✍ Written by: Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai
"Al-Zubair bin al-'Awwam (رضي الله عنه) heard a man narrating a Hadith from the Prophet (ﷺ). Al-Zubair (رضي الله عنه) listened attentively until the man completed his narration. Then, Al-Zubair asked: 'Did you hear this from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?' The man replied, 'Yes.' Al-Zubair said, 'This and similar matters prevent us from narrating Hadith from the Prophet (ﷺ). Indeed, by Allah, you (or I) heard this Hadith from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and I was present on that day. However, the Prophet (ﷺ) began this narration by mentioning that a man from the People of the Book had related it to him. You arrived after the beginning of the Hadith and missed the part mentioning the man from the People of the Book, so you assumed it was directly from the Prophet (ﷺ).'"
(Kitab al-Asma wa al-Sifat by Al-Bayhaqi, p. 258; alternate editions: p. 450, p. 357 with Al-Kawthari’s marginal notes, vol. 2, p. 201/764, and vol. 2, p. 303/739)
"The Sheikh (likely referring to Imam Al-Bayhaqi) said: Due to this possibility, the scholars among our companions (the Ash'ari theologians) refrained from using singular reports (akhbar ahad) as evidence regarding the Attributes of Allah if the report did not have a basis in the Book (the Qur'an) or consensus (Ijma'), and they engaged in interpreting such reports. As for the incident mentioned in this narration, it is attributed to those who, after exhaustion from work, lie down and rest by placing one leg over the other. Allah has declared the Jews liars when they ascribed rest to Him after the creation of the heavens and the earth, as He said:
(وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِن لُّغُوبٍ)
(Asma wa al-Sifat, p. 450)
The referenced narration describes Allah lying down and placing one leg over the other after creating the heavens and the earth — a narration deemed munkar (rejected) and weak.
① The referenced narration is weak due to multiple defects in its chain.
③ Authentic Hadiths mention Allah’s Attributes such as "foot (qadam)," "leg (rijl)," and "fingers (asaabi')."
④ Unanimity among scholars: There is consensus (ijma') among the early scholars that the Attributes of Allah mentioned in authentic Hadith are true and must be accepted without distortion (ta'wil), negation (ta'til), or likening (tashbih).
⑤ Statements from Prominent Scholars:
⑥ News of the Attributes through authentic singular narrations must be accepted, and belief therein is obligatory without delving into "how" (kayfiyyah).
➋ Distortion and reinterpretation of Allah’s Attributes is the way of misguided sects such as the Jahmiyyah.
➌ The early generations (Salaf) and reliable hadith scholars considered authentic singular reports as authoritative in all matters of religion, including the Attributes of Allah.
➍ Al-Bayhaqi’s reported statement (if actually his) is rejected and invalid, and it does not represent the consensus of the Salaf or the methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jama'ah.
➎ Care must be taken to avoid relying upon weak and fabricated narrations, as it opens doors to doubts and heresies.
Narration Regarding the Attributes of Allah and Authentic Khabar al-Wahid
It is narrated from (Abdullah) bin 'Urwah bin al-Zubair (رحمه الله) that:"Al-Zubair bin al-'Awwam (رضي الله عنه) heard a man narrating a Hadith from the Prophet (ﷺ). Al-Zubair (رضي الله عنه) listened attentively until the man completed his narration. Then, Al-Zubair asked: 'Did you hear this from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?' The man replied, 'Yes.' Al-Zubair said, 'This and similar matters prevent us from narrating Hadith from the Prophet (ﷺ). Indeed, by Allah, you (or I) heard this Hadith from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and I was present on that day. However, the Prophet (ﷺ) began this narration by mentioning that a man from the People of the Book had related it to him. You arrived after the beginning of the Hadith and missed the part mentioning the man from the People of the Book, so you assumed it was directly from the Prophet (ﷺ).'"
(Kitab al-Asma wa al-Sifat by Al-Bayhaqi, p. 258; alternate editions: p. 450, p. 357 with Al-Kawthari’s marginal notes, vol. 2, p. 201/764, and vol. 2, p. 303/739)
Bayhaqi’s Comment
Immediately after this narration, it is recorded in Kitab al-Asma wa al-Sifat:"The Sheikh (likely referring to Imam Al-Bayhaqi) said: Due to this possibility, the scholars among our companions (the Ash'ari theologians) refrained from using singular reports (akhbar ahad) as evidence regarding the Attributes of Allah if the report did not have a basis in the Book (the Qur'an) or consensus (Ijma'), and they engaged in interpreting such reports. As for the incident mentioned in this narration, it is attributed to those who, after exhaustion from work, lie down and rest by placing one leg over the other. Allah has declared the Jews liars when they ascribed rest to Him after the creation of the heavens and the earth, as He said:
(وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِن لُّغُوبٍ)
(Asma wa al-Sifat, p. 450)
The referenced narration describes Allah lying down and placing one leg over the other after creating the heavens and the earth — a narration deemed munkar (rejected) and weak.
Analysis and Critique of Al-Bayhaqi's Statement
The claim that akhbar ahad are not authoritative in the Attributes of Allah is incorrect for several reasons:① The referenced narration is weak due to multiple defects in its chain.
- First: Abu Ja'far Al-Arabi is unknown.
- Second: Abu al-Abbas Al-Sabghi has no verified authentication and was criticized by his brother.
- Third: The narration is disconnected (munqati') since Abdullah bin 'Urwah was born in 45 AH, while Al-Zubair bin Al-Awwam (رضي الله عنه) was martyred in 36 AH.
③ Authentic Hadiths mention Allah’s Attributes such as "foot (qadam)," "leg (rijl)," and "fingers (asaabi')."
- The Hadiths mentioning Allah’s Foot are recorded in:
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Sahih Ibn Hibban, and others.
- Scholars like Imam Ahmad, Ishaq ibn Rahwayh, and Ibn Mandah agreed upon their authenticity.
④ Unanimity among scholars: There is consensus (ijma') among the early scholars that the Attributes of Allah mentioned in authentic Hadith are true and must be accepted without distortion (ta'wil), negation (ta'til), or likening (tashbih).
⑤ Statements from Prominent Scholars:
- Imam Abu Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam affirmed the authenticity and necessity of belief in such narrations without questioning their modality.
- Imam Tirmidhi recorded the consensus of scholars that such narrations should be accepted as they are without interpretation.
⑥ News of the Attributes through authentic singular narrations must be accepted, and belief therein is obligatory without delving into "how" (kayfiyyah).
Conclusion
➊ Belief in the Attributes of Allah, as mentioned in authentic singular narrations, is obligatory.➋ Distortion and reinterpretation of Allah’s Attributes is the way of misguided sects such as the Jahmiyyah.
➌ The early generations (Salaf) and reliable hadith scholars considered authentic singular reports as authoritative in all matters of religion, including the Attributes of Allah.
➍ Al-Bayhaqi’s reported statement (if actually his) is rejected and invalid, and it does not represent the consensus of the Salaf or the methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jama'ah.
➎ Care must be taken to avoid relying upon weak and fabricated narrations, as it opens doors to doubts and heresies.
