How to

interact with
Hadith/Prophet
ic narrations

Sheikh Atabek
Shukurov
An-Nasaf

1
2
 How to
Interact with
Hadith/Prophet
ic Narrations:

Understanding the Prophetic

Legacy
An Epistle by
Sheikh Atabek Shukurov An-
Nasaf
Translated under his guidance and supervision by Arfan
Shah

3
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© Atabek Shukurov and Arfan Shah 2008

First edition July 2010

Second edition November 2013

All rights reserved with the exception of ‘fair use’ which is defned
as;

- Reproduction of a few pages or less for non-proft

educational purposes
- Scholarly review, reference or citation

Thereafter no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a

retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without the prior permission from the copyright owner.

ISBN

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 Contents page
Translator’s Introduction 9
Author’s Introduction
11
Chapter One: Acting upon narrations
15
Chapter Two: Prophetic practice and narration
17
Chapter Three: Reporting the text of narration and its
meaning
23
Chapter Four: their speech on following narrations
29
Chapter Five: Jurists and Prophetic narration experts
41
Chapter Six: Level of the true narrator 49
Chapter Seven: Judgements on Prophetic narration
53
Chapter Eight: Prophetic narrations amongst the jurists
and the narration experts
59
Chapter Nine: Disagreement in terminology
87
Chapter Ten: Authentic Prophetic narrations
89
Chapter Eleven: Weak narrations
95
Chapter Twelve: Examples of authentic narrations that
some of the scholars rejected
101
Chapter Thirteen: Prophetic narrations and Al-Numan
(Abu Hanifah)
103
8
Chapter Fourteen: Narrations left by Abu Hanifah
105
Chapter Fifteen: Narrations left by Imam Malik
109
Chapter Sixteen: Narrations left by Imam As-Shaf’I
117
Chapter Seventeen: Examples of the narrations left by
some of the Imams
121
Chapter Eighteen: Narrations left by Ahmed
123
Chapter Nineteen: Narrations left by the Imams
125
Chapter Twenty: Please note
127
Chapter Twenty one: The Objectives
133

9
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 Translator’s Introduction

We have arrived at a time in which people

misuse Quran and Hadith thinking they have a
proof, but all we see them prove is their lack of
understanding. This is a text aimed at people who
misunderstand Quran and Hadith then use their
misunderstandings inappropriately.
This text aims to clarify and explain the reasons
why some Hadith are acted upon and others are not.
This is not a simple subject, as some would have us
believe, it is in fact a complicated subject which needs
scholarly clarity to explain. Sheikh Atabek Shukurov is
such a scholar who can clarify these issues and has
written this epistle in order to help us understand some
vital issues in our religion.

This religion is taken from those who are qualifed

to teach and not from those who pick up translations
and speak!

Before you is a new revised second edition of this

text. The frst version was an internet only version
published in December 2010. We have made some
improvements and amendments to this work.

We hope that the readers beneft from this text

and that it clarifes many issues that confuse us. May
Allah accept this work; forgive us, our teachers and all
the Muslims. May endless benedictions and salutations
be upon the fnal Messenger Muhammad, his offspring
and companions.

11
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 In the name of Allah, the most
merciful, most generous

How to Interact with

Hadiths/ Prophetic
narrations
Author’s Introduction

By Sheikh Atabek Shukurov An-Nasaf

All praise is for Allah, we praise Him, we seek His

assistance, we seek His forgiveness, we seek refuge in
Allah from the evil of ourselves and the evil of our
works. Whoever Allah guides cannot be misguided;
whoever Allah has caused to go astray will not fnd a
protector or a guide. O’ Allah bless our master, our
leader, Muhammad, the unlettered Prophet, and upon
his pure family, his companions and whoever follows
their guidance admirably until the Day of Judgement.

This is an epistle that I considered composing for a long

time. Either I ignored it or busied myself from it. When I
decided to write it a thought occurred to me. Was I
writing this to satisfy the diseases of my ego or being
pretentious or displaying ostentation? So I left it until I
saw something in my dream that scared me so I asked
Allah for help and asked my spiritual guide who
instructed me to write. The indication of a spiritual
13
guide is an obligation to be obeyed. I returned to what I
left, before I had asked for the assistance of Allah,
without fear of ostentation by the permission of Allah.
As there is no ostentation in performing obligations 1 as
mentioned by Ibn Nujam2 of the Hanaf scholars 3 and
the Scholar of Islam Shams ud-Deen Ad-Dhahabi 4 of the
Shaf’is. The recognition of writing the epistle returns to
Allah, The One without co-sharer then to my spiritual
guide as I had prayed over it then buried it in the past. I
exhumed and revived it because of the indication of my
1
There is only ostentation in nafl/supererogatory acts.
2
Erudite scholar, Zaynudeen ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn
Bakr, famous as Ibn Nujam. Born in Al-Ghahira in the Islamic
year 926. He took knowledge from the scholars, surpassed
his peers and became known. As-Sharani said, “I
accompanied him on pilgrimage and I did not see anything
distasteful from him.” He taught many who became scholars.
He authored precious epistles, some in volumes, and he is
seen as one of the founders of the reliable opinion of the
Hanaf School. He passed away in the Islamic year 970, early
on Wednesday in the month of Rajab.
3
He mentioned this in the book Al-Sabah An-Nazir in the
second principle in the ffth chapter on the explanation of
sincerity.
4
Muhammad ibn Ahmed ibn Uthman ibn Qaimaz Ad-Dhahabi,
Al-Hafz, the prophetic narration expert, the historian, the
leader. Born in Rabia Al-Akhir in the Islamic year 673 or
October 1274. Originally Turkmani, his father worked as a
gold miner who became an expert until he was distinguished
by the name Ad-Dhahabi (the gold one). He was a righteous
man who loved knowledge. Ad-Dhahabi travelled in search of
knowledge into Syria and Arabia. He was a Shaf’i in
jurisprudence; he authored important books in history and
Prophetic narration. Ad-Dhahabi was extremely active; he
taught prophetic narrations in given schools in Damascus. He
continually wrote until his eyesight faded in later life and until
he lost it completely. He stayed like that until his death on
the fourth of Dhul-hijjah in the Islamic year 748 or 4th
February 1348.
14
spiritual guide through the permission of Allah, the
Protector, and the Sustainer, Exalted above all.

We live in a time where there is little knowledge and

excessive ignorance. Trust is given to the deceivers and
the scholars are thrown into the periphery and people
have taken the ignorant as leaders. Every group claims
that it is following the example of the Companions and
the others are astray. The truth is cheaper than the
snow in winter. The true scholars are like strangers
under the pressure of the changing times and like a
piece of flesh to the fake scholars. There are many
outward signs that there is mercy present but the
internal is a wasteland. They call to the doors of evil
with an illuminated invitation, and whoever accepts is
thrown in. Whoever has insight into the prophetic
narrations of the Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) with the meanings
which are narrated in the texts, knows the true
claimants.

So know dear brothers that you asked several questions

on different occasions and subtexts. Once you asked
about the excessive weak narrations that the Hanaf
scholars use and once you asked about the about the
speech, “If the narration is authentic it is my way.” 5
Then you asked me about the contradiction of the
Hanaf scholars over authentic narrations. Although this
it is more than just delving into these examples, without
sound intention. Due to the social condition of the
people of my country, defending the Hanaf School of
jurisprudence, this made me present to you examples.
This is not the frst time that I have crossed this bridge.
5
Ibn Abideen in Al-Hashiya, 1/63.
15
Your question is benefcial not only to understand the
Hanaf School, but also to understand how we should be
acting with the narrations of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him). I am not doing this to
defend the Great Imam, 6 rather this is to realise the
importance of the connection of the Prophetic practice
and following narrations. I will try to inform you about
some important points about this subject, if Allah
assists and upon him we rely. This is not a new topic,
this is a topic that has been spoken about by major
scholars and I am aware of what I studied, heard and
taught from them.

This question has two parts: the frst is acting upon

narrations, and the second is Abu Hanifah 7 and his
contradicting8 narrations. I would like to focus on the
frst which is a problem concealed in a lack of
understanding. When knowledge is attained then they
are free from the frst to the second. Also I advise to
return the authors of the Hanaf School who were

6
Abu Hanifah, the one credited with beginning the Hanaf
School of jurisprudence.
7
An-Numan ibn Thabit Abu Hanifah, born in Kufa in the
Islamic year 80, or 699CE. He saw Anis Ibn Malik during
childhood. He began studying with his teacher Hammad
when he was twenty-two years old and stayed with him for
eighteen years without a break. Zufar said, “I sat with Abu
Hanifah for more than twenty years and I did not see anyone
who desired good and sympathised for the people like him.
When he felt death coming to him he went into prostration
and his soul was taken from him whilst prostrating. He died in
the Islamic year 150. The Caliph Al-Mansoor replied when he
knew of his death, “Who will admonish me like Abu Hanifah in
life and death.” It was after Abu Hanifah’s son returned
money given to his father back to the caliph.
8
Apparent.
16
Prophetic narration experts themselves and who knew
the Hanaf rulings.

17
 Chapter One
Acting upon narrations

Following prophetic narrations is one of the most

important necessities of the religion, but the
explanation of what is necessary to follow does not
return to the graduates of the Islamic universities,
rather it returns to the Men of narration. 9 Whoever is
not one of the men of this science is subject to speech
being rejected, as the religion is from narration. If it was
not then they would say what whatever would come to
them!10 It is not permissible to reject the authentication
of the scholars because this is their science. They
explain what we can act upon and what we cannot, this
is another science, and both return to its people who
are rolled up in the scrolls of history. As for those who
speak about these sciences in our time, they are:
someone who quotes them, the erroneous, a lying
heretic or of the uninformed.

9
Those scholars who were experts in Prophetic narrations.
10
This is similar to the famous saying of the successor
Abdullah Ibn Mubarak, a noted student of Abu Hanifah.
18
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 Chapter Two
Prophetic practice and narration
Firstly, it is necessary to explain the meaning of
prophetic practice and narration. Practice, linguistically,
can be good or bad and the sacred law has different
usages. One of them is the juristic practice which is
what the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) did without a command from Allah (Mighty
and Majestic) and he did not order his nation to perform
it sternly. If it was continuous then this is an
emphasised practice, and if not, then it is a desired
practice. I hope that I am not mistaken when I say that
our scholar mentioned a third category which is just
practice. This is not explained by them mentioning it
directly, like the prophetic practices of ablution, which
are not emphasised and not desired, rather this is
between the two. I hope that Allah guide me to the
truth in this issue because I remain looking for it.

As for the matter of belief; this is the way the

Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
his companions and their followers in acts of worship,
customs and conduct. This is the most important use of
the word Sunna is that it contains compulsory,
necessary and desired, in contrast to innovation. This is
the widest term that contains all that which is
legitimate.

As for the term Prophetic narration, this is linguistically

a sentence with benefcial meaning.

20
This is a legal expression of that which is transmitted
from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) of speech, action, description or confrmation. This
narration is known as elevated.11 Similarly, when a
narration reaches a companion then is suspended 12 and
it reaches a successor, then it is severed. 13 With this
understanding, not every narration is Sunna and not
every narration is elevated.

As for an example of the frst part, it is narrated in An-

Nasai’s collection that the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him) did not pass unneeded water
whilst standing.

‫عن عائشة الصديقة رضي ال عنها قالت من حدثكم أن‬

‫رسول ال صلى ال عليه وسلم بال قائما فل تصدقوه ما‬
‫ أخرجه النسائي‬.‫كان يبول إل جالسا‬
Aisha the truthful (may Allah be pleased with her) said,
“Whoever narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood passing
water, do not believe them. He did not pass water
except whilst sitting.” Recorded by An-Nisai.Al-Bukhari 14

11
Marfua’ – a narration ascribed to the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him).
12
Mawquf – a narration ascribed to a companion.
13
Maqtu’ – a narration ascribed to a successor.
14
Imam Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ismail ibn Ibrahim ibn
Al-Mugharia Al-Bukhari Al-Ju’ffi, born after the Friday
congregation prayer on the thirteen of Shawwal 194 Islamic
year or August 4th 810 CE, in the city of Bukhara, Uzbekistan.
His father was knowledgeable about prophetic narrations. He
21
reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him) passed water standing.

‫عن حذيفة رضي ال عنه إن رسول ال صلى ال عليه و‬

‫ أخرجه البخاري‬.‫سلم بال قائما‬
Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates
that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) passed water standing.

was known, amongst the people, for excellent character and

vast knowledge. His mother was a righteous lady; she was
not less pious or cautious than his father. He was brought up
as an orphan because his father died young. His memory was
strong, he did not forget anything that he heard or read. He
was not even sixteen years old when he had memorised the
books of Ibn Mubarak, Waqiya’ and other books of the leaders
of prophetic narrations. He travelled many countries, and he
spoke about his travels: “I went to Syria, Egypt and Arabia
twice, to Al-Basara four times, I stayed in Arabia for six years,
I cannot innumerate the times I went to Kufa and Baghdad.”
He narrated from major scholars, and he said, “I have
recorded from more than one thousand trustworthy scholars
and I do not have a narration without its chain.” The scholars
of his time saw how he preceded them in the feld of
narration and that they gave him the agnomen ‘leader of the
believers’ in prophetic narration. This is the greatest level
attained by a scholar in the feld of prophetic narration. They
poured praise upon him like rain. Ibn Khazaymah said, “There
is no one under the heavens more knowledgeable about
Prophetic narration than Muhammad ibn Ismail Al-Bukhari.”
Qatada ibn Sa’ed said, “I have sat with the gnostics, the
worshippers, the abstainers and I have not seen, since
maturity, the like of Muhammad ibn Ismail. In his time he is
like the companion Umar.” He died in Khatnak, a village of
Samarqand on the thirtieth of Ramadan, 256 Islamic year and
31 August 869 CE, on the night of the sacrifcial celebration.
22
The second narration indicates this happened in a
particular situation15 and this was not his Sunna (normal
practice).

The other example is the report of Abu Dawood, from

Jafr, that a thief was brought to the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him), he said, “Kill him.”
Someone said, “O’ Messenger of Allah he is just a thief.”
He said, “Sever it.” He came back a second, third and
fourth time and every time he said, “Kill him.” Someone
would say, “He is a thief.” He would reply, “Sever it.” He
was killed when he returned for a fnal time. 16

‫عن جابر رضي ال عنه أن النبي صلى ال عليه و سلم أتي‬

‫بسارق فقال اقتلوه فقيل يا رسول ال فإنه سرق فقط فقال‬
‫اقطعوه فجيء به ثانيا و ثالثا و رابعا و في كل مرة يقول‬
‫اقتلوه فيقال فإنما سرق فيقول اقطعوه فقتلوه في المرة‬
‫أخرجه أبو داود‬ ‫الخيرة‬
15
Reported by Bukhari from Hudhayfah no. 217. Imam An-
Nawawi said in his commentary on this narration, “The
reason that Al-Bayhaqi and others stated this was that he,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, passed water
whilst standing due to an ailment in the back of his knees.
His habit was to not pass water whilst sitting. The proof to
this is a narration from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her),
when she said, “Whoever reports that the Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, passed water whilst standing
do not believe him. He did not pass water except sitting.”
Narrated by Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nisa'i
and others, with an acceptable chain of narration.
16
Abu Dawood from Jabir No. 4410.
23
This was just for a specifc circumstance and is not a
(normative) legal practice; rather the practice is what
Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said,

{‫سا رقوةق وفٱَقاطوعقووا أويارديويقهوما‬

‫سا رقق ووٱَل س‬
‫}ووٱَل س‬
38 ‫سورة الامئدة اليآة‬

“Cut off the hands of the male and female thief.” 17 This
is an easy example that man can understand, even if
he is not learned, but there are examples that are
difficult to understand except if they are someone who
understands all of the rules of jurisprudence, major
collections and a high level knowledge.18 Distinguished
is he follows the practice (Sunna), and others, by
returning to the correct understanding of the scholars
and not with the understanding of the word scholar in
our time. As the scholar in our time, is known for
writing books and narrating from here and there, and if
he is a not a follower of an innovator then he is doing
well. Otherwise he is a poor ignoramus.

17
Quran: Sura Maidah 5:38.
18
Rhetoric, verb conjugation, Arabic grammar, principles of
jurisprudence etc.
24
25
 Chapter Three
Reporting the text of narration
and its meaning

Now know that the companions reported the words of

narration as well as explaining the meaning. It is not
permissible to take the words of the narrations and
leave the meaning of what they narrated. As we rely on
the text of narration and explanation of its
discrepancies upon the transmitters of prophetic
narrations. The same way we are relying on the
explanation of its meaning of narration upon the
narrators of jurisprudence, those who are called
Mujtahids.19 It is fashion in our time to make a
scandalous mistake and yet he is attributed to
knowledge! He accepts the frst condition in receiving
but ignores the second condition (transmission). They
are using their own weak opinions to understand
prophetic narrations. The examples of wrong
understanding are many, like someone who used to
pray Witr20 every time he would use the toilet. Using his
understanding of the narration:21

19
Scholars like Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik, Imam Shaf’i and
Imam Ahmed (may Allah be pleased with them).
20
Final necessary/wajib prayer after the Isha prayer.
21
Muslim, in the chapter of purifcation no. 350 and Bukhari,
in the chapter of ablution no. 156, both from Abu Hurayrah.
26
‫عن أبي هريرة رضي ال عنه أن رسول ال صلى ال عليه و‬
‫ من استجمر فليوتر‬:‫سلم قال‬.

