Appendix & Endnotes
APPENDIX
- Mutawatir, as declared by many scholars, including Ibn
Taimiyyah, al-Suyuti, Najm al-Din al-Iskandari (d. 981) and al-'Ijlouni (d. 1162). About
this hadith, al-Daraqutni said, "It is the most authentic one regarding the virtues
of any surah." It is related by al-Bukhari, Muslim and others.
- The following is the sahih hadith of al- Bukhari,
Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Ibn 'Asakir: "Verily, Allah has Ninety-Nine Names
which if a person safeguards them, he will enter the Garden." In some narrations of
this hadith found in al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, al-Hakim and others, the names are listed at
the end; however, at least three different listings are given, e.g. one list being,
"He is Allah, besides whom there is no other deity, the Merciful, the Compassionate,
..., the Forbearing" while another is "Allah, the Unique, the Absolute, ..., the
One who has nothing like unto Him." It is agreed that these latter narrations are
da'if, and this is why al-Bukhari and Muslim did not include them in their Sahihs.
Al-Tirmidhi says in his Sunan, "This (version of the) hadith is gharib; it has been
narrated from various routes on the authority of Abu Hurairah, but we do not know of the
mention of the Names in the numerous narrations, except this one." Ibn Taimiyyah
says, "Al-Walid (one of the narrators of the hadith) related the Names from (the
saying of) one of his Syrian teachers ... specific mention of the Names is not from the
words of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), by the agreement of those
familiar with Hadith."87 Ibn Kathir says in his Tafsir, under
verse 180 of Surah al- A'raf, that these narrations are mudraj. Ibn Hajar takes a similar
view in his commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari. Various scholars have given different lists of
99 Names from their study of the Qur'an and Sunnah, including Ja'far al- Sadiq, Sufyan b.
'Uyainah, Ibn Hazm, al-Qurtubi, Ibn Hajar and Salih b. 'Uthaimin.
- Ibn Taimiyyah says, "It is not from the words of
the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and there is no known isnad for it,
neither sahih nor da'if"; al-Zarkashi (d. 794), Ibn Hajar, al-Suyuti and others
agreed with him. Al-Qari says, "But its meaning is correct, deduced from the
statement of Allah, I have not created the Jinn and Mankind, except to worship Me, i.e. to
recognise/know me, as Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) has
explained." These statements are mentioned by al-'Ijlouni, who adds, "This
saying occurs often in the words of the Sufis, who have relied on it and built upon it
some of their principles."88
- Al-'Ijlouni says, "Al-Saghani (d. 650) said:
Maudu'. I say: But its meaning is correct, even if it is not a hadith." no. 2123.
'Ali al- Qari says, "But its meaning is correct, for al- Dailami has related from Ibn
'Abbas as marfu': 'that Jibril came to me and said: O Muhammad! Were it not for you, the
Garden would not have been created, and were it not for you, the Fire would not have been
created', and in the narration of Ibn 'Asakir: 'Were it not for you, the world would not
have been created'." Al- Albani also quotes al-Saghani's verdict, and comments on
al-Qari's words thus, "It is not appropriate to certify the correctness of its
meaning without establishing the authenticity of the narration from al-Dailami, which is
something I have not found any of the scholars to have addressed. Personally, although I
have not come across its isnad, I have no doubt about its weakness; enough of an
indication for us is that al-Dailami is alone in reporting it. As for the narration of Ibn
'Asakir, Ibn al-Jauzi also related it in a long marfu' hadith from Salman and said, 'It is
maudu', and al-Suyuti endorsed this in al-La'ali."89
- Sahih - related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
- Al-'Ijlouni says, "Al-Ghazali mentioned it in Ihya'
'Ulum al-Din with the wording, Allah says, "Neither My heaven nor My earth could
contain Me, but the soft, humble heart of my believing slave can contain Me."
Al-'Iraqi said in his notes on Al-Ihya', "I do not find a basis (i.e. isnad) for
it", and al-Suyuti agreed with him, following al-Zarkashi. Al-'Iraqi then said,
"But in the hadith of Abu 'Utbah in al-Tabarani there occurs: ... the vessels of your
Lord are the hearts of His righteous slaves, and the most beloved to Him are the softest
and most tender ones." Ibn Taimiyyah said, "It is mentioned in the Israelite
traditions, but there is no known isnad from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant
him peace) for it." Al-Sakhawi said in Al- Maqasid, following his shaykh al-Suyuti in
Al- La'ali, "There is no known isnad from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant
him peace) for it, and its meaning is that his heart can contain belief in Me, love of Me
and gnosis of Me. But as for the one who says that Allah incarnates in the hearts of the
people, then he is more of an infidel than the Christians, who specified that to Christ
alone. It seems that Ibn Taimiyyah's mention of Israelite tradition refers to what Ahmad
has related in Al-Zuhd from Wahb b. Munabbih who said that Allah opened the heavens for
Ezekiel until he saw the Throne, so Ezekiel said, 'How Perfect are You! How Mighty are
You, O Lord!' So Allah said, 'Truly, the heavens and the earth were too weak to contain
Me, but the soft, humble heart of my believing slave contains Me'." He also quoted
from al- Zarkashi's writing that one of the scholars said that it is a false hadith,
fabricated by a renegade (from the religion), and that it is most-often quoted by a
preacher to the masses, 'Ali b. Wafa, for his own purposes, who says at the time of
spiritual rapture and dance, "Go round the House of your Lord." He further said
that al-Tabarani has related from Abu 'Utbah al- Khawlani as marfu', "Truly, Allah
has vessels from amongst the people of the earth, and the vessels of your Lord are the
hearts of his righteous slaves, and the most beloved of them to Him are the softest and
most tender ones"; in its isnad is Baqiyyah b. al-Walid, a mudallis, but he has
clearly stated hearing the hadith."90 Al-Albani rates this
last hadith mentioned as hasan.91
- Al-Nawawi said, "It is not established." Ibn
Taimiyyah said, "Maudu'." Al-Sam'ani said, "It is not known as marfu', but
it is quoted as a statement of Yahya b. Mu'adh al-Razi." Al- Suyuti endorsed
al-Nawawi's words, and also said, "This hadith is not authentic." Al-
Fairozabadi said, "It is not a Prophetic statement, although most of the people think
it is a hadith, but it is not authentic at all. In fact, it is only related in the
Israelite traditions: O Man! Know yourself: you will know your Lord." Ibn al-Gharas
said, after quoting al-Nawawi's verdict, "... but the books of the Sufis, such as
Shaykh Muhi al-Din Ibn 'Arabi and others, are filled with it, being quoted like a
hadith." Ibn 'Arabi also said, "This hadith, although it is not proved by way of
narration, is proved to us by way of Kashf ('unveiling', while in a trance)."92 Regarding this methodology, al-Albani says, "Authenticating
ahadith by way of Kashf is a wicked innovation of the Sufis, and depending upon it leads
to the authentication of false, baseless ahadith ... This is because, even at the best of
times, Kashf is like opinion, which may be right or wrong - and that is if no personal
desires enter into it! We ask Allah to save us from it, and from everything with which He
is not pleased."93
- Sahih. Related by Malik in Al-Muwatta', al- Shafi'i in
Al-Risalah (p. 110, Eng. trans.) and Muslim (1:382; Eng. trans. 1:272). This was the first
of two questions which the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) put to a
slave-girl to test her faith, the second one being, "Who am I?" She answered,
"Above the heaven" and "You are the Messenger of Allah" respectively,
to which he said, "Free her, for she is a believer." Her first answer, which is
found in the Qur'an (67:16-17, the word fi can mean 'above/on', as in 6:11, 20:71 &
27:8), means that Allah is above and separate from His creation, not mixed in with it, the
erroneous belief which leads to worship of creation.
- Maudu', as stated by al-Saghani and others. Scholars
differ as to whether its meaning is correct or not, in what way, and to what extent.94 It is sometimes used to justify divisive, anti- Islamic nationalism and
patriotism!
- Sahih. Related by Malik as mursal/mu'allaq/balaghat
(depending on choice of terminology), and related twice as musnad by al- Hakim. The
meaning of the hadith is contained in the Qur'an, in the mention of the Book and Wisdom
(2:129, 2:151, 2:231, 3:164, 4:113, 33:34 & 62:2); al-Shafi'i says, "I have heard
the most knowledgeable people about the Qur'an say that the Wisdom is the Sunnah"
(Al-Risalah, Eng. trans., p. 111).
