Investigation of a Fabricated Report Regarding the Ghusl of the Prophet ﷺ
Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Volume 1, Kitāb al-Janā’iz, Page 520
Narration in question:
"When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was given ghusl (ritual washing), water collected in the sockets of his eyes. ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه) drank that water, and thus he was granted the knowledge of the first and the last (awwalīn wal ākhirīn)."
(Kaleem Ḥusayn Shāh, Rawalpindi)
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
◈ This narration is fabricated (موضوع), baseless, and lacks any authentic chain.
◈ It was mentioned by Shaykh ʿAbd al-Ḥaqq al-Dihlawī in his book “Madārij al-Nubuwwah”, but:
He provided no sanad (chain of transmission) and no reliable reference.
Madārij al-Nubuwwah, Vol. 2, p. 596, Urdu Translation, Maktabah Islāmiyyah, Urdu Bazar, Lahore
Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Qasṭalānī (d. 923 AH) in Al-Mawāhib al-Ladunniyyah states:
“Ibn al-Jawzī mentioned that it is narrated from Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad that water would collect in the eyelids of the Prophet ﷺ, and ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه) would wipe it off. As for the narration that ʿAlī drank that water and was thereby granted the knowledge of the first and the last—Imām Nawawī said: ‘This is not authentic.’”
Al-Mawāhib al-Dunniyyah, Vol. 3, p. 396
◈ Both versions of this narration are fabricated and lack authentic support.
◈ The attribution to Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (رحمه الله) is not found in any reliable book with a valid chain.
◈ As stated aptly:
“Those who are not ashamed to fabricate lies upon the Prophet ﷺ would hardly hesitate to lie about Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (رحمه الله).”
✔ For precise verification, one must refer directly to the original works of Ibn al-Jawzī to check whether he narrated it with criticism or approval.
According to the details mentioned and the question posed, this narration is:
Fabricated (موضوع), Baseless (بے اصل), and Without Chain (بے سند).
"Wa mā ʿalaynā illa al-balāgh"
(al-Ḥadīth Magazine: Issue 21)
ھٰذَا مَا عِندِي، وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Volume 1, Kitāb al-Janā’iz, Page 520
❖ Question
Narration in question:
"When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was given ghusl (ritual washing), water collected in the sockets of his eyes. ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه) drank that water, and thus he was granted the knowledge of the first and the last (awwalīn wal ākhirīn)."
(Kaleem Ḥusayn Shāh, Rawalpindi)
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
✦ Status of the Narration
◈ This narration is fabricated (موضوع), baseless, and lacks any authentic chain.
◈ It was mentioned by Shaykh ʿAbd al-Ḥaqq al-Dihlawī in his book “Madārij al-Nubuwwah”, but:
He provided no sanad (chain of transmission) and no reliable reference. Madārij al-Nubuwwah, Vol. 2, p. 596, Urdu Translation, Maktabah Islāmiyyah, Urdu Bazar, Lahore✦ Mention in Sufi Literature
Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Qasṭalānī (d. 923 AH) in Al-Mawāhib al-Ladunniyyah states:
“Ibn al-Jawzī mentioned that it is narrated from Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad that water would collect in the eyelids of the Prophet ﷺ, and ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه) would wipe it off. As for the narration that ʿAlī drank that water and was thereby granted the knowledge of the first and the last—Imām Nawawī said: ‘This is not authentic.’”
Al-Mawāhib al-Dunniyyah, Vol. 3, p. 396✦ Reality of the Narration
◈ Both versions of this narration are fabricated and lack authentic support.
◈ The attribution to Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (رحمه الله) is not found in any reliable book with a valid chain.
◈ As stated aptly:
“Those who are not ashamed to fabricate lies upon the Prophet ﷺ would hardly hesitate to lie about Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (رحمه الله).”
✔ For precise verification, one must refer directly to the original works of Ibn al-Jawzī to check whether he narrated it with criticism or approval.
❖ Summary of the Investigation
According to the details mentioned and the question posed, this narration is:Fabricated (موضوع), Baseless (بے اصل), and Without Chain (بے سند).
"Wa mā ʿalaynā illa al-balāgh"
(al-Ḥadīth Magazine: Issue 21)ھٰذَا مَا عِندِي، وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
