Author: Abu Abdurrahman Al-Fawzi
The command of Allah Almighty is:
"Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an, and indeed, We will be its guardian."
[15: Al-Hijr: 9]
This divine promise also includes the Sunnah of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) because the Sunnah explains and interprets the Qur'an (Dhikr). The Sunnah holds a significant position in Shariah; thus, adherence to the Sunnah is adherence to Shariah, as Allah, the Lord of all worlds, commands:
"Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah."
[4: An-Nisa: 80]
Certainly, some opinionated (innovators) and fanatic adherents of their sects have attempted actions that are unworthy of any respectable person by attributing false statements to the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Such people face severe warnings as the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"Whoever deliberately tells a lie about me, let him take his seat in Hellfire."
[Bukhari: 107]
However, Allah, the Most High, has granted some scholars the ability to cleanse the pure Shariah of such deceit by distinguishing between authentic and weak narrations. This divine promise has been fulfilled, and the Sunnah has been preserved. Through the preservation of the Sunnah, the commands of the Qur'an are also safeguarded. [Summarized from the book's introduction]
In this context, Sheikh Abu Abdurrahman Fawzi bin Abdullah bin Muhammad from Bahrain, Arab lands, has authored a book titled "Tabseeratu Ulil Alhaam min Qisas Feeha Kalaam" which clarifies the fabricated stories narrated by storytellers. Mr. Siddiq Raza has translated this book, and we pray to Allah to reward both of them. (Ameen) (Hafiz Nadeem Zaheer)
First Story:
The story of Sayyidina Muadh bin Jabal (رضی اللہ عنہ) when the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) intended to send him to Yemen (and asked him):
"How will you judge when a case is presented to you?" He replied: "I will judge by the Book of Allah." The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked: "If you do not find it in the Book of Allah?" He replied: "Then by the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم)." The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked: "If you do not find it in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم)?" He replied: "I will exert my opinion and spare no effort." The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) then struck his chest and said: "Praise be to Allah who has guided the messenger of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) to that which pleases the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم)."
(This narration is rejected, i.e., it is weak).
References:
This narration has been reported by Abu Dawood in his Sunan [vol. 3, p. 303, Hadith 3592, 3593], Tirmidhi in his Sunan [vol. 3, p. 607, Hadith 1327, 1328], Ahmad in his Musnad [vol. 5, p. 230, Hadith 32007], Bayhaqi in Sunan Al-Kubra [vol. 10, p. 114], and Al-Madkhal [p. 208-209, Hadith 256], Abu Dawood Al-Tayalisi in Musnad [p. 76, Hadith 559], Darimi in Sunan [vol. 1, p. 116, Hadith 2509], Ibn Abi Shaybah in Al-Musannaf [vol. 7, p. 239, Hadith 202978], Juzqani in Al-Abateel [vol. 1, p. 105, 106, Hadith 101], Abdul Hamid in Al-Muntakhab [p. 76, Hadith 124], Ibn Al-Jawzi in Al-Ilal Al-Mutanaahiya [vol. 2, p. 758, Hadith 1264], Khateeb Baghdadi in Al-Faqih wal Mutafaqih [vol. 1, p. 155, 188, 189], Al-Aqeeli in "Al-Du'afa Al-Kabir" [vol. 1, p. 215, Hadith 262], Tabarani in "Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir" [vol. 20, p. 170, Hadith 362], Al-Mizzi in "Tahdhib Al-Kamal" [vol. 1, p. 1217 manuscript], and Ibn Abdul Barr in "Jami' Bayan Al-Ilm" [p. 359, 360], and Muhammad bin Khalaf Waki in "Akhbar Al-Qudat" [vol. 1, p. 97, 98], Ibn Saad in "Al-Tabaqat Al-Kubra" [vol. 2, p. 347, 348] have narrated through multiple chains that Shuba said: Akhbar Abu Awn Al-Thaqafi said: I heard Al-Harith bin Amr narrating from the companions of Muadh from the people of Homs from Muadh bin Jabal (رضی اللہ عنہ) that when the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) sent him to Yemen, he said to him and mentioned it.
I (Al-Fawzi Al-Athari) said: And this chain is weak for two reasons:
Imam Tirmidhi (رحمہ اللہ) said: We only know this Hadith through this chain, and in my view, its chain is not connected. Imam Juzqani said: This Hadith is false. Imam Ibn Al-Jawzi said: This Hadith is not authentic, although all (!) jurists have mentioned it in their books and rely on it, and even though its meaning is correct, it is not authentically known. Because Al-Harith bin Amr is unknown, and the companions of Muadh (رضی اللہ عنہ) from the people of Homs are not recognized (unknown), and neither is its chain known. Therefore, there is no reason to accept this Hadith.
