Khizr Hayat Bikhari and Sahih Bukhari Hadith
نحمده ونصلى على رسوله الكريم، أما بعد!
Deniers of Hadith make various excuses to reject the sayings of the Prophet ﷺ; sometimes they sacrifice these hadiths to their limited intellect, and sometimes they reject them by saying that they contradict the Quran. Such people have existed before as well, who wrote books on this subject, which scholars have refuted with evidence. Following their example, nowadays some people attack authentic hadiths, among whom is Khizr Hayat Bikhari, who rejects several hadiths from Bukhari and Muslim by claiming that they contradict the Quran. One of these hadiths is as follows:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ said:
((العبد إذا وضع في قبره، وتولي وذهب أصحابه حتى إنه ليسمع فرع نعالهم))
“When a person is placed in the grave and his companions (after burial) return, he hears the sound of their footsteps.”
There is a consensus of the Ummah on the authenticity of Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim that all their Marfu’ narrations are authentic, as Imam Ibn Kathir writes:
ثم حكى أن الأمة تلقت هذين الكتابين بالقبول، سوى أحرف يسيرة، انتقدها بعض الحفاظ كالدارقطني وغيره، ثم استنبط من ذلك القطع بصحة ما فيها من الأحاديث؛ لأن الأمة معصومة عن الخطأ، فما ظنت صحته وجب عليها العمل به ، لا بد وأن يكون صحيحا في نفس الأمر ، وهذا جيد.
Then (Ibn al-Salah) stated that indeed the entire Ummah has accepted these two books (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim), except for a few narrators about whom some Huffaz, such as Dar Qutni and others, have criticized. Then from this (Ibn al-Salah) deduced that the hadiths of these two books are absolutely authentic, because when the Ummah reaches consensus (Ijma’), it is free from error. Therefore, whatever the Ummah has accepted as authentic, acting upon it (and believing in it) is obligatory, and it is necessary that it be truly authentic. (Ibn al-Salah’s) statement is good.
Allama Zailai Hanafi says:
((وأعلى درجة الصحيح عند الحفاظ ما اتفق عليه الشيخان))
“And according to the Huffaz (of Hadith), the highest grade of Sahih hadith is that upon which Bukhari and Muslim agree.”
Allama Mulla Ali Qari Hanafi writes:
((ثم اتفقت العلماء على تلقى الصحيحين تلقى بالقبول وأنهما أصح الكتب المؤلفة))
Then (all) scholars agree that Sahihayn have the status of being accepted as authentic, and these two are the most authentic among all books.
Imam Ibn Abi al-Izz al-Hanafi writes:
((وكفى بتصحيح البخاري ومسلم لها حجة))
For a (hadith) to be considered authoritative, it is sufficient that Bukhari and Muslim have declared it authentic.
There is consensus of the Ummah on the authenticity of our printed and mentioned hadith; however, some specific hadith scholars who have declared this hadith authentic are as follows:
According to Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, this narration is authentic because he narrated it in his Sahih.
According to Imam Muslim, may Allah have mercy on him, this narration is authentic, which is why he narrated it in his Sahih.
According to Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, this narration is authentic because he narrated it in his Sahih.
Hafiz Baghawi, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
’’هذا حديث متفق على صحته‘‘.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani, may Allah have mercy on him, has declared this hadith authentic.
Allama Badr al-Din al-Ayni al-Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him, has declared this hadith authentic.
A similar hadith is also narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:
((والذي نفسي بيده، إنه ليسمع خفق نعالهم حين يولون عنه))
“By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! Indeed, the dead hear the footsteps of those who return (after burial).”
This is the authenticity according to Sahihayn and especially regarding the authenticity of this hadith according to the scholars of the Ummah. Now listen to Bikhari Sahib as well; he says:
“The narrators have said that this is not the statement of the Holy Prophet. The Quran says the dead do not hear, and this hadith says they do hear. Or this hadith should be read as يسمع. Bikhari Sahib says whoever reads it as يسمع is a denier of the Quran.”