‫متفق عليه‬
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates
that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace
and blessings upon him) said, “Whoever uses stones
should use an odd number.” 22

This is the use of stones after relieving oneself after

using the privy. The Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) said, “Use an odd number,” the
intention here is to use an odd number of stones and
the man understood it as, “Perform an odd number.” He
would pray Witr! Because Witr in Arabic language has
two meanings it is an odd number and the Witr prayer!

Another narrator (of Hadith) prohibited his students to

cut the hair of their heads on Friday because of what he
narrated:

‫عن عبد ال بن عمرو عن النبي صلى ال عليه و سلم أنه‬

‫نهى عن الحلق يوم الجمعة أخرجه أحمد‬

22
Witr also means an odd number so he confused this and
would pray every time he left the toilet.
27
Abdullah Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)
reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him) prohibited cutting hair on Fridays. 23

The narrator read ‘hilaq’, as ‘halq’ is the same word but

with different phonetics and different meanings. (Halq
means shaving and Hilaq is a circle of knowledge.) Any
scholar knows that it is permissible to cut the hair on
the head which is not limited to any time. The reason
for the prohibition of circles of knowledge and divine
remembrance is that it may put people off from arriving
at the masjid early on Fridays to earn the promised
reward.

Al-Hafz ibn Jawzi24 (may Allah show him mercy)

mentions many examples of misunderstandings of the
meaning of authentic narrations in his book Tablish Al-
Iblis/The Devils Deception, so look them up there.
23
Reported by Imam Ahmed 6389, Abu Dawood 911, Umar
ibn Sha’ib from his father and his grandfather.
24
Jalaludeen Abu Faraj Abdurrahman ibn Ali Al-Baghdadi, the
jurist, Hanbali, Al-Hafz, the Quranic commentator, the
admonisher, the historian from the offspring of Muhammad
ibn Abu Bakr As-Saddiq (may Allah be pleased with him). The
erudite scholar was born in Barab habib located in Baghdad.
There are differences about his date of birth being the Islamic
year 511 or 1117CE. Ad-Dhahabi states in his biography of
ibn Al-Jawzi, “He was distinguished in Quranic commentary,
lecturing, and history and average in his juristic school. In
Prophetic narration he was well versed in the texts.” He died
on Friday night, the 12th of Ramadan 597 Islamic year, at Isha
time and he was washed during the pre-fast meal. The
people of Baghdad gathered and his body was carried upon
the heads of the people; the gathering was extremely large.
They did not arrive to the burial site until the time of Zuhur
prayer. The caller said, “Allah is the greatest.” He was buried
in the war section near the grave of Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal
(may Allah show .
28
One day I was travelling on a plane headed for Mecca
and I was with a friend. When lunch was presented to
us, he took a morsel then stopped and said, “All praise
is for Allah.” I was confused so I asked him how he was,
he said, “Allah the greatest was true when he said,

{‫سومآَرء رازقققكام وووما قتووعقدوون‬

‫}وورفي ٱَل س‬
22 :‫الذريات‬

“And in the heaven is your providence and that which you

are promised.”25

All Praise is for the apportioner of intellect! 26

Once someone asked me about the meaning to the

Quranic verse,

{‫سوون‬ ‫ر‬ ‫} رفي وذلر و‬

‫ك فويالويتويونافو ر‬
‫س ٱَلاقمتويوناف ق‬
25 ‫المطففين‬

“Let those who with aspirations aspire,”27

I said so let the competitors compete. He said no, it

only means to breathe a beautiful pure smell using this
as a proof:

25
Quran: Sura Ad-Dharyat 51:22.
26
Usually meant to insult someone doing something that he
should not.
27
Quran: Sura Muffafeen 83:26.
29
 ‫}رخوتاقمهق رماس ك‬
{‫ك‬
25.‫المطففين‬

“Whose seal is musk.”28

Musk is smelt and not wrestled for!

One day in a lecture of one of them, in a Mosque, spoke

about blessings, love, the inclination of Allah upon
mankind, and then he said that because of Allah’s
extreme love of mankind, he apportioned the soul from
his soul! Then he recited,

{ ‫ت رفيره رمان قرورحي فويوققعوا لوهق وسارجرديون‬

‫}فورإوذا وسسويايتقهق وونويوفاخ ق‬
29 ‫سورة الحجر‬

“When I have shaped him, and breathed My spirit 29 in

him, fall you down, bowing before him.”30

May Allah guide us away from the darkness of the

disbelief after has shown us the Light of faith.

28
Ibid.
29
This is known as a possession of honour, or Idafa As-sharif,
and this cannot be taken literally!
30
Quran: Sura Hajr 15:29.
30
31
 Chapter Four
Their speech on following
narrations

The frst step in acting upon a narration is to

understand the meaning and knowing whether the
Companions, successors and scholars acted upon it or
not. It is not permissible for someone to open some
Prophetic narration (hadith) books and read, and then
act upon what he found without making sure.

‫ إني لجد حديثا ثم أقيسه على مئة‬:‫قال إبراهيم النخعي‬

‫حديث‬

32
Ibrahim An-Nakh’i31 said, “I do not act upon a narration
without comparing it to a hundred narrations.”

‫ أكل‬:‫ قلت لبراهيم‬:‫ قال‬،‫عن الحسن بن عبيد اللله النخعي‬

‫ قلت تفتي بما لم‬،‫ ل‬:‫ما أسمعك تفتي به سمعته؟ فقال لي‬
،‫ وجاءني ما لم أسمع‬،‫ سمعت الذي سمعت‬:‫ فقال‬،!‫تسمع؟‬
‫ أخرجه الخطيب في الفقيه والمتفقه‬.‫فقسته بالذي سمعت‬

31
The Imam, a preserver, Jurist of Iraq, father of the two
Umars, Ibrahim Ibn Yazid Ibn Qais An-Nakh’i, the Yemeni then
Kufui, of the scholars produced at the hands of Aisha the
mother of the believers, (may Allah be pleased with her).
During childhood he had insight into the knowledge of Ibn
Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), a unique jurist,
possessing a weighty matter and excellent qualities.
Al-‘Amash said, “Ibrahim was absorbed in prophetic
narrations.” He used to fast one day and not the next. He
died when he was between ffty-one or ffty-three years old.
Someone asked him why he seemed to lose patience during
the pangs of death, he said, “Who else is in a greater danger
than what I am in now? The message has come from my
Lord, am I going to paradise or hellfre. I swear by Allah, that
if I could stop myself in my throat I would do so until the day
of judgement.” Sh’iyab ibn Al-Habhab said, “I was there when
they were burying Ibrahim An-Nakh’i on the seven or ninth.”
As-Sha’bi said, “Have you buried your companion?” I said,
“Yes.” He said, “There is no one left more knowledgeable
than him,” or “with more understanding than him.”
33
Al-Khateeb32 reports in the Jurist and its follower/Faqiha
wa Al-Muftihi that Al-Hassan Ubaydullah An-Nukhai
stated that he said to Ibrahim, “Do you issue a legal
edict on everything you hear?” He said, “No.” I said,
“Do you issue an edict on what you have not heard?!”
He said, “I heard what I heard and when what I have no
heard reaches me then I weight up that with what I
heard.”

.‫حدث مالك عن الزهري أنه قال أحاديث لم أحدث بها‬

‫ قال لم يكن العميل‬.‫قال مالك قلت له لما يا أبا عبد ال‬
6/322 ‫علييها فتركتها حلية الولياء‬
32
Al-Khateeb, Al-Imam, the erudite verdict-giver, Al-Hafz An-
Naqid, prophetic narration giver of his time, Abu Bakr, Ahmed
Ibn Ali Ibn Tabit Ibn Ahmed Ibn Madhdi Al-Baghdadi, author of
compositions and seal of the preservers. He was born in the
Islamic year 392. His father Abu Al-Hassan was a preacher in
the village of “Darajaan” and he was keen for his son to hear
prophetic narrations and jurisprudence. He began to listen at
the age of eleven, travelled to Al-Basra aged twenty years
old, to Naysabor aged twenty-three, to Syria aged thirty-three
and then to Mecca and other places. He wrote many works
and excelled in this matter. He became more than the rest of
the scholars of his time. Al-Mumin As-Sajani said, “No one
who came from Baghdad after Ad-Darqutni was better than
Abu Bakr Al-Khateeb.” Abu Ali Al-Bardini said, “Perhaps there
is no one like him.” Makki Al-Ramali said, “Al-Khateeb fell ill
during the middle of the month of Ramadan, until his
condition worsened in the month of Dhul-Hijjah. He made a
will with Ibn Kharoon and stopped writing on his hand, he left
his wealth and his face was cold. He passed away on the
fourth hour of Monday the seventh of Dhul-Hijjah 602. Imam
Abu Al-Hussain ibn Al-Muhtda-billah lead the funeral prayer
and he was buried near the grave of Bishir the barefooted,
because of his will.
34
Malik33 narrates from Az-Zuhri34 that he said, “There are
narrations that I have not narrated.” Malik said to him,
“Why, O’ Abu Abdullah?” He replied, “It is not acted
upon so I left them.” 35

Look my brother how Ibrahim (may Allah show him

mercy) takes time and checks the issues from every

33
He is the scholar of Islam, proof of the nation, Imam of the
place of migration, Abu Abdullah Malik Ibn Anas Ibn Malik. He
was born, according to authentic sources, ninety-three years
after the death of the servant of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him), Anas. M’an, Al-Waqdada and
Muhammad ibn Ad-Dahka say, “Malik’s mother bore him for
three years.” Abu Musa Al-Ashari (may Allah be pleased with
him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “People will go to the
East and the West in search of knowledge but they will not
fnd anyone more knowledgeable than the scholar of
Medina.” Ibn Uyyanna said, “I used to say it was Sa’ed ibn Al-
Mussayb, until I was in the time of Suleiman ibn Yasir, Salim
ibn Abdullah and so on. Then one day I said, “It is Malik, and
there did not remain opposition in Medina.” Ibn Uyyana said,
“Malik is the scholar of Arabia.” Imam As-Shaf’i said, “True,
he excelled.” When the scholars mention Malik (may Allah
show him mercy) they call him the star.” Malik began
studying around ten years old and qualifed early. He sat to
beneft. He was twenty one years old and a great number
would narrate from him even though he was very young.
People would intend to study with him from great distances,
some from other kingdoms like Abu Jafar Al-Mansoor and
those who came after. He was overcrowded during the
succession of Ar-Rashid (Abbasid khalif). Imam Ahmed (may
Allah show him mercy) said, “If I saw a man who would fnd
fault with Malik, know he is an innovator.” Abdullah ibn Al-
Mubarak (may Allah show him mercy) said, “I was present
with Malik (may Allah show him mercy) whilst he was
narrating the traditions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, when a scorpion bit him
sixteen times. Malik’s complexion changed to a yellow colour,
although he did not stop narrating the tradition of the
35
possible angle. Az-Zuhri (may Allah show him mercy)
leaves the narrations due to them not being accepted.
Not one of them thinks about following their whims
rather they are the scholars of the prophetic practice.

Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon

him. When he fnished his lesson I asked him, “Today I saw
something strange,” “Yes,” he replied. Out of respect to the
traditions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him). If he would sit to teach prophetic
narration he would bathe, wear new clothes and apply
expensive perfume, may Allah be pleased with him. Ahmed, a
student of As-Shaf’i, said, “Malik is one of the masters of the
people of knowledge and he is a leader in prophetic narration
and jurisprudence. Malik lived eighty years and died in one
hundred and seventy nine Islamic year and was buried in Al-
Baqiah graveyard.
34
Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Ubaydullah ibn Abdullah ibn
Shihab, an Imam of knowledge. He was born in the fftieth
Islamic year. Abu Laith ibn Sa’ad said, “I have not seen a
scholar as complete as Ibn Shihab.” When he narrated about
virtues, they would say, “There is nothing better than this.”
When he narrated about Arabs and lineages, they said,
“There is nothing better than this.” When he narrated about
the Quran and the Prophetic practice, they say, “There is
nothing better than this.” Sufyan said, “I saw Al-Zahuri with a
red head and a faded red beard, he would squint, he had long
hair and he came to us in the Islamic year of one hundred
and twenty three. He came during the month of Rajab and I
was sixteen years old at the time.” Umar ibn Dinar said, “I
have not seen anyone as well versed in prophetic narrations
than Az-Zuhuri. I have not seen anyone who distances
himself from silver coins like him.” Al-Laith said, “He used to
fnish his lessons with a group supplication, he said, “O’ Allah,
I ask you of all the good that your knowledge encompasses in
the world and the afterlife. I seek refuge from you from the
evil that your knowledge encompasses in the world and the
afterlife.” He was the most generous of anyone seen, when
36
 ‫قال ابن خزيمة عجبت لمن ل يحفظ مئة ألف حديث‬
‫كيف يفتي في الطلق سير العلم و النبلء في ترجمة ابن‬
‫الخزيمة‬

he used up what he had, he would borrow from his servant.

He would say, “O’ so and so, loan me as you know and I will
double it as you know.” He would feed people dry meat and
quench their thirst with a honey drink. He used to converse
over honey like people who converse over drinks. He said,
“We drink and we narrate.” He used to drink honey a lot and
did not eat any apples. He was heard weeping with his
tongue, he said, “knowledge has gone from most of that we
act upon.” He said, “I swear by Allah, no one was expanded
like me, there is no patience like my patience. We were sat
with Ibn Al-Mussayib when someone asked him a question
except that he began with a prophetic narration. Az-Zuhuri
died in the Islamic year one hundred and twenty three, aged
seventy eight.
35
Hilyah Al-Awliyah 6/322.
37
Ibn Khuzaymah36 (may Allah show him mercy) stated
that, “I am shocked at he who has not memorised one
hundred thousand narrations, how can he give a legal
edict on divorce!”37

So, he did not say, ‘’I am shocked about he who fnds a

narration or two on divorce that he does not act on it,”
rather that he is shocked by he who does not have the
complete understanding on a subject, how can he act
upon narrations?

‫سئل الحافظ أبو العباس بن عقدة عن حديث فقال أقلوا‬

.‫من هذه الحاديث فإنها ل تصلح إل لمن علم تأويلها‬
2/158 ‫الخطيب البغدادي في الفقيه والمتفق‬
36
Ibn Khuzaymah, Muhammad Ibn Ishaq Ibn Hazm Ibn Al-
Mughara Ibn Salah Ibn Bakr Al-Hafz Al-Hujjah Al-Fiqhi. Abu
Bakr As-Sulami An-Naysaburi As-Shaf’i, an author of many
works. Born in the Islamic year two hundred and twenty
three, during his youth he studied prophetic narration and
jurisprudence. Until he became an example in vast
knowledge and piety. Abu Bakr ibn Ishaq said to him, “Why
don’t you cut your hair in the public baths?” He replied, “I
have not proved that the Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) ever entered a public bath to
cut his hair. I only cut this hair with scissors.” Al-Hakam said,
“I asked Muhammad ibn Al-Fadal ibn Muhammad from his
grandfather to remember not to spare any effort, rather to
spend on the people of knowledge.” Abu Al-Hassan Ad-
Daraqutni said, “Ibn Khuzaymah was an affirmed leader,
without peer. Ibn Khuzaymah had a great spirit, beautiful
heart for knowledge and religion, following the prophetic
practice.” He died on the second of Dhul-Qadiah in the
Islamic year three hundred and eleven, aged eighty-nine.
37
Sira Al-Alama.
38
Al-Hafz Abu l-Abbas ibn Aqda 38 was asked about a
number of narrations, “Refrain yourself from these
narrations as it is not proper, except for he who knows
the correct interpretation.”

‫ لول مالك بن أنس والليث بن سعد هلكت‬: ‫وقال بن وهب‬

‫كنت أظن أن كل ما جاء عن النبي صلى ال عليه وسلم‬
13/7 ‫ تاريخ بغداد‬.‫يفعل به‬

38
Al-Hafz ibn Aqida Abu Al-Abbas Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn
Sa’yd Al-Kufyi, one of the leaders of prophetic narration. He
heard from Al-Hassan Ibn Ali ibn Affan and Yahya ibn Abu
Talib and their ranks. He did not travel except to Arabia and
Baghdad but he was a great sign of memorisation even Ad-
Daraqutni said, “All the people of Baghdad have not seen in
Kufa since the time of Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with
him) like Ibn Aqida.” He said, “I know thirteen thousand
prophetic narrations from the people of the prophetic
household and the tribe of Hashim.” Ibn Aqida said, “I
memorised one hundred thousand prophetic narrations with
their authorities and I remember one thousand three hundred
prophetic narrations.” Abu Sayed Al-Malini said, “Ibn Aqida
used to have six hundred camels carry his books.” He died in
the Islamic year three hundred and twenty fve.
39
Harmla ibn Yahya said he heard Ibn Wahab 39 say, “If it
was not for Al-Layth 40 and Malik we would be astray.”
Abu Tahir Ahmed ibn Umar ibn As-Saarah narrates that
Ibn Wahb said, “If it was not for Malik and Al-Layth I
would be destroyed as I used to think that everything
that came from the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) needed to be acted upon.” 41

So, as we have seen, giants in the feld of prophetic

narration do not know how to act upon what they have
narrated, until Malik or Al-Layth come with
understanding to teach him the correct manner of
acting upon narrations.

