Question
Peace be upon you. I have heard the following ahadith from various scholars, but the scholars did not provide any references for them. These scholars have now passed away. Kindly inform me about the authentication of these ahadith and also let me know whether these ahadith are authentic or not? The ahadith are as follows (meaning):
➊ In the end times, a people will come whose name will be Rafidhi. They will curse my companions (Sahaba). If any of them falls ill, do not inquire about them; if they die, do not lead their funeral prayer. If one of you dies, do not include them in your funeral.
➋ When trials and innovations become widespread and the companions are cursed, it is incumbent upon the scholar to manifest his knowledge.
➌ The Holy Prophet ﷺ said to Hazrat Umar: O Umar, speak the truth even if it displeases the hearts of people.
➍ In a nation where Abu Bakr Siddiq is present, it is not permissible for anyone else to lead the prayer.
(Was-salam Abdullah Tahir, Islamabad)
Answer
“A Rafidhi is the person who considers it permissible to criticize and defame the companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them.”
Hafiz Dhahabi (died 748 AH) states:
ومن أبغض الشيخين واعتقد صحة إما متهما فهو رافضي مقيت ومن سبهما و اعتقد أنهما ليسا بامامي هدى فهو من غلاة الرافضة
Whoever harbors hatred for the two Caliphs (Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them) yet still considers them the rightful Caliphs, then this person is a detestable Rafidhi. And whoever neither considers them the rightful Caliphs nor respects them and speaks ill of them, then this person is among the extreme Rafidhis.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani (died 852 AH), may Allah have mercy on him, states:
فمن قدمه على أبي بكر و عمر فهو غالٍ في تشيعه ويطلق عليه رافضي
Whoever prefers (Sayyiduna) Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, over (Sayyiduna) Abu Bakr and (Sayyiduna) Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, in terms of superiority, then that person is an extreme Shia and the term Rafidhi is applied to him.
The Twelver Ja’fari sect is a Rafidhi sect.
Argument Number 1
Ghulam Hussain Najafi Rafzi has written in his book
about Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه that
“There is no difference between Janab Abu Bakr and Mirza Sahib”
In this statement by Najafi, Siddiq Akbar is equated with Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani.
Argument Number 2
Muhammad Al-Radhi Al-Razwi Al-Rafzi says:
أما برائتنا من الشيخين فذاك من ضرورة دينا۔۔۔إلخ
And disassociation (Tabarra) from the two Sheikhs (Abu Bakr and Umar رضي الله عنهما) is among the necessities of our religion.
The investigation of the Marfu’ Ahadith narrated about the Rawafid is as follows.
بشر بن عبدالله عن أنس بن مالك عن النبي عل الله قال : وأنه سيكون في آخر الزمان قوم يبغضونهم فلا تواكلوهم ولا تشاركوهم ولا تصلوا عليهم ولا تصلوا معهم . وهذا خبر باطل لا أصل له
In the last era, there will be people who will harbor hatred towards them (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali رضي الله عنهم). Do not eat with them, do not share with them, do not lead their funeral prayer, and do not pray with them. This narration is false; it has no basis.
Hafiz Zahabi has strongly rejected this narration.
Regarding Bashar Al-Qaseer, Imam Ibn Hibban said:
” منکر الحديث جداً “
He is one who narrates severely weak hadiths.
أبو عقيل يحي بن المتوكل عن كثير النواء عن إبراهيم بن حسن بن . طالب عن أبيه عن جده قال قال علي بن أبي طالب : قال رسول الله ﷺ یظھر في آخر الزمان قوم يسمون الرافضة ، يرفضون الإسلام
In the last era, a people will appear whose name will be Rafidhi; these people will abandon Islam.
This narration is weak in terms of chain of transmission.
Abu Qateel Suhayb bin Al-Mutawakkil is weak.
Kathir bin Ismail Al-Nawar is weak.
