Fabricated Books Attributed to the Four Imams

Here, we present a mention of fabricated, concocted, and false books attributed to the four famous Imams, although all three Imams are innocent of these books.

1. Al-Fiqh al-Akbar Attributed to Imam Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him)​

A book titled "Al-Fiqh al-Akbar" has been attributed to Imam Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him), published by Mustafa Ahmed Al-Baz under the title "Al-Kawkab al-Azhar Sharh al-Fiqh al-Akbar" from "Al-Maktaba Al-Tijariya, Makkah Mukarramah," Saudi Arabia. The following are a few reasons why this book is considered fabricated and concocted:

1. The scribe (writer) is unknown.
2. The chain of narration from the scribe to Imam Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) is unknown.
3. In the version published by Mustafa Al-Baz, a brief introduction to the book's manuscripts is given:
   • Printed in 1900.
   • Manuscript by Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ahmad Al-Rawi (unknown), written in modern times?
   • Manuscript by Shihab al-Din bin Ahmad bin Muslih al-Basri, died 986 AH?
   • Manuscript by Ahmad bin Sheikh Darwish al-Khatib (modern)?
   • A non-Muslim named Carl Brockelmann attributed this book to Imam Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him).

It is evident that all these manuscripts are baseless and rejected.

Observations by Scholars​

◈ Haji Khalifa writes:

لكن فيه شك و الظن الغالب أنه من تأليف بعض أكا بر العلماء"But there is doubt in this attribution (to Imam Shafi'i), and the prevailing assumption is that it is the work of some of the great scholars."[Kashf al-Zunun 2/1288]

This "some of the great scholars" is an unknown figure.
The renowned Arabic researcher Abu Ubaida Mashhour bin Hasan Al-Salman writes:

الفقه الأكبر : المكذوب على الإمام محمد بن إدريس الشافعي"Al-Fiqh al-Akbar: a fabrication attributed to Imam Muhammad bin Idris al-Shafi'i."[Kitab Hadhr Minha al-Ulama 2/293]

Sheikh Saleh al-Maqbali also denied that this book was authored by Imam Shafi'i. See "Al-Ilm al-Shamikh fi Ithar al-Haqq 'ala al-Aba' wa al-Mashayikh" [p. 180].

1. None of Imam Shafi'i's students or early scholars like Al-Bayhaqi mentioned this book.

Anecdote​

In "Al-Kawkab al-Azhar Sharh al-Fiqh al-Akbar," falsely attributed to Imam Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him), it is written:

ولا يكفي ايمان المقلد"And the faith of a blind follower (in matters of creed and fundamentals of religion) is not sufficient."[p. 42]

2. Al-Fiqh al-Akbar Attributed to Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him)​

The printed version of "Al-Fiqh al-Akbar" with the commentary by Mulla Ali Qari does not have any chain of narration from the scribe, the writer, or from the scribe to Imam Abu Hanifa. Haji Khalifa writes:

روي عنه أبو مطيع البلخي"It is narrated from Imam Abu Hanifa by Abu Muti' al-Balkhi."[Kashf al-Zunun 2/1287]

Abu Muti' al-Hakam bin Abdullah al-Balkhi is considered unreliable by the majority of hadith scholars. He was declared weak by Ibn Ma'in, Bukhari, Nasa'i, and others.

[Kitab al-Du'afa wa al-Matrukin 654]

Regarding a hadith, Hafiz Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

فهذا وضعه أبو مطيع على حماد"This is fabricated by Abu Muti' upon Hammad (bin Salamah)."[Mizan al-I'tidal 3/42, No. 5523]

This means Abu Muti' was a fabricator (one who invents hadiths). Below Abu Muti', the chain of narration for this manuscript is unknown. Another scholar has attached a different chain of narration to this book.

[See Majmu'a al-Rasail al-'Ashara p. 17]

This chain includes many unknown, unfamiliar, and unverified narrators:

• Nasr bin Yahya al-Balkhi
• Ali bin Ahmad al-Farsi
• Ali bin al-Husayn al-Ghazali
• Nasran bin Nasr al-Khatli
• Husayn bin al-Husayn al-Kashghari, among others

The primary narrator of this chain, Mulla Sahib, is unknown. In summary, this chain is also fabricated and false.

Note:​

In this fabricated treatise "Al-Fiqh al-Akbar," it is written:

فما ذكر الله تعالىٰ في القرآن من ذكر الوجه واليد والنفس فهو صفات بلا كيف ولا يقال : أن يده قدرته و نعمته لأن فيه ابطال الصفة وهو قول اهل القدر والإعتزال ولكن يده صفته بلا كيف"Whatever Allah Almighty mentioned in the Quran about His Face, Hand, and Self are attributes without 'how,' and it should not be said that His Hand means His power and grace, as this negates the attribute. This is the saying of the Qadariyyah and Mu'tazilah. Instead, it should be said that His Hand is an attribute without 'how'."[p. 19 and with the commentary of al-Qari p. 36, 37]

In contrast, Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, a Deobandi scholar, says:

"For example, it is possible that by 'Istawa' is meant dominance, and by 'Hand' is meant (power), this is also correct according to us."[Al-Muhannad p. 42, answer to question 14, 13, The ruling on praying behind an innovator p. 18]

This shows that according to this book (Al-Fiqh al-Akbar), the Deobandi scholars are following the Mu'tazilah's doctrine.

3. The Book "Al-Salat" Attributed to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) is Not Authentic​

The book "Al-Salat" attributed to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) is not authentic.
◈ Hafiz Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) states:

وكتاب : الرسالة فى الصلوة، قلت : هو موضوع على الإمام"The book 'Al-Risala fi al-Salat' is falsely attributed to the Imam (Ahmad)."[Siyar A'lam al-Nubala 11/330]

Note:​

In the preface to "Namaz-e-Nabwi" (p. 18), the words "and the book 'Al-Salat' by Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) (died 241 AH)" were mistakenly published due to an error by the Darussalam publishers. Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai is not responsible for this statement. The manager of Darussalam, on his official letterhead, wrote regarding this mentioned statement: "It was published due to an oversight, for which the institution apologizes to the author of the preface. Abdul Azim Asad, Darussalam Lahore, 18/8/2000."

4. The Book "Al-Mudawwana al-Kubra" Attributed to Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) is Unreliable​

The book "Al-Mudawwana al-Kubra," attributed to Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him), is considered an unreliable source. For further details, see the book "Al-Qawl al-Matin fi al-Jahr bi al-Ta'min" [p. 73], [Siyar A'lam al-Nubala 14/206], and [Al-Ibar fi Khabar man Ghabar 2/122].