✍ Written by: Ḥāfiẓ Khizr Ḥayāt
Among scholars and hadith experts, the attribution “Ibn Abī Shaybah” is widely recognized. This lineage traces back to their ancestor Abū Shaybah Ibrāhīm ibn ʿUthmān (169 AH). He had a son named Muḥammad ibn Abī Shaybah (182 AH), who in turn had three sons:
① ʿUthmān (Kunyah: Abū al-Ḥasan)
② ʿAbdullāh (Kunyah: Abū Bakr)
③ Qāsim
Among them, ʿAbdullāh ibn Abī Shaybah became the most renowned. However, ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah was also a distinguished hadith scholar. Some narrations are reported from Qāsim ibn Abī Shaybah, though he did not attain the same prominence in the field of hadith as his brothers.
The name “Ibn Abī Shaybah” is most famously associated with Abū Bakr ʿAbdullāh ibn Muḥammad ibn Abī Shaybah (235 AH). His works, Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah and Tafsīr Ibn Abī Shaybah, are considered significant sources in Islamic sciences. His elder brother, ʿUthmān ibn Muḥammad ibn Abī Shaybah (Abū al-Ḥasan), was also a trustworthy scholar, though no independent compilation of his writings is extant.
Qārī Ḥanīf Dār criticized ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah, labeling him an enemy of religion and even calling for punitive measures against him. In his critique, he failed to distinguish between Abū Bakr and ʿUthmān, erroneously attributing the books of Abū Bakr to ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah.
One of the primary bases for criticism is that he sometimes erred in reciting verses of the Qur’an, and upon being corrected, instead of accepting the correction, he would respond humorously or change the subject jokingly.
Although scholars acknowledged his weakness in qirā’āt, they also expressed hope regarding his repentance. Scholars like Ḥāfiẓ Dhahabī stated the possibility that he may have repented from this behavior.
Qārī Ḥanīf Dār misrepresented the matter, implying that Imam ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah was mocking or altering the Qur’an. This is completely unfounded. If such were the case, his brother Abū Bakr ibn Abī Shaybah and other scholars would certainly have taken action against him.
Historically, many hadith scholars were not experts in qirā’āt, and similarly, some qurrā’ lacked depth in hadith sciences. Imam ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah was a renowned hadith expert, and though he committed errors in qirā’āt, scholars documented these openly to prevent misunderstanding in the Ummah.
Qārī Ḥanīf Dār uses ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah’s mistakes as a pretext to reject him, yet when the same narrator supports a hadith or scholar, he dismisses it as “narration-worship”. This inconsistency goes against scholarly integrity.
✔ Imam Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and Aḥmad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUjlī affirmed his reliability.
✔ Imam Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn regarded him as honest and trustworthy.
✔ Abū Ḥātim al-Rāzī described him as a high-ranking and truthful man.
✔ His narrations are found in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, and other hadith compilations.
(Tadhīb al-Kamāl 19/478)
Imams such as Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn, al-Bukhārī, Muslim, and Abū Dāwūd considered him a devoted servant of the religion. Calling such a man an “enemy of the religion” is a gross violation of scholarly conduct.
From Imam ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah, approximately 2000 narrations are found in 22 major hadith books, of which 200 are present in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Muslim.
✿ Excellence of Teaching and Preaching
✿ Jihād fī Sabīlillāh
✿ Ahādīth on the Punishment of the Grave
✿ Issues related to Ṣalāh, Zakāh, Ḥajj, Fasting, and Trade
✿ Virtues of Prophets and Companions
✿ Ethics and Etiquettes of Daily Life
Hadith plays a foundational role in elaborating the rulings of the Qur’an. Those who truly served the Qur’an were also supporters of Hadith. Historically, efforts in Aḥkām al-Qur’ān, Tadwīn al-Qur’ān, and other Qur’anic sciences were made by the same scholars.
Hadith rejecters attempt to alienate people from Hadith using the name of the Qur’an, which is a form of scholarly dishonesty. In truth, the Qur’an and Hadith bring people closer, not apart.
To accuse a great scholar like Imam ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah with baseless claims is an act of academic dishonesty. The Qur’an and Hadith together constitute the complete foundation of Islam.
May Allah grant us the ability to act upon both the Qur’an and Hadith. Āmīn.
◉ Introduction to the Family of Ibn Abī Shaybah
Among scholars and hadith experts, the attribution “Ibn Abī Shaybah” is widely recognized. This lineage traces back to their ancestor Abū Shaybah Ibrāhīm ibn ʿUthmān (169 AH). He had a son named Muḥammad ibn Abī Shaybah (182 AH), who in turn had three sons:
① ʿUthmān (Kunyah: Abū al-Ḥasan)
② ʿAbdullāh (Kunyah: Abū Bakr)
③ Qāsim
Among them, ʿAbdullāh ibn Abī Shaybah became the most renowned. However, ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah was also a distinguished hadith scholar. Some narrations are reported from Qāsim ibn Abī Shaybah, though he did not attain the same prominence in the field of hadith as his brothers.