Imam Ibn Al-Jawzi (died 597 AH) states:
هذا حديث لا يصح عن رسول الل هﷺ
This hadith is not authentically proven from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
عمران بن زيد : ثنا الحجاج بن تميم عن ميمون بن مهران عن ابن عباس قال قال رسول الله ﷺ: يكون في آخر الزمان قوم ينبزون: الرافضة ، يرفضون الإسلام ويلفظونه اقتلوهم فإنهم مشركون
In the last era, there will be a people called Rafidhi; they will reject Islam, so kill them because they are polytheists.
This narration is weak; Imran bin Zaid is weak
and Hajjaj bin Tamim is weak
Warning
The detailed criticism of these narrators by the great Muhaddithin is available in Tahdhib al-Kamal, Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, Mizan al-I’tidal, etc. The reference of Taqreeb is given as a summary and briefly in Wa’adil al-Aqwal.
عصام بن الحكم العكبرى : نا جميع بن عمير البصري : ثنا سوار الهمداني عن محمد ابن جحادة عن الشعبي عن علي قال قال : رسول الله ﷺ: إنك وشيعتك في الجنة وسيأتي قوم (لهم نبز) يقال لهم الرافضة ، فإذا لقيمتوهم فاقتلوهم فإنهم مشركون
(O Ali!) You and your Shia will enter Paradise, and a people will come whose title will be Rafidhi. When you meet them, kill them, for they are polytheists.
This narration is false and rejected. Suwar bin Mus’ab al-Hamdani is a denier of hadith (one who narrates fabricated hadith).
Imam Yahya bin Ma’in (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
وقد رأيته وليس بشي ، كان يجئينا إلى منزلنا
I have seen him; he is nothing. He used to come to our gathering.
For severe criticism, see
Jami’ bin Umair al-Basri is weak.
The authentication of ‘Isam bin al-Hakam is unknown.
Warning
Jami’ bin Umair is also called Jami’ bin Umar.
تليد بن سليمان أبو إدريس المحاربي عن أبي الحجاف داود بن أبي عوف عن محمد بن عمرو الهاشمي عن زينب بنت علي عن فاطمة بنت رسول الله ﷺ قالت : نظر النبي ﷺ فقال : هذا في الجنة وإن من شيعته قوم يعطون الإسلام فليفظونه ، لهم نبز يسمون الرافضة فمن لقيهم فليقتلهم فإنهم مشركون
The Prophet ﷺ looked towards Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: He is from Paradise, and among his Shia there will be a group who will be given Islam but they will abandon Islam; their descriptive name will be Rafidhi. Whoever finds them should kill them, for they are polytheists.
This narration is very weak and false.
The majority of hadith scholars have severely criticized Talid bin Sulayman, so the authentication by some hadith scholars is rejected.
Imam Yahya bin Ma’in (died 233 AH) may Allah have mercy on him said:
تليد كذاب ، كان يشتم عثمان ، وكل من يشتم عثمان أو طلحة أو أحداً من أصحاب النبي ، دجال لا يكتب عنه وعليه لعنة الله والملائكة والناس أجمعين
Talid is a liar, he used to insult Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). And whoever insults Uthman or Talha or any one companion of the Prophet ﷺ (may Allah be pleased with them all), that person is a Dajjal (impostor), nothing should be written from him, and upon such a person be the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people.
Warning
In Musnad Abi Ya’la, there has been an old mistake where instead of Abu Idris Talid bin Suleiman, it is written as Ibn Idris, which is certainly incorrect.
Hafiz al-Sham Imam Ibn Asakir, commenting on the error in the manuscript of Musnad Abi Ya’la, says:
كذا قال وإنما هو أبو إدريس وهو تليد بن سليمان
The narrator said the same, although this narrator is only and only Abu Idris Talid bin Suleiman.
The esteemed researcher Maulana Irshad-ul-Haq Asri also pointed out this ancient mistake and wrote that Ibn Idris is a corrupted (distorted) version.
Hussain Saleem Asad, who is weak and unreliable in Hadith research, writes:
إسناده صحيح إن كانت زينب سمعت من أمها وإلا فهو منقطع
Meaning its chain is authentic if Zainab heard it from her mother (Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her), otherwise it is disconnected.
