Ḥadīths Barelwīs Use to Justify Deviant Belief of ‘Ilm Jamī‘ Mā Kāna wa Mā Yakūn – Explained

Barelwīs believe the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) possesses total and all-encompassing knowledge of all things in creation, from the beginning of creation until the final hour (including the precise timing of the final hour itself), in such a manner that not even the minutest detail is excluded. This includes knowledge of every little detail of people’s actions, even details of the filthy and dirty acts people engage in, as well as all-encompassing and exhaustive knowledge of all the waste, filth, dirt, impurity, excrement and so on that litter all corners of the world.

The main evidence Barelwīs use is a number of ḥadīths which apparently indicate the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) had total and exhaustive knowledge of creation.

A few of these ḥadīths will be analysed below.

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Clear Opposing Evidence

There is an explicit mutawātir ḥadīth in the two Ṣaḥīḥs and other collections, showing the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) on the Day of Resurrection will be unaware of the actions of some who had met with him that apostatised after his demise. When told he does not have awareness of this, he will say in response: “I was witness over them for as long as I was amongst them. When You took me up, You Yourself were the Watcher over them.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

In the Ḥajj that the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) performed a few months before his demise, he said: “It may be that I will not see you after this year of mine.” (Jāmi‘ al-Tirmidhī – ṣaḥīḥ)

This does not conflict with the ḥadīth on deeds being presented (‘arḍ al-a‘māl) to the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) after his demise.

Firstly, the ḥadīth on the presentation of deeds refers only to the deeds of believers. Ibn al-Mulaqqin states:

فإن قلت: كيف خفي عليه حالهم مع إخباره بعرض أمته عليه، قلت: ليسوا من أمته كما قلناه، وإنما يعرض عليه أعمال الموحدين لا المرتدين والمنافقين

“If you ask, how is their condition hidden to him even though he has foretold that his Ummah will be presented to him? I say: They are not from his Ummah as we have said. Only the deeds of monotheists are presented to him, not of apostates and hypocrites.” (al-Tawḍīḥ, 19:371)

Furthermore, the presentation of deeds does not have to be in a specified, detailed (mufaṣṣal) manner – where the person responsible for the deed, the place, time etc. are all specified. It could just be a nondetailed, simple (mujmal) presentation – where merely the action or actions of people are mentioned, without details of who, what, where etc. This is just like another ḥadīth found in Sunan Abī Dāwūd:

عرضت علي أجور أمتي حتى القذاة يخرجها الرجل من المسجد، وعرضت على ذنوب أمتي فلم أر ذنبا أعظم من سورة من القرآن أو آية أوتيها رجل ثم نسيها

“Rewards of my Ummah were presented to me, even the dirt that a man removes from the Masjid, and sins of my Ummah were presented to me…”

And in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim:

عرضت علي أعمال أمتي حسنها وسيئها، فوجدت في محاسن أعمالها الأذى يماط عن الطريق، ووجدت في مساوي أعمالها النخاعة تكون في المسجد، لا تدفن

“The actions of my Ummah, the good and bad of them, were presented to me. I found amongst their praiseworthy deeds an offensive item removed from the path. I found amongst their blameworthy deeds phlegm in the Masjid that has not been buried.”

Hence, there is no evidence in the ḥadīth of the presentation of deeds that the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) has exhaustive, all-encompassing and detailed knowledge of all the happenings and goings on in the world. Firstly, the ḥadīth is specific to the actions of his followers and those who believe in him. Secondly, the ḥadīth could just be referring to a nondetailed, simple presentation, rather than a specified, detailed one.

There are numerous evidences in the Qur’ān and Ḥadīth showing the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) does not know and was not given knowledge of the precise timing of the final Hour. The texts also demonstrate that it is Allāh’s intent for this knowledge to not be disclosed to any of creation before its actual occurrence. Hence, the typical Barelwī retort that these evidences negate only intrinsic knowledge and not granted knowledge is manifestly false.

