Ḥadīth of Ḥuṣayn رضي الله عنه and Its Authentication: In Light of
Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Vol. 1 – Principles, Takhrīj, and Authentication of Narrations – p. 609
❖ Question
Shaykh Badīʿ al-Dīn Shāh Rāshidī رحمه الله has quoted a narration in his book Tawḥīd Khāliṣ (p. 137):
The polytheists brought Ḥuṣayn رضي الله عنه to the Prophet ﷺ for debate.
The Prophet ﷺ asked him:
"When calamity befalls you, whom do you call upon?"
Ḥuṣayn رضي الله عنه replied:
"The One in the sky."
Shaykh Badīʿ al-Dīn Shāh also cited several references for this narration, including:
– Kitāb al-Daʿawāt, Bāb 69, Qiṣṣat Taʿlīm Duʿāʾ, p. 795, ḥadīth no. 3483, Dār al-Salām, Riyāḍ
– Al-Dhahabī رحمه الله in al-ʿUlūw (p. 100), who narrated it with two isnāds and declared both weak.
The questioner asked about the status of these narrations, since there are also wording variations in the two versions quoted by al-Dhahabī (p. 110).
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, wa al-ṣalātu wa al-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd:
– The narration is weak due to Ḥasan al-Baṣrī’s tadlīs.
– However, the same meaning (that Ḥuṣayn رضي الله عنه acknowledged calling upon “the One in the sky” at the time of hardship) is also authentically reported through ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn رضي الله عنه, without tadlīs, as a ḥasan narration.
This version is found in the following sources:
① al-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Nasāʾī (ḥadīth no. 10831)
② ʿAmal al-Yawm wa al-Laylah (ḥadīth no. 993)
For further elaboration, see Sunan al-Tirmidhī (verification edition), vol. 2, p. 411.
Certification: March 2003
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب