Compiled by: Abū Ḥamzah Salafī
A Rāfiḍī raised an objection claiming that the Ahl al-Sunnah Imām, Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ (رحمه الله), burned a ḥadīth compilation containing the narrations of al-Aʿmash. Through this objection, an attempt was made to create the impression that Ahl al-Sunnah used to destroy “authentic ḥadīths that were against them.”
In this article, we will establish that:
① Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ (رحمه الله) was a trustworthy and righteous Imām whose action was approved by Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal (رحمه الله).
② The book that was burned contained “defects of the Companions” and calamities — meaning innovated and fabricated narrations.
③ The specific narration “أنا قسيم النار” (I am the distributor of Hellfire) has been declared fabricated by the scholars of ḥadīth, and al-Aʿmash himself rejected it as false.
④ The methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah was to record various narrations, then scrutinize them and discard fabricated material. This was preservation of the religion, not betrayal.
أَخْبَرَنِي مُوسَى بْنُ حَمْدُونَ، قَالَ: ثَنَا حَنْبَلٌ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، يَقُولُ: كَانَ سَلَّامُ بْنُ أَبِي مُطِيعٍ أَخَذَ كِتَابَ أَبِي عَوَانَةَ الَّذِي فِيهِ ذِكْرُ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَأَحْرَقَ أَحَادِيثَ الْأَعْمَشِ تِلْكَ.
Translation:
Ḥanbal said: I heard Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal saying: “Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ took the book of Abū ʿAwānah, which contained mention of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ, and he burned those narrations of al-Aʿmash that were in it.”
وَأَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ: ثَنَا مُهَنَّى، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَحْمَدَ...
(Complete Arabic text preserved as given)
Translation:
Muhannā said: I asked Imām Aḥmad. He said: Khālid ibn Khidāsh said that Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ came to Abū ʿAwānah and said: “Bring those innovations which you brought to us from Kūfah.” Abū ʿAwānah brought out his books, and Salām threw them into the oven.
Khālid was asked: What did they contain?
He said: The narration of al-Aʿmash from Sālim ibn Abī al-Jaʿd from Thawbān that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Follow Quraysh,” and similar narrations.
He was asked: What else?
He said: The narration of ʿAlī: “أنا قسيم النار” (I am the distributor of Hellfire).
It was asked: Did Abū ʿAwānah narrate it directly from al-Aʿmash?
He replied: Yes.
أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ...
Translation:
ʿAbdullāh ibn Aḥmad said: I heard my father (Imām Aḥmad) say: “Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ was trustworthy, from the companions of Ayyūb, and was a righteous man…” Then he said: “Abū ʿAwānah compiled a book containing the defects of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ and calamities. Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ came to him, took that book, and burned it.”
أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْمَرُّوذِيُّ...
Translation:
Abū Bakr al-Marwazī said: I asked Imām Aḥmad, “I borrowed a book from a ḥadīth scholar containing weak narrations. Should I burn it or tear it?” He replied: “Yes.” Then he said: “Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ borrowed such a book from Abū ʿAwānah and burned it.” I asked: “Shall I burn it?” He replied: “Yes.”
✔ The book contained defects of the Companions and fabricated narrations.
✔ Imām Aḥmad approved the action of Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ.
✔ The narration “أنا قسيم النار” was among its contents.
Chain:
al-Aʿmash → Mūsā ibn Ṭarīf → ʿAbāyah ibn Ribʿī → ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib رضي الله عنه
◈ Ibn ʿAdī mentioned it in al-Kāmil fī al-Ḍuʿafāʾ (2/383).
◈ Ibn ʿAsākir mentioned it in Tārīkh Dimashq (12/136).
◈ Shaykh al-Albānī declared it:
«موضوع»
“Fabricated.”
◈ Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn: “Weak.”
◈ Imām al-Dāraquṭnī: “Abandoned.”
◈ al-Jawzajānī: “Deviant.”
◈ Imām al-ʿUqaylī: “Extremist and heretical.”
Conclusion:
Mūsā ibn Ṭarīf was an extremist Shīʿī, a liar, and abandoned narrator. The fabricated narration originated from him.
ʿAbdullāh ibn Dāwūd al-Khuraybī said:
«كنّا عند الأعمش فجاء مغضباً فقال: ألا تعجبون من موسى بن طريف يحدث عن عباية عن علي: أنا قسيم النار؟!»
Translation:
“We were with al-Aʿmash when he came angrily and said: ‘Are you not amazed that Mūsā ibn Ṭarīf narrates from ʿAlī: I am the distributor of Hellfire?’”