This is a brief overview of some of the explicit and clear evidences proving the opposite of what Barelwīs believe. It is a mark of the people of deviance (ahl al-bida‘) to set aside explicit and clear evidences in favour of ambiguous and unclear evidence. This is exactly the case here with Barelwī arguments from the ḥadīths discussed below.

The ḥadīths that will be looked at below should be considered in light of the above evidence. Moreover, it should be considered in light of the Prophet’s (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) ordinary teachings and statements. The Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) was not concerned with intricacies of secular knowledge. He (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) of course possessed enough knowledge of secular and mundane matters to be able to articulate the rulings of religion and to be able to traverse this life without seeming – Allāh forbid – “ignorant”. But this does not translate to detailed and exhaustive knowledge of all worldly/secular matters. Hence, the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “You are more knowledgeable of the affairs of your world.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

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Ḥadīth on the Prophet’s Sermon

Ḥudhayfah (raḍiyAllāhu ‘anhu) reported:

قام فينا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مقاما ما ترك شيئا يكون في مقامه ذلك إلى قيام الساعة إلا حدث به، حفظه من حفظه و نسيه من نسيه

“The Messenger of Allāḥ (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) once stood amongst us. In this standing of his, he did not leave out anything till the inception of the Hour but described it. Those who retained it retained it and those who forgot it forgot it.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

Similarly, ‘Umar (raḍiyAllāhu ‘anhu) reported:

قام فينا النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم مقاما فأخبرنا عن بدء الجلق حتى دخل أهل الجنة منازلهم وأهل النار  منازلهم، حفظ ذلك من حفظه ونسيه من نسيه

“The Prophet (Allāḥ bless him and grant him peace) stood amongst us and told us about the start of creation until the inhabitants of Heaven enter their abodes and the inhabitants of Hell enter their abodes. Those that retained it retained it and those that forgot it forgot.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)

Similarly, ‘Amr ibn Akhṭab al-Anṣārī (raḍiyAllāhu ‘anhu) reported:

صلى بنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الفجر، وصعد المنبر فخطبنا حتى حضرت الظهر، فنزل فصلى، ثم صعد المنبر، فخطبنا حتى حضرت العصر، ثم نزل فصلى، ثم صعد المنبر، فخطبنا حتى غربت الشمس، فأخبرنا بما كان وبما هو كائن فأعلمنا أحفظنا

“The Messenger of Allāh (Allāḥ bless him and grant him peace) led us in Fajr and ascended the minbar and delivered a sermon until Ẓuhr came. He descended and prayed. Then he ascended the minbar and delivered a sermon until ‘Aṣr came. He descended and prayed. Then he ascended the minbar and delivered a sermon until the sun set. He told us of all that had been and will be. The most learned of us is the most retentive of us.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

The same is reported from Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī (raḍiyAllāhu ‘anhu).

As can be seen, all of these ḥadīths refer to the same incident, in which the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) delivered a speech and mentioned everything from the start of creation up to the final hour. Barelwīs take this to be literal, and claim it literally refers to each and every single thing in creation, without exception.

Common-sense and a believer’s natural intuition rules out this explanation. Every believer knows the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) – Allāh forbid – did not say, for instance, that at this specific date, at this specific location, this specific man and specific woman engaged in zinā in this specific manner etc. etc. Further, a sensible person will understand that the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) did not say, for instance, that there are this many species of fish, and each species has its own unique name, and describe where each species lives, how many there are of each and so on; and the same for all other creatures. Furthermore, “everything” will include every single conversation each person had. Are we to believe the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) quoted each and every single conversation that human beings ever had? That he referred to and quoted each and every single book (secular and religious) ever written? That he – Allāh forbid – quoted lewd lyrics and rap songs? These are included within events that took place and will take place.

Hence, simple common-sense and intuition tells us that the ḥadīth is not referring to everything in the manner Barelwīs claim. Rather it is talking about everything of a specific kind. That is, the main turbulent events (fitan) in history and the future, and related religious rulings. The Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) explained all or most of such things in this single sermon. This is what we infer from the general teachings and statements of the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam).