39
Abdullah ibn Wahab ibn Muslim Abu Muhammad Al-Fahari.
Born in the Islamic year one hundred and twenty fve. He was
a storehouse of knowledge, a treasure of action and he was
one of the narrators of Al-Muwatta. Ahmed ibn Salah Al-Hafz
said, “Ibn Wahab knew one thousand prophetic narrations. He
used to divide his time into three: a third to protect the
borders, a third to teach the people of Egypt and a third for
pilgrimage.” He died in the month of Sh’aban, in the Islamic
year one one hundred and ninety seven; aged seventy two.
Ibn Abdul Barr records from Sahnun ibn Sa’yd that he saw
Abdurrahman ibn Al-Qasim in a dream. He asked him, “What
did Allah do to you?” He said, “I found from him what I love.”
He said, “Which of your works was the most superior?” He
replied, “Reciting the Quran.” Then he asked about the
issues, he indicated with fngers (as if there were dust there).
Then I asked him about Ibn Wahab, he said, “He is with the
upmost, that Allah showed mercy upon.”
40
Al-Layth ibn Sa’ad Al-Misri a noted successor.
41
The History of Baghdad 7-13.
40
 ‫قال إبراهيم النخعي قال‪ :‬لو رأيتهم يتوضؤون إلى الكوعين ما‬
‫تجاوزتهما وأنا أقرؤها إلى المرافق‬
‫‪263-6‬‬ ‫الحكام في أصول الحكام لبن حزم‬

‫‪Ibrahim An-Nakh'i (may Allah be pleased with him) said,‬‬

‫‪“If I saw them making ablution up to their wrist, I would‬‬
‫‪not say it’s permissible because I have read that it is up‬‬
‫‪to the elbows.”42‬‬

‫ذكر الذهبي في ترجمة المام شيخ الشافعية أبو القاسم عبد‬

‫العزيز بن عبد ال بن محمد بن عبد العزيز الداركي‪ :‬وكان‬
‫ربما يختار في الفتوى فيقال له في ذلك فيقول‪ :‬ويحكم‬
‫حدث فلن عن فلن عن رسول ال بكذا وكذا والخذ‬
‫بالحديث أولى من الخذ بقول الشافعي وأبي حنيفة‪ .‬قلت‪-‬‬
‫القائل هو الذهبي‪ -‬هذا جيد لكن بشرط أن يكون قد قال‬
‫بذلك الحديث إمام من نظراء المامين مثل مالك أو سفيان‬
‫أو الوزاعي وبأن يكون الحديث ثابتا سالما من علة وبأن ل‬
‫يكون حجة ابي حنيفة والشافعي حديثا صحيحا معارضا‬

‫‪42‬‬
‫‪Al-Ahkam fi Usul Al-Ahkam libn Hazm 233-6.‬‬
‫‪41‬‬
 ‫للخر أما من أخذ بحديث صحيح وقد تنكبه سائر أئمة‬
‫الجتهاد فل‬

- ‫سير العلم و النبلء‬

406 16

Ad-Dhahabi (may Allah show him mercy) mentions in

the biography of the leader of Shaf’i school, Abu Al-
Qasim Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn
Abdul-Aziz Ad-Daraki, that he used to pick and choose
legal verdicts. Someone asked him about this and he
said he judges the prophetic narration by its narrators
to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him), and using this method he would adopt
narration above taking the speech of Imam Shaf’i or
Imam Abu Hanifah. Ad-Dhahabi commented on this
text, “This is good but there are conditions if there is a
comment on the narration or something similar to the
Imams;43 those two like Malik, Sufyan 44 and Al-Awzai.
Also the narration has to be free from weakness and the
proof of Abu Hanifah and Shaf’i should not be an
authentic narration,45 in opposition to the others. As for
he who adopts an unsound narration has surely
diverted himself from all of the nation’s Mujtahids.” 46

43
Imam Shaf’i, Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik and Imam
Ahmed ibn Hanbal – these are the four recognised Imams in
jurisprudence (may Allah be pleased with them).
44
Sufyan At-Thawri.
45
Sahih – a prophetic narration with a reliable chain of
transmission which reaches the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him).
46
Sira Al-Alam 16-406.
42
This is the scholar of Islam and a leader of the believers
in Prophetic narration. Ad-Dhahabi reports that fnding a
narration somewhere does not necessitate acting upon
it, rather there are conditions that need to be fulflled to
understand.

Ibn Qayum47 reports something strange in his book

Ighat ul-Lahfan, a disagreement between scholars, is it
permissible for a man with Al-Bukhari’s authentic
collection to issue edicts or not. His speech indicates
that he accepts the permissibility of the opinion and the
strange thing is that there is no disagreement within
the scholars that this is not permissible. There is no

47
Sheikh of Islam, the Erudite Shamsudeen Muhammad ibn
Abu Bakr ibn Ayyub Al-Zara’y, Ibn Qayum. Ibn Kathir says he
was born in the Islamic year six hundred and ninety one. He
heard prophetic narrations and busied himself with
knowledge and surpassed in various knowledges, especially
in the Quranic commentary, prophetic narrations and
principles. When he returned to Taqiudeen Ibn Tamiyyah from
the Egyptian houses in the Islamic year seven hundred and
eleven, he stayed with him until he died. He took a great
amount of knowledge from him with what he took before; he
became unique in the many sciences of knowledge. He
studied day and night with great effort. He had beautiful
recitation, a character many loved, he held no envy to
anyone, he would not harm anyone, and he would not
backbite, nor hold a grudge against anyone. He was person
he accompanied the most and the most beloved to him. He
did not know anyone in this knowledge in our time who
worshipped more than him. His manner of prayer was to
lengthen it a lot, to lengthen the bowing and the prostration.
Many of his companions used to blame him for this,
sometimes. He did not go back or do more than this, may
Allah show him mercy. He has many works that he has
authored, big and small, on many subjects. He wrote them in
beautiful calligraphy and he has works that no one but him
could do even a tenth of them before or after him.
43
disagreement if a man who owns nine books, 48 in
addition to all the books in the world on prophetic
narrations and Jurisprudence, disagrees, it is not
permissible for him to give edict if he does not meet the
requirements of issuing edicts.

How far he is from what he reported;

‫إن رجل سأل المام أحمد عن رجل يحفظ مئة ألف حديث‬
:‫ فمئتي ألف حديث؟ فقال‬: ‫ ل فسأل‬:‫هل يكون فقيها؟ فقال‬
‫ فأربعمئة ألف‬:‫ ل فسأل‬:‫ فثلثمئة ألف حديث فقال‬:‫ل فسأل‬
‫حديث؟ فقال بيده هكذا‬.

‫الجامع لخلق الراوي وآداب السامع الخطيب‬

A man asked Imam Ahmed (may Allah show him
mercy) about a man who memorised a hundred
thousand prophetic narrations, is he a jurist? Imam
Ahmed said, “No.” Then he asked about two hundred
thousand narrations, he said, “No.” Then he asked
about three hundred thousand, he said, “No.” Then he
asked about four hundred thousand narrations, 49 he
indicated.50

48
Six authentic books of prophetic narration and three extra
books.
49
Al-Jam’a L’Ikhalaq Al-Raawi wa l-Adab As-Sama’a by Al-
Khateeb.
50
Almost like a shrug of the shoulders, like when someone
says I do not know.
44
Meaning that it is permissible to do this, if they
memorise that much narrations and reach the
additional levels of jurisprudence. So the Imam of the
Hanbali’s including Ibn Qayyum sees the level which it
is permissible to issue legal verdict, more than the
prophetic narrations in all the nine books. So where did
Ibn Qayyum fnd this disagreement of the scholars?

45
46
 Chapter Five
Jurists and Prophetic narration
experts

Allah (the Exalted) has privileged our nation with chains

of narration, given us honour by it, subdued us to serve
the chains of transmission to people; they are our
superiors, without those memorizers of chains and
concise texts, the meanings would be lost. He made
these important men the select of the Islamic nation.

‫ إذا أراد ال بقوم‬: ‫قال رسول ال صلى ال عليه و سلم‬

‫خيرا أكثر فقهاءهم و أقل جهالهم فإذا تكلم الفقيه وجد‬
‫أعوانا و إذا تكلم الجاهل قهر و إذا أراد ال بقوم شرا أكثر‬
‫جهالهم و أقل فقهاءهم فإذا تكلم الجاهل وجد أعوانا و إذا‬
‫تكلم الفقيه قهر‬.

‫أخرجه أبو نصر السجزي في البانة عن ابن عمر‬

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) said, “When Allah desires good for a people;
He increases the jurists in them and decreases the
number of ignoramuses. So if the jurist speaks he fnds
support and if the ignoramus speaks he is silenced. If
47
Allah desires iniquity for a people, then He increases
the number of ignoramus and decreases the number of
jurists. So, if the ignoramus speaks he fnds support and
if the jurist speaks, he is silenced.” 51 Narrated by Abu
Nasr As-Sajzi in Ibana, Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased
with him).

‫ إنكم في زمان‬: ‫عن عبد ال بن مسعود رضي ال عنه قال‬

، ‫ كثير معطوه‬،‫ قليل سؤاله‬، ‫ قليل خطباؤه‬، ‫كثير فقهاؤه‬
‫ وسيأتي من بعدكم زمان قليل‬، ‫العمل فيه قائد للهوى‬
‫ الهوى‬، ‫ قليل معطوه‬،‫ كثير سؤاله‬، ‫ كثير خطباؤه‬،‫فقهاؤه‬
-‫ في آخر الزمان‬-‫ اعلموا أن حسن الهدي‬، ‫فيه قائد للعمل‬
‫أخرجه البخاري في‬ .‫خير من بعض العمل‬
‫كتاب الدب المفرد‬

51
As above.
48
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud52 (may Allah be pleased with him)
said, “You are in a time where the jurists are many, few
preachers, few beggars and many givers and action is
the chief of whims. There shall be a time after you
where there will be few jurists, many preachers, many
beggars, few givers, whims are the chiefs of action,
learning knowledge is better than guidance, in the fnal
times, and better than some actions.” 53

52
Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud Ibn Ghafl (may Allah be pleased with
him). He was one of the frst Muslims when Zayd and his wife
Fatima, the daughter of Al-Khattab, became Muslim. This was
before Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him)
became Muslim. He was the frst to recite the Quran in
Mecca. When Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him)
became Muslim, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) took him as a servant and he used to serve him.
He said to him, “I give you permission to come when you
hear my cloth and the veil is lifted.” He used to come, assist
with clothes, bring his shoes, walk in front of him, cover him
if he bathed and wake him if he slept. He was known
amongst the companions as the keeper of miswak. He
migrated twice, once to Abyssinia and once to Medina; he
prayed in both directions; he attended Badr, Uhud, the
trench; he saw the oath of acceptance, and all the events
with the Messenger of Allah peace and blessings of Allah be
upon. He attended Yaramuk after the passing of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him); he gave the
death blow to Abu Jahl and was seen with the Messenger of
Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in Paradise.
He died in Medina in the Islamic year thirty two, he gave his
will to Az-Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him); he was
buried in Al-Baqiah and his funeral prayer was lead by
Uthman; he was sixty years old. Asad Al-Ghabah.
53
Bukhari on Etiquette of the individual in the chapter on
guidance with a reliable chain.
49
 ‫ أنك في زمان كثير‬: ‫عن عبد ال بن مسعود قال لنسان‬
‫فقهاؤه قليل قراؤه تحفظ فيه حدود القرآن وتضيع حروفه‬
‫قليل من يسأل كثير من يعطي يطيلون فيه الصلة ويقصرون‬
‫الخطبة يبدون أعمالهم قبل أهوائهم وسيأتي على الناس زمان‬
‫قليل فقهاؤه كثير قراؤه يحفظ فيه حروف القرآن وتضيع‬
‫حدوده كثير من يسأل قليل من يعطي يطيلون فيه الخطبة‬
‫ الموطأ‬.‫ويقصرون الصلة يبدون فيه أهواءهم قبل أعمالهم‬
417 ‫حديث رقم‬
Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah pleased with him) said
to someone, ‘’You are in a time with many jurists and
few reciters preserving Quranic injunctions, few
requesters, many givers, prolonged prayers, concise
sermons, reciting little, actions overriding whims. A
time will come upon a people where the jurists are few,
many reciters, they lost the practice of the Quran and
its prohibitions, many people ask, few give, sermons
are prolonged, prayers are short and whims override
actions.” 54

54
Al-Muwatta number 417.
50
 ‫ أتيت الكوفة فرأيت فيها‬:‫ قال‬،‫عن أنس بن سيرين‬
.‫ وأربعمائة قد فقهوا‬،‫أربعة آلف يطلبون الحديث‬
‫أبو محمد الرامهرمزي في المحدث الفاصل‬
Abu Muhammad Al-Ramahrmzi55 states that Anas ibn
Sireen said, “I came to Kufa and I saw four thousand
students of prophetic narrations and four hundred
students jurists.”

Glory belongs to Allah. How strange, this was golden

age of knowledge where the number of prophetic
narration experts was ten times more than the jurists!

‫ فكنت إذا‬،‫ كان إبراهيم صيرفي الحديث‬: ‫وقال العمش‬

‫سمعت الحديث من بعض أصحابنا عرضته عليه‬.
Al-‘Amash56 said, “Ibrahim was a treasurer of narrations.
55
Imam Al-Hafz Al-Bar’a, prophetic narration expert of the
non Arabs, Abu Muhammad Al-Hassan ibn Abdurrahman ibn
Khalad Al-Farsi Al-Ramahrumzi the jurist. Writer of the book
Muhaddith Al-Fasil on prophetic narration and what a
wonderful book! It was said that the book never left his
sleeve, during most of his life. His frst student for this
knowledge was in two hundred and ninety. He narrated then
wrote, he gathered then authored. He wrote many books and
came from a village near Medina called Ramahrumzi.
56
Muhammad Ibn Mahran. Originally from Nowaha in Rai. It
was stated that he was born in Ammu near Tabrastan, in the
Islamic year sixty one. He came to Kufa as a child and saw
Anas ibn Malik and spoke to him and narrated from him; also
from Abdullah ibn Abu Awfa. Wakiya ibn Al-Jaraha said, “Al-
Amash was close to seventy years old and did not miss the
51
If I would hear a narration from one of the narrators, I
would show it to him (to understand it).”

‫ كنت أمر‬:‫قال الفضل بن قدوكين شيخ المام البخاري يقول‬

، ‫ صاحب أبي حنيفة المام – وهو محتب بثوب‬-‫على زفر‬
‫ فأريه ما قد‬.‫ تعال حتى أغربل لك أحاديثك‬،‫ يا أحول‬:‫فيقول‬
‫ وهذا‬،‫ وهذا ل قيؤخذ به‬،‫ هذا يؤخذ به‬:‫ فيقول‬،‫سمعت‬
‫ ص‬1 ‫ الفقيه والمتفقه للخطيب البغدادي ج‬.‫ وهذا منسوخ‬،‫ناسخ‬

163

opening magnifcation.” Abdullah Al-Khribi said, “No one

supersedes Al-Amash in worship.” Hisham said, “I have not
seen in Kufa who reads the book of Allah or fnds prophetic
narrations better than Al-Amash.” Yahya ibn Al-Qatan said
when Al-Amash was mentioned, “He was an expert, he
always prayed in congregation, in the frst row and he is one
of the great scholars of Islam.” Yahya inclined to the wall until
he reached the frst row. He heard him recite the Quran and
he was leading. He was eloquent and knew the laws of
inheritance. ‘Isa ibn Yunis said, “We have not seen anyone
like Al-Amash. Nor have I seen riches comparable to anyone
except him, despite his poverty and need.” He has much self
respect, contentment, he was given wage from the public
funds, and he was given fve gold coins per month. He died in
Kufa in the Islamic year one hundred and forty eight.
52
Fudail ibn Dukayn,57 teacher of Imam Bukhari, said, “I
used to come to Zufar58 and he had wrapped himself in
a cloth, so he used to say me, ‘O’ Ahwal, 59 come so we
came sift through the narrations.’ And I would offer
what I had heard. He would say, ‘This is acceptable, this
is not acceptable, this abrogates and this is
abrogated.’”60

Al-‘Amash and Al-Fudail (may Allah show them mercy)

are mountains of memorisation but even they showed
narrations to the jurists. So they could know how to act
upon the narrations that they transmit.

57
Abu Na’im Al-Fadal Ibn Dukyan. Salah ibn Ahmed ibn
Hanbal asked his father, “With Waqiah, Abdurrahman, Yazid
ibn Haroon where does Abu Na’im stand with those?” He
replied, “His narrations come from half of those, except he
intelligently checked the truth.” He asked, “So is Abu Na’im
more trustworthy or Waqiah?” He replied, “Abu Na’im has
fewer errors.” He asked, “What about Abu Abdullah?” He
replied, “Abu Na’im has better knowledge of the scholars, the
lineages and of the men of narration. Waqiah has more
jurisprudence.” Ahmed ibn Al-Hassan At-Tirmidhi was
informed that Abu Abdullah said, “When Abu Na’im died his
book came to the forefront so when the people differed they
went back to it.” Abu Zarah’a said, “I heard Ahmed ibn Salah
say I have not seen a prophetic narration expert as truthful
as Abu Na’im.” He died on the doubtful days before Ramadan
in the Islamic year two hundred and nineteen.
58
Imam Zufar was one of Abu Hanifah’s students.
59
His nickname.
60
From the jurist and its follower by Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdadi
1/163.
53
‫ وليعلم أن الكثار‬:‫قال الخطيب البغدادي في الفقيه والمتفقه‬
‫ إنما‬،‫ب الحديث وروايته ل يصير بها الرجقل فقيهاا‬ ‫من وكات ر‬
‫ وإمعان التفكر فيه‬،‫يتفقه باستنباط معانيه‬.
Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdadi states in The Jurist and its
Follower, “Know, that writing many prophetic narrations
and chains does not make him a jurist. It is only by
extracting the meanings and deep thought.” 61

So, as you see brother, narrating is something

understanding it and picking the legal opinion
something totally different.

