Is Sayyidunā Abū al-Ghāwiyah Condemned to Hell for Killing ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir?
(Excerpt: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah – Tawḍīḥ al-Aḥkām, Vol. 2, p. 477)
A narration states:
"The killer of ʿAmmār and the one who seizes his belongings will be in Hell."
(al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah, Vol. 5, pp. 18–20, ḥadīth no. 2008 – graded ṣaḥīḥ by Shaykh al-Albānī رحمه الله)
It is also established that Sayyidunā ʿAmmār رضي الله عنه was martyred in the Battle of Ṣiffīn by Sayyidunā Abū al-Ghāwiyah رضي الله عنه (Musnad Aḥmad, Vol. 4, p. 76, ḥadīth no. 6698 – ḥasan chain).
Does this mean that Abū al-Ghāwiyah رضي الله عنه is destined for Hell?
Alḥamdulillāh, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
Chain: Layth ibn Abī Sulaym → Mujāhid → ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ رضي الله عنهما
Sources:
Status of Chain: Weak
Chain: al-Muḥammir ibn Sulaymān al-Taymī → from his father → from Mujāhid → from ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr
Source: al-Mustadrak (Vol. 3, p. 387, ḥadīth no. 5661)
Status of Chain: Weak
Chain: Abū Ḥafṣ and Kulthūm → from Abū al-Ghāwiyah who said… “It was said: You killed ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir…”
Sources:
Shaykh al-Albānī’s Grading: He considered its chain sound.
Chain Issue:
The killing of ʿAmmār رضي الله عنه by Abū al-Ghāwiyah رضي الله عنه occurred during the Battle of Ṣiffīn as an ijtihādī mistake.
Thus, based on the weakness of the narrations and the context of ijtihād, it is not correct to declare Abū al-Ghāwiyah رضي الله عنه a person of Hellfire.
Allah knows best.
(Excerpt: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah – Tawḍīḥ al-Aḥkām, Vol. 2, p. 477)
Question:
A narration states:
"The killer of ʿAmmār and the one who seizes his belongings will be in Hell."
(al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah, Vol. 5, pp. 18–20, ḥadīth no. 2008 – graded ṣaḥīḥ by Shaykh al-Albānī رحمه الله)
It is also established that Sayyidunā ʿAmmār رضي الله عنه was martyred in the Battle of Ṣiffīn by Sayyidunā Abū al-Ghāwiyah رضي الله عنه (Musnad Aḥmad, Vol. 4, p. 76, ḥadīth no. 6698 – ḥasan chain).
Does this mean that Abū al-Ghāwiyah رضي الله عنه is destined for Hell?
Answer:
Alḥamdulillāh, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
Analysis of the Narrations:
First Narration:
Chain: Layth ibn Abī Sulaym → Mujāhid → ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ رضي الله عنهما
Sources:
- Thalāthah Majālis min al-Amālī (Vol. 1, pp. 75–76)
- al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah (Vol. 5, p. 18)
- al-Āḥād wa al-Mathānī (Vol. 2, p. 102, ḥadīth no. 803)
Status of Chain: Weak
- Layth ibn Abī Sulaym is ḍaʿīf according to the majority of ḥadīth scholars.
Second Narration:
Chain: al-Muḥammir ibn Sulaymān al-Taymī → from his father → from Mujāhid → from ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr
Source: al-Mustadrak (Vol. 3, p. 387, ḥadīth no. 5661)
- Al-Dhahabī commented: “Upon the condition of al-Bukhārī and Muslim.”
Status of Chain: Weak
- Contains Sulaimān ibn Ṭarḥān al-Taymī with an ʿanʿanah (using "ʿan"), and he is a mudallis.
- Third category mudallis – narration without explicit hearing is unreliable.
Third Narration:
Chain: Abū Ḥafṣ and Kulthūm → from Abū al-Ghāwiyah who said… “It was said: You killed ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir…”
Sources:
- Ṭabaqāt Ibn Saʿd (Vol. 3, pp. 260–261)
- Musnad Aḥmad (Vol. 4, p. 198)
- al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah (Vol. 5, p. 19)
Shaykh al-Albānī’s Grading: He considered its chain sound.
Chain Issue:
- The phrase “It was said…” originates from an unknown (majhūl) narrator.
- Two transmitters narrate from Abū al-Ghāwiyah:
- Abū Ḥafṣ – majhūl
- Kulthūm ibn Jabr – thiqah
- Ḥammād ibn Salamah did not clarify from which of the two he took the narration.
Final Assessment:
- All three available chains for this statement are weak.
- Declaring this narration “ṣaḥīḥ” is not correct.
Clarification:
The killing of ʿAmmār رضي الله عنه by Abū al-Ghāwiyah رضي الله عنه occurred during the Battle of Ṣiffīn as an ijtihādī mistake.
- Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī رحمه الله also indicated this point.
Thus, based on the weakness of the narrations and the context of ijtihād, it is not correct to declare Abū al-Ghāwiyah رضي الله عنه a person of Hellfire.
Allah knows best.
