Hadith of Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him):
Among the primary arguments against raising the hands during prayer is the hadith of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, in which Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, says:
«ألا أصلي بكم صلاة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فصلى ، فلم يرفع يديه الا فى اول مرة. »
“Shall I teach you the prayer of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him? So he prayed and raised his hands only the first time.”
Answer:
(1) Many scholars of hadith have declared this narration weak. For example:
➊ Imam Abdullah bin Mubarak (student of Imam Abu Hanifa) (Sunan Tirmidhi: 2/38, Tahqiq Ibn al-Jawzi: 1/278)
➋ Imam Shafi’i (Al-Zarqani on Al-Muwatta: 1/158, Fath al-Bari 2/175)
➌ Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (Al-Tamhid: 219/9, Al-‘Ilal wa Ma‘rifat al-Rijal: 116/1, 117)
➍ Imam Abu Hatim al-Razi (‘Ilal al-Hadith: 96/1)
➎ Imam Dar Qutni (Al-‘Ilal: 172/5)
➏ Imam Ibn Hibban (Al-Talkhis: 222/1)
➐ Imam Abu Dawood (Sunan Abi Dawood: 199/1)
➑ Imam Yahya bin Adam (Al-Talkhis: 222/1)
➒ Imam Bazzar (Al-Tamhid: 220/9, 221)
➓ Imam Muhammad bin Waddah (Al-Tamhid: 221/9)
⓫ Imam Bukhari (Al-Talkhis: 1/222, Part on Raising Hands, 113, Al-Majmu‘: 3/403)
⓬ Imam Ibn al-Qattan al-Fasi (Nasb al-Rayah: 1/395)
⓭ Imam Ibn Malqan (Al-Badr al-Munir)
⓮ Imam Hakim (Tahdhib al-Sunan: 449/2)
⓯ Imam Nawawi (Al-Majmu‘: 403/3)
⓰ Imam Darimi (Tahdhib al-Sunan: 449/2)
⓱ Imam Bayhaqi (Mukhtasar Khilafiyat: 379/1)
⓲ Imam Marwazi (Nasb al-Rayah: 1/395)
⓳ Imam Ibn Qudamah (Al-Mughni: 295/1)
(20) Imam Ibn Abd al-Barr (Al-Tamhid: 9/220, 221, Mur‘at: 323/2)
(21) Imam Ibn Qayyim (Al-Manar al-Munif, p. 49)
In short, a large number of hadith scholars have declared it weak. Now, what praise can Imam Tirmidhi give in the face of so many scholars declaring it weak?
Furthermore, Imam Tirmidhi, may Allah have mercy on him, is moderate in his praise. As the famous principle of scholars of usul states:
«الترمذى يتساهل فى التحسين.»
“Tirmidhi is moderate in calling a hadith Hasan (good).”
Answer:
(2) In its chain, Sufyan al-Thawri is a mudallis (one who conceals defects in the chain), who practices tadlis from weak and unknown narrators. He narrates using the phrase “an” (from). Many hadith scholars have declared Sufyan al-Thawri a mudallis and have declared his mu‘ann (with the phrase “an”) narrations weak. There is no explicit mention of his hearing (sama‘) in hadith books, nor is there any trustworthy follower (thiqah mutabi‘).
Below are the names of scholars who have declared Sufyan al-Thawri a mudallis:
➊ Yahya bin Sa‘id al-Qattan
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
«قال يحيى بن سعيد ما كتبت عن سفيان شيئا إلا ما قال: حدثني أو حدثنا إلا حديثين.»
Yahya bin Sa‘id said: I only wrote from Sufyan (al-Thawri) what he said “hadathani” or “hadathana,” except for two hadiths (which Yahya explained).
➋ Yahya bin Mu‘in
➌ Ibn Hibban said:
«الثقات المدلسون الذين كانوا يدلسون فى الأخبار مثل قتادة و يحيى ابن أبى كثير والأعمش و أبو اسحاق و ابن جريج و ابن إسحاق و الثورى و هشيم فربما ولسوا عن الشيخ بعد سماعهـم عـنـه عـن أقوام ضعفاء لا يجوز الإحتجاج بأخبارهم ، فما لم يقل المدلس وإن كان ثقة: حدثني أو سمعت ، فلا يجوز الإحتجاج بخبره .»
He is a trustworthy mudallis narrator who practices tadlis in his hadiths. For example, Qatadah, Yahya bin Abi Kathir, A‘mash, Abu Ishaq, Ibn Jurayj, Ibn Ishaq, Thawri, and Hashim sometimes narrate from their sheikh whom they heard from weak, unreliable people as tadlis. So, as long as the mudallis, even if trustworthy, does not say “hadathani” or “sami‘tu,” it is not correct to accept his hadith as proof.