61
Ibid 2/159.
54
55
 Chapter Six
Level of the true Narrator
Do not think that the level of prophetic narration expert
is attainable by anyone! Never, I swear by Allah, this is
only after extensive study and anguish; it is not
attained except rarely, by the best of the best.

‫ وقد رأيت‬:‫قال المام المحدث الخطيب البغدادي رحمه ال‬

‫خلقا من أهل هذا الزمان ينتسبون إلى الحديث ويعدون‬
‫أنفسهم من أهله المتخصصين بسماعه ونقله وهم أبعد الناس‬
‫مما يدعون وأقلهم معرفة بما إليه ينتسبون؛ يرى الواحد منهم‬
‫إذا كتب عددا قليل من الجزاء واشتغل بالسماع برهة يسيرة‬
‫من الدهر أنه صاحب حديث على الطلق ولما يجهد نفسه‬
‫ويتعبها في طلبه ول لحقته مشقة الحفظ لصنوفه وأبوابه‬.
Imam Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdadi, may Allah show him
mercy, said, “I have seen many people of this time
claiming to be experts; considering themselves as
hearers and transmitters (of hadith). They are the
furthest people from what they are calling to; very few
of them know what they claim to. You see one of them
who writes several small parts of narration and he is
busied for a short time and now he thinks that he is an
absolute expert. Not yet, has he exerted himself and
56
suffered in his search, nor did he receive the difficulties
of memorising the books and chapters of narration.”

Al-Khateeb is speaking about his time when the Muslim

world was full of narration and support of the chains of
narration; so what do you think of our time when the
average person is ignorant?

‫ إذا كتب الرجل ثلثين ألف حديث لم يكفه؟‬: ‫قيل لحمد‬

‫ مئة ألف؟ فقال‬:‫ فقيل‬,‫ ستين ألفا؟ فسكت‬: ‫فسكت ثم قيل‬
‫حينئذ يعرف شيئ‬.

28 ‫ابن الجوزي في مناقب المام أحمد ص‬

Someone asked Imam Ahmed (may Allah show him
mercy), “If a man records thirty thousand prophetic
narrations, does it suffice him?” He was silent. Then he
asked, “Sixty thousand?” he remained silent. Then he
asked “One hundred thousand!” He replied, “At that
time he will know something.”62

There are two important issues here:

 The level of the prophetic narration expert is high

and its affair dangerous; it is not attained by the
mere wish of someone sitting on his sofa! Rather it is
necessary to record one hundred thousand prophetic
62
Mentioned by Ibn Jawzi in Munaqib Al-Imam Ahmed page
28.
57
 narrations by hand to change his level until it can be
said, “He knows something.”

 The level of the jurist is higher than the level of the

prophetic narration expert by four qualities. This is
realized if we compare this story to the previous one
which occurred to Imam Ahmed (may Allah show
him mercy) when he said that ‘’One has to memorise
four hundred thousand narrations if he want to
become a Jurist.’’ We do not mean the level of the
jurist who studies the books of jurisprudence and
becomes Mufti, rather, we mean the person who can
derive rulings from the Quran and Prophetic
narrations (directly).

58
59
 Chapter Seven
Judgements on Prophetic
narration

‫ إني‬:‫ فقال له رجل‬،‫ كنا عند مالك‬:‫وقال منصور بن سلمة‬

‫ ستون‬:‫ فقال مالك‬.‫أقمت سبعين يوما فكتبت ستين حديثا‬
‫ إنما ربما كتبناها بالكوفة أو‬:‫حديثا تستكثرها؟ فقال الرجل‬
‫ كيف لنا بالعراق تلك بها دار‬:‫ قال مالك‬.‫بالعراق في مجلس‬
.‫الضرب يضرب بالليل وينفق بالنهار‬
‫إسعاف المبطأ برجال الموطأ للسيوطي‬
Munsoor ibn Salama63 said, “We were with Malik when a
man said, ‘I have stayed here seventy days and only
written sixty narrations.’ Malik said, ‘Sixty narrations, is
63
Ibn Abdulaziz ibn Salih. Born after the Islamic year one
hundred and forty. He heard prophetic narration from: ibn
Abu Salama, Hammad ibn Salama, Malik ibn Anas, Layth ibn
Sa’ad and others. Ahmed Ibn Hanbal was one who narrated
from him. He was a leader in prophetic narration, authentic
authority, insight into the narrators of prophetic narration and
there discrepancies. Ahmed ibn Abu Chita said, “my father
said to me, “We returned to Abu Salama Al-Khza’ai, today we
wrote an honoured lamb.” Ad-Daraqutni said, “He is one of
the elevated memorisers who used to question the
knowledge of narrators. His opinion was adopted. Ibn Sa’ad
said, “He is trustworthy, gathering prophetic narrations, then
teaching them, then moving to the enemy borders.” He died
in the Islamic year two hundred and ten.
60
that excessive?’ The man said, ‘Perhaps, in Kufa or Iraq
we would write that in one gathering.’ Malik said, ‘What
has Iraq got to do with us? That is a place of fghting,
where they strike during the night and give charity
during the day.’”64

Glory be to Allah, how strange is it to remain seventy

days and just receive sixty narrations? Receiving
narrations is easier than making a judgement upon
them. In our time we fnd those who delude themselves
by writing books in seventy days and make judgements
on hundreds of narrations, claiming to know their
strengths and weaknesses. We are not talking about
those who transmit the authentications of At-Tirmidhi or
the validations of Ad-Dhahabi, the problem is he who
criticises the chain or the text itself (without
knowledge) and compares the opinions of the scholars
himself.

‫ أنه صلى ال عليه وسلم مسح أعل الخف‬: ‫عن المغيرة‬

‫وأسفله ثم إن أحمد كان يضعفه ويقول ذكرته لعبد الرحمن‬
‫بن مهدي فقال عن ابن المبارك عن ثور حدثت عن رجاء‬
‫عن كاتب المغيرة ولم يذكر المغيرة قال أحمد وقد كان نعيم‬
‫بن حماد حدثني به عن بن المبارك كما حدثني الوليد بن‬
‫مسلم به عن ثور فقلت له إنما يقول هذا الوليد فأما بن‬

64
Is’af Al-Mabta bi Rijal al-Muwatta of Suyuti.
61
 ‫المبارك فيقول حدثت عن رجاء ول يذكر المغيرة فقال لي‬
‫نعيم هذا حديثي الذي أسأل عنه فأخرج إلي كتابه القديم‬
‫بخط عتيق فإذا فيه ملحق بين السطرين بخط ليس بالقديم‬
‫عن المغيرة فأوقفته عليه وأخبرته أن هذه زيادة في السناد ل‬
‫أصل لها فجعل يقول للناس بعد وأنا أسمع اضربوا على هذا‬
‫ شيخ السلم ابن حجر العسقلني في تلخيص‬.‫الحديث‬
‫الحبير‬
Al-Mughara65 narrates that the Prophet, 66 peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, wiped the top of his
leather sock and the bottom. 67 Then Imam Ahmed (may
Allah be pleased with him) made it weak and
mentioned it to Abdurrahman ibn Mahdi 68 who said that
Ibn Mubarak narrated from Thawr from Rajah from the

65
Al-Mughara Ibn Sh’iaba, Al-Amir Abu ‘Isa. One of the senior
companions courageous and intelligent, he saw the oath of
contentment. He had broad shoulders and lost an eye in the
battle of Yaramuk. Ibn Sa’ad said, “Al-Mughara had very red
hair, he had four partings, big lips, large head, weighty affair,
large arms, broad shoulders and was smart.” It was said of
him, “Mughara Al-Rayi died as the prince of Kufa in the
Islamic year ffty, in the month of Shabban, aged seventy
years old.” He has two narrations in Imam Muslim’s authentic
collection.
66
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him).
67
Imam Ahmed, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ad-
Daraqutni and Bayhaqi.
62
scribe of Al-Mughara, who did not mention Al-Mughara.
Imam Ahmed said Nayim ibn Hamd informed me that
Ibn Mubarak as Al-Waleed ibn Muslim did, from Thawr
(may Allah show them mercy). I said, “This only comes
from Al-Waleed as Ibn Mubarak narrates from Rajah and
does not mention Al-Mughara.” He said, “Nayim
narrated this to me and I asked him to bring out the old
book which had ancient writing on it then I saw an

68
Abdurrahman ibn Mahda, Al-Imam, Al-Naqd, Al-Majud.
Master of memorisation Abu Sa’id Al-‘Anbra. Born Islamic
year one hundred and thirty fve. He studied prophetic
narration when he was ffteen years old. He was an example
in knowledge and action. As-Shaf’i said, “I do not know a
similar example in this affair.” Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr Al-
Muqqadima said, “I have not seen anyone who masters what
he heard and what he did not hear than Abdurrahman ibn
Mahda, a trustworthy leader.” Abu Dawood As-Sajastani said,
“Waqiah and Abdurrahman met in Mecca after the night
prayer and discussed until the call for the dawn prayer
came.” Ibn Mahda said, “If I did not hate to disobey Allah, I
wish that no one would remain in this city except Aghtabani.”
Meaning anything! Abdurrahman ibn Mahad said, “His father
used to pray in the night and Yahya used to pray the whole
night.” He said, “Once, when true dawn came, he threw
himself on his bed and stayed there until sunrise. He did not
pray the dawn prayer, so he punished himself by not putting
anything between himself and the earth for two months. His
thighs opened and spilt.” Ibn Madani said, “I went to the
widow of Abdurrahan ibn Mahda, I used to visit her after his
death. I found a black mark upon the prayer niche, so I
asked, “What is this?” She replied, “Place Abdurrahman
rested. He would pray the night and if sleep overcame him,
he would put his forehead there. He used recite half the
Quran every night.” Muhammad ibn Yahya Ad-Dhahli said, “I
never saw a book in the hand of Aburrahman ibn Mahda.”
Meaning he memorised all that he narrated. Ibn Mahda
passed away in Al-Basara in the month of Jamada Al-Akhir, in
the Islamic year one hundred and ninety eight. His father
lived after his death.
63
appendix between the lines with writing that was not
old, from Al-Mughara. So I checked it and informed him
that this was an addition in the chain which has no
source. Then he began to say to the people, after, I
heard this then they ignored this narration.” 69

This is Imam Ahmed (may Allah show him mercy), the

Imam of the East and the West in transmitting Prophetic
narration with the (correct) ruling of the narration;
following the trustworthy opinions without adding his
own opinion. You see how he asked for the old book to
be brought out. Where there was new writing and
changed his opinion.

69
Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani in Takhlis Al-Habir.
64
If you follow the speech of the leader of prophetic
narrations like Ibn Al-Madani,70 Ibn Mu’een,71 Ibn
Khuzaymah, you would fnd them shun the judgement
of the narrations. Allah (the Exalted) took their souls
and they did not judge them, except a few of the
narrations for their authentication or fabrication.

70
Ali ibn Madani, leader of the believer in the feld of
Prophetic narration, Abu Hassan ibn Abdullah As-Sa’da (may
Allah show him mercy). Born in the Islamic year one hundred
and sixty one, in the city of Al-Basara. Abu Hatim Al-Razi said,
“Ibn Madini is a scholar amongst people in the knowledge of
prophetic narrations and discrepancies.” Ahmed ibn Hanbal
(may Allah show him mercy) used to only call him by his
agnomen in respect for him. Ahmed never called him by his
name. It was said, “Ali Ibn Madini was most knowledgeable
about the narrations of the Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him).” Abu Quddama said, “He
reached a degree that no one reached in prophetic
narrations.”
Al-Bukhari (may Allah show him mercy) said, “I did not feel
small with anyone except with Ali ibn Madini.” Ali Ibn Al-
Madini said, “I wrote Al-Musnad and left in my home then
went on a journey. The Earth consumed it and I was not able
to write it again.” Abdulmumin An-Nasaf said, “I asked Salah
ibn Muhammad, “Is Yahya ibn Mu’een better?” He said, “No,
he understands well.” I asked, “Really?” He replied, “He is
better in memorisation and understanding.” He died in the
Islamic year one hundred and seventy eight.
71
He is Al-Imam Al-Hafz, unique, prophetic narration
commentator, Abu Zakariah Yahya ibn Mu’een ibn ‘Uwan
(may Allah show him mercy). Born in the Islamic year one
hundred and ffty eight. He began studying aged twenty.
Someone asked Imam Ahmed, “Dear Abu Abdullah, examine
these prophetic narrations, there are errors there.” He
replied, “Go to Abu Zakariah as he will know the errors.”
AbdulKhaliq ibn Mansoor said to Ibn Ar-Rumi, “I heard some
people taking about the narrations that reached Yahya. He
said, “Tell me who is better than him that the sun has risen
over?” He said, “No surprise.” Ali ibn Al-Madini said, “I have
65
In our time you fnd one of them who has yet to reach
forty years of age and he has judged that thousands
narrations are unacceptable. How will he face the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on
the day of doom when he has rejected his proven
speech?!

O’ Allah, everything is easy except to destroy Your signs

and reject Your Prophet upon him is the most superior
invocations and pure blessings.

not seen any of the people better than him.” Ahmed ibn
‘Aqaba asked Yahya ibn Mu’een, “How many prophetic
narrations have you written?” He replied, “This hand of mine
has written six thousand prophetic narrations.” Muhab ibn
Salim Al-Bukhari narrated from Muhammad ibn Yusuf Al-
Bukhari Al-Hafz that he said, “We were with Yahya ibn
Mu’een on pilgrimage and entered Medina on Friday night, he
died during the night. When the morning came the voices of
the people could be heard about his death. The tribe of
Hisham came and said, “We will bring the utensils that the
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) washed with.” The people thought this and spoke about
it. The tribe said to them, “We have the most right according
to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
and he has the right to be washed.” So they washed him and
buried him on Friday, in the month of Dhul-Qaidah, in the
Islamic year two hundred and thirty-three.
66
 Chapter Eight
Prophetic narrations amongst
The jurists and the narration
experts

Know that the point of view of the prophetic narration

experts towards narration differs from the jurists of
principles. That is because the research of the narration
expert is directed toward the chain of the narration;
from the criticism of the narrators, did they meet who
they narrated from? And the text in terms of the
standpoint of the grades and comparison between it
and between other narrations.

As for the point of view of the jurist and the prophetic

narrations, this is from the meaning of the legal ruling;
is it clear, general, ambiguous, specifc, absolute or
conditional.72 As well as this, the jurists disagree on
several points on authentication of narrations and
weakness. To explain this further,73 Ibn Kathir mentions
in Rapid Research74 that,

72
These are terms familiar in the science known as Usul Al-
Fiqh/principles of Jurisprudence.
73
The frst point.
74
A book by Ibn Kathir on methodology of prophetic
narrations.
67
 ‫ث وعان بورقيسرة والروواةر وعان وشايةخ‬ ‫إوذا تويوفسرود والسراروي بررزياودةة رفي اولاحردي ر‬
‫و‬ ‫و‬
‫ فويوهال رهوي وماققبولوةك أوام‬,‫ وووهوذا اولسرذي يقيوعبسيقر وعانهق بررزوياودةر وال ثيوقرة‬,‫لوقهام‬
‫ب وعان أواكثورر اولاقفوقوهارء‬ ‫ر‬
‫ف وماشقهوكر فووحوكى اولاوخطي ق‬ ‫ول؟ رفيره رخول ك‬
.‫ ووورسدوها أواكثويقر اولاقموحثدرثيون‬,‫قويقبولووها‬

“When an individual narrator has an addition to a

narration that others, who were taught by the same
teacher, do not. This is considered as an addition, to
those who are trustworthy, is this acceptable or not?
The disagreement on this is well known. Al-Khateeb
transmits that most of the jurists accept, and most of
the prophetic narration experts refuse.’’

As you see there is a difference between the prophetic

narration experts and jurists about acceptance of the
addition of a trustworthy person, with the jurists
accepting and most of the narration experts refusing.
Its acceptance needs rethinking as several experts have
explained.

The second difference is about the delegated report 75

although it is a proof according to all the jurists,
amongst them Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik and Imam
Ahmed (may Allah show them mercy).

75
Known as mursal – a report missing a successor.
68
‫قال أبو داود صاحب السنن في رسالته إلى أهل مكة ‪ :‬وأما‬
‫المراسيل‪ ،‬فقد كان يحتج بها العلماء‪ ،‬فيما مضى‪ ،‬مثل‬
‫سفيان الثوري‪ ،‬ومالك بن أنس‪ ،‬والوزاعي حتى جاء‬
‫الشافعي‪ ،‬فتكلم فيه‬

‫‪69‬‬
Abu Dawood,76 compiler of the Sunnan said in his letter
written to the people of Mecca, “As for the delegated
report, it was a proof with the scholars, in the past such
as: Sufyan Al-Thawri,77 Malik ibn Anas, Al-Awzai 78 until
As-Shaf’i came and spoke about it.” 79 (may Allah show
them mercy).

76
Suleman ibn As-Sa’ath, Sheikh of the prophetic way, reader
for Abu Dawood, Al-Azadi, As-Sajastani. Born in the Islamic
year two hundred and twenty. He journeyed for knowledge,
he gathered, he authored and he excelled in this feld. The
frst place he went to was Baghdad whilst he was eighteen
years old. Al-Khateeb Abu Bakr said, “he authored the book
As-Sunnan then offered it to Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal; he
selected and improved it.” Abu Bakr Darusa said, “I heard
Abu Dawood say that he had written fve hundred thousand
prophetic narrations, he selected from them what he included
in this book.” In other words As-Sunan of Abu Dawood. He
gathered four thousand eight hundred prophetic narrations
mentioned as one of the authentic collections. For mankind,
for prophetic narrations suffice for his worldly existence, from
his speech (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) are
four narrations: 1) “Actions are commensurate to
intentions...” 2) “It is from the excellence of one’s Islam to
leave that which does not concern him.” 3) “A believer is not
complete until he loves for his brother what he loves for
himself.” 4) “The permitted is clear and the prohibited is
clear; between these two are doubtful matters.” Abu Bakr
Muhammad ibn Ishaq As-Saghni and Ibrahim Al-Harbi say,
“When Abu Dawood authored “As-Sunan” it was made
palpable for him as iron was made palpable for the Prophet
Dawood (upon him peace).” Abu Dawood was able to
remember one thousand narrations when he authored the
book As-Sunan. He recited for the people; his students used it
as the Quran, followed it and did not go against it. Abu
Dawood passed away on the sixteenth of Shawwal in the year
two hundred and seventy fve.
77
Sufyan ibn Sa’ed ibn Masruq, Sheikh of Islam, Imam Al-
Hafz, master of the scholars who acted upon knowledge in
his time, Abu Abdullah At-Thawri Al-Kuf Al-Mujtahid. Born in
70
As-Shaf’i (may Allah show him mercy) accepted them
also if they met fve conditions.

the Islamic year of ninety-seven, by consensus. He sought

knowledge under the supervision of his father who was a
prophetic narration expert called Sa’ed ibn Masruq At-Thawri.
Abu Muthana said, “I heard several times, ‘Sufyan came,
Sufyan came.’ So I went to him and I saw a boy with hairs
sprouting hairs from his chin.” This was because of his
intelligence during his childhood and he began to narrate to
during his adolescence. Ad-Dhahabi said, “The best chain of
authority of the men of Allah is: Sufyan, from Mansur, from
Ibrahim, from ’Alqamah from Abdullah.” Ibn Mahda said, “I
have not seen four better or similar to four; I have not seen
anyone who memorised more narrations than Sufyan, no one
stronger in abstinence than Sh’uba, no one more intelligent
than Malik and no one who benefted the people like ibn
Mubarak.” Ibn Salah said, “Sufyan is a scholar of the nation
and its servant.” Ibn Abu Dhab said, “I have not seen anyone
who resembles the successors like Sufyan At-Thawri.” He
passed away in the frst part of the year one hundred and
sixty-one.
78
Abdurrahman ibn Umar ibn Yahmdu, scholar of Islam,
scholar of the people of Syria, Abu Umar Al-Awzai. He lived in
an area called Al-Awzai which is close to the gate of Firdous in
Damascus. Then he moved to Beirut and stayed there until
his death. He was born during the lifetimes of the
companions; he was born in eighty-eight. Al-Abbas ibn Al-
Walid said, “I did not see my father be astounded by anything
in the world as he was astounded by Al-Awzai.” Al-Awzai was
a poor orphan in the lap of his mother, they travelled from
city to city, he attained wisdom and this was seen during
maturity. Kings were incapable of disciplining themselves like
Al-Awzai disciplined himself. He was did not speak
excessively without need, unless he had to, and he did not
laugh unless he coughed. If he talked about the day of doom,
71
 ‫ لم يزل الناس على العمل‬:‫وقال محمد بن جرير الطبري‬
‫ حتى حدث بعد المائتين القول برده أحكام‬،‫ وقبوله‬،‫بالمرسل‬
‫المراسيل للصلحا العلئي‬

there would not be anyone who did not cry. Muhammad ibn
Abdurrahman As-Sulami said, “Al-Awzai was more of a talker
than average, slim, brown, he used to apply henna.” Abu
Ishaq Al-Fazri said, “I have not seen the like of Al-Awzai and
Sufyan. Al-Awzai is a normal person and At-Thawri has a
precious soul. If I would chose one for this nation I would
chose Al-Awzai.” Ishaq ibn Rahwa said, “If At-Thawri, Al-Awzai
and Malik agreed on an issue then that is correct.” Al-Walid
ibn Muslim said, “I was not concerned to hear prophetic
narrations from Al-Awzai until I saw the Messenger of Allah
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in a dream and
Al-Awzai was next to him. I asked, ‘O’ Messenger of Allah,
from whom shall I take knowledge from?’ He replied, ‘From
him.’ He indicated to Al-Awzai.” Bishir ibn Al-Mudhir said, “I
saw Al-Awzai and it was as if he was blind from humbleness.”
Al-Awzai died in the Islamic year of one hundred and ffty
one.
79
Abu Dawood’s letter to the people of Mecca p.24.
72
Muhammad Ibn Jarir At-Tabari80 (may Allah show him
mercy) said, “People kept accepting the action on
delegated reports, accepting them, until the year two
hundred when acceptance was rejected.” 81

As for the prophetic narration experts, they consider

the delegated report as a type of severed weak report.

80
Muhammad ibn Jarir ibn Yazid ibn Kathir, Imam Al-Alam Al-
Mujtahid, scholar of his era Abu Jafar At-Tabari. He is writer of
groundbreaking works. He is from the people of Tabarstan. He
was born in the Islamic year of two hundred and twenty-four.
He travelled from Amal where he had memorised the Quran.
He used to move from city to city and his father used to send
him money. He said, “Sometimes the money came late and I
was forced to sell my sleeves.” He travelled frequently and
would meet the elite men. He was an example of his time
about knowledge, intelligence and many works. Al-Khateeb
said, “I heard Ali ibn Ubydullah Al-Laghwai say, “Muhammad
ibn Jarir stayed for forty years and wrote forty pages,
everyday.” Al-Hakim said, “I heard Husnayk ibn Ali said, “The
frst question that Ibn Khuzaima asked me was did you study
with Muhammad ibn Jarir At-Tabari? I said, “No. Why? He did
not come out and the Hanbalis prevented me.” He replied,
“What a terrible thing that you did. You did not just study with
him; you did not study with those he did. I heard from Abu
Jafar, who said that death was upon him and a party was
there, one of them was Abu Bakr ibn Kamil. He said before his
spirit left him, “O Abu Jafar, You are a proof that between us
and between Allah in what we owe. Is there something than I
can leave in my will for the affair of the religion? Explain to us
so we hope to leave in peace.” He replied, “That which I
profess to Allah with. I leave in my will to you my works that
which I affirmed in my books; so act upon and it is for you.”
Or speech to that effect. He professed the faith of Islam,
wiped his face with his hands and closed his eyes with his
hands after his soul left his body. Ibn Jarir died Sunday with
two days remaining until Shawwal in the year three hundred
and ten. The people at his funeral procession are unknown
except to Allah the exalted. He was prayed over for a number
of months, night and day. Poets wrote obituaries about him,
73
‫ المرسل‬: ‫قال المام مسلم رحمه ال في مقدمة صحيحه قال‬
‫في أصل قولنا وقول أهل العلم بالخبار ليس بحجة‬.
Imam Muslim,82 may Allah show him mercy, states in
the introduction of his authentic collection, “The
delegated report is a source, to us and the people of
knowledge, a report not a proof.”

as did the religious folk.

81
Rulings of the delegated reports of Salah Al-Alaya.
82
Imam Al-Kabir, Al-Hafiz, Al-Majud, Al-Hujjah, As-Sadiq, Abu
Al-Hassan, Muslim ibn Hajjaj, Al-Qushari, An-Naisaburi. Author
of one to works to be considered as the authentic collection.
He was born in two hundred and four. He frst started to listen
to Yahya ibn Yahya Al-Tamimi was when he was eighteen. He
went on pilgrimage when twenty, he was beardless; he heard
in Mecca, he heard in Kufa and then returned to his
homeland. During his thirties he went to Iraq, Mecca, Medina
and Egypt. He said that he had authored Al-Munsad As-Sahih
from three thousand prophetic narrations that he had heard.
Ahmed ibn Salama said, “I was with Muslim when he
authored it, it took him ffteen years.” He lived for ffty-fve
years and he was buried in the city of Naysabur in the year
two hundred and sixty-one.
74
As confrmed by Ibn Abdul-Barr 83 from the writers of
prophetic narration.

Ali Al-Qari (may Allah show him mercy) in Open Door of

Care states, “The delegated report is a proof according
to the majority, one of them is Imam Malik.”

The conclusion is, Al-Hafz Abu Faraj ibn Al-Jawzi (may

Allah show him mercy) in The Authentication from
Imam Ahmed narrating from Al-Khateeb in the book
The Comprehensive that he said, “Perhaps the

83
Imam Al-Imam, Hafz Al-Maghrib, Sheikh of Islam, Abu
Umar, Yusuf Ibn Abdullah Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abdul Barr Ibn
Asim An-Namri, Al-Andulusi, Al-Qurtabi, Al-Maliki, the writer of
numerous works on jurisprudence. He was born in Islamic
year three hundred and sixty-eight in the month of Rab’i Al-
Akhir. He met major scholars; he attained a high chain of
narration; he collected knowledge; he authored; trustworthy,
riders would carry his books; the scholars of his time were
submissive to him. He died listening to prophetic narration
from his father Al-Imam Abu Muhammad in the year three
hundred and eighty, aged ffty years. Al-Hammidi said, “Abu
Umar is a jurist; Al-hafz Mukhar; scholar in the modes of
Quranic recitation and their differences; knowledgeable about
the science of prophetic narrations and narrators; high chain;
inclining to the school of As-Shaf’i; writer of prophetic
practice and how to follow it; he was a Zahari then he
became a Maliki with an inclination to Imam As-Shaf’i in some
issues; there is no denying this; he reached a level of
Mujtahid. Whoever looks into his works can see clearly that
he arrived at vast knowledge and strong understanding.” Abu
Walid Al-Baji said, “There is no one in Al-Andulus like Abu
Umar ibn AbdulBarr in the science of prophetic narration. He
is the Hafz of the people of North West Africa.” Ibn Hazam
said, “I do not know the like of him in speech on
jurisprudence and prophetic narrations; so who is better?”
Abu Umar died during Friday night, in the last week of Rabi’a
Al-Akhir, in the year four hundred and sixty-three. He lived for
ninety-fve years and fve days; may Allah show him mercy.
75
delegated report is stronger than ground report.” 84 Isa
ibn Aban, one of our scholars, and a group of Malik’s
students conformed, “The delegated report has priority
over the grounded report.” This is directed at those
who narrated it to you thus giving you the responsibility
to test it; whoever reports it to the leaders of prophetic
narration without knowledge, religion and truthfulness,
has severed you from the authentication and suffices as
a conclusion. But a group of our scholars and group of
the students of Imam Malik said, “We do not say, that
the delegated report is stronger than the grounded
report but they are the same when it comes to a proof.”
The evidence is that the righteous predecessors used it
as evidence, so and so, said so and narrated so, not one
of them of the companions said anything on it.

As-Shaf’i refused the delegated report except if he

received it from another source, grounded or a
delegated report received from other than the frst
narrator, or the opinion of a predecessor on this, or with
the opinion of most of the people of knowledge, or the
narrator of the delegated report only narrates from the
upright; this is like the text that Imam Fakhrudeen and
Al-Amidi agreed upon.

Now know, the terminology of the later scholars divided

the prophetic narrations from authentic, 85 sound,86

84
In Arabic Musnad – a report raised by a companion to the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon).
85
Sahih, in Arabic, This is a narration with an uninterrupted
chain, where each narrator is reliable and accurate who
relates from a similar authority, free from defects or
irregularities.
86
Hasan - Al-Khattabi states, “It is the one where its source is
known and its reporters are unambiguous.” By this he means
76
weak,87 delegated, severed,88 puzzling report89 and
other kinds of known terminology on the source of
prophetic narration as we authenticated in our
explanation on the commentary of Nukhbah Al-
Fikar/The Chosen Thoughts90 of Al-Hafz Ibn Hajar Al-
Asqalani (may Allah show him mercy): “Then they
refused from the delegated report and anything after
it.”

As for the early scholars of the predecessors, they did

not reject anything like that, as Imam Malik (may Allah
show him mercy) did in Al-Muwatta that was because of
the lack of difference, with them, between delegated
report, authentic and sound; thus the delegated report
is relegated to the severed and puzzling reports. If they
saw a difference that we have used a delegated report
as evidence, they would criticise it as weak according to
their terminology and claim we act upon weak
narrations in opposition to authentic or sound ones.

Even with that, there was a large group of prophetic

narrations from the successor generation; one of them
is Sa’id ibn Mussayib (may Allah show him mercy). 91

that the transmitters of the narration should not be of a

doubtful nature.
87
Da’if – is a narration with a discontinued chain of narrators.
88
Maqtu – a narration where someone below the companion
is missing.
89
Musal – a narration with a gap in the chain of narrators.
90
The full title is Nukhbat Al-Fikar – a text on Prophetic
narration methodology.
91
Sa’id Ibn Mussayib Ibn Hazan, Abu Muhammad Al-Qarshi Al-
Mukhzami (may Allah show him mercy). Scholar of the people
of Medina, master of the successors in his time. He was born
during the khaliphate of Umar, he heard from: Uthman and
Ali, Zaid ibn Thabit, Abu Musa, Sa’id, Aisha, Abu Hurayra, Ibn
77
 ‫ وأصحهيا مراسيل ابن المسيب لنه من أولد‬:‫قال الحاكم‬
‫ وأول‬،‫ وفقيه الحجاز ومفتيهم‬،‫ وأدرك العشيرة‬،‫الصحابة‬
‫الفقهياء السبعة الذين يعتد مالك بإجماعهم كإجماع كافة‬
26 ‫ ص‬. ‫معرفة علوم الحدييث‬ ‫الناس‬

Abbas, Muhammad ibn Salama, Umm Salama and others

(may Allah be pleased with them all). Most of his narrations
are from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), he
married one his offspring. He heard from the companions of
Umar and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them). It was
stated, “No one knows better than what passed by Umar and
Uthman.” Qudama ibn Musa said, “Ibn Mussayib used to
issue legal edicts during the lifetimes of the companions.”
Malik said, “Umar ibn Abdulaziz did not issue a verdict, he
was the prince of Medina, until he had consulted Sa’id ibn
Mussayib. He sent a messenger to him, who called him, he
came and Umar said that courier had made a mistake and
that he had only sent to ask him in his gatherings. Al-Waqda
said, “He had the highest narrations of the people. He took
from Asma ibn Abu Bakr As-Saddiq as she took from her
father.” Muslim ibn Al-Hata said, “A man came to Ibn
Mussayib saying that he had seen himself urinating into his
hand. He said, “Fear Allah, as below this is something
prohibited.” The man looked into his wife and found that they
had breast fed from the same woman. He died in the Islamic
year of ninety-four.
78
Al-Hakim92 (may Allah show him mercy) said, “The
delegated reports of Ibn Mussayib are authentic
because he was one of the children of the successors.
He saw one of the ten promised paradise, Jurist of Al-
Hijaz, their mufti, he was the frst of the seven jurists of
Medina who taught Malik, their agreement is like the
agreement of all of the people.”93

One of the narrators of delegated reports is As-Sha’bi

(may Allah show him mercy);94

92
Muhammad ibn Abdullah, Al-Imam Al-Hafz, An-Naqd Al-
Allama, scholar of the prophetic narration scholars, Abu
Abdullah ibn Al-Bay’a Ad-Dabi At-Tahmani An-Naysaburi, As-
Shaf’i and author of many works. Born on Monday the third of
Rabi’a Al-Awwal, in the year three hundred and twenty-one.
He began studying as a child under the supervision of his
father and aunt. He began to studying in the year three
hundred and thirty. He studied to Abu Hatim ibn Hibban in the
year three hundred and thirty-four; he was thirteen. He was
attached to his teacher’s high narration in Khursan, Iraq and
transoxiana. He heard from one thousand scholars, more or
less. In Naysabur he heard from one thousand teachers, then
went to Iraq aged twenty years old. He narrates from his
father; his father had seen Imam Muslim author of the “As-
Sunan.” He was an ocean of knowledge. He said, “I drank
Zam Zam and asked Allah to give me the best works.” He
wrote a commentary on Al-Hikam in the year three hundred
and thirty-seven. By consensus his works reach a number
close to one thousand. He passed into the mercy of Allah in
the year four hundred and fve.
93
Al-Hakim Known sciences of narration p.26.
94
As-Sha’bi Amar ibn Sharhil ibn Abd ibn Dhi-kibar. He was
born during the fourth year of Umar ibn Al-Khattab’s
khaliphate. He said, “I have met fve thousand of the
companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him.” Abu Mijlaz said, “I have not seen anyone who
understands jurisprudence better than As-Sha’bi, not Sa’id
ibn Mussayib, not Tawas, not ‘Atta, not Al-Hassan and not Ibn
Sirren. And I have seen them all. Ibn Sa’id said As-Sha’bi was,
79
 ‫ ل يكياد يرسل‬،‫ مرسل الشعبي صحيح‬:‫فقال أحمد العجلي‬
.‫إل صحيحيا‬
79 ‫ ص‬1 ‫ ج‬.‫ تذكرة الحفاظ‬:‫الذهبي‬
Ahmed Al-‘Ajali95 (may Allah show him mercy) said,
“The delegated reports from As-Sha’bi are authentic as
he never narrates except it was authentic.”96

“Weak; slim; he was born and his brother was his twin.” Ibn
Shabrima said that he heard As-Sha’bi say, “I did not put pen
to paper, up to this day, no man taught a prophetic narration
except that I memorised it.” As-Sha’bi died in the year one
hundred and four aged eighty-two.
95
Al-Imam Al-Hafz Al-Awhad Az-Zahid, Abu l’Hassan Ahmed
ibn Abdullah ibn Salah ibn Muslim Al-‘Ijali Al-Kuf. He moved
from the city of Itarabulas Al-Maghrib to Kufa in the year one
hundred and eighty-two. It was mentioned to Abbas ibn
Muhammad Ad-Dawri, he said, “That was who we used to
consider like Ahmed ibn Hanbal and Yahya ibn Mu’een.”
Some of the scholars said, “According to us there does not
resemble anyone like Abu l’Hassan Ahmed ibn Abdullah in Al-
Maghrib. No equal in his time in the knowledge of strange
words, by consensus. And in abstinence and caution. Yahya
ibn Mu’een was asked about Ahmed ibn Abdullah ibn Salah,
he said, “He is a sound source and son of a sound source.”
Some of them said, “Ahmed ibn Abdullah only lived in
Itarabulas to be alone and worship.” His grave is there on the
beach; the grave of his son is next to his. Ahmed ibn Al-‘Ijali
said, “We went to visit Abu Dawood At-Taylasi and he died the
day before we reached Al-Basra.” Ahmed died in the year two
hundred and sixty-one.
96
Ad-Dhahbi Takira Al-Hafz 1/79.
80
Also the delegated narrations of Al-Hassan, 97 Al-Basri
are acceptable (may Allah show them mercy).