- Sahih. Related by al-Tirmidhi, Ahmad, Ibn Abi 'Asim,
al-Hakim, al-Tabarani, al-Dailami and al-Tahawi.95 The phrase Ahl
al-Bayt (members of the house) refers: (i) primarily to the Prophet's wives (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace), from the clear context of the relevant verse of the Qur'an
(33:33); (ii) to 'Ali, Fatimah, Hasan & Husain, from the "hadith of the
garment" (cf. Sahih Muslim, Book of the Virtues of the Companions). It is imbalanced
and unjust to exclude either of these categories from the hadith.
- A sahih hadith related by Abu Dawud, al- Tirmidhi, Ibn
Majah & Ahmad, and well-known amongst the people. The fullest narration is, "Abu
Bakr will be in the Garden; 'Umar will be in the Garden; 'Uthman will be in the Garden;
'Ali will be in the Garden; Talhah will be in the Garden; al-Zubair will be in the Garden;
'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Auf will be in the Garden; Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas will be in the Garden;
Sa'id b. Zaid will be in the Garden; Abu 'Ubaidah b. al-Jarrah will be in the
Garden."
- Related by Ishaq b. Rahawaih and al-Baihaqi with a
sahih isnad as a statement of 'Umar. It is also collected by Ibn 'Adi and al-Dailami from
Ibn 'Umar as marfu', but in its isnad is 'Isa b. Abdullah, who is weak. However, it is
strengthened by another narration of Ibn 'Adi, and also supported by the hadith in the
Sunan that a man saw in a dream that Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was
weighed against Abu Bakr, and was found to be heavier; then Abu Bakr was weighed against
everyone else ...96
- Related by al-Hakim, al-Tabarani and others. It is also
related by al-Tirmidhi with the wording, "I am the House of Wisdom, and 'Ali is its
Door". Al-Daraqutni labelled the hadith as mudtarib, both in isnad and text;
al-Tirmidhi said it is gharib and munkar; al-Bukhari said that it has no sahih narration;
Ibn Ma'in said that it is a baseless lie. Similar dismissals of the hadith are reported
from Abu Zur'ah, Abu Hatim and Yahya b. Sa'd. Al-Hakim declared the original hadith as
sahih in isnad, but Ibn al- Jauzi regarded both versions as maudu', and al- Dhahabi agreed
with him. Several of the later scholars, including Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, Ibn Hajar
al-Makki and al-Suyuti declared it hasan due to its various routes of narration. Al-
'Ijlouni says, "... none of this devalues the consensus of the Adherents to the
Sunnah from the Companions, the Successors and those after them, that the best of the
Companions overall is Abu Bakr, followed by 'Umar ...", and quotes this view from Ibn
'Umar and 'Ali himself, as recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari.97
Al-Albani declares the hadith to be maudu'.98
- A da'if or maudu' hadith, as stated by Ahmad b. Hanbal,
Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, al-Bazzar and many others. Ibn Hazm states that not only is the isnad
unsound, but the hadith cannot be true for two further reasons: (i) the Companions were
not infallible, and hence made mistakes, so it would be wrong to say that following any of
them leads to guidance; (ii) the comparison with the stars is wrong, for not every star
guides one through every journey! There is a different, authentic comparison with the
stars given in Sahih Muslim: the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said,
"The stars are the custodians of the sky, so when the stars depart, there will come
to the sky what is promised for it (i.e. on the Day of Judgment). I am the custodian of my
Companions, so when I depart, there will come to my Companions what is promised for them
(i.e. great trials and tribulations). My Companions are the custodians for my Ummah, so
when my Companions depart, there will come to my Ummah what is promised for it (i.e.
schisms, spread of innovations, etc.)." (4:1961, Eng. trans. IV:1344)
- No isnad exists for this hadith: al-Subki (d. 756)
said, "It is not known to the scholars of Hadith, and I cannot find an isnad for it,
whether sahih, da'if, or maudu'." It, along with the previous one, is often used to
justify the following two extremes: (i) blind following of the views of men, with no
reference to the Qur'an and Sunnah; (ii) conveniently following whichever scholar holds
the easiest view, or that most agreeable to one's desires, again without reference to the
fundamental sources.
- Numerous narrations of this hadith are found in the
collections of Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, al-Hakim, Ahmad and others: they vary in
being sahih, hasan, or da'if, but the hadith is established. Among those who have
authenticated this hadith are al-Tirmidhi, al- Hakim, al-Shatibi, Ibn Taimiyyah, Ibn
al-Qayyim, al-Dhahabi, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Hajar and al-'Iraqi. Most narrations mention the
splitting-up of the Jews and the Christians into seventy-one or seventy-two sects, all
being in the Fire except one, prior to mention of the Muslims dividing even more. In some
of the narrations, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) describes the
Saved Sect variously as "the Jama'ah (community, congregation, main body)",
"the largest body (al-sawad al-a'zam)" and "that which follows what I and
my Companions are upon." The hadith does not mean that the majority of Muslims will
be in the Hellfire, for most of them ("the masses") are not involved in
intentional, divisive innovation; further, mention of the Fire does not necessarily imply
that the seventy-two sects will remain there forever, or that those sects are
disbelievers.
- Although the Mahdi is not mentioned explicitly in the
collections of al-Bukhari and Muslim, numerous sahih ahadith, which are mutawatir in
meaning, speak of the coming of the Mahdi, a man named Muhammad b. 'Abdullah and a
descendant of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) through Fatimah, who
will be the Leader (Imam, Khalifah) of the Muslims, rule for seven years and fill the
world with justice and equity after it had been filled with tyranny and oppression. He
will also fight the Dajjal along with Jesus son of Mary. The author, in his The Concept of
the Mahdi among the Ahl al-Sunnah, has named 37 scholars who collected ahadith about the
Mahdi with their own isnads and 69 later scholars who wrote in support of the concept,
compared to 8 scholars who rejected the idea. The ahadith prophesying the Dajjal (False
Christ), a one-eyed man who will have miraculous powers and will be followed by the Jews,
and the return of Jesus Christ son of Mary (peace be upon them), who will descend in
Damascus and pray behind the Mahdi, kill the Dajjal at the gate of Lod in Palestine, break
the Cross, kill the Pig, marry and have children and live for forty years before dying a
natural death, are mutawatir in meaning. They have been collected by al-Bukhari and
Muslim, as well as other traditionists.
- Mutawatir in meaning, and collected by al- Bukhari,
Muslim and others.
- Mutawatir in meaning, and collected by al- Bukhari,
Muslim and others. Mention of the inadmissibility of intercession on the Day of Judgment
in the Qur'an, e.g. 2:48 2:123, must be understood in the light of other verses, e.g.
20:109 and sahih ahadith. The reward of seeing Allah for the believers is referred to in
the Qur'an, e.g. 75:22-23 and 83:15. These ahadith and those of the previous two
categories were generally rejected by the classical Mu'tazilah (Rationalists), as well by
those influenced by them today, on one or more of the following bases: (i) they contradict
the Qur'an (in their view); (ii) they contradict Reason (in their view), and (iii) they
are ahad, not mutawatir, and hence not acceptable in matters of belief (a flawed
argument). Hence, the scholars who wrote the 'aqidah (creed) of the Ahl al-Sunnah included
these concepts in it, to confirm their denial of the wrong ideas of the Mu'tazilah. Other
authentic ahadith rejected by the Mu'tazilah are many, and include those describing the
Prophet's Mi'raj (ascension to the heavens), which are again mutawatir in meaning.
- The hadith with this wording is da'if, but its meaning
is contained in the hadith of Ibn Majah and al-Nasa'i that a man came to the Prophet (may
Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said, "O Messenger of Allah! I intend to go
on a (military) expedition, but I have come to ask your advice." He said, "Is
your mother alive?" He said, "Yes." He said, "Then stay with her, for
the Garden is under her feet." This latter hadith is declared to be sahih by
al-Hakim, al-Dhahabi and al-Mundhiri.99
- A sahih hadith, collected by al-Bukhari, Muslim and
others.
- This hadith has many chains of narration on the
authority of more than a dozen Companions, including twenty Successors apparently
reporting from Anas alone. They are collected by Ibn Majah, al-Baihaqi, al-Tabarani and
others, but all of them are da'if, according to Ahmad b. Hanbal, Ishaq b. Rahuwaih, Ibn
'Abd al-Barr, al- Bazzar and others, although some scholars authenticated a few of the
chains. Al-Baihaqi said that its text is mashhur while its isnad is da'if, while al-Hakim
and Ibn al-Salah regarded it as a prime example of a mashhur hadith which is not sahih.
However, it is regarded by later scholars of Hadith as having enough chains of narration
to be strengthened to the level of hasan or sahih, a view which is stated by al- Mizzi,
al-'Iraqi, Ibn Hajar, al-Suyuti and al- Albani.100
- This additional statement is found in a few of the
(weak) narrations of the previous hadith, and is declared as maudu' by Ibn Hibban, Ibn al-
Jauzi, al-Sakhawi and al-Albani.101
- Mentioned by al-Manjaniqi in his collection of ahadith
of older narrators reporting from younger ones, on the authority of al-Hasan al- Basri.
Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi said that it is maudu' as a narration from the Prophet (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace), but that it is a statement of al-Hasan al-Basri.102
- Related as marfu' by al-Baihaqi with a da'if isnad,
according to al-'Iraqi. Ibn Hajar said that it is actually a saying of Ibrahim b. Abi
'Ablah, a Successor.103
*NB: The scholars of Hadith agree that a da'if or maudu' hadith
must not be attributed to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), e.g. by
saying, "The Prophet said: ...", even if the meaning is considered to be correct
or if it is actually the saying of a Muslim scholar, for that would be a way of lying
about the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).
ENDNOTES
- Ar. Sunnah: Way, Path, Tradition, Example. See An
Introduction to the Sunnah by Suhaib Hasan (Understanding Islam Series no. 5, published by
Al-Quran Society), for Qur'anic proofs of revelation besides the Qur'an, the importance of
the Sunnah, and a brief history of the collections of Hadith. See also Imam al- Shafi'i's
al-Risalah for the authoritative position of the Sunnah (Eng. trans., pp. 109- 116).
- related by Imam Muslim in the Introduction to his Sahih
- see Sahih Muslim (ed. M.F. 'Abdul Baqi, 5 vols., Cairo, 1374/1955), 1:15 & Sahih
Muslim bi Sharh an-Nawawi (18 vols. in 6, Cairo, 1349), 1:87. The existing English
translation of Sahih Muslim, by Abdul Hamid Siddiqi, does not contain this extremely
valuable Introduction.
- Ibn Abi Hatim al-Razi, Al-Jarh wa l-Ta'dil (8 vols.,
Hyderabad, 1360-1373), 1:20.
- Sahih Muslim, 1:15. See Suhaib Hasan, Criticism of
Hadith among Muslims with reference to Sunan Ibn Maja (Ta Ha publishers / Al-Quran
Society, London, 1407/1986), pp. 15-17 for discussion of this statement of Ibn Sirin.
- Remarks like these are exceptions from the basic Islamic
prohibition of backbiting (ghibah) another Muslim, even if the statement is true. Such
exceptions are allowed, even obligatory in some cases, where general benefit to the Muslim
public is at stake, such as knowing which ahadith are authentic. See e.g. Riyad al-
Salihin of al-Nawawi, Chapter on Backbiting, for the justification for certain types of
backbiting from the Qur'an and Sunnah.
- Muhammad Adib Salih, Lamahat fi Usul al-Hadith (2nd ed.,
al-Maktab al-Islami, Beirut, 1389), p. 143.
- Tahir b. Ahmad al-Jaza'iri, Taujih al-Nazar ila Usul
al-Nazar (Maktaba 'Ilmiyyah, Madinah, N.D.), p. 68.
- Muhammad b. 'Abdullah al-Hakim, Ma'rifah 'Ulum al-Hadith
(ed. Mu'azzam Husain, Cairo, 1937), p. 17.
- ibid.
- Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, Tadrib al-Rawi (ed. A.A. Latif,
1st ed., Cairo, 1379/1959), 1:197.
- Al-Dhahabi, Talkhis al-Mustadrak (printed with
Mustadrak al-Hakim, 4 vols., Hyderabad), 3:176.
- Abu 'l-Fida' 'Imad al-Din Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur'an
al-Azim (4 vols., Cairo, N.D.), 1:80.
- Yusuf b. 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abdul Barr, Tajrid al- Tamhid
lima fi l-Muwatta' min al-Asanid (Cairo, 1350), 1:2.
- ibid.
- al-Suyuti, 1:198.
- For the discussion in detail, see al-Shafi'i,
al-Risalah (ed. Ahmad Shakir, Cairo, 1358/1940, pp. 461-470; English translation: M.