➍ Ali bin al-Madini, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
«والناس يحتاجون فى حديث سفيان إلى يحيى القطان لحال الإخبار يعنى على ان سفيان كان يدلس و أن يحيى القطان كان يوقفه على ما سمع مما لم يسمع»
“People depend on Yahya al-Qattan in Sufyan’s hadith because he narrates with explicit hearing. Ali bin al-Madini believes that Sufyan practiced tadlis, and Yahya al-Qattan only narrates his mu‘ann and explicit hearing narrations.”
➎ Imam Hakim Nishapuri (Ma‘rifat ‘Ulum al-Hadith, p. 107)
➏ Abu Hatim al-Razi (‘Ilal al-Hadith: 2/254, No: 2255)
➐ Imam Bukhari (Al-‘Ilal al-Kabir li al-Tirmidhi: 2/966)
➑ Ya‘qub bin Sufyan al-Farsi (Al-Ma‘rifah wa al-Tarikh: 637, 633/2)
➒ Hashim bin Bashir al-Wasiti. Imam Abdullah bin Mubarak says:
«”قلت لهشيم مالك تدلس وقد سمعت؟ قال: كان كبير ان يدلسان وذكر الأعمش والثورى. “ الخ»
I asked Hashim: Why do you practice tadlis although you have heard much? He said: Two great ones also practiced tadlis, namely A‘mash and Sufyan al-Thawri.
➓ Al-Wazra‘ah Ibn al-‘Iraqi
⓫ Abu ‘Asim al-Nabil al-Dhahhak bin Mukhlad. Abbas bin Muhammad Badri said:
«نا أبو عاصم عن سفيان عن عاصم عن أبى رزين عن ابن عباس فى المرتدة ترتد قال: تستحي و قال أبو عاصم: و نرى أن سفيان الثورى إنما دلسه عن أبى حنيفة فكتبتها جميعا .»
“We have a hadith from Abu ‘Asim (al-Nabil) from Sufyan from ‘Asim from Abu Razin from Ibn Abbas about a murtad (apostate) which will be kept alive. Abu ‘Asim said: We think Sufyan al-Thawri practiced tadlis from Abu Hanifa in this hadith, so I wrote both chains.”
⓬ Salah al-Din al-‘Alai says:
«من يدلس عن أقوام مجهولين لا يدرى من هم كسفيان الثورى.»
“For example, those who practice tadlis from unknown people whose whereabouts are unknown, like Sufyan al-Thawri (tadlis), etc.”
⓭ Imam Nawawi (Sharh Sahih Muslim: 33/1)
⓮ Hafiz Ibn Hajar (Taqrib al-Tahdhib, No: 2445 – Tabaqat al-Mudallisīn: 51/2)
⓯ Hafiz Dhahabi states:
«وكان يدلس فى روايته، و ربما دلس عن الضعفاء.»
“He practiced tadlis in his narration and sometimes practiced tadlis even from weak narrators.”
⓰ Al-Subt Ibn al-Halabi (Al-Tibyan li Asma’ al-Mudallisīn, p. 9, No: 25)
⓱ Abu Mahmud al-Maqdisi (Muqayyadah li Asma’ al-Mudallisīn, p. 47)
⓲ Allama Suyuti (Asma’ al-Mudallisīn 18)
⓳ Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (Sharh ‘Ilal al-Tirmidhi: 1/358)
(20) Allama Qastalani (Irshad al-Sari: 286/1)
(21) Allama Karmani (Sharh Sahih Bukhari: 3/62, No: 213)
Many Hanafi, Deobandi, and Barelvi scholars have also declared Imam Sufyan al-Thawri a mudallis. For example:
➊ Ibn al-Turkmani (Al-Jawahir al-Naqi: 262/8)
➋ Badr al-Din ‘Ayni (‘Umdat al-Qari: 3/112)
➌ Allama Naimwi (Athar al-Sunan, p. 194 [384])
➍ Maulvi Sarfaraz Safdar (Khazain al-Sunan: 77/2)
➎ Abdul Qayyum Haqqani (Tawdhih al-Sunan: 1/615)
➏ Mufti Taqi Usmani (Dars Tirmidhi: 1/521)
➐ Master Amin Okaraavi (Majmu‘ah Rasail: 331/2, Tajalliyat: 5/470)
➑ Maulvi Sharif Kotlaavi Barelvi (Fiqh al-Faqih, p. 134)
➒ Maulvi Abbas Raza Barelvi (Wallah Aap Zinda Hain, pp. 331, 332 (17th ed.), Qadeem p. 301, New edition)
Benefit:
If a narrator practices tadlis even once and it is established that he practiced tadlis, then every mu‘ann narration of his (which has no witness or follower) is weak and rejected. Imam Muhammad bin Idris al-Shafi‘i, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
«ومن عرفناه دلس مرة فقد أبان لنا عورته فى روايته وليست تلك العورة بكذب فنردبها حديثه ولا النصيحة فى الصدق فتقبل منه ، قبلنا من أهل النصيحة فى الصدق فقلنا: لا نقبل من مدلس حديثا حتى يقول فيه حدثني أو سمعت .»