97
Al-Hassan Ibn Abu l’Hassan Yasir Abu Sa’id. Freed slave of
Zaid ibn Thabit Al-Ansari. He was born in Medina; Umm Salam
used to send Umm Al-Hassan for her needs; he would cry
even though he was a child and she would hold him to
comfort him. He used to go to companions of Messenger of
Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when he
was very young. They used to supplicate for him. Once he
went to Umar who prayed, “O Allah, give him understanding
of the religion and make him beloved to the people.” He was
the master of his peers in his time, in knowledge and action.
Mu’tar ibn Sulayman said, “My father used to say he is the
scholar of the people of Al-Basara.” Muhammad ibn Sa’ad
said, “Al-Hassan (may Allah show him mercy) is an
encyclopaedia of knowledge, high understanding of
jurisprudence, trustworthy, constantly in worship,
knowledgeable, eloquent, handsome, perfectly proportioned,
attractive and he is known for braveness.” Abu Badra said, “I
have not seen anyone who resembles the companions of
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) than
him.” Matar Al-Wariq said, “When Al-Hassan would come; it
would be as if he is in the afterlife; describing what he has
seen.” Qatada said, “The knowledge of Al-Hassan was not
gathered into one of the scholars except that he is indebted
to him; without whom he would have difficulty.” He wrote to
Sa’id ibn Mussayib a question. No jurist has sat ever except
that he is indebted to Al-Hassan. Al-Hassan died in the month
of Rajab, one hundred and ten; like his father who died on the
frst of Rajab. His funeral procession was seen and prayed
upon by a great number from Al-Basra; many people came
and overcrowded the area. Until there was no place to pray
the afternoon prayer in the masjid. It was narrated that
before he died, he was unconscious and said, “You have
woken me from gardens, springs and honoured place.”
81
 ‫ مرسيلت الحسن التي رواها عنه الثقات‬:‫فقال ابن الميديني‬
.‫ ما أقل ما يسقط منها‬،‫صحاحا‬
124 ‫ ص‬1 ‫ تدريب الراوي ج‬:‫السيوطى‬
Ibn Al-Madini said, “The delegated reports narrated by
Al-Hassan are proven and authenticated, except a few
of them that are not.”98

Another delegated reporter is Ibrahim An-Nakh'i who is

authentic except for the narrations of, The Merchant of
Bahrain and The Narration of Laughter.99

Others who narrated, of the trusted successors, are:

Sa’id ibn Jubair, Mujahid, Tarawash, Umar ibn Dinar, and
the delegated reports of Malik ibn Anis (may Allah be
pleased with them) are authenticated. There is
disagreement on the delegated reports of Az-Zuhuri but
most of the narration experts see them as weak. Yahya
ibn Mu’in (may Allah show him mercy) said, “The
delegated reports of Az-Zuhuri are nothing and this is
As-Shaf'i’s opinion also.”100

Many mistakes have occurred from those attributed

with knowledge101 in our time, from taking the prophetic
narration terminology then applying them on juristic
issues, then accusing the scholars of not knowing the
authentic narration or the weak narrations! Also, do not
rely on the speech of narration experts when they do
98
As-Suyuti Tadrib Al-Raawi 1/124.
99
Al-Zalai in Nasb al-Rayya 1/52.
100
Al-Aliya in Jamia At-Takhlis fi Ahkam al-Marasil p.41.
101
Hadith experts in our time.
82
not accept the delegated reports because they do when
there is no grounded report.

‫ فإذا لم يكن مسند‬: ‫قال أبو داود في رسالته إلى أهل مكة‬
‫غير المراسيل ولم يوجد المسند فالمرسل يحتج به وليس هو‬
‫مثل المتصل في القوة‬.
Abu Dawood (may Allah show him mercy) states in his
letter to the people of Mecca, “If there is no grounded
report that is not delegated. The grounded report
cannot be found, then the delegated is accepted and it
is not lower than a connected102 report.”103

The next difference between the prophetic narration

experts and the jurists when accepting narration, is
what the scholar of Islam, Ad-Dhahabi (may Allah show
him mercy), said in his Sermons on the defnition of
authentic, which is as follows,

‫ر‬
‫ث الصحيح هو ما وداور على وعادال قماتقةن واتس و‬
. ‫صل وسنوقده‬ ‫الحدي ق‬
‫ وزاد أهقل‬. ‫فإن كان قمروسلا ففي الحتجاج به اختلف‬
‫ سلمتوهق من الشذورذ والرعسلة وفيه نظر على مقتضى‬: ‫الحديث‬
‫ فإسن كثيرا من الرعولل يأبوياونها‬،‫نظر الفقهاء‬.

102
Mutasil – a narration with an uninterrupted chain of
narrators and they knew each other.
103
As note 96 Page 25.
83
“An authentic narration is what comes from an upright
narrator and its chain is connected. If it is a delegated
report used as proof, then there is disagreement.” The
people of narration added, “Free from irregularity,
discrepancy and in the view other than the Jurists; as
many with discrepancies are refused.”

So this is unambiguous text, in what we explained,

adding the condition that the narration should be
authentic. It is a narration free from irregularity and
discrepancy. Most of the jurists mentioned reject its
discrepancy. We do not consider it a cause of the
authentic narration, as this is another issue. Clarifed for
you there is disagreement between narration experts
and jurists when accepting prophetic narrations and
refusing them. The examples of this chapter are many
and well known.

4. The direct narration is stronger according to the

prophetic narration experts, this is when a companion
does something in disagreement to a reported
narration, what is narrated is in opposition according to
most of the jurists. Like washing a container containing
saliva of a dog seven times,104 as narrated by Abu
Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) then washed
it action three times.105

For example

104
Bukhari and Muslim.
105
Ad-Darqutni 1/66.
84
 ‫ جاءت امرأة إلى‬:‫عن ابن عباس رضي ال عنهما قال‬
‫ يا رسول ال إن‬:‫رسول ال صلى ال عليه وسلم فقالت‬
‫ أرأيت لو‬:‫أمي ماتت وعليها صوم نذر أفأصوم عنها؟ قال‬
:‫كان على أمك دين فقضيتيه أكان يؤدي ذلك عنها؟ قالت‬
‫ رواه مسلم و البخاري‬.‫ فصومي عن أمك‬:‫ قال‬.‫نعم‬
Muslim (may Allah show him mercy) narrates that Ibn
Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that a lady
came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him). He asked, “O’ Messenger of Allah
my mother has died and had made an oath to fast, do I
fast for her?” He replied, “If you knew that your mother
had a debt would you pay it off?” She said, “Yes.” He
said, “Fast for your mother.”106

‫ ل يصلي أحد عن أحد ول يصوم أحد عن‬:‫قال ابن عباس‬

.‫ ولكن يطعم عنه مكان كل يوم مد من حنطة‬, ‫أحد‬
‫رواه البيهقي و الطحاوي‬
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah show him mercy), the narrator,
says that no one can perform prayers for someone else

106
Muslim in chapter of fasting 1938, Bukhari 1817. This could
also be used a proof of qayias/analogical reasoning by the
Hanafs.
85
or fast for someone else but he can feed someone three
kilos of wheat every day.107

5. The narration of the jurist has priority when

comparing to the narration of a non-jurist narrator,
according to some Jurists.

: ‫عن وكيع بن الجراحا شيخ الشافعي أنه قال لصحابه‬

، ‫العمش أحب إليكم عن أبي وائل عن عبد ال بن مسعود‬
‫ عن‬، ‫ عن علقمة‬،‫ عن إبراهيم‬،‫أو سفيان الثوري عن منصور‬
‫ العمش‬: ‫ فقال‬.‫ العمش عن أبي وائل أقرب‬:‫ فقلنا‬،‫عبد ال‬
‫شيخ وأبو وائل شيخ وسفيان عن منصور عن إبراهيم عن‬
‫علقمة عن عبد ال فقية عن فقيه عن فقيه عن فقيه‬.

‫ذكرها الراومقهارقمزي في المحدث الفاصل‬

107
Al-Jahar Al-Naqa 257, Sunna al-Kubra 4/257, problems of
inheritance of Tahawi 3/141 and Ibn Tarmani said its chain is
authentic according to Muslim and Bukhari, Ibn Abdulali said
it meets the criteria of Muslim.
86
Waq’i ibn Al-Jarah (may Allah show him mercy), 108 the
teacher of Imam As-Shaf’i, said to his students, “Which
one of these two chains of narrations is better? Al-
Amash narrating from Abu Wail he is from Abdullah ibn
Mas'ud, or Sufyan Al-Thawri narrating from Mansoor
from Ibrahim from ‘Alqamah he is Abdullah?” We said,
“Al-Amash from ibn Abu Wail is closer.” He replied, “Al-
Amash is a scholar, Abu Wail is a scholar. But Sufyan
from Mansoor; from Ibrahim from Alqamah from
Abdullah. A jurist to a jurist to a jurist to a jurist.” 109

‫ اجتمع أبو حنيفة والوزاعي‬: ‫عن سفيان بن عيينة قال‬

‫ فقال الوزاعي لبي‬,‫رحمهما ال في دار الخياطين بمكة‬

108
Waq’i ibn Al-Jarah, Imam Al-Hafz, prophetic narrator of
Iraq, Abu Sufyan Ar-Rawasi, Al-Kuf. Born in the year one
hundred and twenty-nine. He busied himself since young. His
father was an overseer for the public funds in Kufa. He had a
presence and greatness and, according to Yahya ibn Ayyub
Al-Maqabari, “Waq’i inherited from his mother one thousand
gold coins.” It was stated, “When Sufyan At-Thawri died,
Waq’i sat in his position.” Al-Qa’nabi said, “We were with
Hammad Ibn Zaid when Waq’i left, we said, “This is the
narrator of Sufyan.” Yahya ibn Akttam said, “I accompanied
Waq’i during his presence and attendance; he used to fast a
day and fnish the Quran every night.” Yahya ibn Mu’een said,
“Waq’i in his time is like Al-Awzai in his time.” Imam Ahmed
ibn Hanbal said, “Waq’i; so cease.” Waq’i said, “Whoever
seeks prophetic narrations as they are, is a bearer of Sunna;
whoever seeks prophetic narrations to strengthen his opinion,
is a bearer of innovation.” Waq’i went to pilgrimage aged
ninety-six.
109
Al-Ramahrazi in superiority of narration 238.
87
‫حنيفة ما لكم ل ترفعون أيديكم في الركوع وعند الرفع منه؟‬
‫فقال أبو حنيفة ‪ :‬لجل أنه لم يصح عن رسول ال صلى ال‬
‫عليه وسلم أنه كان يرفع يديه إذا افتتح الصلة وعند الركوع‬
‫وعند الرفع )وكان المام يحفظ أحاديث الرفع ولكن يراها‬
‫منسوخة( فقال ‪ :‬كيف وقد حدثني الزهري عن سالم عن أبيه‬
‫عن رسول ال صلى ال عليه وسلم أنه كان يرفع يديه إذا‬
‫افتتح الصلة وعندالركوع وعند الرفع؟ فقال أبو حنيفة ‪:‬‬
‫حدثنا حماد عن إبراهيم عن علقمة والسود عن ابن مسعود‬
‫رضي ال عنه أن رسول ال صلى ال عليه وسلم كان يرفع‬
‫يديه عند افتتاحا الصلة ثم ل يعود إلي شيء من ذلك قال‬
‫الوزاعي ‪ :‬أحسدثك عن الزهري وسالم وأبيه وتقول حدثنا‬
‫حماد عن إبراهيم ؟ فقال أبو حنيفة ‪ :‬كان حماد أفقه من‬
‫الزهري وكان إبراهيم أفقه من سالم ‪ ,‬وعلقمه ليس بدون ابن‬
‫عمر‪ ,‬وإن كان لبن عمر صحبة‪ ,‬فالسود له فضل كبير‬

‫‪88‬‬
 .‫ فسكت الوزاعي‬،‫وعبد ال هو عبد ال‬
231 :‫ ص‬1 :‫حجة ال البالغة للمام الدهلوي ج‬
Sufyan Ibn Uyana110 (may Allah show him mercy)
narrates, “Abu Hanifah and Imam Al-Awzai, may Allah
show them mercy, met in a tailors’ market in Mecca. So
Imam Al-Awzai asked Abu Hanifah, “Why don’t you raise
your hands when bowing and coming up from it?” Abu
Hanifah replied, “It is not authenticated that the
110
Imam Al-Kabir, Hafz Al-‘Asr, Sheikh of Islam, Abu
Muhammad Al-Halli Al-Kuf then Al-Makki. Born in Kufa in the
year one hundred and seven. He sought prophetic narration
and narrated as a boy; he met major scholars; he took
copious knowledge from them; he excelled; he gathered; he
authored; people came to him; overcrowded him; he had a
high chain of narration and he also travelled for knowledge.
As-Shaf’i said, “I have not seen anyone who has the tools of
knowledge than what Sufyan ibn Uyana has. I have not seen
anyone who refrains from issuing legal opinions like him.” He
said, “I have not seen anyone who gives better commentary
on prophetic narration than him.” Abdullah ibn Wahb said, “I
do not know anyone more knowledgeable on Quranic
commentary than Ibn Uyana.” Ibn Mahda said, “Ibn Uyana
possesses knowledge of Quran and commentary of prophetic
narrations, what Sufyan At-Thawri did not possess.” One of
the sayings of Ibn Uyana was, “Patience is waiting for death.”
“If knowledge does not beneft, it harms.” Sh’aba ibn Al-
Hajah said, “I saw ibn Uyana as a child, he had a long tablet
with him.” Ahmed ibn Abu Al-Hawari asked Sufyan ibn Uyana,
“What is abstinence?” He replied, “If you are blessed then be
grateful; if you are tried by a tribulation be patient; that is
abstinence.” Al-Mussayib ibn Wadah asked Ibn Uyana about
abstinence, he replied, “Abstinence is from the prohibitions of
Allah. As for what Allah has permitted and Allah made
permissible for you; to clarify this, marry, ride, wear clothes,
eat but not from the prohibitions of Allah.” He died the year
one hundred and ninety-eight, aged ninety-one.
89
Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)
raised his hands when beginning the prayer, when
bowing and when coming up.” (He knew the narrations
of the raising the hands but considered them
abrogated.) He said, “How? When Az-Zuhuri narrated to
me, from Salim from his father, that he111 used to raise
his hands when he began praying, when bowing and
coming up from it.” Abu Hanifah said, “Hamad narrated
to us from Ibrahim, from Alqama and Al-Aswad from Ibn
Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger
of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
raised his hands when he began praying then did not
do more than that.” Imam Al-Awzai said, “I transmit
from Az-Zuhri, Salim and his father and you are
transmitting from Hammad and Ibrahim?” Abu Hanifah
replied, “Hammad knew jurisprudence better than Az-
Zuhuri, Ibrahim knew jurisprudence better than Salim
and Alqamah is not less than Ibn Umar. Even if Ibn
Umar is a companion, Al-Aswad 112 has great superiority
and Abdullah is Abdullah.” This silenced Al-Awzai. 113

Abu Hanifah (may Allah show him mercy) gave priority

to his narration over the narration of Al-Awzai because
of the jurisprudence of its transmitters. Giving weight to
the transmitters to the jurists of Prophetic narrations
over others is what Isa ibn Abban and some group of
the Hanaf scholars rely upon (may Allah show them
mercy).