Imam Dhahabi (رحمہ اللہ) said: Abu Awn Muhammad bin Ubaidullah Al-Thaqafi is unique in narrating this from Al-Harith bin Amr Al-Thaqafi, and no one other than Abu Awn narrated from Al-Harith, and Al-Harith is unknown.
[Mizan Al-I'tidal vol. 1, p. 439]
Ibn Hajar said that Ibn Hazm stated: This Hadith is not authentic because Al-Harith is unknown, and his teachers are not recognized, and some people have claimed this Hadith to be mutawatir, which is false. Instead, it is the opposite of mutawatir because no one other than Abu Awn narrated it from Al-Harith, so how can it be considered mutawatir?
Abdul Haq (Al-Ishbili) said: This Hadith is not found through any authentic chain. Ibn Tahir, in his work, stated: Know that I searched for this Hadith in all the large and small collections and asked the Hadith scholars I met about it, and I found it only with two chains. One chain is from Shuba, and the other is from Muhammad bin Jabir Ash-Sha'th bin Abi Sha'tha from a man from Thaqif from Muadh, and neither of these chains is authentic.
Imam Albani (رحمہ اللہ) said in "Al-Dha'ifah" [vol. 2, p. 273] that this chain has three flaws:
"It is said that Ubadah bin Nisi narrated it from Abdul Rahman bin Ghanm from Muadh, and this chain is connected, and its narrators are well-known for their reliability."
However, Hafiz (Ibn Hajar) mentioned in Al-Amali after page 170: Yes, it is as such, but Abdul Rahman bin Ghanm had the honor of being a companion, and the one narrating from him is also trustworthy, but the one narrating from him is not trustworthy. Ibn Majah narrated it in his Sunan [vol. 1, p. 21] and Juzqani in "Al-Abateel" [vol. 1, p. 109, 108] mentioned part of this Hadith with the chain of Yahya bin Saeed and mentioned the unknown (ambiguous) person's name as Muhammad bin Hassan, who is known as "Maslub." Imam Ahmad, Al-Fallas, Imam Nasa'i (رحمہ اللہ), Imam Abu Hatim (رحمہ اللہ), and other Hadith scholars declared him a liar. Therefore, his Hadith is not valid even for supporting evidence or as a follow-up.
Imam Buwasiri said:
This chain is weak. Muhammad bin Saeed Al-Maslub is accused of fabricating Hadith.
The command of Allah Almighty is:
"Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an, and indeed, We will be its guardian."
[15: Al-Hijr: 9]
This divine promise also includes the Sunnah of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) because the Sunnah explains and interprets the Qur'an (Dhikr). The Sunnah holds a significant position in Shariah; thus, adherence to the Sunnah is adherence to Shariah, as Allah, the Lord of all worlds, commands:
"Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah."
[4: An-Nisa: 80]
Certainly, some opinionated (innovators) and fanatic adherents of their sects have attempted actions that are unworthy of any respectable person by attributing false statements to the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Such people face severe warnings as the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"Whoever deliberately tells a lie about me, let him take his seat in Hellfire."
[Bukhari: 107]
However, Allah, the Most High, has granted some scholars the ability to cleanse the pure Shariah of such deceit by distinguishing between authentic and weak narrations. This divine promise has been fulfilled, and the Sunnah has been preserved. Through the preservation of the Sunnah, the commands of the Qur'an are also safeguarded. [Summarized from the book's introduction]
In this context, Sheikh Abu Abdurrahman Fawzi bin Abdullah bin Muhammad from Bahrain, Arab lands, has authored a book titled "Tabseeratu Ulil Alhaam min Qisas Feeha Kalaam" which clarifies the fabricated stories narrated by storytellers. Mr. Siddiq Raza has translated this book, and we pray to Allah to reward both of them. (Ameen) (Hafiz Nadeem Zaheer)
The Story of Sayyidina Muadh bin Jabal and Ijtihad
First Story:
The story of Sayyidina Muadh bin Jabal (رضی اللہ عنہ) when the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) intended to send him to Yemen (and asked him):
"How will you judge when a case is presented to you?" He replied: "I will judge by the Book of Allah." The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked: "If you do not find it in the Book of Allah?" He replied: "Then by the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم)." The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked: "If you do not find it in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم)?" He replied: "I will exert my opinion and spare no effort." The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) then struck his chest and said: "Praise be to Allah who has guided the messenger of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) to that which pleases the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم)."
(This narration is rejected, i.e., it is weak).