◉ Fame of Abū Bakr ʿAbdullāh ibn Muḥammad ibn Abī Shaybah
The name “Ibn Abī Shaybah” is most famously associated with Abū Bakr ʿAbdullāh ibn Muḥammad ibn Abī Shaybah (235 AH). His works, Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah and Tafsīr Ibn Abī Shaybah, are considered significant sources in Islamic sciences. His elder brother, ʿUthmān ibn Muḥammad ibn Abī Shaybah (Abū al-Ḥasan), was also a trustworthy scholar, though no independent compilation of his writings is extant.
◉ Criticism by Qārī Ḥanīf Dār and the Reality
Qārī Ḥanīf Dār criticized ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah, labeling him an enemy of religion and even calling for punitive measures against him. In his critique, he failed to distinguish between Abū Bakr and ʿUthmān, erroneously attributing the books of Abū Bakr to ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah.
◉ Grounds for Criticism Against Imam ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah
❖ Mistakes in Qur’anic Recitation
One of the primary bases for criticism is that he sometimes erred in reciting verses of the Qur’an, and upon being corrected, instead of accepting the correction, he would respond humorously or change the subject jokingly.
❖ Scholarly Interpretation
- He was not specialized in Qur’anic recitation and qirā’āt.
- His attitude in such situations was often playful or humorous, not dismissive of the Qur’an.
❖ Scholarly Views
Although scholars acknowledged his weakness in qirā’āt, they also expressed hope regarding his repentance. Scholars like Ḥāfiẓ Dhahabī stated the possibility that he may have repented from this behavior.
◉ Qārī Ḥanīf Dār’s Accusation
Qārī Ḥanīf Dār misrepresented the matter, implying that Imam ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah was mocking or altering the Qur’an. This is completely unfounded. If such were the case, his brother Abū Bakr ibn Abī Shaybah and other scholars would certainly have taken action against him.
◉ Distinction Between Hadith Expertise and Qirā’āt
Historically, many hadith scholars were not experts in qirā’āt, and similarly, some qurrā’ lacked depth in hadith sciences. Imam ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah was a renowned hadith expert, and though he committed errors in qirā’āt, scholars documented these openly to prevent misunderstanding in the Ummah.
◉ Contradictory Attitude of Qārī Ḥanīf Dār
Qārī Ḥanīf Dār uses ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah’s mistakes as a pretext to reject him, yet when the same narrator supports a hadith or scholar, he dismisses it as “narration-worship”. This inconsistency goes against scholarly integrity.
◉ Status and Recognition of Imam ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah
❖ Praise from Leading Scholars
✔ Imam Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and Aḥmad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUjlī affirmed his reliability.
✔ Imam Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn regarded him as honest and trustworthy.
✔ Abū Ḥātim al-Rāzī described him as a high-ranking and truthful man.
✔ His narrations are found in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, and other hadith compilations.
(Tadhīb al-Kamāl 19/478)
❖ Trust of Hadith Scholars
Imams such as Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn, al-Bukhārī, Muslim, and Abū Dāwūd considered him a devoted servant of the religion. Calling such a man an “enemy of the religion” is a gross violation of scholarly conduct.
◉ Imam ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah’s Service to Islam
❖ Hadith Narrations
From Imam ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah, approximately 2000 narrations are found in 22 major hadith books, of which 200 are present in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Muslim.
❖ Covered Subjects
✿ Excellence of Teaching and Preaching
✿ Jihād fī Sabīlillāh
✿ Ahādīth on the Punishment of the Grave
✿ Issues related to Ṣalāh, Zakāh, Ḥajj, Fasting, and Trade
✿ Virtues of Prophets and Companions
✿ Ethics and Etiquettes of Daily Life
❖ Examples in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī
- Rulings on Tahajjud Prayer
- Timings of Sacrifice (Qurbānī)
- Ahādīth related to Duʿā, Asceticism, and Piety
- Narrations related to the Tafsīr of the Qur’an
◉ Relationship Between Qur’an and Hadith
Hadith plays a foundational role in elaborating the rulings of the Qur’an. Those who truly served the Qur’an were also supporters of Hadith. Historically, efforts in Aḥkām al-Qur’ān, Tadwīn al-Qur’ān, and other Qur’anic sciences were made by the same scholars.
◉ Attitude of Hadith Rejecters
Hadith rejecters attempt to alienate people from Hadith using the name of the Qur’an, which is a form of scholarly dishonesty. In truth, the Qur’an and Hadith bring people closer, not apart.
◉ Conclusion
To accuse a great scholar like Imam ʿUthmān ibn Abī Shaybah with baseless claims is an act of academic dishonesty. The Qur’an and Hadith together constitute the complete foundation of Islam.
May Allah grant us the ability to act upon both the Qur’an and Hadith. Āmīn.
