Atonement of Sins Through Salah: Hadith Verification & Narrators

Atonement of Sins Through Salah: Hadith Authentication, Chain Verification, and Narrator Analysis


Source: Fatawa Ilmiya, Vol. 1, Principles, Authentication, and Investigation of Narrations – Page 615

Salah and Atonement of Sins​

Meaning of the Hadith:
A narration mentions:


"حدثني عبد الله بن أحمد بن شبويه قال ، حدثنا إسحاق بن إبراهيم قال، حدثني عمرو بن الحارث قال، حدثني عبد الله بن سالم، عن الزبيدي قال ، حدثنا سليم بن عامر، أنه سمع أبا أمامة يقول: إن رجلا أتى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: يا رسول الله ، أقم فيَّ حَدّ الله ، مرةً واثنتين. فأعرض عنه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ثم أقيمت الصلاة ، فلما فرغ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من الصلاة، قال: أين هذا القائل: أقم فيَّ حدَّ الله؟ قال: أنا ذا ! قال: هل أتممت الوضوء وصليت معنا آنفا؟ قال: نعم! قال: فإنك من خطيئتك كما ولدتك أمّك، فلا تَعُدْ ! وأنـزل الله حينئذ على رسوله:
(أقم الصلاة طرفي النهار وزلفًا من الليل)"
(Surah Hud, 11:114, Tafsir al-Tabari 6/133)

Hadith Authentication and Chain Verification​

Presence in Sources:
This narration is recorded in Tafsir Ibn Jarir (Vol. 12, p. 82) and Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 4, p. 288; some manuscripts Vol. 2, p. 480 citing Ibn Jarir).


Status of the Chain:
The narration is Hasan li-Dhatihi (good in its own right).

Details of the Narrators​

✿ Salim ibn ‘Amir al-Khuba’iri:

• Narrator in Sahih Muslim, trustworthy (thiqah).

✿ Muhammad ibn Walid ibn ‘Amir al-Zubaidi:

• Narrator in both Sahihayn, “thiqah and reliable among senior companions of al-Zuhri.” (Al-Taqrib, p. 322)

✿ ‘Abdullah ibn Salim al-Ash‘ari:

• Narrator in Sahih Bukhari, trustworthy.
• Praised by Yahya ibn Hassan and ‘Abdullah ibn Yusuf.
• Al-Nasa’i said: “Laysa bihi bas”
• Ibn Hibban: thiqah
• Al-Daraqutni: verified
• Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (5/400) provides details
• Al-Dhahabi: “Saduq fi-hi nasb” (Al-Kashf 2/80)
• Ibn Hajar: thiqah, though criticized for occasional error (Al-Taqrib, p. 174)

Refutation of Alleged Criticism (Nasb):
This claim is rejected for the following reasons:

1. Contradicts the majority of hadith scholars’ assessment.
2. Related to beliefs, not the authenticity of the narration.
3. Abu Dawud could not have met ‘Abdullah ibn Salim; he died before his birth.
4. Abu ‘Ubaid al-Ajri’s statements are unreliable.
5. No authentic chain from Al-Ajri supports this claim.

Other Narrators’ Verification:


✿ ‘Amr ibn al-Harith al-Himsi:

• Ibn Hibban: thiqah (Mustaqim al-Hadith)
• Verified by Ibn Khuzaymah, Hakim, Al-Daraqutni, Al-Bayhaqi

Principles of Classification:
Saying a narration is Sahih or Hasan means all narrators are considered thiqah or saduq by the scholars.


References:

• Nasb al-Rayah, Vol. 1, p.149; Vol. 3, p.264
• Lisan al-Mizan, Vol. 1, p.227; Vol. 5, p.414
• Al-Silsilah al-Sahihah, Vol. 6, p.660, H.2783; Vol.7, p.16, H.3007
• Bayan al-Wahm wal-Ibham, Ibn al-Qattan 5/395, H.25, 62

Rejection of Weak Opinions:

• Al-Dhahabi: “Ghair ma‘ruf al-‘adala” (Mizan al-I‘tidal, 3/251)
• Ibn Hajar: “Maqbul” (unknown status)

These opinions are rejected because they contradict the majority and the authentic hadith verification principle.
Rule: “Wa idha ta‘aradhā tasāqata” (Mizan al-I‘tidal 2/552)


Conclusion:
‘Amr ibn al-Harith is Hasan in hadith.


Other Narrators:


✿ Ishaq ibn Ibrahim ibn al-‘Ala’ al-Zubaidi:

• Verified by Abu Hatim, Ibn Ma‘in, Ibn Khuzaymah, Hakim, Al-Dhahabi
• The claim by Al-Nasa’i (“Laysa b-thiqah”, Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 1/189) is unauthentic, rejected
• Al-Ajri’s severe criticism is unreliable because:
  
  1. Al-Ajri is not a known ‘adala
  2. His book does not contain this criticism
  3. Ibn Kathir called his book “useful” but critically examined his reliability and chain

Conclusion:
Ishaq ibn Ibrahim is a Hasan narrator.
Further Reference: Al-Qawl al-Mateen fi al-Jahr bi al-Ta’min, p. 8-9


✿ ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Shubayh:

• Mustaqim al-Hadith, trustworthy (Thiqah) (Al-Thiqaat, Ibn Hibban 8/366)
• Abu Sa‘id al-Idrisi: “Among the virtuous people” (Tarikh Baghdad, 9/371)

Hadith Verification Conclusion​

This hadith is Hasan li-Dhatihi and is also supported in the following books:

• Sahih Muslim (25, 27)
• Musnad Ahmad (5/262, 263, 266)
• Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah (311)

Hence, this hadith can be regarded as authentic (Sahih li-ghayrihi).


Research Confirmation: May 2003


ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب