Author: Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai
Translation:
(Sayyiduna) Ibn Umar (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Everything is predestined, even incapacity and cleverness." (Sahih Muslim: 2655/18, Darussalam numbering: 6751)
(Sayyiduna) Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Adam (AS) and Moses (AS) debated in the presence of their Lord. Adam (AS) defeated Moses (AS) in argument. Moses (AS) said: 'You are Adam, whom Allah created with His Hand, and breathed into you from His spirit, and made the angels bow to you, and placed you in His Paradise, then you made the people descend to earth because of your sin.' Adam (AS) replied: 'You are Moses, whom Allah chose with His Message and His Speech, and gave you the Tablets in which everything was explained, and brought you close to Himself for conversation. Before my creation, how long was the Torah written?' Moses (AS) replied: 'Forty years.' Adam (AS) then said: 'Did you find written in it: "And Adam disobeyed his Lord, so he erred?"' Moses (AS) said: 'Yes.' Adam (AS) said: 'Do you blame me for an action that Allah had decreed for me forty years before He created me?' The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: 'Thus, Adam (AS) defeated Moses (AS) in argument.'
(Sahih Muslim: 2652/15, Darussalam numbering: 6744)
This shows that mocking a hadith is the work of atheists and heretics.
"What Allah has mentioned in the Quran about the face, hands, and self, these are His attributes without modality. It is not permissible to say that 'hand' means 'power' or 'blessing' because it leads to the negation of the attribute, which is the belief of the deniers of Qadar and the Mu'tazilah. Rather, 'hand' is His attribute without modality." (al-Fiqh al-Akbar with the commentary of Mulla Ali Qari p. 36-37, al-Bayan al-Azhar, Urdu translation by Sufi Abdul Hamid Swati Deobandi p. 32)
The meaning of "without modality" is that its reality is unknown to us.
Note:
This reference is provided because a group of Hanafi and non-Hanafi scholars consider this book to be authored by Imam Abu Hanifa (RA). See the introduction of al-Bayan al-Azhar by Muhammad Sarfaraz Khan Safdar Deobandi (p. 16-23).
Sarfaraz Khan Safdar writes: "Thus, al-Fiqh al-Akbar is indeed the composition of Imam Abu Hanifa (RA), there is no doubt about it." (Introduction of al-Bayan al-Azhar p. 23)
This Deobandi "la rayba fih" book's narrator, Abu Muti' al-Hakam bin Abdullah al-Balkhi, is discredited by the majority of hadith scholars. About him, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (RA) said: "Nothing should be narrated from him." (Kitab al-'Ilal 2/258 no. 1864)
The grand Imam of biographical evaluation, Yahya bin Ma'in (RA), said: "Abu Muti' al-Khorasani is nothing." (Tarikh Ibn Ma'in narration of al-Duri: 4760)
Other hadith scholars such as Imam al-Nasa'i, Abu Hatim al-Razi, and Hafiz Ibn Hibban also criticized him. Among the later scholars, Hafiz al-Dhahabi, regarding a hadith, said: "Abu Muti' fabricated it upon Hammad (bin Salamah)." (Mizan al-I'tidal 3/42)
This indicates that according to Hafiz al-Dhahabi, Abu Muti' was a fabricator (liar and hadith forger). Despite this criticism, some people calling the booklet "al-Fiqh al-Akbar" "la rayba fih" (without any doubt) is extremely strange.
Translation:
عن ابن عمر، قال : قال رسول اللہ ﷺ : ((کل شئ بقدرٍ حتی العجز و الکیس۔)) رواہ مسلم
(Sayyiduna) Ibn Umar (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Everything is predestined, even incapacity and cleverness." (Sahih Muslim: 2655/18, Darussalam numbering: 6751)
Explanation of the Hadith:
- Belief in Predestination is True.
- Everything exists in the knowledge and will of its Creator, Allah, before its existence.
- Every creature receives what is written in its destiny.
- This authentic hadith is also found in 'Muwatta Imam Malik' (narrated by Yahya 2/899 Hadith 1728, narrated by Abdul Rahman bin Qasim: 187) and Imam Malik's narration has been quoted by Imam Muslim in 'Sahih Muslim.'
- In 'Muwatta Imam Malik' and 'Sahih Muslim,' it is added that Tawus al-Yamani said: "I heard a group of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying that everything is predestined."
- Incapacity here refers to worldly incapacity, or as some say, disobedience, while cleverness refers to worldly cleverness or obedience to Allah and His Messenger. Allah knows best.
- Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA) said: "Incapacity and cleverness are predestined." (Kitab al-Qadar by Imam Ja'far bin Muhammad al-Firyabi: 304 with a Sahih chain)
- Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (RA) believed that the funeral prayer of a denier of predestination should not be performed, nor should one pray behind him. (See Kitab al-Sunnah by al-Khallal: 948 with a Sahih chain)
عن أبي ھریرۃ، قال : قال رسول اللہ ﷺ: ((احتج آدم و موسیٰ عند ربھما ، فحج آدم موسیٰ ... فحجَّ آدمُ موسیٰ.)) رواہ مسلم
(Sayyiduna) Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Adam (AS) and Moses (AS) debated in the presence of their Lord. Adam (AS) defeated Moses (AS) in argument. Moses (AS) said: 'You are Adam, whom Allah created with His Hand, and breathed into you from His spirit, and made the angels bow to you, and placed you in His Paradise, then you made the people descend to earth because of your sin.' Adam (AS) replied: 'You are Moses, whom Allah chose with His Message and His Speech, and gave you the Tablets in which everything was explained, and brought you close to Himself for conversation. Before my creation, how long was the Torah written?' Moses (AS) replied: 'Forty years.' Adam (AS) then said: 'Did you find written in it: "And Adam disobeyed his Lord, so he erred?"' Moses (AS) said: 'Yes.' Adam (AS) said: 'Do you blame me for an action that Allah had decreed for me forty years before He created me?' The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: 'Thus, Adam (AS) defeated Moses (AS) in argument.'
(Sahih Muslim: 2652/15, Darussalam numbering: 6744)
Explanation of the Hadith:
- This debate and discussion between Adam (AS) and Moses (AS) took place in the Realm of Barzakh, in the heavens.
This shows that mocking a hadith is the work of atheists and heretics.
- Allah created Adam (AS) with His Own Hands (see Surah Sad: 75) as befits His Majesty and Glory.
"What Allah has mentioned in the Quran about the face, hands, and self, these are His attributes without modality. It is not permissible to say that 'hand' means 'power' or 'blessing' because it leads to the negation of the attribute, which is the belief of the deniers of Qadar and the Mu'tazilah. Rather, 'hand' is His attribute without modality." (al-Fiqh al-Akbar with the commentary of Mulla Ali Qari p. 36-37, al-Bayan al-Azhar, Urdu translation by Sufi Abdul Hamid Swati Deobandi p. 32)
The meaning of "without modality" is that its reality is unknown to us.
Note:
This reference is provided because a group of Hanafi and non-Hanafi scholars consider this book to be authored by Imam Abu Hanifa (RA). See the introduction of al-Bayan al-Azhar by Muhammad Sarfaraz Khan Safdar Deobandi (p. 16-23).
Sarfaraz Khan Safdar writes: "Thus, al-Fiqh al-Akbar is indeed the composition of Imam Abu Hanifa (RA), there is no doubt about it." (Introduction of al-Bayan al-Azhar p. 23)
This Deobandi "la rayba fih" book's narrator, Abu Muti' al-Hakam bin Abdullah al-Balkhi, is discredited by the majority of hadith scholars. About him, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (RA) said: "Nothing should be narrated from him." (Kitab al-'Ilal 2/258 no. 1864)
The grand Imam of biographical evaluation, Yahya bin Ma'in (RA), said: "Abu Muti' al-Khorasani is nothing." (Tarikh Ibn Ma'in narration of al-Duri: 4760)
Other hadith scholars such as Imam al-Nasa'i, Abu Hatim al-Razi, and Hafiz Ibn Hibban also criticized him. Among the later scholars, Hafiz al-Dhahabi, regarding a hadith, said: "Abu Muti' fabricated it upon Hammad (bin Salamah)." (Mizan al-I'tidal 3/42)
This indicates that according to Hafiz al-Dhahabi, Abu Muti' was a fabricator (liar and hadith forger). Despite this criticism, some people calling the booklet "al-Fiqh al-Akbar" "la rayba fih" (without any doubt) is extremely strange.
- Belief in predestination is obligatory.
- Those who say that "Paradise has not been created yet" are wrong and rejected because Allah placed Adam (AS) in Paradise. According to Ahlus Sunnah, both Paradise and Hell are created and will last forever, and this is the true belief.
- There are two types of those who commit mistakes and sins:
First: Those who persist in their mistakes and sins, do not repent, do not feel remorse, and do not strive for correction. For such people, using predestination as an excuse is permissible.
Second: Those who do not repent after committing sins and disbelief and then use predestination as an excuse. This method is that of polytheists and disbelievers. See Surah Al-An'am (verse: 148) and Surah An-Nahl (verse: 35). - This hadith from Sahih Muslim is also briefly found in Sahih Bukhari. (Hadith 3409, 4736, 7515)
- In debates, presenting an argument against the opponent which he accepts as true and correct is completely valid.