References:
This narration has been reported by Abu Dawood in his Sunan [vol. 3, p. 303, Hadith 3592, 3593], Tirmidhi in his Sunan [vol. 3, p. 607, Hadith 1327, 1328], Ahmad in his Musnad [vol. 5, p. 230, Hadith 32007], Bayhaqi in Sunan Al-Kubra [vol. 10, p. 114], and Al-Madkhal [p. 208-209, Hadith 256], Abu Dawood Al-Tayalisi in Musnad [p. 76, Hadith 559], Darimi in Sunan [vol. 1, p. 116, Hadith 2509], Ibn Abi Shaybah in Al-Musannaf [vol. 7, p. 239, Hadith 202978], Juzqani in Al-Abateel [vol. 1, p. 105, 106, Hadith 101], Abdul Hamid in Al-Muntakhab [p. 76, Hadith 124], Ibn Al-Jawzi in Al-Ilal Al-Mutanaahiya [vol. 2, p. 758, Hadith 1264], Khateeb Baghdadi in Al-Faqih wal Mutafaqih [vol. 1, p. 155, 188, 189], Al-Aqeeli in "Al-Du'afa Al-Kabir" [vol. 1, p. 215, Hadith 262], Tabarani in "Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir" [vol. 20, p. 170, Hadith 362], Al-Mizzi in "Tahdhib Al-Kamal" [vol. 1, p. 1217 manuscript], and Ibn Abdul Barr in "Jami' Bayan Al-Ilm" [p. 359, 360], and Muhammad bin Khalaf Waki in "Akhbar Al-Qudat" [vol. 1, p. 97, 98], Ibn Saad in "Al-Tabaqat Al-Kubra" [vol. 2, p. 347, 348] have narrated through multiple chains that Shuba said: Akhbar Abu Awn Al-Thaqafi said: I heard Al-Harith bin Amr narrating from the companions of Muadh from the people of Homs from Muadh bin Jabal (رضی اللہ عنہ) that when the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) sent him to Yemen, he said to him and mentioned it.
I (Al-Fawzi Al-Athari) said: And this chain is weak for two reasons:
- Al-Harith bin Amr is unknown.
- The companions of Muadh, i.e., the companions of Muadh (رضی اللہ عنہ), are unknown.
Imam Tirmidhi (رحمہ اللہ) said: We only know this Hadith through this chain, and in my view, its chain is not connected. Imam Juzqani said: This Hadith is false. Imam Ibn Al-Jawzi said: This Hadith is not authentic, although all (!) jurists have mentioned it in their books and rely on it, and even though its meaning is correct, it is not authentically known. Because Al-Harith bin Amr is unknown, and the companions of Muadh (رضی اللہ عنہ) from the people of Homs are not recognized (unknown), and neither is its chain known. Therefore, there is no reason to accept this Hadith.
Imam Dhahabi (رحمہ اللہ) said: Abu Awn Muhammad bin Ubaidullah Al-Thaqafi is unique in narrating this from Al-Harith bin Amr Al-Thaqafi, and no one other than Abu Awn narrated from Al-Harith, and Al-Harith is unknown.
[Mizan Al-I'tidal vol. 1, p. 439]
Ibn Hajar said that Ibn Hazm stated: This Hadith is not authentic because Al-Harith is unknown, and his teachers are not recognized, and some people have claimed this Hadith to be mutawatir, which is false. Instead, it is the opposite of mutawatir because no one other than Abu Awn narrated it from Al-Harith, so how can it be considered mutawatir?
Abdul Haq (Al-Ishbili) said: This Hadith is not found through any authentic chain. Ibn Tahir, in his work, stated: Know that I searched for this Hadith in all the large and small collections and asked the Hadith scholars I met about it, and I found it only with two chains. One chain is from Shuba, and the other is from Muhammad bin Jabir Ash-Sha'th bin Abi Sha'tha from a man from Thaqif from Muadh, and neither of these chains is authentic.
Imam Albani (رحمہ اللہ) said in "Al-Dha'ifah" [vol. 2, p. 273] that this chain has three flaws:
- It is Mursal.
- Al-Harith bin Amr is unknown.
- The companions of Muadh (رضی اللہ عنہ) are unknown.
"It is said that Ubadah bin Nisi narrated it from Abdul Rahman bin Ghanm from Muadh, and this chain is connected, and its narrators are well-known for their reliability."
However, Hafiz (Ibn Hajar) mentioned in Al-Amali after page 170: Yes, it is as such, but Abdul Rahman bin Ghanm had the honor of being a companion, and the one narrating from him is also trustworthy, but the one narrating from him is not trustworthy. Ibn Majah narrated it in his Sunan [vol. 1, p. 21] and Juzqani in "Al-Abateel" [vol. 1, p. 109, 108] mentioned part of this Hadith with the chain of Yahya bin Saeed and mentioned the unknown (ambiguous) person's name as Muhammad bin Hassan, who is known as "Maslub." Imam Ahmad, Al-Fallas, Imam Nasa'i (رحمہ اللہ), Imam Abu Hatim (رحمہ اللہ), and other Hadith scholars declared him a liar. Therefore, his Hadith is not valid even for supporting evidence or as a follow-up.
Imam Buwasiri said:
This chain is weak. Muhammad bin Saeed Al-Maslub is accused of fabricating Hadith.