Seeing the face of Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه is an act of worship
Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, has countless virtues and merits; after the Ashab-e-Thalatha (the three companions), he is the epitome of greatness. He was the first among children to embrace faith. He fought in jihad alongside the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him. He is the fourth Caliph. He is the son-in-law of the Prophet. He is the father of the two noble Hasan and Husayn. He attained the rank of martyrdom due to his martyrdom. There has been both exaggeration and neglect in his praise. Many false narrations are presented in his favor, among which is the hadith:
النظر إلى على عبادة.
“Looking at Ali is an act of worship.”
This is narrated from several companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and here is its critical examination.
It is attributed to Sayyiduna Imran bin Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
النظر إلى على عبادة.
“Looking at Ali is an act of worship.”
The chain of narration is false.
Abdullah bin Abdur-Rabbah Bajali is “unknown.”
Ibrahim bin Ishaq Al-Ja’fari’s identity could not be determined.
Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
فيه مجاهيل.
“There are many unknown narrators in it.”
Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him, declared its chain authentic, but Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, said in response:
ذا موضوع.
“It is false.”
There is another chain for this narration.
This chain is also very weak.
Imran bin Khalid is weak.
Imam Abu Hatim Al-Razi, may Allah have mercy on him, said he is “weak in hadith.”
Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
لا يجوز الاحتجاج بما انفرد من الروايات.
“It is not permissible to take proof from its solitary narration.”
Hafiz Al-Haythami, may Allah have mercy on him, said it is weak.
Khalid bin Taliq is mentioned by Imam Al-Daraqutni, may Allah have mercy on him, in Al-Du’afa wal-Matrukin
.
Regarding Taliq bin Muhammad, Imam Al-Daraqutni, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
لا يحتج به، ليس حديثه نيرا.
“No proof is taken from him; his hadith is not luminous.”
Regarding this narration, Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا باطل فى نقدي.
“In my research, this narration is false.”
In Al-Tuyuriyat by Ibn al-Tuyuri
and Fawa’id Abi Bakr Al-Abhari
, besides these defects, Abbas bin Bakkar is “liar.” Therefore, this narration is very weak.
Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him:
The chain is false.
Abbas bin Bakkar Dabi is called “liar” by Imam Al-Daraqutni, may Allah have mercy on him.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, after mentioning one narration, says:
هذا من وضع العباس.
“This is Abbas’s fabrication.”
Muhammad bin Zakariya Ghallabi is “abandoned and liar.”
Imam Al-Daraqutni, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
يضع.
“He used to fabricate hadiths.”
Abu Bakr Hudhali is “abandoned in hadith.”
Abu al-Zubayr Makki’s chain is traditional.
The chain in Tarikh Ibn Asakir
is also false.
Thawban bin Ibrahim’s authentication is not established.
Who is Muqaddam bin Rashid? Unknown.
Salam bin Maymun Khawas is weak.
Imam Muhammad bin Awf Hamasi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
دفنت كتبه وكان يحدث من حفظه فيغلط.
“His books were buried; he narrated from memory and made mistakes.”
Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
بطل الاحتجاج بما يروي إذا لم يوافق الثقات.
“When a narration does not agree with trustworthy narrators, it is not permissible to take proof from it.”
Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, said he is “weak.”
There are more defects on him.
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him,
The chain is false.
Hasan bin Ali Abu Sa’id Adawi is abandoned, liar, and fabricator.
Imam Ibn Adi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
يضع الحديث، ويسرق الحديث ويلزقه على قوم آخرين ويحدث عن قوم لا يعرفون، وهو متهم فيهم أن الله لم يخلقهم.
“He used to fabricate hadiths, plagiarize (steal) hadiths and attribute them to others, narrate from unknown narrators, and he is also accused of attributing hadiths to people whom Allah did not create.”
Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
يروي عن شيوخ لم يرهم ويضع على من رآهم الحديث.
“He narrated from sheikhs whom he never saw, and from those he saw, he fabricated hadiths and attributed them to them.”
Imam Al-Daraqutni, may Allah have mercy on him, called him “abandoned.”