Ibn Khaldūn (d. 808 H) explains after quoting the ḥadīths of Ḥudhayfah and Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī:

وهذه الأحاديث كلها محمولة على ما ثبت فى الصحيحين من أحاديث الفتن والأشراط لا غير، لأنه المعهود من الشارع صلوات الله وسلامه عليه في أمثال هذه العمومات

“All of these ḥadīths are understood to refer [only] to the ḥadīths on fitan and portents established in the two Ṣaḥīḥs, and nothing else, because this is what is the norm from the lawgiver (Allāh’s blessings and peace be upon him) in the likes of such generalities.” (al-Muqaddimah)

‘Allāmah Abu ‘l-‘Abbās al-Qurṭubī (578 – 656 H) explained:

على كل تقدير فعمومات هذه الأحاديث يراد بها الخصوص، إذ لا يمكن أن يحدث في يوم واحد بل ولا في أيام ولا في أعوام بحميع ما يحدث بعد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم تفصيلا، وإنما مقصود هذه العمومات الإخبار عن رؤوس الفتن والمحن ورؤسائها كما قال حذيفة بعد هذا حين قال: لكن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال وهو يحدث مجلسا أنا فيه عن الفتن، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو يعد الفتن: منهن ثلالث لا يكدن يذرن شيئا ومنهن كرياح الصيف منها صغار ومنها كبار

“Specification is meant by the generalities of these ḥadīths because it is not possible to describe in one day, in fact in days, nor in years, all of what will happen after the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) in detail. The objective of these generalities is foretelling the main fitan and trials and their leaders, just as Ḥudhayfah said after this…” (al-Mufhim, 7:221)

Explaining the phrase “he left nothing out” in the ḥadīth of Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq al-Muḥaddith al-Dehlawī (958 – 1052 H) writes:Ā

أي مما يتعلق بالدين أي كلياته أو هو مبالغة، إقامة للأكثر مقام الكل

“Meaning, that which has a connection with religion. That is, its general principles. Or it is a hyperbole, substituting most for all.” (Lam‘āt al-Tanqīḥ, 7:379)

Mullā ‘Alī al-Qārī says something similar in his commentary on Mishkāt under this ḥadīth (no. 5145).

As al-Qurṭubī points out, there are indications in the wordings of some of these ḥadīths themselves that show they are referring to the major fitan and related matters of religion. Ḥudhayfah (raḍiyAllāhu ‘anhu) said:

فأخبرني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بما هو كائن إلى أن تقوم الساعة فما منه شيء إلا قد سألته إلا أني لم أسأله ما يخرج أهل المدينة من المدينة

“The Messenger of Allāh (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) informed me of all that will occur until the inception of the Hour. There was nothing from them but I asked him about it. However, I did not ask him which [fitnah] will cause the inhabitants of Madīnah to leave Madīnah.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

The context shows very clearly that what is being referred to is fitan. The Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) did indeed foretell the major world events that will take place after his demise, as documented in numerous ḥadīths. Shāh Waliullāh Dehlawī said:

وقد بين النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أكثر الفتن

“The Prophet (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) has explained most fitan.” (Ḥujjātullāh al-Bālighah)

In Tirmidhī’s version of the ḥadīth of Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī, it adds certain things that the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said during this sermon. One sentence is: “Indeed the world is lush and green and indeed Allāh has put you in charge over it and is watching how you behave. So be on guard from the world…”

It is thus manifestly clear that what is being referred to in these ḥadīths is the major cataclysmic events from the start of the world till its end, and any related religious ruling.

Note: Ibn Ḥajar and al-‘Aynī in their commentaries explained the ḥadīth by rephrasing the wording of the ḥadīth as “بجميع أحوال المخلوقت”, “all conditions of creatures”. However, this also refers specifically to the major cataclysmic events.

