When they are asked, they will give fatwas without knowledge. They will go astray and will lead others astray.”
Al-Firabri said: … Jarīr narrated similarly from Hishām.
(7307; Muslim 47/4, Hadith 2673; Musnad Ahmad 6521) (Adhunic Prakashani: 99, Islami Foundation: 101)
Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 100
Hadith Status: Sahih
Muhammad ibn Hamzah al-Aslamī (RA), from his father, narrated:
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُغِيرَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْحِزَامِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَمْزَةَ الأَسْلَمِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَمَّرَهُ عَلَى سَرِيَّةٍ قَالَ فَخَرَجْتُ فِيهَا وَقَالَ ” إِنْ وَجَدْتُمْ فُلاَنًا فَاحْرِقُوهُ بِالنَّارِ ” . فَوَلَّيْتُ فَنَادَانِي فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ ” إِنْ وَجَدْتُمْ فُلاَنًا فَاقْتُلُوهُ وَلاَ تُحْرِقُوهُ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يُعَذِّبُ بِالنَّارِ إِلاَّ رَبُّ النَّارِ ” .
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) appointed his father as a commander in one of the expeditions. Hamzah (RA) said: When we set out on the expedition, he instructed that if you encounter such-and-such a man, burn him with fire. As I turned to depart, he called me back. When I returned to him, he said: “If you encounter that man, kill him, but do not burn him with fire. For indeed, none punishes with fire except the Lord of the Fire.”
Sunan Abū Dāwūd, Hadith No. 2673
Hadith Status: Sahih