It is a chain of Zuhri.
Urwah bin Zubair, may Allah have mercy on him, did not hear or meet Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him.
Regarding this narration, Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هذا شيء لا يشك عوام أصحاب الحديث أنه موضوع.
“No hadith scholar can doubt the fabrication of such a narration.”
Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned it in Al-Mawdu’at
.
The chain in Al-Mawdu’at by Ibn al-Jawzi
is also false.
Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Mahzum Abu Husayn Muqri’s authentication is not established.
Abu Muhammad bin Ghulam Zuhri said he is “weak.”
Abu al-Hasan Tamar says:
كان يكذب.
“He lies in the hadith of the Prophet.”
Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, said “not strong.”
Who is Muhammad bin Abdullah Ja’fari?
Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
سرقه فرواه والله أعلم هل هو الجعفي أو شيخه.
“The one who plagiarized this narration is either Ja’fari or his sheikh, and Allah knows best!”
It is a chain of Zuhri.
The chain in Tarikh Ibn Asakir
and Tarikh Ibn Najjar
is also false.
Ahmad bin Isa Abu al-Abbas Al-Washsha’ is called “abandoned” by Imam Al-Daraqutni, may Allah have mercy on him. Also, Imam Al-Daraqutni and Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on them, called one of his narrations “false.”
The chain in Sirat A’lam al-Nubala
is also false.
Regarding Abu al-Fawaris Sabuni’s chain, Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
روى حديثا موضوعا عن الطهراني بسند الصحيحين، كأنه أدخل عليه، وإلا فهو فى نفسه ليس بمتهم.
“He narrated a fabricated hadith from Bukhari and Muslim’s chain from Tihirani. It seems it was suggested to him (and he accepted it), otherwise, he himself is not accused.”
Also, this narration is called “false.”
Abdur-Razzaq bin Hammam San’ani, may Allah have mercy on him, is mixed and a fabricator.
It is a chain of Zuhri.
Sayyiduna Mu’adh bin Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him,
The chain is false.
Regarding Muhammad bin Ismail bin Musa Razi, Al-Khatib, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
كان غير ثقة.
“He is an unreliable narrator.”
He also says:
أنكر أن يكون محمد بن إسماعيل أدركه، وكذبه فى روايته عنه.
“Imam Al-Lalkai, may Allah have mercy on him, denied that Muhammad bin Ismail Razi lived in the time of Musa bin Nasr, and also declared Muhammad bin Ismail a liar who did not narrate from Musa bin Nasr.”
He also says:
إنا لا نعلم أن محمد بن أيوب روى عن هوذة بن خليفة شيئا قط، ولا سمع منه.
“We have no knowledge that Muhammad bin Ayub narrated or heard from Hawdhah bin Khalifah.”
It is a chain of Ibn Jurayj.
Al-Khatib, may Allah have mercy on him, declared this narration “false.”
Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned it in Al-Mawdu’at
.
Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
المتهم بوضعه الرازي.
“The blame for fabricating this narration lies on Razi.”
The chain in Tarikh Ibn Asakir
is also false.
Suwar bin Mus’ab is abandoned and a denier of hadith.
Regarding Abdul Hamid bin Bahr, Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
كان يسرق الحديث لا يحل الاحتجاج به بحال.
“He plagiarized hadiths; it is not permissible to take proof from him.”
Muhammad bin Yunus Qadimi is weak and abandoned.
Sayyiduna Uthman bin Affan, may Allah be pleased with him,
The chain is false.
Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
رواته مجاهيل.
“His narrators are unknown.”
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him,
The chain is false.
Hasan bin Ali Abu Sa’id Adawi is “liar and fabricator,” as mentioned before.
Imam Ibn Adi, may Allah have mercy on him, called this chain “false.”
Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi, may Allah have mercy on him, also called it “false.”
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him,
The chain is false.
Hasan bin Ali Abu Sa’id Adawi is “liar and fabricator,” as mentioned before.
Imam Ibn Adi, may Allah have mercy on him, called this chain false.
Hashim bin Bashir’s chain is traditional.
