Hadith 5738

Ibn 'Abbas reported God's messenger as saying, "Being given information is not like seeing. God most high gave Moses information about what his people had done regarding the calf and he did not throw down the tablets, but when he saw what they did he threw down the tablets and they were broken." Ahmad transmitted the three traditions.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " لَيْسَ الْخَبَرُ كَالْمُعَايَنَةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى أَخْبَرَ مُوسَى بِمَا صَنَعَ قَوْمُهُ فِي الْعِجْلِ فَلَمْ يُلْقِ الْأَلْوَاحَ فَلَمَّا عَايَنَ مَا صَنَعُوا أَلْقَى الْأَلْوَاحَ فَانْكَسَرَتْ. رَوَى الْأَحَادِيث الثَّلَاثَة أَحْمد

Reference: 5657380
In-book reference: Book 28, Hadith 5738