Ibn ʿAdī narrates that Sufyān al-Thawrī asked al-Aʿmash why he narrated it.
قال: إنما رويته على الاستهزاء.
Translation:
“I only narrated it in mockery.”
«هذا حديث موضوع… المتهم به موسى بن طريف»
Translation:
“This ḥadīth is fabricated… and the one accused of fabricating it is Mūsā ibn Ṭarīf.”
«إذا كتبت فقمّش، وإذا حدّثت ففتّش»
“When you write, gather everything; but when you narrate, scrutinize.”
◈ Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn:
«كتبنا عن الكذابين، وسجرنا به التنور»
“We wrote from liars, then used it to fuel the oven.”
◈ Imām Aḥmad explicitly approved burning such books as done by Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ.
✔ Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ (رحمه الله) did not burn authentic ḥadīths. He destroyed a book containing defects of the Companions and fabricated narrations.
✔ The most prominent narration in it was “أنا قسيم النار,” which is fabricated.
✔ Its fabricator was Mūsā ibn Ṭarīf, declared a liar and abandoned narrator by the scholars.
✔ al-Aʿmash himself disassociated from this narration.
✔ Imām Aḥmad and other scholars considered destroying such material permissible and commendable to prevent the spread of innovation and fabricated reports within the Ummah.
A Rāfiḍī raised an objection claiming that the Ahl al-Sunnah Imām, Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ (رحمه الله), burned a ḥadīth compilation containing the narrations of al-Aʿmash. Through this objection, an attempt was made to create the impression that Ahl al-Sunnah used to destroy “authentic ḥadīths that were against them.”
In this article, we will establish that:
① Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ (رحمه الله) was a trustworthy and righteous Imām whose action was approved by Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal (رحمه الله).
② The book that was burned contained “defects of the Companions” and calamities — meaning innovated and fabricated narrations.
③ The specific narration “أنا قسيم النار” (I am the distributor of Hellfire) has been declared fabricated by the scholars of ḥadīth, and al-Aʿmash himself rejected it as false.
④ The methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah was to record various narrations, then scrutinize them and discard fabricated material. This was preservation of the religion, not betrayal.
The Original Reports (Chains of Abū Bakr al-Khallāl)
◈ Report 1
قال الخلّال:أَخْبَرَنِي مُوسَى بْنُ حَمْدُونَ، قَالَ: ثَنَا حَنْبَلٌ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، يَقُولُ: كَانَ سَلَّامُ بْنُ أَبِي مُطِيعٍ أَخَذَ كِتَابَ أَبِي عَوَانَةَ الَّذِي فِيهِ ذِكْرُ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَأَحْرَقَ أَحَادِيثَ الْأَعْمَشِ تِلْكَ.
Translation:
Ḥanbal said: I heard Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal saying: “Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ took the book of Abū ʿAwānah, which contained mention of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ, and he burned those narrations of al-Aʿmash that were in it.”
Reference: al-Sunnah by al-Khallāl 1/401, no. 818
◈ Report 2
قال الخلّال:وَأَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ: ثَنَا مُهَنَّى، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَحْمَدَ...
(Complete Arabic text preserved as given)
Translation:
Muhannā said: I asked Imām Aḥmad. He said: Khālid ibn Khidāsh said that Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ came to Abū ʿAwānah and said: “Bring those innovations which you brought to us from Kūfah.” Abū ʿAwānah brought out his books, and Salām threw them into the oven.
Khālid was asked: What did they contain?
He said: The narration of al-Aʿmash from Sālim ibn Abī al-Jaʿd from Thawbān that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Follow Quraysh,” and similar narrations.
He was asked: What else?
He said: The narration of ʿAlī: “أنا قسيم النار” (I am the distributor of Hellfire).
It was asked: Did Abū ʿAwānah narrate it directly from al-Aʿmash?
He replied: Yes.
Reference: al-Sunnah by al-Khallāl 1/401–402, nos. 819–820
◈ Report 3
قال الخلّال:أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ...
Translation:
ʿAbdullāh ibn Aḥmad said: I heard my father (Imām Aḥmad) say: “Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ was trustworthy, from the companions of Ayyūb, and was a righteous man…” Then he said: “Abū ʿAwānah compiled a book containing the defects of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ and calamities. Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ came to him, took that book, and burned it.”
Reference: al-Sunnah by al-Khallāl 1/402, no. 821
◈ Report 4
قال الخلّال:أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْمَرُّوذِيُّ...
Translation:
Abū Bakr al-Marwazī said: I asked Imām Aḥmad, “I borrowed a book from a ḥadīth scholar containing weak narrations. Should I burn it or tear it?” He replied: “Yes.” Then he said: “Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ borrowed such a book from Abū ʿAwānah and burned it.” I asked: “Shall I burn it?” He replied: “Yes.”
Reference: al-Sunnah by al-Khallāl 1/402, no. 822
Established Points
✔ The book contained defects of the Companions and fabricated narrations.✔ Imām Aḥmad approved the action of Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ.
✔ The narration “أنا قسيم النار” was among its contents.
The Fabricated Narration: “أنا قسيم النار”
Text of the Narration
«حديث علي: أنا قسيم النار يوم القيامة، أقول: خذي ذا وذري ذا»Chain:
al-Aʿmash → Mūsā ibn Ṭarīf → ʿAbāyah ibn Ribʿī → ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib رضي الله عنه
Scholarly Ruling
◈ Imām al-ʿUqaylī mentioned it in al-Ḍuʿafāʾ al-Kabīr (p. 406).◈ Ibn ʿAdī mentioned it in al-Kāmil fī al-Ḍuʿafāʾ (2/383).
◈ Ibn ʿAsākir mentioned it in Tārīkh Dimashq (12/136).
◈ Shaykh al-Albānī declared it:
«موضوع»
“Fabricated.”
Reference: al-Silsilah al-Ḍaʿīfah, no. 4924
The Defect: Mūsā ibn Ṭarīf
Statements of the Scholars
◈ Abū Bakr ibn ʿAyyāsh: “Liar.”
Reference: al-Dhahabī, Mīzān al-Iʿtidāl 4/214
◈ Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn: “Weak.”
Reference: Ibn ʿAdī, al-Kāmil 8/1818
◈ Imām al-Dāraquṭnī: “Abandoned.”
Reference: al-Ḍuʿafāʾ wa al-Matrūkūn p. 519
◈ al-Jawzajānī: “Deviant.”
Reference: Aḥwāl al-Rijāl p. 152
◈ Imām al-ʿUqaylī: “Extremist and heretical.”
Reference: al-Ḍuʿafāʾ al-Kabīr 4/1457
Conclusion:
Mūsā ibn Ṭarīf was an extremist Shīʿī, a liar, and abandoned narrator. The fabricated narration originated from him.
al-Aʿmash Himself Rejected It
ʿAbdullāh ibn Dāwūd al-Khuraybī said:«كنّا عند الأعمش فجاء مغضباً فقال: ألا تعجبون من موسى بن طريف يحدث عن عباية عن علي: أنا قسيم النار؟!»
Reference: al-ʿUqaylī, al-Ḍuʿafāʾ al-Kabīr 4/1457 – authentic chain
Translation:
“We were with al-Aʿmash when he came angrily and said: ‘Are you not amazed that Mūsā ibn Ṭarīf narrates from ʿAlī: I am the distributor of Hellfire?’”
Ibn ʿAdī narrates that Sufyān al-Thawrī asked al-Aʿmash why he narrated it.
قال: إنما رويته على الاستهزاء.
Reference: al-Kāmil fī al-Ḍuʿafāʾ 8/1818
Translation:
“I only narrated it in mockery.”
Verdict of Ibn al-Jawzī
«هذا حديث موضوع… المتهم به موسى بن طريف»
Reference: al-Mawḍūʿāt 1/397
Translation:
“This ḥadīth is fabricated… and the one accused of fabricating it is Mūsā ibn Ṭarīf.”
The Principle of the Scholars — Burning Books of Innovation
Statements of the Imāms
◈ Imām Abū Ḥātim al-Rāzī:«إذا كتبت فقمّش، وإذا حدّثت ففتّش»
“When you write, gather everything; but when you narrate, scrutinize.”
◈ Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn:
«كتبنا عن الكذابين، وسجرنا به التنور»
“We wrote from liars, then used it to fuel the oven.”
Reference: Tārīkh Baghdād 13/293
◈ Imām Aḥmad explicitly approved burning such books as done by Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ.
Reference: al-Sunnah by al-Khallāl 1/402
Conclusion
✔ Salām ibn Abī Muṭīʿ (رحمه الله) did not burn authentic ḥadīths. He destroyed a book containing defects of the Companions and fabricated narrations.✔ The most prominent narration in it was “أنا قسيم النار,” which is fabricated.
✔ Its fabricator was Mūsā ibn Ṭarīf, declared a liar and abandoned narrator by the scholars.
✔ al-Aʿmash himself disassociated from this narration.
✔ Imām Aḥmad and other scholars considered destroying such material permissible and commendable to prevent the spread of innovation and fabricated reports within the Ummah.