(b) The chain in Al-Mawdu’at by Ibn al-Jawzi
is also false.
Matar bin Abi Matar, this is Matar bin Maymun Muharibi, is abandoned and a denier of hadith.
Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
كان ممن يروي الموضوعات عن الأثبات يروي عن أنس ما ليس من حديثه فى فضل على بن أبى طالب وغيره لا تحل الرواية عنه.
“He is a narrator who attributes fabricated hadiths to trustworthy narrators. He narrated from Anas bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, a hadith which is not his own. It is not permissible to narrate from him.”
Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, declared this narration “fabricated.”
(c) The chain in Ibn Mardawiyah
is also false. Muhammad bin Qasim Asadi is “liar and fabricator.”
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
يكذب، أحاديثه أحاديث موضوعة.
“He used to lie in the hadith of the Prophet. His hadiths are fabricated.”
Imam An-Nasa’i, may Allah have mercy on him
, and Imam Al-Daraqutni, may Allah have mercy on him
, called him “abandoned.”
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them,
The chain is false.
Regarding Yahya bin Abdul Hamid Hamani, Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
حافظ إلا أنهم اتهموه بسرقة الحديث.
“He is a Hafiz, but hadith scholars accused him of plagiarism in hadith.”
Hafiz Ibn Malqan, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
ضعفه الجمهور.
“The majority declared him weak.”
Yazid bin Abi Ziyad is weak, mixed, and a fabricator.
There are more defects.
Sayyiduna Thawban, may Allah be pleased with him,
The chain is false.
Regarding Yahya bin Salmah bin Kahil, Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
متروك، وكان شيعيا.
“Abandoned, he was Shia.”
Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, called him abandoned.
Salam bin Abi al-Ja’d did not hear from Sayyiduna Thawban, may Allah be pleased with him.
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
لم يسمع سالم من ثوبان، ولم يلقه، وبينهما معدان ابن أبى طلحة، وليست هذه الأحاديث بصحاح.
“Salam did not hear or meet Thawban, may Allah be pleased with him. There is an intermediary, Ma’dan bin Abi Talhah. These hadiths narrated from Thawban are not established.”
Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned this narration in Al-Mawdu’at
.
Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her,
The chain is false.
Abbad bin Suhaib was called liar and perished by Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him.
Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
يروي المناكير عن المشاهير التى إذا سمعها المبتدئ فى هذه الصناعة شهد لها بالوضع.
“He used to narrate such rejected narrations attributed to famous narrators that even a beginner in the science of hadith would declare them fabricated.”
There are more defects in this chain.
Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned this narration in Al-Mawdu’at
.
(b) The chain in Tarikh Ibn Asakir
is also false.
(Hassan bin Ghafir) Husayn bin Abdul Ghaffar bin Amr Abu Ali Azdi is abandoned.
Imam Ibn Yunus, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
كذاب، يضع الحديث.
“He was a liar in the hadith of the Prophet and fabricated hadiths.”
Imam Al-Daraqutni, may Allah have mercy on him, called him abandoned.
Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, declared him accused.
There are more defects in this narration.
Sayyiduna Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, may Allah be pleased with him,
The chain is false.
The authentication of Saleh bin Maytham Kufi is not established.
Who is Yadim bin ‘Ala? Unknown.
The authentication of Muhammad bin Ubaid bin Hisham Nashri Kufi is not established.
The authentication of Ishaq bin Barid Kufi is also not established.
It is not known that Yadim bin ‘Ala heard from Sayyiduna Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, may Allah be pleased with him.
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him,
The chain is very weak.
Yahya bin Isa Ramli is “not trustworthy.”
Imam Yahya bin Ma’in, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
هو ضعيف، لا يكتب حديثه.
“He is weak; his hadith will not be written.”
Imam Ibn Adi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
عامة رواياته مما لا يتابع عليه.
“Most of his narrations were not followed.”
Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
كان ممن ساء حفظه وكثر وهمه حتى جعل يخالف الأثبات فيما يروي عن الثقات فلما كثر ذلك فى روايته بطل الاحتجاج به.