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Ḥadīth on Being Reminded by a Bird about Knowledge from the Prophet

Another popular ḥadīth in Barelwī circles relevant to the above ḥadīth is one narrated from Abū Dharr (raḍiyAllāhu ‘anhu) that he said:

لقد تركنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وما يحرك طائر جناحيه فى السماء إلا أذكرنا منه علما

“The Messenger of Allāh (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) left us while no bird moves its wings in the sky but it reminds us of knowledge from him.” (Musnad Aḥmad)

The narration appears in Ṭabarānī’s Mu‘jam as follows:

تركنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وما طائر يقلب جناحيه في الهواء، إلا وهو يذكرنا منه علما، قال: فقال: صلى الله عليه وسلم: ما بقي شيء يقرب من الجنة ويباعد من النار إلا وقد بين لكم

“The Messenger of Allāh (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) left us while no bird moves its wings in the air but it reminds us of knowledge from him. Thus he (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) said: ‘Nothing remains that draws you to Heaven and away from Hell but it has been explained to you.’” (al-Mu‘jam al-Kabīr, no. 1647)

The full version shows that what is meant by the knowledge that the bird reminded him of is the religious injunctions related to it. Which birds are permissible to consume and which are not permissible? Which can be killed while in the state of Iḥrām and which can’t be killed? If killed in the state of Iḥrām or in the Ḥaram, is there any compensation and if so, how much? These are things the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) taught in detail. Hence, ‘Allāmah Khaṭṭābī (319 – 388 H) explains this ḥadīth as follows:

معناه أنه صلى الله عليه وسلم قد استوفى بيان الشريعة حتى لم يغادر منه شيئا مشكلا، وبين لهم أحكام الطير وما يحل وما يحرم، وكيف يذبح الطير ويذكى، وما الذي يفدى إذا أصابه المحرم مما لا يفدى منها إلى ما أشبه هذا من أمرها

“Meaning, he (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) has encompassed the explanation of Sharī‘ah such that he left out nothing that is unclear from it. He explained to them the rulings of birds and what is permissible and impermissible, how birds are slaughtered and purified, and which have to be compensated when the muḥrim kills it and which do not have to be compensated, and similar such things.” (Gharīb al-Ḥadīth, 2:287)

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Ḥadīth on the World’s Events Being Viewed Like the Hand

Another ḥadīth quoted in Barelwī works like Inbā’ al-Muṣṭafā, al-Dawlat al-Makkiyyah and Jā’ al-Ḥaqq is:

إن الله رفع لي الدنيا فأنا أنظر إليها وإلى ما هو كائن فيها إلى يوم القيامة كأنما أنظر إلى كفي هذه؛ جليانا من الله جلاه لنبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم كما جلاه للنبيين

“Allāh (Exalted is He) raised the world to me so I was looking at it and what will happen therein to the Day of Resurrection like I am looking at this hand of mine.” It was a manifestation that Allāh manifested to His Prophet (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) as He manifested it to all prophets. (al-Mu‘jam al-Kabīr)

This is reported via only a single chain, from the narrator: Sa‘īd ibn Sinān al-Shāmī (d. 163 H), from Abu ‘l-Zāhiriyyah from Kathīr ibn Murrah from Ibn ‘Umar (raḍiyAllāhu ‘anhu). Al-Haythamī comments on this ḥadīth: “There is major weakness in Sa‘īd ibn Sinān al-Rahāwī”. (Majma‘ al-Zawā’id) Sa‘īd ibn Sinān is a narrator found only in Ibn Mājah from the six books. Ibrāhīm ibn Ya‘qūb al-Jūzjānī said: “I fear his ḥadīths are fabricated. They don’t resemble the ḥadīths of the people [i.e. the known narrators of Ḥadīth].” Yaḥyā ibn Ma‘īn said about his ḥadīths: “They are not taken for consideration. They are falsehoods.” Bukhārī said: “He is munkar in Ḥadīth.” Nasa’ī said: “He is matrūk in Ḥadīth.” Ibn Adī said: “Most of what he narrates, especially from Abu ‘l-Zāhiriyyah is not preserved.” (This particular ḥadīth comes via Abu ‘l-Zāhiriyyah.) Al-Dāraquṭnī said: “He is accused of fabricating ḥadīth.” (Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, 10:496-8)

This is therefore an utterly spurious narration, and in all probability, fabricated. How can an important point of doctrine be established on the basis of such a flimsy report?