Now consider that there is a consensus of the entire Ummah that this hadith is authentic, and consensus (Ijma) is one of the Shariah evidences. However, Bakhruwi Sahib, abandoning this, follows his own desires and says many things about this hadith. He rejects it by claiming it is against the Quran. Here, the words of the Sheikh al-Hadith of his own Darul Uloom Deoband fit perfectly. Qari Tayyib Sahib writes: “Therefore, denying an authentic hadith in itself is, in reality, denying hundreds of verses of the Quran. Hence, for any denier of hadith who claims to follow the Quran, at least there remains no room to deny this hadith which is authentic in itself.”
In light of Qari Tayyib Sahib’s statement, Bakhruwi Sahib is a denier of hadith who denies hundreds of verses of the Quran and is a so-called claimant of following the Quran.
Bukhari Sahib, who is calling this narration a lie, was obliged to also mention whose narration it is. Then he should have proven it with evidence, but he did not provide any such evidence. Remember, the method of the deniers of Hadith and misguided people has always been that when they become helpless in the field of evidence, they resort to such baseless claims. As for the claim that this is against the Quran, this itself is proof of Bukhari Sahib’s ignorance of the Quran, because where it is in the Quran:
(وما انت بمسمع من في القبور)
Before this, it is also stated:
(إن الله يسمع من يشاء)
“Indeed, Allah hears whom He wills.”
Then after that, it is said:
﴿وما انت بمسمع من فى القبور)
“And you do not hear those in the graves.”
And what is in the Hadith that the footsteps of the dead returning are heard, it is Allah who hears them. Therefore, there is no contradiction between the Quran and Hadith; rather, this contradiction exists only in Bukhari Sahib’s mind.
As for considering it as unknown, that is also incorrect, because the hadith scholars have regarded it as known. Please see a few more references to understand what the scholars of the Ummah have said about this hadith:
Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, dedicated a chapter to it:
(باب الميت يسمع قرع نعالهم)
Imam Ibn Battal (died 449 AH) says:
قوله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم في الميت: ((إنه ليسمع قرع نعالهم)) ، وكلامه مع الملكين يبين قوله: ﴿وما أنت بمسمع من في القبور) أنه على غير العموم . قال المهلب ولا معارضة بين الآية والحديث، لأن كل ما نسب إلى الموتى من استماع النداء والنوح، فهى في هذا الوقت عند الفتنة أول ما يوضع الميت في قبره أو شاء الله أن يرد أرواح الموتى ردها إليهم لما شاء: (لا يسئل عما يفعل وهم يسئلون) ثم قال بعد ذلك: لا يسمعون، كما قال تعالى: ﴿ إنك لا تسمع الموتى) (وما انت بمسمع من في القبور)
The saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) regarding the dead hearing the sound of his footsteps also clarifies that the dead converse with the angels (Munkar and Nakir). His (Allah Almighty’s) statement: “And you are not the one to make them hear who are in the graves” is not general. Mahlab said: There is no contradiction between the verse and the hadith, because what is attributed to the dead concerns hearing wailing and crying, while the hadith refers to the time when the dead are placed in the grave or when Allah wills to return the souls to them, He returns them to their bodies. “He will not be asked about what he does, and they will be questioned.” Then He said: They do not hear as Allah Almighty said: “Indeed, you cannot make the dead hear,” “And you are not the one to make them hear who are in the graves.”
Imam Qurtubi (died 256 AH) writes:
قوله إن العبد إذا وضع في قبره وتولى عنه أصحابه، وإنه ليسمع فرع نعالهم ، هذا نض في أن الميت يسمع .
“This is a text that the dead hear sounds.”
