Ibn Majah

Commentary:
A fabricated narration attributed to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is called "mawdu‘" (fabricated).

The following are some principles regarding fabricated narrations:

➊ It is unanimously prohibited (haram) to narrate a fabricated narration, except if it is mentioned for the purpose of warning (against it), then it is permissible.

➋ The following are some rules for recognizing a fabricated narration:

(a)
If a liar admits that he has fabricated such-and-such lies in the name of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, as Abu ‘Asimah Nuh ibn Abi Maryam fabricated virtues of Qur’anic surahs and also confessed to it.

(b)
If someone claims to have heard from teachers who passed away before his birth, or whom he never met in his lifetime.

(c)
If a person narrates a hadith in praise of his own group and in condemnation of opponents.

(d)
If the wording of the narration is extremely crude, such that it is impossible for it to have come from the tongue of the Prophet.

➌ The scholars have mentioned several reasons for fabricating narrations.
Narrating fabricated hadiths, considering them actionable in the virtues of deeds, or propagating them to people—these reasons make their reprehensibility very clear.
For example:
Fabricating hadiths in support of one’s own sect and in condemnation of another.
Seeking the favor of rulers.
To slander Islam, seeking livelihood, or to gain fame, etc.

➍ Fabricated narrations cast aspersions on the infallibility (‘ismah) of the Prophets.
They are disrespectful to the imams and scholars, and they tarnish the bright face of Islam. Moreover, the spread of innovations (bid‘ah) is also greatly due to fabricated narrations; therefore, narrating such narrations is absolutely haram.

➎ Some examples to clarify the reprehensibility of fabricated narrations:

(a)
A liar named ‘Umar ibn Musa slandered the Prophet alayhis-salam by attributing this statement to him:
“When Allah is angry, He sends revelation in the Arabic language, and when He is pleased, He sends revelation in the Persian language.”
In response, another liar named Isma‘il fabricated this narration:
“The most disliked language to Allah is Persian, and the language of the people of Paradise is Arabic.”

(b)
Ma’mun ibn Ahmad, the impostor, fabricated this narration in condemnation of Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah and in praise of Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, attributing it to the Prophet:
“There will be a man in my ummah named Muhammad ibn Idris who will be more harmful to my ummah than Iblis, while there will be a man named Abu Hanifah who will be the lamp of my ummah.”

➏ The following books are extremely beneficial for recognizing fabricated narrations:
- Kitab al-Mawdu‘at by Abu’l-Faraj ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Jawzi.
- Al-La’ali al-Masnu‘ah by Imam al-Suyuti.
- Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Da‘ifah wa’l-Mawdu‘ah by Shaykh al-Albani.