قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ السَّاعَةِ، قَالَ: مَا الْمَسْؤُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ
Translation: He asked about the Hour. The Prophet ﷺ replied: The one questioned knows no more about it than the questioner.
Asked about the timing of the Hour, the Prophet ﷺ stated that the one being asked knew no more about it than the questioner. The purpose is not to supply a date, but to recognize that its appointed time is known to Allah.
In مَا الْمَسْؤُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ, الْمَسْؤُولُ is the one questioned, السَّائِل the questioner, and بِأَعْلَمَ strengthens the negation of having superior knowledge.
An honest teacher can say “I do not know” when a matter is genuinely unknown. That is a form of intellectual trustworthiness, not weakness.