The Narration of Dogs Barking at Sayyida Aisha Radi Allahu Anha
What is the status of the narration about dogs barking at Sayyida Aisha Radi Allahu Anha at Hawab?
This narration is reported from two Sahabah, both narrations are munkar (weak). This is the finding of the Imams who are experts in the hidden defects (‘ilal) of Hadith.
Hadith about Aisha Radi Allahu Anha:
Qais bin Abu Hazim Rahimahullah narrates:
لما أقبلت عائشة، بلغت مياه بني عامر ليلا؛ نبحت الكلاب، قالت: أى ماء هذا؟ قالوا: ماء الحوأب، قالت: ما أظنني إلا أني راجعة، فقال بعض من كان معها: بل تقدمين، فيراك المسلمون، فيصلح الله عز وجل ذات بينهم، قالت: إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال لنا ذات يوم: كيف بإحداكن، تنبح عليها كلاب الحوأب؟
“When Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) arrived and reached the water of Banu Amir at night, dogs started barking at her. She (may Allah be pleased with her) inquired: What water is this? It was told: This is the well of Hawab. She said: I think I should return from here. One of the people with her said: No, please proceed so that the Muslims may see you and Allah Almighty may bring about reconciliation among them. She (may Allah be pleased with her) said: One day the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) told us (the pure wives): What will be the condition of one of you when the dogs of Hawab bark at her!”
Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, has declared this hadith “Sahih” (Sahih Ibn Hibban: 6732).
Hafiz Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا حديث صحيح الإسناد.
“This hadith’s chain of narration is authentic.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا إسناد على شرط الصحيحين.
“The chain is authentic according to the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim.”
Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
سنده على شرط الصحيح.
“Its chain is authentic according to the conditions of Bukhari.”
Hafiz Sayuti, may Allah have mercy on him, has said its chain is authentic.
Allama Ibn Dahiya, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هو أشهر من فلق الصبح.
“This hadith is more famous than the bright morning.”
These words are also:
إن عائشة قالت: لما أتت على الحوأب سمعت نباح الكلاب، فقالت: ما أظنني إلا راجعة، إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال لنا: أيتكن تنبح عليها كلاب الحوأب؟ فقال لها الزبير: ترجعين؟ عسى الله عز وجل أن يصلح بك بين الناس.
Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: When they reached the place of Hawab, she heard the barking of dogs and said: I think I should return, because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had told us: Which of you will be the one at whom the dogs of Hawab bark? Then Sayyiduna Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) said to her: Will you return? Perhaps Allah will bring about reconciliation among the people because of you.
Review:
This hadith is munkar (rejected). It is among the munkar narrations of Qais bin Abi Hazim.
Imam Ali bin Madini, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked:
شهد الجمل؟ قال: لا.
“Was Qais bin Abi Hazim, may Allah have mercy on him, a participant in the Battle of Jamal? He replied: No.”
Imam Ali bin Madini, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
قال لي يحيى بن سعيد: قيس بن أبى حازم منكر الحديث، ثم ذكر له يحيى أحاديث مناكير، منها حديث كلاب الحوأب.
“I was told by Imam Yahya bin Saeed Qattan, may Allah have mercy on him, that Qais bin Abi Hazim is munkar al-hadith (narrates rejected hadiths), and then he mentioned several munkar hadiths of Qais. The hadith about the dogs of Hawab was among them.”
Hafiz Dhahabi’s (may Allah have mercy on him) declaring this hadith established (Al-Mughni: 526/2) is not acceptable against the verdict of the earlier Imam.
Hadith of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both:
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, narrates:
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لنسائه: ليت شعري، أيتكن صاحبة الجمل الأدبب، تخرج كلاب حوأب، فيقتل عن يمينها، وعن يسارها قتلا كثيرا، ثم تنجو بعد ما كادت.
“The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to his purified wives: I wish I knew which one of you will be the rider of the camel with a hairy face. The dogs of Hawab will come out (at her), and many will be killed on her right and on her left. Then she will escape after having nearly been killed.”
The wording of one narration is:
تقتل عن يمينها وعن يسارها قتلى كثيرة.
“Many people will be killed on her right and on her left.”
Review:
This hadith is rejected.
Imam Abu Hatim and Imam Abu Zur’ah, may Allah have mercy on them, have declared this hadith rejected.
Imam Abu Zur’ah al-Razi, may Allah have mercy on him, further states:
لا يروى من طريق غيره.
“It has not been narrated except through this chain.”
It has only one chain.
Summary of the Investigation:
The hadith about dogs barking at Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, at Hawab is munkar (rejected). Some people present this rejected narration against the greatness of Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her. Their approach is completely wrong.