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him (died 728 AH), writes in response to a question:
فهذه النصوص وأمثالها تبين أن الميت يسمع في الجملة كلام الحي ولا يجب أن يكون السمع له دائما ، بل قد يسمع في حال دون حال كما قد يعرض للحي فإنه قد يسمع أحيانا خطاب من يخاطبه، وقد لا يسمع لعارض يعرض له ، وهذا السمع سمع إدراك ، ليس يترتب عليه جزاء، ولا هو السمع المنفي بقوله : (إنك لا تسمع الموتى) فإن المراد بذلك القبول والامتثال . فإن الله جعل الكافر كالميت الذي لا يستجيب لمن دعاه، وكالبهائم التي تسمع الصوت، ولا تفقه المعنى . فالميت وإن سمع الكلام وفقه المعنى فإنه لا يمكنه إجابة الداعي ، ولا امتثال ما أمر به، ونهي عنه، فلا ينتفع بالأمر والنهي. وكذلك الكافر لا ينتفع بالأمر والنهي ، وإن سمع الخطاب ، وفهم المعنى . كما قال تعالى: ﴿ولو علم الله فيهم خير الاسمعهم﴾
“It is clear from this and other similar texts that the dead do not necessarily hear the speech of the living in every instance; rather, they hear it under specific (particular) conditions. For example, if an obstacle is placed for the living person, then (even though) he hears the speech directed at him, he cannot hear it due to the obstacle, and this hearing is sensory. Neither any reward is established from this, nor is it negative hearing according to the verse: (إنك لا تسمع الموتى), because it refers to accepting hearing and complying with it. Thus, Allah Almighty has described the disbeliever as like the dead, who, despite hearing, cannot respond to the caller in compliance, and like animals who hear sounds but are unable to understand their meaning. Therefore, even if the dead hear and understand speech, they cannot respond to the caller’s call, nor can they comply with commands and prohibitions; they cannot benefit from commands and prohibitions. Similarly, even if a disbeliever hears and understands the address, he does not benefit from commands and prohibitions, as Allah Almighty says:”
(ولو علم الله فيهم خير الأسمعهم)
“If Allah knew any good in them, He would have made them hear.”
Imam Ibn Rajab (At-Tawfiq 795 AH) writes:
’’وأما قوله: ﴿إنك لا تسييح الموتى (النمل: 80) , and His saying: ﴿And you are not a hearer of those in the graves﴾
The term “hearing” is used to mean perceiving speech and understanding it, and it also means benefiting from it and responding to it. The meaning intended in these verses is the negation of the second meaning, not the first. This is because it is in the context of addressing the disbelievers who do not respond to guidance or faith when it is called to them, as Allah Almighty said: ﴿And We have certainly created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, and they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear﴾
verse.
And as for the command of (Allah) the Exalted: “Indeed, you cannot make the dead hear.” “Nor is there anyone who can make those in the graves hear.” So indeed, absolute hearing is meant, and by it is meant the perception and understanding of speech, and similarly, it also means benefiting from it and responding to it. And the meaning of these verses is the negation of the second thing, not the first, because this is in the context of addressing the disbelievers, those who do not accept guidance nor believe when they are called to it. As the Exalted Allah says: “And indeed, We created many of the jinn and mankind for Hell. Their hearts are not inclined to understand with them, and their eyes are not inclined to see with them, and their ears are not inclined to hear with them.” In this verse, their hearing and seeing are negated, because sometimes the negation is of the benefit of something. Then, when a person cannot benefit through hearing and sight, it is as if he neither heard nor saw, and hearing is equivalent to death. Similarly, the hearing of the disbelievers is for the one who calls them to faith and guidance.
Allama Abu al-Abbas Ibn Ruslan (d. 844) said:
’’إن العبد إذا وضع في قبره وتولى عنه أصحابه (انه) ليسمع قرع نعالهم فيه حجة لمن يقول ان الميت يسمع كلام الاحياء كما يسمع قرع النعال .
