Abu Hurairah never forgets
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يُكْثِرُ الْحَدِيثَ. وَاللَّهُ الْمَوْعِدُ، وَيَقُولُونَ مَا لِلْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالأَنْصَارِ لاَ يُحَدِّثُونَ مِثْلَ أَحَادِيثِهِ وَإِنَّ إِخْوَتِي مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ كَانَ يَشْغَلُهُمُ الصَّفْقُ بِالأَسْوَاقِ، وَإِنَّ إِخْوَتِي مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ كَانَ يَشْغَلُهُمْ عَمَلُ أَمْوَالِهِمْ، وَكُنْتُ امْرَأً مِسْكِينًا أَلْزَمُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى مِلْءِ بَطْنِي، فَأَحْضُرُ حِينَ يَغِيبُونَ وَأَعِي حِينَ يَنْسَوْنَ، وَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمًا " لَنْ يَبْسُطَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ ثَوْبَهُ حَتَّى أَقْضِيَ مَقَالَتِي هَذِهِ، ثُمَّ يَجْمَعَهُ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ، فَيَنْسَى مِنْ مَقَالَتِي شَيْئًا أَبَدًا ". فَبَسَطْتُ نَمِرَةً لَيْسَ عَلَىَّ ثَوْبٌ غَيْرَهَا، حَتَّى قَضَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَقَالَتَهُ، ثُمَّ جَمَعْتُهَا إِلَى صَدْرِي، فَوَالَّذِي بَعَثَهُ بِالْحَقِّ مَا نَسِيتُ مِنْ مَقَالَتِهِ تِلْكَ إِلَى يَوْمِي هَذَا، وَاللَّهِ لَوْلاَ آيَتَانِ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ مَا حَدَّثْتُكُمْ شَيْئًا أَبَدًا {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {الرَّحِيمُ}
Narrated Abu Huraira: The people say that Abu Huraira narrates too many narrations. In fact Allah knows whether I say the truth or not. They also ask, "Why do the emigrants and the Ansar not narrate as he does?" In fact, my emigrant brethren were busy trading in the markets, and my Ansar brethren were busy with their properties. I was a poor man keeping the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and was satisfied with what filled my stomach. So, I used to be present while they (i.e. the emigrants and the Ansar) were absent, and I used to remember while they forgot (the Hadith). One day the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever spreads his sheet till I finish this statement of mine and then gathers it on his chest, will never forget anything of my statement." So, I spread my covering sheet which was the only garment I had, till the Prophet (ﷺ) finished his statement and then I gathered it over my chest. By Him Who had sent him (i.e. Allah's Apostle) with the truth, since then I did not forget even a single word of that statement of his, until this day of mine. By Allah, but for two verses in Allah's Book, I would never have related any narration (from the Prophet). (These two verses are): "Verily! Those who conceal the clear signs and the guidance which we have sent down .....(up to) the Merciful.' (2.159-160)
Sahih al-Bukhari 2350 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2350
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حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرٌو، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي وَهْبُ بْنُ مُنَبِّهٍ، عَنْ أَخِيهِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ مَا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَحَدٌ أَكْثَرَ حَدِيثًا عَنْهُ مِنِّي، إِلاَّ مَا كَانَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَكْتُبُ وَلاَ أَكْتُبُ. تَابَعَهُ مَعْمَرٌ عَنْ هَمَّامٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ.
Narrated Abu Huraira: There is none among the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) who has narrated more Hadiths than I except Abdullah bin Amr (bin Al-`As) who used to write them and I never did the same.
Sahih al-Bukhari 113 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:113
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حَدَّثَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي الْفُدَيْكِ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، عَنِ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ مِنْكَ كَثِيرًا فَأَنْسَاهُ. قَالَ " ابْسُطْ رِدَاءَكَ ". فَبَسَطْتُ فَغَرَفَ بِيَدِهِ فِيهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ " ضُمَّهُ " فَضَمَمْتُهُ، فَمَا نَسِيتُ حَدِيثًا بَعْدُ.
Narrated Abu Huraira: I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I hear many narrations from you but I forget them." He said, "Spread your covering sheet." I spread my sheet and he moved both his hands as if scooping something and emptied them in the sheet and said, "Wrap it." I wrapped it round my body, and since then I have never forgotten.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3648 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3648
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حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ جَمِيعًا عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، قَالَ زُهَيْرٌ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ إِنَّكُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يُكْثِرُ الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَاللَّهُ الْمَوْعِدُ كُنْتُ رَجُلاً مِسْكِينًا أَخْدُمُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى مِلْءِ بَطْنِي وَكَانَ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ يَشْغَلُهُمُ الصَّفْقُ بِالأَسْوَاقِ وَكَانَتِ الأَنْصَارُ يَشْغَلُهُمُ الْقِيَامُ عَلَى أَمْوَالِهِمْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ يَبْسُطُ ثَوْبَهُ فَلَنْ يَنْسَى شَيْئًا سَمِعَهُ مِنِّي " . فَبَسَطْتُ ثَوْبِي حَتَّى قَضَى حَدِيثَهُ ثُمَّ ضَمَمْتُهُ إِلَىَّ فَمَا نَسِيتُ شَيْئًا سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْهُ .
Al-A'raj reported that he heard Abu Huraira as saying: You are under the impression that Abu Huraira transmits so many ahadith from Allah's Messenger (may peace up upon him) ; (bear in mind) Allah is the great Reckoner. I was a poor man and I served Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) being satisfied with bare subsistence, whereas the immigrants remained busy with transactions in the bazar; while the Ansar had been engaged in looking after their properties. (He further reported) that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: He who spreads the cloth would not forget anything that he would hear from me. I spread my cloth until he narrated something. I then pressed it against my (chest), so I never forgot anything that I heard from him.
Sahih Muslim 2492a https://sunnah.com/muslim:2492a
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