“His memory was impaired; he had many delusions, so much so that when he narrated from trustworthy narrators, he contradicted them in his narration. When this contradiction was found frequently in his narrations, it was not permissible to take proof from him.”
Imam An-Nasa’i, may Allah have mercy on him, said “not strong.”
A’mash and Ibrahim Nakha’i are both fabricators; no specification of hearing.
In Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim
, Yahya bin Isa and A’mash were followed. This chain is very weak.
Abdur-Rahman bin Abdullah Mas’udi is mixed. Asim bin Ali Al-Wasiti narrates after mixing. Also, some narrations of Asim bin Ali have denial.
Who is Musayyib bin Zuhair Dabi?
Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Yahya Al-Qari is unknown.
In Fada’il al-Khulafa al-Rashidin by Abu Nu’aym
, Ramli’s following was done by Asim bin Umar Bajali. This chain is false.
Who is Asim bin Umar Bajali?
No information about Ahmad bin Ja’far bin Asram Kufi.
In Al-Alqab by Al-Shirazi
, Mansur bin Abi al-Aswad narrated Ramli’s following. This is a false chain.
Muhammad bin Mubarak Ishtu is unknown.
Ahmad bin Hajjaj bin Salat was declared very weak by Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him.
Hafiz Abu Nu’aym Asbahani, may Allah have mercy on him, mentions that Ubaidullah bin Musa also followed Ramli, but no proof was found.
In Tarikh Ibn Asakir
, Abu Usamah Hammad bin Salmah followed Yahya bin Isa Ramli. This chain is also false.
Harun bin Hatim was called “weak” by Imam Al-Daraqutni, may Allah have mercy on him.
Imam An-Nasa’i, may Allah have mercy on him, said “worthless.”
Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
قد سمع منه أبو زرعة، وأبو حاتم، وامتنعا من الرواية عنه، سئل عنه أبو حاتم، فقال: أسأل الله السلامة.
“Imam Abu Zur’ah and Imam Abu Hatim, may Allah have mercy on them, heard from him but then stopped taking narration. When asked about him, Imam Abu Hatim said: May Allah protect us from him.”
Below Harun bin Hatim, there are unknown narrators.
Thus, this chain is proven false.
In Tarikh Ibn Asakir
, Ramli’s following was done by Sufyan al-Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him. This chain is false.
Hammad bin Mubarak is unknown.
Sufyan al-Thawri and A’mash are fabricators; no specification of hearing.
Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned this narration in Al-Mawdu’at
.
Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, declared it fabricated.
Summary of the Investigation:
This narration is weak and unproven with all its chains of transmission.
Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him (597 AH), says:
هذا حديث لا يصح من جميع طرقه.
“This hadith is unproven with all its chains of transmission.”
Allama Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him (1250 AH), writes:
ظهر بهذا أن الحديث من قسم الحسن لغيره لا صحيحا، كما قال الحاكم، ولا موضوعا، كما قال ابن الجوزي.
“It has been established that this hadith is of the category Hasan Lighayrihi (good but not strong). It is not authentic, as Hakim says, nor fabricated, as Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, says.”
In response to Shawkani, Allama Abdul Rahman Mu’alimi, may Allah have mercy on him (1386 AH), states:
خفي على المؤلف حال بعض الروايات، فظنها قوية، والأمر على خلاف ذلك، كما رأيت.
“The author (Shawkani) was unaware of the investigation of some narrations and considered those narrations strong, whereas the matter is the opposite, as you have come to know.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him (774 AH), says:
لكن لا يصح شيء منها، فإنه لا يخلو كل سند منها عن كذاب أو مجهول لا يعرف حاله، وهو شيعي.
“None of these narrations are proven; every chain contains a liar, unknown, or unreliable narrator. This is a fabrication of the Shia.”
Hafiz Khattabi, may Allah have mercy on him (388 AH), says:
معناه والله أعلم أن النظر إلى وجهه يدعو إلى ذكر الله.
“The meaning of this hadith is that looking towards Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, reminds one of Allah.” والله اعلم!
This meaning is correct only if the narration is proven, whereas the narration is not proven.