111
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
112
Al-Aswad ibn Yazid An-Nakhi.
113
Hujjatullah Al-Ballgah of Imam Ad-Dahluwai 1/231.
90
‫وقال ابن وهب‪ :‬نظر مالك إلى العطان بن خالد‪ ،‬فقال‪ :‬بلغني‬
‫أنكم تأخذون من هذا؟ فقلت‪ :‬بلى‪ ،‬فقال‪ :‬ما كنا نأخذ‬
‫‪4‬‬ ‫الحديث إل من الفقهاء‪ .‬إسعاف المبطأ برجال الموطأ ص‬
‫للسيوطي‬
‫‪Ibn Wahb (may Allah show him mercy) said, “Malik‬‬
‫‪looked towards Al-‘Ataan ibn Khalid and said, “I have‬‬
‫‪been informed that you take narrations from him.” I‬‬
‫‪replied, “Of course.” He said, “We did not accept‬‬
‫‪prophetic narrations except from the jurists.” 114‬‬

‫وقال إسحاق بن الفروي‪ :‬سئل مالك أيؤخذ العلم عمن ليس‬

‫له طلب ول مجالسة؟ فقال‪ :‬ل‪ ،‬فقيل أيؤخذ ممن هو صحيح‬
‫ثقة غير أنه ل يحفظ ول يفهم ما يحدث؟‪ ،‬فقال‪ :‬ل يكتب‬
‫العلم إل ممن يحفظ‪ ،‬ويكون قد طلب وجالس الناس وعرف‬
‫‪4‬‬ ‫وعمل ويكون معه ورع‪ .‬إسعاف المبطأ برجال الموطأ ص‬
‫للسيوطي‬

‫‪114‬‬
‫‪As-Suyuti’s book on Al-Muwatta p.4.‬‬
‫‪91‬‬
Ishaq Ibn Al-Farwi115 (may Allah show him mercy) said,
“Someone asked Imam Malik, ‘Do you take knowledge
from he who did not study nor sat with the scholars?’
He replied, ‘No.’ So he asked, ‘Do you take from he who
is a trustworthy source without memorising or
understanding what he narrates?’ He said, ‘Do not
record knowledge except from those who memorise it.
They sought it, sat with people, understood it, applied it
and are cautious as well.’”116

Malik (may Allah show him mercy) applied the condition

that understanding the narration, when accepting the
Prophetic narration.

‫ كان مالك يقول ل يؤخذ العلم من‬:‫قال معن بن عيسى‬

‫ ول يؤخذ‬،‫ ل يؤخذ من سفيه‬.‫ ويؤخذ من سوى ذلك‬،‫أربعة‬
‫من صاحب هوى يدعو الناس إلى هواه و ل من كذاب‬
‫يكذب في أحاديث الناس وإن كان ل يتهم على أحاديث‬
‫ ول من شيخ له فضل‬-‫رسول ال – صلى ال عليه وسلم‬

115
Al-Imam, Al-Muhadith, the scholar, Abu Yaqub, Ishaq ibn
Muhammad Ibn Ismail ibn Abdullah ibn Abu Farwa ibn Bilal.
Al-Bukhari, Abu Bakr Al-Atharam narrated from him. Abu
Hatim said, “He is extremely truthful but his eyesight has
gone.” He authored a book called Sahiha. Al-Bukhari said, “Al-
Farwri died in two hundred and twenty-six.
116
As 112.
92
 ‫ إسعاف‬.‫وصلحا وعبادة إذا كان ل يعرف ما يحدث‬
‫المبطأ برجال الموطأ للسيوطي‬
Ma’an Ibn Isa117 said, “Imam Malik used to say do not
take knowledge from four people but take from any
other than these. Do not take from the foolish; do not
take from the follower of his passions calling the people
to his whims; do not take from he who lies about the
peoples events, even if he is not accused about it on
narrations of the Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him; do not take from a
scholar who is superior, righteous and practicing even
though he does not know what he transmits.” 118

6. Accepting scholars above chains of narration. A

narration with weakness in its chain that is agreed upon

117
Ma’an Ibn Isa Ibn Dinar, Al-Imam, Al-Hafz, At-Tabit Abu
Yahya Al-Madni Al-Qazaz. Born after the year one hundred
and thirty. Ma’an said, “I have heard all the prophetic
narrations of Al-Muwatta from Malik except that which I
offered to him.” Abu Hatim said, “He is a confrmed
companion of Malik and one of the trustworthy ones is Ma’an
ibn Isa.” Ibn Wahb said, “He is extremely trustworthy.” Abu
Ishaq states in “At-Tabaqat,” “Ma’an put his head into the
hands of Malik, who said nothing except he wrote; he guided
him. He is the one who recited Al-Muwatta to Ar-Rashid.” Ali
ibn Al-Madini said, “Ma’an ibn Isa gave out to us forty
thousand epistles that he heard from Malik (may Allah show
him mercy).” Muhammad ibn Sa’ad said, “Ma’an worked on
silk eggs in Medina, sell them, he had two workers. He used
to buy them and give them it. He died in Medina in Shawwal,
in the year one hundred and ninety-eight.
118
As 112.
93
by the imams has strength greater than an authentic
chain.

‫ تلقي‬:‫قال والحافظ ابن حجر رحمه ال تعالى في نزهة النظر‬

‫المة للحديث بالقبول أقوى من مجرد كثرة الطرق‬
Al-Hafz ibn Hajar,119 may Allah the exalted show him
mercy, in the Exertion of Vision said, “Acceptance of the
Imams of some narration has a greater priority than
others of many chains (paths) of narration.”

‫و قد ذكر محمد أمين أمير باشا في تيسير التحرير حديث‬

‫معاذ و هو أخرجه أحمد وأبو داود والترمذي عنه أن النبي‬
119
Ahmed ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn
Ahmed Abu Al-Fadal Al-Kanani Al-Asqalani Al-Misri, Then Al-
Qahari As-Shaf’i. Born in seven hundred and seventy-three, in
the month of Shaban, in old Egypt. He was brought up as an
orphan and he memorised the Quran at the age of nine; he
excelled in the many arts; the knowledge of prophetic
narration became beloved to him; he forced himself to recite
and read; then he authored and spread. He was seen as a
spring of his time, with memorisation, until he became the
absolute agnomen of Al-Hafz, by consensus. He went to
different places to study and he continued to write during his
life and disseminated them in his life. The kings wrote from
area to area for this reason. He was met by delegations that
came to hear him until the heads of the scholars of all the
schools were his students. He was praised by many scholars
and they testifed to his high chain of narration and his
advancement in prophetic narration. He passed into the
mercy of Allah in the fnal days of Dhul-Hijjah in the year
eight hundred and ffty-two. The people gathered, as did the
leaders and scholars, for his funeral, may Allah show him a
vast mercy.
94
 ‫ قال كيف تقضي‬: ‫صلى ال عليه وسلم لما بعثه إلى اليمن‬
‫ قال‬، ‫إذا عرض لك أمر ؟ قال أقضي بما في كتاب ال‬
‫ قال‬، ‫فإن لم يكن في كتاب ال ؟ قال فبسنة رسول ال‬
: ‫فإن لم يكن في سنة رسول ال ؟ قال أجتهد رأيي فل آلو‬
‫قال فضرب في صدري وقال الحمد ل الذي وفق رسول‬
،‫رسول ال لما يرضى رسول ال قال الترمذي فيه غريب‬
‫ لكن‬.‫ وقال البخاري ل يصح‬.‫وإسناده ليس عندي بمتصل‬
، ‫شهرته وتلقى العلماء له بالقبول ل يقعده عن درجة الحجية‬
‫ومن ثم أطلق جماعة من الفقهاء كالباقلني والطبري وإمام‬
‫الحرمين عليه الصحة‬.
Muhammad Ameen Amir Basha 120 mentions in Ease of
Writing,121 a narration of Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased
with him) reported by Imam Ahmed, Abu Dawood, and
At-Tirmidhi (may Allah show them mercy) that the
Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
when he sent him to Yemen said, “How will you judge if
an issue arises?” He replied, “I will judge with the book
of Allah.” He said, “If you do not fnd it in the book of
120
Sheikh Muhammad Amir known as Amir Badshah Al-
Hassani Al-Bukhari. He went to Mecca and passed away in
nine hundred and seventy-two.
121
A book on the principles of jurisprudence.
95
Allah?” He said, “Then with the practice of the
Messenger of Allah.” He responded, “And if you do not
fnd in the practice of the Messenger of Allah?” He
replied, “I will exert my upmost and not tire.” He put his
hand on my chest and said, “All praise due to Allah; who
gave success to the Messenger, By what The
Messenger of Allah is pleased with.” At-Tirmidhi says it
is strange/gharib and its chain is connected, and
Bukhari said it is not authenticated.

Although it is famous and accepted by the scholars it is

not considered from its level. Then the majority of the

96
jurist like Al-Baqalani,122 Tabari, Imam Juwanyni123
consider it authentic.124

This explains that the acceptance of the weak narration

is raised to a level to be used as a proof.

122
Imam Al-‘Alama, unique theologian, Al-Qadi Abu Bakr,
Muhammad ibn At-Tayyab ibn Muhammad ibn Jafar ibn
Qasim, Al-Basri then Baghdadi, Ibn Baqalani. He was a
shining example of understanding and intelligence. He was
an outstanding, trustworthy leader. He authored refutations
upon the Shia, the Mutazilites, the Khawarij, the Jahamiyyah,
the Karamiyyah, by explaining the way of Abu l’Hassan As-
Ashari. Al-Qadi ‘Iyad mentioned in Al-Tabaqat Al-Malikiyyah
he said, “He was given the agnomen “Sword of the Sunna”,
the tongue of the nation, he was a theologian on the tongue
of the prophetic narrators. He was the leader of the Maliki’s in
his time. He had a large gathering in the grand masjid of Al-
Basara. Ali ibn Muhammad Al-Harbi said, “All of what Abu
Bakr Al-Baqalani, from the disagreements with the people; he
authored by memory. No one authored a disagreement
except he needed to read a book on disagreements, except
Al-Baqalani.” Al-Khateeb said that he heard Abu Bakr Al-
Khuaarzami say, “Any author in Baghdad only sourced from
the books of people except Al-Qadi Abu Bakr. As his chest
contained his knowledge and the knowledge of people.”Abu
Muhammad Al-Bafa said, “If I would bequeath a third of my
wealth to someone for their eloquence then it would be
necessary to give it to Abu Bakr Al-Ansari.” He passed away
in Dhul-Qaidah in the year four hundred and three. He was
prayed over by the offspring of Al-Hassan and his funeral was
seen by many. He was a sword against the Mutazilites, Ar-
Rafda and the Al-Mushabahat; based on the principles of the
prophetic practice. Sheikh of the Hanbali’s, Abu Al-Fadal Al-
Tamimi ordered a caller to say of the deceased, “This is the
supporter of the prophetic way, religion and defender of the
sacred law. This is who authored seventy thousand pages.”
Then every group paid their respects to his grave.
97
123
Imam al-Kabir, Sheikh of the Shaf’is, Imam Al-Haramayn
Abu Al-Maali, Abdul-Malik ibn Imam Abu Muhammad
Abdullah. Born in four hundred and twenty-nine. Abu Ishaq Al-
Fayruzabadi said, “We benefted from this Imam as he is the
attraction of this time.” Meaning Abu Al-Maali Al-Juwayni. This
Imam was, because of his vast intelligence, a leader in
branches, principles of the school, strong debating skills. If he
would present the knowledge of the Gnostics and a
commentary on the states, those present would weep. He
passed away on the twenty-ffth of Rabi’a Al-Akhir, in the year
four hundred and seventy-eight. He was buried in his house,
and then he was moved to the Al-Hassayni graveyard where
he was buried next to his father. Pulpits were broken, markets
shut and odes written. He had around four hundred students;
they broke their inkpots and pens, they put towels over their
heads. No one was brave enough to uncover their heads. His
students gathered in the city and wailed over him.
124
Ease of writing 1/323.
98
 Chapter Nine
Disagreement in terminology

Now know that the term ‘Acceptable narration’ has two

uses: the usage of the prophetic narration experts, and
the usage of the Jurists. It is indisputable in terminology
but we point it out so as to not mix the terms. In terms
of the prophetic narrations, it means every authentic
narration free from defective discrepancy. The juristic
term means every prophetic narration acted upon from
the jurists. Ibn Hajar mentions in Exertion of Vision,

‫ثسم الومقبوقل ينقرسقم إلى ومعموةل بره وغيرر وماعموةل بره إلخ‬.
He said, “Then the accepted is divided into acted upon
and not acted upon...”

The accepted narration of the Jurists is lesser that the

narration, is that it is not acted upon. So this is the
difference between prophetic narration experts and the
jurists in terminology.

99
100
 Chapter Ten
Authentic Prophetic narrations

Now know that an authentic narration does not mean

we act upon it. Rather there are conditions that we
need to consider before accepting the narration. These
conditions are known to those great scholars. How
many an authentic narration has been left (without
being acted upon).

For example:

1. Abu Dawood reports

‫ من‬:‫عن أبي هريرة قال قال رسول ال صلى ال عليه و سلم‬

‫غسل ميتا فليغتسل و من حمل فليتوضأ‬.

‫رواه أبو داود‬

Abu Hurayrah125 (may Allah be pleased with him)
narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and
125
Abu Hurayrah Abdurrahman ibn Shkhir al Dausi,
companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
narrated the most hadiths. He said, “During the times of
ignorance, my name was Abdul-shams then the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) named me Abdurrahman.
I was called Abu Hurayra because I used to keep kittens up
my sleeve. Then someone said to me, “You are Abu Hurayra.”
He passed away in 59 Hijri, he was 78 years old. (Asad Al-
Ghabah).
101
blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Whoever washes
a corpse should bathe himself and whoever carries
should perform ablution.”126

‫قييال الخطييابي ل أعلييم أحييدا ميين العلميياء قييال بوجييوب ذلييك‬.

Al-Khatabi said, “I do not know any scholar who has
stated that this is necessary.”

2. Abu Dawood (may Allah show him mercy) reports

‫عن عمار رضي ال عنه إن النبي صلى ال عليه و سلم علمه‬

‫ رواه أبو داود‬.‫إذا تيمم أن يمسح وجهه و كفيه‬
Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
would make dry ablution by wiping his face and
palms.127

This is not acted upon despite its authentication.

3. The two scholars128 report:

126
Abu Dawood in chapter on funerals no 2749.
127
Abu Dawood in the chapter on purifcation 321. The arms
need to be wiped as well as the face. Not just the palms.
128
In the feld of prophetic narration this means Imam Muslim
and Imam Bukhari.
102
 ‫عن أبي هريرة رضي ال عنه أن النبي صلى ال عليه و سلم‬
‫ "لعن ال السارق يسرق البيضة فتقطع يده و يسرق‬:‫قال‬
‫" متفق عليه‬.‫الحبل فتقطع يده‬
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) said, “The curse of Allah is upon the thief who
steals an egg; cut his hand off, and he who steals
thread; cut off his hand.”129

Not one of the scholars state this.

4. Muslim (may Allah show him mercy) reports,

‫عن وائل أن النبي صلى ال عليه و سلم قال في رجل قتل‬

‫أخا له حين جاء يستفتي رسول ال صلى ال عليه و سلم إن‬
‫قتله فهو مثله رواه مسلم‬

129
Bukhari in the chapter of punishments 6285 and Muslim
3195.
103
Wail130 (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
said, there was a man who killed someone’s brother,
and then the brother came asking for an edict, “If he
kills him, he is like him.”131 This narration is authentic
but is not acted upon on. The examples of this are
many and there are many to mention.

5. Imam At-Tirmidhi (may Allah show him mercy)

narrates in his collection:132

‫ رد النبي صلى السله عليه وسلم ابنته زينب‬:‫عن ابن عباس قال‬
‫على أبي العاصي بن الربيع بعد ست سنين بالنكاحا الول ولم‬
‫ رواه الترمذي‬.‫يحدث نكاحا‬
Ikrama narrates from Ibn Abbas133 that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) returned his
130
Wail ibn Hajar ibn Sa’ad Abu Hunida Al-Hadarmi; he was a
leader of his people; he moved to Iraq when Muawiyah
entered Al-Kufa. He was seen on the side of Ali (may Allah
ennoble his face) at the battle of Safeen. The Messenger of
Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent him as
a delegation with Mu’awiyah Ibn Abu Sufyan. Mu’awiyah said
to him, “Let me sit behind you.” He replied, “You are a rider
of a king.” He said, “Give me your sandal.” He replied, “Be in
the shadow of the camel.” When Mu’awiyah became the
leader, he reminded me of this event whilst I was sat on a
mattress with him. I said to myself, if only I had sat him in
front of me. He has narrations in all the six books of Sahih
except Al-Bukhari.
131
Muslim 1680.
132
As-Sunnan.
104
daughter Zaynab to Abu Al-A’ass ibn Ar-Rabiyya’, six
years after the frst marriage, without performing the
marriage again.134 Abu Isa said there is no problem with
this narration.

This narration, despite its authenticity, is not acted

upon by any of the jurists, rather the consensus believe
if a lady becomes Muslim and her husband remains a
disbeliever, then separation occurs between them
because the Exalted said,

‫لههنن ححلل للههمم لول ههمم يلححللوُّهن للههلن‬

“They are not lawful for them (the disbelievers), nor are
they (the disbelievers) lawful for them.”135

133
Abdullah ibn Abbas ibn Abdulmuttalib, the cousin of the
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him). Born three years before the migration. He was called
the sea and ink of the nation due to his vast knowledge. He
was tall, handsome, white complexion and eloquent. He was
thirteen years old when the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) passed away; he died at the age of sixty-
eight.
134
This is from the Khasis/specifc qualities of the Prophet
(may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) and
cannot be used generally.
135
Quran: Al-Mumtahanah 60:10.
105
106
 Chapter Eleven
Weak narrations
On the other hand just because it is weak narration
does not necessitate leaving it. How many a weak
narration has been accepted?

These are examples for that:

1. At-Tirmidhi (may Allah show him mercy) reports:

‫ سئل رسول ال صلى ال عليه‬:‫عن السيدة عائشة قالت‬

:‫ قال‬,‫و سلم عن الرجل يجد البلل و ل يذكر احتلما‬
‫ و عن الرجل يرى أنه قد احتلم و لم يجد بلل‬.‫يغتسل‬
‫ أم سلمة يا رسول ال هل على‬:‫ قالت‬.‫ ل غسل عليه‬:‫قال‬
.‫ نعم إن النساء شقائق الرجال‬:‫المرأة ترى ذلك غسل قال‬
‫رواه الترمذي‬
Our Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said
that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) was asked about a man who fnds
wetness and does not remember a wet dream. He said,
“Wash yourself.” Also he was asked about a man who
knows that he saw something but did not fnd wetness,
He said, “No need to wash.” Umm Salama asked, “O’
Messenger of Allah, if this happens to a woman does

107
she bathe?” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) said, “Yes as women are the siblings of men.”