والثاني: ان يكون المعنى فإنك لا نسمع الموتى اسماعا ينتفعون به قد انقطعت عنهم الأعمال وخرجوا من دار العمل إلى دار الجزاء .‘‘
When a person is placed in the grave and his companions return, he hears the sound of their footsteps. This is evidence for those who say that the dead hear the speech of the living, just as they hear the sound of shoes.
And secondly: This can also mean that you cannot make the dead hear in a way that benefits them. Indeed, their deeds have ceased and they have departed from the abode of this world to the abode of recompense.
Allama Ayni al-Hanafi (d. 855) writes about the knocking of their sandals:
’’فیه دليل على إن الميت تعود إليه روحه لاجل السؤال وانه يسمع صوت نعال الأحياء وهو فى السؤال‘‘
This is evidence that the soul of the deceased is returned to it for questioning, and (at the same time) it hears the sound of the living’s shoes, while it is being questioned.
Allama Ibn Hammam al-Hanafi (d. 681) writes:
’’((إن الميت ليسمع فرع نعالهم إذا انصرفوا)) اللهم إلا أن يخضوا ذلك بأول الوضع فى القبر مقدمة للسؤال‘‘
Indeed, the dead hear the sound of their shoes when they (people) return. Perhaps this is the special moment when (the dead) is placed in the grave for the first time for questioning.
Now let’s also listen to what the scholars of Deoband say:
Aashiq Ilahi Sahib writes:
“The listeners you address have not benefited from what they hear, so this verse does not prove that the dead cannot hear any speech. The issue of the hearing of the dead is actually silent in this verse. However, this issue is noteworthy in its own right: whether the dead can hear any speech or not. In these three verses, it is noteworthy that none of them explicitly states that the dead cannot hear; rather, all three verses negate that ‘you’ can hear. In all three verses, by adopting this expression and title, there is a clear indication that the dead may have the ability to hear, but they themselves do not hear by their own power.” Then, at the end, they write: “Therefore, in cases where the narration of Hadith about hearing is proven authentic, belief in hearing should be held, and where it is not proven, both possibilities remain; hence, neither absolute affirmation nor absolute negation is possible. واللہ سبحانہ تعالیٰ اعلم ۔”
Idris Kandhlawi Sahib writes:
It is proven from authentic hadiths that men hear and hear the greetings of those present at the grave, so it should be known that this verse does not contradict the hadiths because the verse does not negate hearing the dead but negates hearing the dead.
Warning:
Hearing the greetings of those present at the grave is not proven from any authentic hadith.
Mufti Muhammad Shafi Sahib writes:
“Therefore, in cases where hearing is proven from authentic hadith narrations, belief in hearing should be held, and where it is not proven, both possibilities exist, so neither definite affirmation nor definite negation is possible. And Allah, Glorified and Exalted, knows best.”
Ghulamullah Khan Sahib writes:
“Those scholars who negate hearing the dead base their argument on the apparent meanings of the Quran and authentic hadiths, while those who affirm hearing also base their arguments on authentic hadiths.”
Finally, Khizr Hayat Bakhruvi Sahib is requested that if you do not accept anyone else’s opinion, then do not accept it!! At least accept the words of your Hanafi scholars or accept the words of your senior Deobandi scholars; they have also acknowledged that this hadith is authentic and not against the Quran. But Bakhruvi Sahib speaks against all of them, saying this is nonsense. والعیاذ باللہ.
Readers! Decide for yourselves who is truthful? As for calling it “majhool” (unknown), this is also against the hadith scholars, because they have read it as “ma’loom” (known). In fact, references from Hanafi scholars also exist that they have read it as “ma’loom.” Bukhari Sahib says: “Whoever reads it as ‘ma’loom’ is a denier of the Quran.” So the request is that you have categorically declared the entire Ummah’s scholars as deniers of the Quran. Now muster a little courage and name a few Hanafi scholars and Deobandi scholars and tell people that they were deniers of the Quran so that people can distinguish the deniers and your truthfulness can also become clear.
وما علينا إلا البلاغ المبين
