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مشكوة المصابيح
Mishkat al-Masabih
كتاب الإيمانThe Book of Faith
(ذَمُّ الرَّهْبَانِيَّةِ)(Condemnation of monasticism)
Hadith 181
اُردوEn
وَعَن أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَقُولُ: لَا تُشَدِّدُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِكُمْ فَيُشَدِّدَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَإِنَّ قَوْمًا شَدَّدُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ فَشَدَّدَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَتِلْكَ بَقَايَاهُمْ فِي الصَّوَامِعِ والديار (رَهْبَانِيَّة ابتدعوها مَا كتبناها عَلَيْهِم) رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد
Anas declared that God’s messenger used to say, “Do not impose austerities on yourselves and so have God imposing austerities on you; for people have imposed austerities on themselves and God has imposed austerities on them. Their survivors are to be found in cells and monasteries.” [Then he quoted], “Monasticism, they invented it; we did not prescribe it for them.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai
Hadith Authentication
Its chain of narration is weak.
◄ Abu Ya’la al-Mawsili [المسند 365/6ح 3694] has also narrated it with the same chain.
The narrator of this narration, Sa’id ibn Abdur Rahman ibn Abi al-‘Umayya, has not been declared trustworthy by anyone except Ibn Hibban, meaning he is of unknown status (majhul al-hal).
◄ In al-Tarikh al-Kabir of al-Bukhari [97/4], it is narrated that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
«لا تُشَدِّدُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِكُمْ فَإِنَّمَا هَلَكَ مَنْ قَبْلَكُمْ بِتَشْدِيدِهِمْ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَسَتَجِدُونَ بَقَايَاهُمْ فِي الصَّوَامِعِ وَالدِّيَارَاتِ»
“Do not be harsh upon yourselves, for those before you were destroyed because of being harsh upon themselves, and you will see the remnants of them in the monks’ places of worship and in the houses (with places of prostration).”
◄ ↰ The chain of this narration is hasan li-dhatih (good in itself).
The narration of Imam al-Bukhari from Abdullah ibn Salih Katib al-Layth is hasan, and the rest of the chain is authentic.
◄ Abu Shurayh Abdur Rahman ibn Shurayh al-Iskandarani was trustworthy and virtuous. The criticism of him by Ibn Sa’d is rejected.
◄ Also see: [تقريب التهذيب 3892]
Fiqh of the Hadith:
The fiqh of the narration from al-Tarikh al-Kabir of al-Bukhari is as follows:
➊ In Shari’ah, for those matters in which there is allowance and concession, one should not unnecessarily declare them forbidden or prohibited upon oneself; rather, it is better to benefit from the concession.
➋ There is no monasticism in Islam; rather, one should live within society and remain engaged in reforming oneself and others.
➌ One should always completely avoid extremism and always adopt the just and moderate middle path.
➍ The system of seclusion from society, i.e., the monastic system, is in reality a copy of the actions of the Jewish rabbis and Christian monks.
➎ The silence of Imam Abu Dawud upon a narration in Sunan Abu Dawud is not proof of its being hasan or sahih; rather, keeping justice and fairness in view, the decision regarding a narration should be made according to the science of narrators (asma’ al-rijal) and the principles of hadith.
➏ There is no concept of chilla-kashi (forty-day spiritual retreat) in Islam.
➐ Asceticism (zuhd) and piety are indeed proven from the Qur’an and Hadith, but there is no evidence for the system of spiritual mentorship (pir-muridi) in the proofs.
➑ In Islamic Shari’ah, complete attention has been given to the proper training of the people of Islam and faith, so that Muslims, while avoiding misguidance, remain steadfast upon the straight path, and in this is salvation.
➒ Salvation lies in acting upon the Sunnah.
➓ It is necessary to avoid innovations (bid’ah).
Its chain of narration is weak.
◄ Abu Ya’la al-Mawsili [المسند 365/6ح 3694] has also narrated it with the same chain.
The narrator of this narration, Sa’id ibn Abdur Rahman ibn Abi al-‘Umayya, has not been declared trustworthy by anyone except Ibn Hibban, meaning he is of unknown status (majhul al-hal).
◄ In al-Tarikh al-Kabir of al-Bukhari [97/4], it is narrated that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
«لا تُشَدِّدُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِكُمْ فَإِنَّمَا هَلَكَ مَنْ قَبْلَكُمْ بِتَشْدِيدِهِمْ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَسَتَجِدُونَ بَقَايَاهُمْ فِي الصَّوَامِعِ وَالدِّيَارَاتِ»
“Do not be harsh upon yourselves, for those before you were destroyed because of being harsh upon themselves, and you will see the remnants of them in the monks’ places of worship and in the houses (with places of prostration).”
◄ ↰ The chain of this narration is hasan li-dhatih (good in itself).
The narration of Imam al-Bukhari from Abdullah ibn Salih Katib al-Layth is hasan, and the rest of the chain is authentic.
◄ Abu Shurayh Abdur Rahman ibn Shurayh al-Iskandarani was trustworthy and virtuous. The criticism of him by Ibn Sa’d is rejected.
◄ Also see: [تقريب التهذيب 3892]
Fiqh of the Hadith:
The fiqh of the narration from al-Tarikh al-Kabir of al-Bukhari is as follows:
➊ In Shari’ah, for those matters in which there is allowance and concession, one should not unnecessarily declare them forbidden or prohibited upon oneself; rather, it is better to benefit from the concession.
➋ There is no monasticism in Islam; rather, one should live within society and remain engaged in reforming oneself and others.
➌ One should always completely avoid extremism and always adopt the just and moderate middle path.
➍ The system of seclusion from society, i.e., the monastic system, is in reality a copy of the actions of the Jewish rabbis and Christian monks.
➎ The silence of Imam Abu Dawud upon a narration in Sunan Abu Dawud is not proof of its being hasan or sahih; rather, keeping justice and fairness in view, the decision regarding a narration should be made according to the science of narrators (asma’ al-rijal) and the principles of hadith.
➏ There is no concept of chilla-kashi (forty-day spiritual retreat) in Islam.
➐ Asceticism (zuhd) and piety are indeed proven from the Qur’an and Hadith, but there is no evidence for the system of spiritual mentorship (pir-muridi) in the proofs.
➑ In Islamic Shari’ah, complete attention has been given to the proper training of the people of Islam and faith, so that Muslims, while avoiding misguidance, remain steadfast upon the straight path, and in this is salvation.
➒ Salvation lies in acting upon the Sunnah.
➓ It is necessary to avoid innovations (bid’ah).
Source: Adwa al-Masabih fi Tahqiq Mishkat al-Masabih, Page: 181
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
This narration is also weak.
However, the reality is that due to envy and rebellion, individuals, families, and nations become ruined and destroyed even within this world.
This narration is also weak.
However, the reality is that due to envy and rebellion, individuals, families, and nations become ruined and destroyed even within this world.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 4904
