In the name of Allah the Most Gracious the Most Merciful

What is the difference between أخبرني and حدثني?

By Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-’Uthaymeen may Allah have mercy on him

The Shaykh mentions this point of benefit in his explanation of the Usool Fiqh poem entitled, “al-Waraqaat”.

He mentions this under the 154th line:

و لم يقل في عكسه حدثني… ولكن يقول راويا أخبري

The difference between the two is that أخبرني refers to someone who reads (something of knowledge; for example hadith) to his shaykh, and حدثني refers to the shaykh relaying (knowledge) to his student. In the Arabic language there is no difference between these two words and their meanings are the same. However, the people of knowledge in Hadith Sciences have made a difference between the two.

Translated by: Abu Awzaa’ee AbdusSalaam

الفقير الى الله