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Ḥadīth on the Prophet’s Vision

In a lengthy ḥadīth in Tirmidhī, describing a dream, the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) is reported to have said:

نعست في صلاتي فاستثقلت، فإذا أنا بربي تبارك وتعالى في أحسن صورة، فقال: يا محمد قلت: لبيك رب، قال: فيم يختصم الملأ الأعلى؟ قلت: لا أدري رب، قالها ثلاثا قال: فرأيته وضع كفه بين كتفي حتى وجدت برد أنامله بين ثديي، فتجلى لي كل شيء وعرفت، فقال: يا محمد، قلت: لبيك رب، قال: فيم يختصم الملأ الأعلى؟ قلت: في الكفارات.

“I was with my Lord (Blessed and High is He) in the best form, and He said: ‘O Muḥammad!’ I said: ‘I am here, my Lord!’ He said: ‘Regarding what are the Highest Company arguing?’ I said: ‘I don’t know.’” He said this thrice. He said: “Then I saw Him place His palm between my shoulders until I felt the coolness of His fingertips between my breasts, and then everything became manifest to me and I knew. Then He said: ‘O Muḥammad!’ I said: ‘I am here, my Lord!’ He said: ‘Regarding what, are the Highest Company arguing?’ I said: ‘About atonement.’”

In one version, it states: “I knew what is in the heavens and the earth.” In another: “I knew what is in the east and west.”

The editors of Musnad Aḥmad (Mu’assasat al-Risālah print) provide a detailed analysis of the various routes of this narration under the relevant ḥadiths – in particular, numbers 3484 and 22109. They show that the chains are extremely erratic (muḍtarib) – though they generally centre around one individual called ‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ‘Ā’ish – and due to this iḍṭirāb the ḥadīth is weak even though a particular chain was graded as strong by al-Tirmidhī. (Al-Tirmidhī reports from al-Bukhārī too that he regarded it to be strong, but this is contradicted by al-Bukhārī’s judgement that it is muḍtarib.) Al-Dāraqutni said in his al-‘Ilal after a detailed analysis of the different chains of this hadith: “Nothing of it is ṣaḥīḥ and they are all muḍṭarib.” Muḥammad ibn Naṣr said in Ta‘ẓim Qadr al-Ṣalah as quoted by al-‘Asqalānī: “The narrators of this ḥadīth have been contradictory in relating its chain, and it is not established from the people of knowledge.” Al-Bayhaqī said about it in al-Asmā’ wa al-Ṣifat: “It was related through other routes, and all of them are weak.” And Ibn al-Jawzī said in al-‘Ilal al-Mutanāhiyah: “The basis of this ḥadīth and its routes are muḍṭarib.” Al-Dhahabi said in the biography of ‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ‘Ā’ish in al-Mizan regarding this ḥadīth: “[This] ḥadīth of his is strange and rare.”

Mufti Muḥammad Shafī‘ writes about this ḥadīth in an Arabic treatise:

