❖ Verification of the 124,000 Prophets Hadith
Extracted from: Fatāwā Shaykh al-Ḥadīth Mubārakpūrī, Vol. 1, Page 116
❖ The Hadith and Its Variants
This well-known narration claims that:
“Allah sent one hundred and twenty-four thousand (124,000) prophets.”
This Hadith is often quoted in religious circles to emphasize the universality of prophetic guidance. However, its chains of transmission have significant issues.
❖ Primary Sources of the Narration
✦ Narration of Abū Umāmah رضي الله عنه
– Reported in:
– Musnad Aḥmad (Vol. 5, pp. 265–266)
– Tafsīr Ibn Abī Ḥātim
– Ṭabarānī
– Weakness in the chain:
– Contains ʿAlī bin Yazīd al-Alahānī, a weak narrator
– As per Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid (5/159), the isnād is not reliable
✦ Narration of Abū Dharr رضي الله عنه
– Reported in:
– Musnad Aḥmad (Vol. 5, p. 178)
– Tafsīr ʿAbd bin Ḥumayd
– al-Ṣulḥ (Ḥakīm al-Tirmidhī)
– Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān
– al-Ḥākim
– Tārīkh Ibn ʿAsākir
– Weakness in the chain:
– In Musnad Aḥmad, the narrator Abū ʿUmar al-Dimashqī is included, who is matrūk (abandoned)
❖ Criticism of the Narrators
① ʿAlī bin Yazīd al-Alahānī
– Graded ḍaʿīf (weak) by the majority of Hadith critics
– Known for transmitting munkar narrations
② Abū ʿUmar al-Dimashqī
– Classified as matrūk, meaning highly unreliable
③ Ibrāhīm bin Hishām bin Yaḥyā bin Yaḥyā (in Ibn Ḥibbān’s version)
– Though Ibn Ḥibbān listed him in al-Thiqāt,
– Abū Ḥātim, Abū Zurʿah, and al-Dhahabī called him kadhdhāb (a liar)
– ʿAlī bin al-Ḥusayn bin al-Junayd said:
“Yunbaghī an lā yuḥaddatha ʿanhu”
“He should not be narrated from.”
– Referenced in:
– Mīzān al-Iʿtidāl (No. 2442, Vol. 1, p. 72)
– Lisān al-Mīzān (Vol. 1, p. 122 & Vol. 8, p. 258)
❖ Summary of Scholarly Evaluation
✦ Across all chains, the narration is weak (ḍaʿīf)
✦ However, not to the extent of being fabricated (mawḍūʿ)
✦ Scholars such as ʿAynī, Ḥāfiẓ, and Shawkānī have not declared it fabricated but have also not authenticated it
❖ Clarification About Fabricated Narrations
The following narrations are considered fabricated:
① “If you are confused, seek help through patience and prayer.”
② “If you are confused in matters, seek help from those in the graves.”
– Imām al-Suyūṭī declared them fabricated in Taysīr al-Maqāl fī Naqd al-Rijāl
– Practicing upon such narrations leads to misguidance
– The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever does a deed that is not in accordance with our matter (i.e., religion), it is rejected.”
(Bukhārī)
❖ The True Understanding of Seeking Help through Ṣabr and Ṣalāh
✦ The Qur’an teaches:
﴿وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ﴾
(“Seek help through patience and prayer.”)
✔ This means turning to Allah, not to other forces or superstitions
✔ It includes developing steadfastness and consistent worship
❖ The Two Types of Ṣabr
① Ṣabr ʿan al-Shay’
– Patience over poverty, deprivation, and trials
② Ṣabr ʿalā al-Sharr
– Patience upon acts of obedience like prayer, fasting, and abstaining from sins
→ These forms of ṣabr attract divine help and victory
❖ Final Summary
◈ The Hadith claiming 124,000 prophets is weak through all known chains
◈ Yet, it is not classified as fabricated
◈ Caution is necessary when quoting it
◈ Only authentic reports should be used to establish belief or religious rulings
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي، وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
