Written by: Fazilat al-Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri Hafizahullah
Question: Which Imams of Islam have called Muhammad bin Hasan al-Shibani a Jahmi?
Answer: Many Muhaddithin and Imams of the Deen have called Muhammad bin Hasan bin Farqad al-Shibani "Jahmi." The Jahmi sect is attributed to Jahm bin Safwan. He used to deny the attributes of Allah Almighty.
① Imam Yahya bin Ma'in (RA) (233 AH) says:
[محمد جهمي کذاب]
Muhammad al-Shibani is a lying Jahmi.
Reference: Al-Du'afa al-Kabir by al-Aqili: 52/4, and its chain is authentic
② Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (RA) (241 AH) says:
[كان يذهب مذهب جهم]
He was a follower of the Jahmi creed.
Reference: Tarikh Baghdad by al-Khatib: 179/2, and its chain is authentic
③ Imam Bukhari (RA) (256 AH) says:
[محمد الشيباني جهمي]
Muhammad al-Shibani is Jahmi.
Reference: Khalaq Af'al al-'Ibad: 63
④ Imam Abu Zur'ah al-Razi (RA) (264 AH) says:
[كان محمد بن الحسن جهميا]
Muhammad bin Hasan al-Shibani was Jahmi.
Reference: Al-Du'afa: 570/2, Tarikh Baghdad: 179/2, Lisan al-Mizan by Ibn Hajar: 122/5
⑤ Imam Zakariya bin Yahya Saji (RA) (307 AH) says:
[كان يقول بقول جهم وكان مرجئا]
He was an adherent of the Jahmi creed, and also a Murji'i.
Reference: Tarikh Baghdad by al-Khatib: 179/2, and its chain is Hasan
Benefit: Imam Ibn 'Adi (RA) (365 AH) says:
[إنه ليس هو من أهل الحديث فينكر عليه وقد تكلم فيه من ذكرنا وقد استغنى أهل الحديث عما يرويه محمد بن الحسن وأمثاله]
Indeed, Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Shaybani was not a hadith narrator whose narrations are considered rejected. The hadith scholars who have criticized him have been mentioned. Hadith scholars are independent of the hadiths narrated by Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Shaybani and those like him.
Reference: Al-Kamil fi Dhu'afa al-Rijal: 378/7