If it becomes known that a person practiced tadlis even once, then his inner reality is apparent in his narration, and it is not a lie to say that we reject all his hadiths, nor is it kindness to accept all his narrations as we accept the narrations of non-mudallis narrators. So we say: We will not accept any hadith of a mudallis until he says “hadathani” or “sami‘tu.”
Praise of the Hadith of Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) through the four loopholes:
First loophole:
Some people, in praise of the Hadith of Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), say that Sufyan al-Thawri is a mudallis of the second category, therefore his narration is acceptable, and as evidence, they present Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioning him in the second category.
Answer:
Imam Hakim has classified him as a mudallis of the third category before Hafiz Ibn Hajar.
And Imam Hakim preceded Hafiz Ibn Hajar.
Second loophole:
It is also said in praise of the Hadith of Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the narrations of Sufyan al-Thawri are also found in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, therefore his narration is of Hasan grade.
Answer:
Remember that in the Sahihayn, the narrations of mudallis narrators with munn’an (broken) chains are confirmed by tasreeh bil-samā‘ (explicit hearing) and mutaba‘ah (following), hence they are accepted. Accordingly, Abdul Karim al-Halabi states:
«قال أكثر العلماء: أن المعنعنات التى فى الصحيحين منزلة بمنزلة السماع .»
Most scholars say that the munn’an narrations in the Sahihayn are like those narrations which have tasreeh bil-samā‘.”
Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
«وما كان فى الصحيحين وشبههما عن المدلسين بعن محمولة على ثبوت السماع من جهة أخرى.»
“The munn’an narrations from mudallis narrators mentioned in the two Sahihs (and similar books) are explicitly present with tasreeh bil-samā‘ in other chains.”
Therefore, these objections are corrupt and futile. Let them reflect.
Answer:
(3) Imam Abu Dawud (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “This Hadith is an abridgment of a longer Hadith and is not correct in these words.”
The same longer Hadith was narrated by Imam Abu Dawud himself before this Hadith, which is:
«قال عبد الله: علمنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الصلاة فكبر ورفع يديه فلما ركع طبق يديه بين ركبتيه.»
“Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us the prayer; he said the Takbir and raised his hands, and when he bowed, he placed both hands joined between his knees.”
Also, Imam Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Shaybani, the Hanafi scholar, mentioned a detailed narration in his book Al-Athar
, in which it is stated that Alqamah ibn Qais and Aswad ibn Yazid were both with Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him). When the time for prayer came, they stood up to pray behind him. He placed one of them on his left side, then he himself stood among the people. When he finished, he said: When you are three people, do it like this. And when he bowed, he did so with the hands joined, and without Adhan and Iqamah, they prayed and said that the Takbir of the people around us is sufficient.
Imam Muhammad said that they do not act upon the statement of Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him).
Answer:
(4) Even if, hypothetically, the narration of Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) is accepted as authentic, the Hanafi scholars themselves do not accept these Hadiths of Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him). For example:
➊ Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) was inclined to and practiced praying without Adhan and Iqamah.
➊ Instead of placing hands on the knees during bowing, he placed them between the knees.
➋ At the time of leading the prayer, instead of standing in front, he stood in the middle of the row.
Thus, Imam Muhammad (may Allah have mercy on him), a student of Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him), after narrating all these points, writes: “We do not act upon the statement of Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him).”
So why cling to a weak narration regarding the issue of raising the hands? Some Imams, such as Imam Tirmidhi and others, have graded this Hadith as Hasan. Despite this, they themselves used to raise their hands and were proponents of it. And where Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) after this statement explains the method of prayer in his book, he seals his position by mentioning the consensus of ten Sahabah on raising the hands, confirming that this is the Sunnah of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Answer:
(5) The Hadith about saying Ameen aloud is declared weak because of Sufyan al-Thawri. As Mufti Taqi Usmani said in
, then why is the Hadith of Sufyan al-Thawri graded as Hasan here? If that is the case, then the position of saying Ameen aloud must be adopted.