Khadduri, 2nd ed., Islamic Texts Society, Cambridge, 1987, pp. 279-284, where the mursal
hadith has been translated as "interrupted tradition").
- al-Suyuti, 1:199; Muhammad b. Mustafa al- Ghadamsi,
Al-Mursal min al-Hadith (Darif Ltd., London, N.D.), p.71.
- Ibn al-Qayyim, I'lam al-Muwaqqi'in (2nd ed., 4 vols. in
2, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut, 1397/1977), 1:31.
- Ibn Hazm, Al-Ihkam fi Usul al-Ahkam (Matba'ah
al-Sa'adah, Cairo, 1345), 2:135.
- Al-Hazimi, Shurut al-A'immah al-Khamsah (ed. M.Z.
al-Kauthari, Cairo, N.D.), p. 45.
- According to the different interpretations of this
verse, "they" here could refer to those who stay behind, or those who go forth.
- al-Hakim, p. 26.
- ibid.
- Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, Al-Kifayah fi 'Ilm al- Riwayah
(Hyderabad, 1357), p. 387.
- ibid., pp. 411-413.
- Zain al-Din al-'Iraqi, Al-Taqyid wa 'l-Idah Sharh
Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah (al-Maktabah al- Salafiyyahh, Madinah, 1389/1969), p. 72
- Ibn Taymiyyah, Minhaj al-Sunnah an-Nabawiyyah fi Naqd
Kalam al-Shi'ah wa 'l-Qadariyyah (al- Maktabah al-Amiriyyah, Bulaq, 1322), 4:117.
- Al-Dhahabi, Al-Muqizah (Maktab al-Matbu'at al-
Islamiyyah, Halab, 1405), p. 40.
- al-Jaza'iri, p. 33.
- ibid.
- Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, Sharh Nukhbah al-Fikr (ed. M.
'Aud & M.G. Sabbagh, Damascus, 1410/1990), pp. 8-9.
- al-Jaza'iri, p. 49; Muhammad b. Isma'il al- Amir
al-San'ani, Taudih al-Afkar (2 vols. ed. M.M. 'Abdul Hamid, Cairo, 1366), 2:405.
- al-San'ani, 2:409.
- al-Hakim, pp. 96-102.
- al-San'ani, 2:455.
- al-'Iraqi, p. 268.
- al-San'ani, 2:406.
- al-'Iraqi, p. 96.
- ibid.
- Ibn Hajar, Tabaqat al-Mudallisin (Cairo, 1322), p. 7f.
- al-'Iraqi, p. 98.
- al-Hakim, pp. 30-34.
- ibid., p. 119.
- Ibn Kathir, Ikhtisar 'Ulum al-Hadith (ed. Ahmad Shakir,
2nd imp., Cairo, 1951), p. 57.
- al-Suyuti, 1:235; M. A. Salih, p. 260.
- al-San'ani, 2:3.
- ibid., 2:6.
- al-Khatib, p. 431.
- Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, 4:349.
- Ibn Kathir, Ikhtisar, p. 62.
- al-Suyuti, 1:248.
- al-Hakim, p. 39.
- al-'Iraqi, p. 129f.
- al-Suyuti, 1:274.
- Ibn Kathir, Ikhtisar, p. 72.
- ibid.
- Ibn 'Abdul Barr, Al-Tamhid, 3:32, as quoted by Luqman
al-Salafi, Ihtimam al-Muhaddithin bi Naqd al-Hadith, p. 381f.
- Ibn Kathir, Ikhtisar, p. 88.
- ibid., p. 87.
- Shams al-Din Muhammad b. 'Abd al-Rahman al- Sakhawi,
Fath al-Mughith Sharh Alfiyyah al- Hadith li 'l-'Iraqi (Lucknow, N.D.), 1:278.
- 'Uthman b. 'Abd al-Rahman al-Dimashqi Ibn al- Salah,
'Ulum al-Hadith (commonly known as Muqaddimah, ed. al-Tabbakh, Halab, 1350), p. 116.
- 'Ali b. 'Abdullah b. Ja'far Ibn al-Madini, Kitab
al-'Ilal, p. 58. Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani mentions that the Imams of Hadith have agreed that
al-Hasan al-Basri did not hear a single word from 'Ali.
- Sahih Muslim, 4:2149 (English transl., IV:1462, Sharh
Nawawi, 17:133).
