Assalaamu alaykum. I am confused about a certain hadith as it contradicts another. I hope that you can explain this to me Allaah willing. The first hadith is: [Sahih Al-Bukhaari, Vol. 5, hadith 3672] http://sunnah.com/bukhari/62 The second hadith is: [Sahih Muslim hadith 367 b] http://sunnah.com/muslim/3/138
Why do the stories in the hadiths not always match? As we know, both of these are authentic hadiths, but they still contradict one another. Like, for example, in the first hadith in Al-Bukhaari, it says, “The Messenger of Allaah also stopped to search for it.” But in the second hadith, it says, “The Messenger of Allaah ordered them to search for it,” and we know that both of these cannot occur at the same time, and there are many other conflicting issues within this hadith itself. I hope that you can explain these. May Allaah reward you.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

First of all, you should know that both ahaadeeth were reported by both Al-Bukhari and Muslim, and it is not that Al-Bukhari reported the first hadeeth and Muslim reported the second one, as is understood from your question.

The Prophet stopping at one place in order to search for the necklace does not necessarily mean that he did that by himself, but it could also mean that he stopped along with the people in order to find the necklace that had been lost.

Al-Baaji said in "Al-Muntaqa Sharh Muwatta’ Al-Imaam Maalik", “The saying of ‘Aa’ishah that the Prophet stopped to look for it; she wants to say by this that he stopped until he could look for it by the disappearance of darkness that prevents from searching for it or to wait for whomever he sent to look for it.”

It is for this reason that, in the hadeeth, it is mentioned that Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq reproachfully said to Aa'ishah, “You delayed the Prophet and the people.” This does not mean that all the people had gone in search for it.

Allaah knows best.