Marrah al-Hamdani’s Narration: Weakness of the Chain and Its Defects
Source: Fatawa Ameenpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
Question
What is the status of the following narration?
From Marrah ibn Shurahbil al-Hamdani:
جاء أبو سفيان بن حرب إلى على بن أبى طالب رضي الله عنه، فقال: ما بال هذا الأمر فى أقل قريش قلة وأذلها ذلة يعني أبا بكر؟ والله لئن شئت لأملأنها عليه خيلا ورجالا، فقال علي: لطالما عاديت الإسلام وأهله يا أبا سفيان، فلم يضره شيئا إنا وجدنا أبا بكر لها أهلا
“Abu Sufyan ibn Harb came to ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (رضي الله عنه) and said: ‘How is it that authority has been given to the one among Quraysh who is least in number and most humble, meaning Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه)? By Allah! If you wish, I will fill the field with horsemen and foot soldiers.’ ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه) replied: ‘Your long-standing enmity against Islam and its people has not harmed it in the least. We have found Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) most deserving of this authority.’”
(Al-Mustadrak by al-Hakim 3/78; Fada’il al-Khulafa’ al-Rashidin by Abu Nu‘aym, p. 192)
Answer
The chain is weak.
① Marrah ibn Shurahbil al-Hamdani did not live in the era of Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه).
② Abu Sha‘tha’ al-Kindi is majhool (unknown).
③ In Fada’il al-Khulafa’ al-Rashidin, an additional intermediary after Marrah al-Hamdani is also mentioned.