Considering the chain of Abu Idris (Talid) as Ibn Idris (Abdullah bin Idris, may Allah have mercy on him) and declaring this narration authentic is the work of people like Hussain al-Darani.
Warning
The mention of Abu al-Hajjaf Dawood bin Abi Awf is present among the teachers of Talid Abu Idris.
But there is no mention of him among the teachers of Abdullah bin Idris. In summary, the narration narrated by Talid Abu Idris is false. Regarding this, Imam Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا لا يصح عن رسول اللہ ﷺ
It is not authentically (established) from the Master of the Messengers ﷺ.
حجاج بن تميم عن ميمون بن مهران عن ابن عباس عن النبي ﷺ قال : يا علي سيكون في أمتي قوم ينتحلون حبنا أهل البيت لهم نبز يسمون الرافضة فاقتلوهم فانهم مشركون
O Ali (bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him), soon there will be a people in my Ummah who will claim love for us, the Ahl al-Bayt. Their title will be Rafidhi, so kill them; they are polytheists.
This narration is weak; Hajjaj bin Tamim is weak as has been mentioned in the investigation of Hadith number 3. (p.11) Despite this weak narrator, Allama Beshmi writes that: ”واسنادہ حسن“ and its chain is Hasan (good).
Hashimi’s statement is rejected because it is against the consensus of the majority of hadith scholars.
الفضل بن غانم : حدثنا سوار بن مصعب عن عطية العوفي عن أبي سعيد الخدري عن أم سلمة عن النبي ﷺ قال : أنت وأصحابك في الجنة ، أنت وشيعتك في الجنة ، الا أن ممن یحبک قوماً يضفرون الإسلام بألسنتهم ، يقرؤن القرآن لا يجاوز تراقيهم ، لهم نبز يسمون الرافضة ، فإذا لقيتهم فجاهد هم فإنهم مشركون ، قال : قلت : يا رسول الله له ما علامة ذلك فيهم ؟ قال : يتركون الجمعة والجماعة ، ويطعنون في السلف الأول
(O Ali) You and your companions are in Paradise, you and your Shia are in Paradise, except that a group will claim to love you, they will verbally claim Islam, they will recite the Quran which will not go down their throats, their title will be Rafidhi, when you find them, fight them because they are polytheists. (Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said) I asked: O Messenger of Allah! What will be their sign? You said: They will abandon Friday and congregational prayers and will insult the Salaf al-Awwal (i.e., the Companions).
This narration is very weak, false, and rejected.
Regarding Fazl bin Ghanim, Imam Ibn Ma’in said: ”ضعیف لیس بشئ“ It is weak, it is nothing.
Suwar bin Mus’ab is a denier of hadith as has been mentioned under hadith number 4.
Atiyah al-Aufi has been declared weak by the majority of hadith scholars. Hafiz Ibn Hajar said:
ضعيف الحفظ ، مشهور بالتدليس القبیح
He is weak due to his forgetfulness and is known for corrupt fabrication.
أبو سعيد محمد بن أسعد التغلبي : حدثنا عبثر بن القاسم أبو زبيد عن حصين بن عبدالرحمن عن أبي عبدالرحمن السلمي عن علي قال قال : رسول الله الله : سيأتي بعدي قوم لهم نبز ، يقال لهم الرافضة ، فإذا لقيمتوهم فاقتلوهم فإنهم مشركون ، قلت : يارسول الله! ما العلامة فيهم ؟ قال : يقرضونک بما ليس فيک ويطعنون على أصحابي ويشتمونهم
After me, a people will come whose title will be Rafidhi (Rejecters). When you encounter them, kill them, for indeed they are polytheists. I (Ali, may Allah be pleased with him) asked: O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, what is their distinguishing sign? He said: They will say things about you that are not in you and will insult my companions and show enmity towards them.
This narration is weak; Muhammad ibn Asad al-Tighlami is weak.