Some adhere to what al-Qaṣṭallāni mentioned in al-Mawāhib that “Allāh (Exalted is He) raised the world to me so I was looking at it and what will happen therein to the Day of Resurrection.” He narrated it from Ibn ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with him). They also adhere to what is narrated in al-Mishkāt from Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (Allah be pleased with him) regarding the vision of the Prophet (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) in which he said: “When suddenly I was with my Lord (Blessed and High is He) in the best form, and he said: ‘O Muḥammad!’ I said: ‘I am here, my Lord!’ He said: ‘Regarding what are the Highest Company arguing?’ I said: ‘I don’t know.’” He said this thrice. He said: “Then I saw Him place His palm between my shoulders until I felt the coolness of His fingertips between my breasts, and then everything became manifest to me and I knew. Then He said: ‘O Muḥammad!’ I said: ‘I am here, my Lord!’ He said: ‘Regarding what, are the Highest Company arguing?’ I said: ‘About atonement.’” (Mishkat, Ādāb al-Masājid)

I say: Firstly, these narrations are weak and such [reports] cannot be adduced as proof against the clear texts of the Qur’ān and authentic ḥadīths. It says in Kanz al-‘Ummāl about the first ḥadīth narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (Allāh be pleased with them) that its chain is weak. Similarly, al-Bayhaqī weakened the second hadith. He said: “It was narrated from [different] routes, all of which are weak, and its authenticity is questionable.”

Secondly, after conceding the authenticity, they are from solitary reports which cannot override the Book.

Thirdly, the intent of “all things” are things apposite to that context, not all creation such that nothing is excluded from it, as is corroborated by the ḥadīth about the vision, since the discussion was concerning what the Highest Company were arguing about. Regarding this, he (upon him peace) said: “I don’t know.” Then after the placing of His (Exalted is He) hand, everything became manifest to him of this, until he knew that their dispute was over atonement.

Fourthly, after conceding [the literalness of] “all”, the manifestation of all things to someone does not entail its encompassment in complete detail, and his knowledge of what is in the insides or outsides of things, since the meaning of “manifestation” is “appearance,” so it may be that a large city in its entirety appears to someone when he ascends a lighthouse or a mountain and the entire city is in his field of view and it is right for him to say, “I saw the entire city,” but this does not entail his encompassing knowledge of what is within it, especially of what is in the insides of houses…(Aḥkām al-Qur’ān, 3:62-3)

Shāh Waliullāh explains:

وإن استدل بقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام: فتجلى لي كل شيء، قلنا: هو بمنزلة قوله تعالى فى التوراة: تفصيلا لكل شيء، والأصل فى العمومات التخصيص بما يناسب

“If the statement: ‘Everything became manifest to me,’ is argued from, we say: It is the same as His, exalted is He, statement about the Torah that it is an elaboration of all things. The default in generalities is specification to things that are apposite.” (al-Tafhīmāt al-Ilāhiyyah, p25)

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“Ask Me Anything you Want”

Another ḥadīth Barelwīs use is one in which the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Ask me whatever you want.” (سلوني عم شئتم), and then responded to the question of ‘Abdullāh ibn Ḥudhāfah regarding who his father is. In one version, he said after mentioning some major events before the final hour:

من أحب أن يسألني عن شيء فليسألني عنه، فوالله لا تسألونني عن شيء إلا أخبرتكم به، ما دمت في مقامي هذا

“Whoever wishes to ask me about anything, he should ask. By Allāh, you will not ask me about anything but I will tell you, for as long as I am in this place of mine.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

‘Abdullāh ibn Ḥudhāfah then stood up and asked: “Who is my father, Oh Messenger of Allāh.” He replied: “Your father is Ḥudhāfah.”

However, the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Ask me whatever you wish”, not because he possessed knowledge of everything in creation, but out of anger. He was angry with being asked a lot of useless questions. Hence, Abū Mūsā al-Ash‘arī narrates the incident as follows:

قال: سئل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن أشياء كرهها، فلما أكثروا عليه المسألة غضب وقال سلوني

“The Messenger of Allāh (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) was asked about things he disliked. When they were being excessive in asking him, he became angry and said: ‘Ask me!’” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

Some people did not understand that the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) only said this out of anger, so they began asking questions. One such individual was ‘Abdullāh ibn Ḥudhāfah, who people would slander and claim his father is not actually Ḥudhāfah. Hence, the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) confirmed his father is Ḥudhāfah. (Takmilah Fatḥ al-Mulhim, 4:512)