- Ibn Taimiyyah, Majmu' Fatawa (37 vols., ed. 'Abd
al-Rahman b. Qasim & his son Muhammad, Riyad, 1398), 18:18f. Ibn Taimiyyah mentions
that Imam Muslim's authentication of this hadith is supported by Abu Bakr al-Anbari &
Ibn al- Jauzi, whereas al-Baihaqi supports those who disparaged it. Al-Albani says that it
was Ibn al-Madini who criticised it, whereas Ibn Ma'in did not (the latter was known to be
very strict, both of them were shaikhs of al-Bukhari). He further says that the hadith is
sahih, and does not contradict the Qur'an, contrary to the probable view of the scholars
who criticised the hadith, since what is mentioned in the Qur'an is the creation of the
heavens and the earth in six days, each of which may be like a thousand years, whereas the
hadith refers to the creation of the earth only, in days which are shorter than those
referred to in the Qur'an (Silsilah al-Ahadith as-Sahihah, no. 1833).
- al-Dhahabi, p. 27.
- al-Shafi'i, p. 370f (Eng. trans., pp. 239- 240).
- al-Dhahabi, p. 24.
- al-Nawawi, Muqaddimah, p. 14.
- al-Tibi, al-Husain b. 'Abdullah, al-Khulasah fi Usul
al-Hadith (ed. Subhi al-Samarra'i, Baghdad, 1391), p. 36.
- ibid., p. 38.
- al-Nawawi, Muqaddimah, p. 43.
- al-Dhahabi, p. 26.
- ibid., pp. 32-33.
- al-Albani, Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah, no. 62.
- al-Jaza'iri, p. 149.
- al-Sakhawi, 1:99.
- al-Dhahabi, pp. 33-34.
- ibid., p. 36.
- al-Sakhawi, 1:264.
- ibid., 1:275.
- al-Nawawi, Taqrib, 1:275.
- see Ibn al-Qayyim, al-Manar al-Munif fi 'l- Sahih wa
'l-Da'if (ed. A.F. Abu Ghuddah, Lahore, 1402/1982), pp. 102-105 for a fuller discussion.
Ibn al-Qayyim mentions more than ten clear indications of the forgery of the document,
which the Jews repeatedly attempted to use to deceive the Muslims over the centuries, but
each time a scholar of Hadith intervened to point out the forgery - such incidents
occurred with Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (d. 310), al-Khatib al-Baghdadi (d. 463) and Ibn
Taimiyyah (d. 728), who spat on the document as it was unfolded from beneath its silken
covers.
- Suhaib Hasan, Criticism of Hadith, pp. 35-44.
- The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)
allowed such narrations, but they are not to be confirmed nor denied, except for what is
confirmed or denied by the Qur'an and Sunnah. See e.g. An Introduction to the Principles
of Tafseer of Ibn Taimiyyah (trans. M.A.H. Ansari, Al-Hidaayah, Birmingham, 1414/1993),
pp. 56-58.
- ibid., p. 156.
- see Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah.
- Fatawa Ibn Taimiyyah, 6:379-382.
- Isma'il b. Muhammad al-'Ijlouni, Kashf al- Khafa' (2
vols. in 1, Cairo/Aleppo, N.D.), no. 2016.
- Al-Albani, Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Da'ifah, no. 282.
- Kashf al-Khafa', no. 2256.
- Sahih al-Jami' al-Saghir, no. 2163; Silsilah al-Ahadith
al-Sahihah, no. 1691.
- Kashf al-Khafa', no. 2532; Al-Da'ifah, no. 66.
- Al-Da'ifah, no. 58.
- Kashf al-Khafa', no. 1102; Al-Da'ifah, no. 36.
- Al-Sahihah, no. 1761.
- Kashf al-Khafa', no. 2130.
- Kashf al-Khafa', no. 618.
- Da'if al-Jami' al-Saghir, nos. 1410, 1416.
- Kashf al-Khafa', no. 1078; Al-Da'ifah, no. 593.
- Kashf al-Khafa', no. 1665; Sahih al-Jami' al- Saghir,
nos. 3913-4.
- Al-Da'ifah, no. 416; Da'if al-Jami' al- Saghir, nos.
1005-6.
- Kashf al-Khafa', no. 2276.
- Kashf al-Khafa', no. 1362.
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