بكر بن خنيس : حدثنا سوار بن مصعب عن داود بن أبي عوف عن فاطمة بنت علي عن فاطمة الكبرى عن أسماء بنت عميس عن أم سلمة عن رسول الله ﷺ قال : أبشر يا علي ! أنت و أصحابك في الجنة ، إلا إن ممن يزعم أنه يحبك قوم يرفضون الإسلام ، يلفظونه يقال لهم الرافضة (فإذا أدركتهم فجاهدهم) فإنهم مشركون ، قلت : يا رسول الله ! ما العلامة فيهم ؟ قال : لا يشهدون جمعة ولا جماعة ويطعنون على السف
O Ali, glad tidings to you, you and your companions are among the people of Paradise except those who claim to love you but reject Islam; they will be called Rafidis. When you find them, fight against them because they are polytheists. I asked: O Messenger of Allah! What is their sign? He said: They will not pray on Friday and in congregation, and they will insult the pious predecessors and the companions.
This chain of narration is very weak and rejected. Bakr bin Tanees is considered weak by the majority of hadith scholars.
It is a fabricated hadith (i.e., very weak), as mentioned under Hadith number 4.
Summary of the investigation:
There is no authentic and established narration condemning the Rafidis by name. Other narrations with this meaning that are baseless, fabricated, and rejected are also found in the following books.
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
ثنا وكيع عن شعبة عن أبي التياح عن أبي السوار قال قال علي : ليحبني قوم حتى يدخلوا النار في حبي وليبغصني قوم حتى يدخلوا النار في بغضي
Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said: A people will love me excessively to the extent that because of their excessive love for me, they will enter the fire (of Hell), and a people will hate me to the extent that because of their hatred for me, they will enter the fire (of Hell).
Imam Ahmad bin Muqbil says:
نا وكيع عن نعيم بن حكيم عن أبي مريم قال : سمعت . علياً يقول : يهلك في رجلان ، مفرط غال و مبغض قال
(Sayyiduna) Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Two types of men will be destroyed because of me:
(1) The extremist (and one who exceeds limits in love).
(2) The one who harbors hatred and disputes over proofs.
Since both of these statements relate to the unseen, they are both Marfoo’ (attributed) wisdoms, meaning the Messenger of Allah ﷺ must have informed Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, of these matters. Therefore, the Rafidhi and extremist Shi’a will be disgraced and destroyed in both this world and the Hereafter.
والله من ورائهم محيط
The summary of the answer is that the narration mentioned in the question is baseless and false.
It is written in Musnad al-Firdaws by al-Daylami:
إذا ظهر البدع في أمتي و شتم أصحابي (فليظهر العالم علمه فإن لم يفعل فعليه لعنة الله
It is narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) in a marfu’ (attributed to the Prophet) manner: “When innovations appear in my Ummah and my companions are insulted, a scholar should show his knowledge; if he does not do so, then the curse of Allah is upon him.”
This narration is without chain and baseless, therefore it is rejected and false. A weak and rejected narration supporting this meaning is found in
.
In this narration, Muhammad ibn Abdul Rahman ibn Ruml al-Dimashqi is known to be unreliable. Shaykh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) declared this narration to be fabricated.
Al-Daylami also mentioned a fabricated (made-up) chain for it.
Summary: This narration is baseless and rejected.
This narration is baseless; I did not find any chain for it.
In a narration from Sunan Tirmidhi, it is stated:
لا ينبغي فيهم أبو بكر أن يؤمهم غيره
It is not permissible for people that if Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) is among them, anyone else should lead them in prayer.
This narration is weak; Isa bin Maymun Al-Ansari said: It is weak.
Muhaddith Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, said about this narration ’’ضعیف جدا‘‘ meaning it is very weak.
Two rejected and false narrations supporting it
have been mentioned as refutations; the evidences for this narration are rejected and false, therefore it absolutely does not reach the level of Hasan Laghirah, and declaring it authentic is incorrect.
وما علينا إلا البلاغ