The response to ‘Abdullāh ibn Ḥudhāfah and others was given as a result of waḥy that came to the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) at that time. It was not that he already knew everything from beforehand as Barelwīs claim. Imām al-Nawawī (631 – 676 H) explains:

قال العلماء هذا القول منه صلى الله عليه وسلم محمول على أنه أوحي إليه وإلا فلا يعلم كل ما سئل عنه من المغيبات إلا بإعلام الله تعالى قال القاضي وظاهر الحديث أن قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم سلوني إنما كان غضبا كما قال في الرواية الأخرى سئل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عن أشياء كرهها فلما أكثر عليه غضب ثم قال للناس سلوني وكان اختياره صلى الله عليه وسلم ترك تلك المسائل لكن وافقهم في جوابها لأنه لا يمكن رد السؤال ولما رآه من حرصهم عليها والله أعلم

“The ‘Ulamā’ said: This statement of his (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) is understood to refer to revelation being given to him. Otherwise, he does not know all that he is asked about from the unseen without Allāh, exalted is He, informing him of it. Qāḍī ‘Iyāḍ said: The plain meaning of the ḥadīth is that he (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) only said: ‘Ask me’ out of anger, as appears in another report. He would have preferred not answering those questions but agreed to answer as it is not possible to turn back the question and given the eagerness he saw.” (Quoted in Takmilah Fatḥ al-Mulhim, 4:511-2)

Al-‘Aynī said:

فإن قلت: من أين عرف رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه ابنه، قلت: إما بالوحي وهو الظاهر أو بحكم الفراسة أو بالقياس إلخ

“If you ask how did the Messenger of Allāh (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) know that he is his son? I say: Either by revelation which is [the more] apparent, or by firāsah or analogy…” (‘Umdat al-Qārī)

If it was as Barelwīs said, and the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) had already been given knowledge of everything, al-‘Aynī would have mentioned this as the explanation. But it is clear neither al-‘Aynī nor the scholars of the Ummah understood this ḥadīth in the way Barelwīs do.

‘Umar (raḍiyAllāhu ‘anhu) understood that the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said this only out of anger. So he bent down on his knees and said: “We are happy with Allāh as Lord, Islām as religion, and Muḥammad as messenger.” Upon this, the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) stopped saying: “Ask me.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

It could also be that the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Ask me”, on some occasions in relation to specific things (i.e. religion or fitan) about which he was given knowledge. It was not said in relation to all things.

Note: In relation to this incident, some Barelwīs like Aḥmad Yār Khān quote a baseless version, in which the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said:

ما بال أقوام طعنوا في علمي لا تسألوني عن شيء فيما بينكم وبين الساعة إلا أنبأتكم به 

“What is the matter with people assaulting my knowledge? You will not ask me about anything between you and the hour but I will inform you.” Then ‘Abdullāh ibn Ḥudhāfah asked who his father is.

The correct version is as found in the two Ṣaḥīḥs as above. This particular version originates from the famous mufassir of the fifth century, al-Wāḥidī (d. 468 H), who narrated it without a chain to al-Suddī. Hence, not only is the chain up to al-Suddī completely missing, the chain between al-Suddī and the incident is also missing. Moreover, it contradicts the established version mentioned above, so is definitely a spurious and anomalous narration.

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Based on the explanation of the above ḥadīths, a person with sound understanding can deduce how to understand similar such ḥadīths that Barelwīs or Barelwī-minded individuals advance to argue for their misguidance.

[For a detailed refutation of Barelwī arguments on this topic, see Izālat al-Rayb (written in: 1959) by Maulānā Sarfrāz Khān Ṣafdar.]

See also:

Explanation of the Ḥadīth of Rabī‘ah al-Aslamī
Explanation of the Ḥadīth of ‘Uthmān ibn Ḥunayf
Explanation of a Narration in Jalā’ al-Afhām