Abu Isa said that the narrator of this narration is

Abdullah ibn Umar ibn Ubaydullah ibn Umar (may Allah
be pleased with him) who is an unreliable transmitter.

‫ أجمع كل من أحفظ عنه من أهل العلم على‬:‫قال المنذري‬

‫أن الرجل إذا رأى في نومه أنه احتلم أو جامع و لم يجد‬
‫بلل أنه ل غسل عليه‬.
Al-Munzari136 (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “The
prophetic narrations experts and the people of
knowledge agree that if a man sees a dream during his
sleep that causes arousal and does not fnd wetness
then he does not need to bathe.”

136
Imam Al-Allama, Al-Hafz, Al-Muhaqiq, Sheikh of Islam,
Zakaudeen, Abu Muhammad, Abdul-Azim ibn AbdulQawi Al-
Munzari As-Shaf’I (may Allah show him mercy); Syrian
originally Egyptian. Born in the beginning of Sha’ban in the
year fve hundred and eighty-one. Al-Hafz Izzudeen Al-
Hassani, he studied with our sheikh in the masjid of Az-
Zafari. Then he was the patron of the scholars of Ad-Dar Al-
Kamila, then he left clinging to knowledge; he had superior
skills in prophetic narrations with the different sciences. He
was known for worship, piety, cautiousness, etiquette and
beauty.” As-Sharif Izzudeen also said, “Our sheikh Zakaudeen
knew the authentic narrations and their illnesses, their
discrepancies, their ways. A sea in understanding their
rulings, meanings and difficulties. He knew the strange ones,
their vowel structure and different words. He passed away on
the fourth of Dhul-Qaidah in the year six hundred and ffty-
six. Odes were written into beautiful songs about him.
108
2. At-Tirmidhi (may Allah show him mercy) reports:

‫ من‬:‫ أن رسول ال صلى ال عليه و سلم قال‬:‫عن أبي هريرة‬

.‫ذرعه القيء فليس عليه قضاء و من استقاء عمدا فليقض‬
‫رواه الترمذي‬
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) said, “Whoever vomits has no expiation to make
up and whoever makes themselves vomit on purpose
has an expiation to perform.”137

Abu Isa and Imam Bukhari (may Allah show them

mercy) say that this narration is weak.

‫قال الخطابي ل أعلم خلفا بين أهل العلم في أن من ذرعه‬

‫القيئ فإنه ل قضاء عليه و ل في أن من استقاء عامدا عليه‬
‫القضاء و لكن اختلفوا في الكفارة‬.

137
At-Tirmidhi 653.
109
Al-Khattabi138 said, “I am not aware of the disagreement
of the people of knowledge in the person who vomits
that they have no expiation. But whoever makes
themselves vomit, on purpose, has an expiation to
perform.”

3. At-Tirmidhi (may Allah show him mercy) reports:

‫ أن غيلن بن سلمة الثقفي أسلم و له عشر‬:‫عن ابن عمر‬

‫نسوة في الجاهلية فأسلمن معه فأمره النبي صلى ال عليه‬
‫و سلم أن يتخير أربعا منهن‬.

‫رواه الترمذي‬

138
Imam Al-Allama, Al-Hafz Al-Laghuwi Abu Sulayman Hamd
ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Khattab Al-Basti Al-Khatabi;
author of many works. He was born in the year three hundred
and ffteen. He journeyed for prophetic narration and
studying knowledge. He then wrote on many sciences of the
religion. He had many teachers; one of his books called
Commentary on Abu Dawood. He has a book of rare
prophetic narration; he mentioned what Abu Ubayid did not,
nor what Ibn Qatiba recorded in his book; this is a benefcial
book. Al-Khatabi died in Bust in the month of Rabi’ Al-Akhir, in
the year three hundred and eighty-eight.
110
Ibn Umar139 (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates
that Aylan ibn Salama Al-Taqaf (may Allah be pleased
with him) became Muslim and he had ten wives in the
time of ignorance; they became Muslim with him. The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
ordered him to chose four of them.140

Abu Isa said he heard Muhammad ibn Ismail say this

narration is not preserved.

‫و ق ييال الم ييام أحم ييد ه ييذا الح ييديث لي ييس بص ييحيح و العم ييل‬
‫عليه‬.
Imam Ahmed (may Allah show him mercy) said, “This
narration is not authentic but it is acted upon.”

4. At-Tirmidhi (may Allah show him mercy) reports:

‫عن أبي هريرة قال قال رسول ال صلى ال عليه و‬

‫ كل طلق جائز إل طلق المعتوه المغلوب على‬:‫سلم‬
‫رواه الترمذي‬ .‫عقله‬

139
Abdullah ibn Umar leader of the believers ibn Al-Khattab,
who became Muslim with his father before maturity; he
migrated before his father and the frst witness of the battle
of the trench. He passed away aged eighty-three years old;
he was born one year before the beginning of the call to
Islam. Asad Al-Ghabah 3/34.
140
At-Tirmidhi in the chapter of marriage 1047.
111
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates
that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) said, “Every divorce is valid except
the mentally ill whose intellect is overcome.”

Abu Isa said that this narration’s chain does not reach
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
except by the chain with Ata ibn Ajlann. Ata Ibn Ajlann
is a weak narrator according the scholars of narration
but it is acted upon by the people of knowledge from
the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him).141

‫قال المنذري أجمعوا على أن المجنون و المعتوه ل يجوز‬

‫طلقه‬.
Al-Munzari (may Allah show him mercy) said there is a
consensus that the insane or mentally ill’s divorce is not
valid.

5. At-Tirmidhi (may Allah show him mercy) reports:

‫عن علي بن أبي طالب أن النبي صلى ال عليه و سلم‬

.‫قضى بالدين قبل الوصية و أنتم تقرون الوصية قبل الدين‬
‫رواه الترمذي‬

141
At-Tirmidhi in the chapter of divorce and cursing 1112.
112
Ali Ibn Abu Talib142 (may Allah ennoble his face) narrates
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) would pay off debts before the distribution of the
will and you are distributing the will then paying the
debts.”143

Ibn Hajar and Al-Harith (one of the narrators) said even

though it is weak, the consensus has agreed on what
was transmitted.

So these narrations are weak and they have been

agreed upon. No one refused; rather it was accepted as
received. So know that weak narrations do not
necessitate rejection.

Chapter Twelve
Examples of authentic narrations
that some of the scholars rejected

We shall see that there are many authentic narrations

that have been left by consensus and weak narrations

142
Ali ibn Abu Talib was the cousin of the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) and, according to some of the
scholars, he was the frst Muslim. The Prophet (peace and
blessing be upon him) said, “You are my brother in the world
and in Heaven.” He passed away on the 19th of Ramadan, in
the Islamic year forty. (Asad Al-Ghabah).
143
At-Tirmidhi in the chapter of wills 2048.
113
that are accepted by consensus. 144 I would like to
supplement the beneft by mentioning the authentic
prophetic narrations left by some scholars.

144
Consensus of the scholars of the four Sunni schools.
114
115
 Chapter Thirteen
Prophetic narrations and Al-
Numan (Abu Hanifah)

It is famous, in our time, with feeble people attributed

with knowledge, that prophetic narrations are not
found. How many narrations have they claimed that
Abu Hanifah (may Allah show him mercy) disagrees nor
did not they reach him. If we were to gather this speech
we could garner volume yet we should think which
average student has more knowledge than him (may
Allah show him mercy). Praise be to Allah, divider of
intellect!

I challenge any person, with his ignorance, to affect the

scholars like his opinions as Al-Numan effected. How
many students145 did he have and they were major
scholars of hadith? This speech, with its meaning, is not
correct and it is a major sin. According to us it is slander
and, as for them, this is backbiting based on their
opinions.

Al-Kardri relates from Abu Yusuf (may Allah be pleased

with them) that, “I used to study jurisprudence with Abu
Hanifah and follow this up with the narrations from the
people of Kufa, to support his opinion. He would say
that this is weak, there was no support there then he

145
His main students were Imam Muhammad, the Jurist Abu
Yusuf, Imam Zufur, Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubarak, Fudail Ibn Iyyad,
Dawood Al-Ta’I (may Allah show them all mercy) etc.
116
said, ‘Dear Abu Yusuf, do not follow the narrations of
the Kufans because I have memorised them all.’” (This
was the transmitted meaning.)

‫ سقطت‬: ‫قال المام عبد ال بن فروخ الفارسي القيرواني‬

‫آجرة من أعلى دار أبي حنيفة و أنا عنده على رأسي فأدمي‬
‫ اختر الرش أم ثلث مئة حديث قلت الحديث‬:‫فقال‬
‫ذكر القاضي عياض في ترتيب‬ .‫فحدثني‬
110\3 ‫المدارك‬
Imam Abdullah ibn Farrukh Al-Farsi Al-Qyrowani (may
Allah show him mercy) said, “A brick fell from the
highest part of Abu Hanifah’s house and it struck my
head then I bled. He said, “Choose between
compensation or three hundred prophetic narrations.” I
said, “Prophetic narrations.” So he narrated them to me
(straight away in the same meeting).”146

146
Qadi Iyad mentioned this in Taratib Al-Mudarik 3/110
referencing Sheikh Abu Ghudas’ book on “Description of the
patience of the scholars” page 52.
117
 Chapter Fourteen
Narrations left by Abu Hanifah

1. Muslim reports

‫عن فاطمة بنت قيس أن النبي صلى ال عليه و سلم‬

.‫قضى أن ل نفقة و ل سكنى للمطلقة ثلثا‬
‫رواه مسلم‬
Fatimah, daughter of Qais, narrates that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that
there is no expenditure or housing for the one who has
made three pronouncements of divorce. 147

The Great Imam stated there is expenditure and

housing because Allah (the Exalted) said,

‫رليقيانرفاق قذو وسوعةة رمان وسوعترره ووومان ققردور وعلوايره‬

“Let them live as you live; according to your means.” 148

147
Muslim in the chapter of divorce 2717.
148
Quran: Divorce 65:6.
118
 ‫ ل ندع كتاب ال و ل سنة رسوله‬:‫قال عمر رضي ال عنه‬
.‫لقول امرأة ل ندري أحفظت أم نسيت‬
‫رواه الترمذي‬
Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “We do not
leave the book of Allah nor the Practice of his
Messenger for the speech of a woman. We do not know
if she memorised it or forgot.”149

2. Al-Bukhari (may Allah show him mercy) reports

‫ رأيت رسول ال صلى ال عليه وسلم‬:‫عن ابن عمر قال‬

‫إذا قام في الصلة رفع يديه حتى يكونا حذو منكبيه‬
‫وكان يفعل ذلك حين يكبر للركوع ويفعل ذلك إذا رفع‬
‫رأسه من الركوع ويقول سمع ال لمن حمده ول يفعل‬
‫ ورواه البخاري‬.‫ذلك في السجود‬
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
began to pray by raising his hands to the level of his
shoulders. He would do the same when saying
magnifcation and bowing, and he would do the same
when raising himself from bowing and say, “Allah hears
149
Sunan At-Tirmidhi Book of marriage p.1180.
119
who praises him.” And he would not do that during
prostration.150

Abu Hanifah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “It is

not prophetic practice to raise the hands except in the
opening magnifcation.” According to Abu Hurayrah and
the students of the practice of Ibn Mas’ud 151 (may Allah
be pleased with them) that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) did not raise his
hands.152

150
Bukhari chapter on the call to prayer 694.
151
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud ibn Gafl Abu Abdulrahim Al-Hazi (may
Allah be pleased with him). He was amongst the frst
Muslims. He was like a servant to the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) because of his love. He used to help
him put on his shoes, he would walk in front of him, cover
him when he washed, wake him if he was asleep and he used
keep the siwak for him. He was seen in heaven with the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He passed away
in 32 Hijri, Medina. He was in his 60s when he passed away.
152
Except at the beginning of the prayer, last unit of witr and
‘Id prayers.
120
121
 Chapter Fifteen
Narrations left by Imam Malik

‫ قد أحصيت على مالك سبعين مسألة‬:‫قال الليث بن سعد‬

‫كلها مخالفة لسنة النبي مما قال مالك فيها برأيه‬
148 / 2 ‫جامع بيان العلم‬
Al-Layth ibn Sa’ad (may Allah show him mercy) said, “I
enumerated seventy issues in which Malik differs from
the Prophetic practice, and he had an opinion on them
all.”153

No one accused Malik of refusing prophetic narrations

because of his opinion or following his whims, rather he
is one of the mountains of the scholars and an Imam of
our nation. We do not leave a sound narration with a
proven evidence, according to him, and without a
reason for that, to say it did not reach him is beyond
belief as he is the one who authored Al-Muwatta and
flled the world with prophetic narrations.

‫ جعل لي الدراوردي وابن أبي‬:‫عن حبيب الوراق كاتب مالك‬

‫حازم وابن كنانة دينارا على أن أسأل مالكا عن ثلثة رجال‬

153
Jam’a Bayn Al-Ilm 2/148.
122
 ‫ ما شاء ال‬:‫ ثم رفع رأسه وقال‬،‫لم يرو عنهم فسألته فأطرق‬
:‫ ثم قال يا حبيب‬،‫ وكان كثيرا ما يقولها‬.‫ل قوة إل بال‬
‫أدركت هذا المسجد وفيه سبعون شيخا ممن أدرك أصحاب‬
‫ وروى عن التابعين قال ولم‬-‫النبي –صلى ال عليه وسلم‬
‫ إسعاف المبطأ برجال الموطأ‬.‫نحمل العلم إل عن أهله‬
‫للسيوطي‬
Ali ibn Al-Madani reports from Habib ibn Al-Waraq, the
scribe of Imam Malik, that Ad-Darawardi, Ibn Abu Hazim
and Ibn Kinana offered him a silver coin if he would ask
why Imam Malik did not narrate from three men. So
when he asked, he put his head down then raised it up
then said, “What Allah wills, there is no power except
by Allah.” He used to say this a lot, then he said,
“O’Habib, do you know in this masjid there are seventy
scholars who met the companions of the Prophet, peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him, and narrate from
the successors.” He said, “We bear not knowledge
except from its people.”154

Could there be a more knowledgeable Imam than he?!

As we can see, not every trustworthy person who
transmits prophetic narration is blessed by acting upon
it.

154
As-Suyuti’s book on Al-Muwatta.
123
 ‫ سمعت مالكا يقول لقد أدركت بالمدينة‬:‫وقال ابن وهب‬
‫ وقد سمعوا من العلم‬،‫أقواما لو استسقي بهم المطر لسقوا‬
‫والحديث شيئا كثيرا وما أخذت عن واحد منهم وذلك أنهم‬
‫ وهذا الشأن يعني‬،‫كانوا قد ألزموا أنفسهم خوف ال والزهد‬
‫الحديث والفتيا يحتاج إلى رجل معه تقى وورع وصيانة وإتقان‬
‫وعلم وفهم ويعلم ما يخرج من رأسه وما يصل إليه غدا في‬
‫ وليس هو‬،‫القيامة فأما زهد بل إتقان ول معرفة فل ينتفع به‬
‫ إسعاف المبطأ برجال الموطأ‬.‫بحجة و ل يحمل عنهم العلم‬
‫للسيوطي‬
Ibn Wahb (may Allah show him mercy) said, “I heard
Malik say, ‘I know in Medina people if they would pray
for rain it would fall. I have heard much knowledge and
prophetic narrations from them but I have not taken
from a single one of them. That is because they have
compelled themselves to fear Allah and abstained.’ This
order, meaning prophetic narrations and issuing legal
edicts, needs men with piety, cautiousness, protection,
mastery, knowledge, understanding and knowing what
comes out of their mouths, and they will arrive
tomorrow on the day of Judgement. As for the abstainer
without mastery, without knowledge he will not beneft

124
us, it is not evidence and we do not take knowledge
from it.”155

This is another chapter that is necessary to be clarifed,

and his worship does not necessitate the man being an
acceptable transmitter.

‫ كم أخ لي بالمدينة‬:‫ سمعت مالكا يقول‬:‫قال معن بن عيسى‬

.‫أرجو دعوته ول أجيز شهادته‬
‫إسعامف البمطأ برجامل الوطأ للسيوطي‬
Mu’an Ibn Isa (may Allah show him mercy) said, “I
heard Malik say, ‘How many a brother I have in Medina
that I hope for their supplication yet their testimony
would fail.’”156

‫ لقد‬،‫ كثير من هذه الحاديث ضللة‬:‫قال المام مالك‬

‫خرجت مني أحاديث لوددت إني ضربت بكل حديث منها‬
‫ فتنزل به نازلة‬،‫ ولعله يطول عمره‬،‫سوطين وإني لم أحدث به‬
‫ وعسى أن يكون‬،‫ يحتاج أن يسأل عنها فقيه وقته‬،‫في دينه‬
-2 ‫الفقيه والمتفقه للخطيب‬ .‫الفقيه حديث السن فيستحي‬
158

155
Ibid.
156
Ibid.
125
Imam Malik (may Allah show him mercy) said, “Many
prophetic narrations cause confusion. Narrations came
from me that I wished that I would be beaten twice for
or that I had not narrated them. Perhaps it will remain
for a while and reach a place in the religion; that would
cause a jurist of that time; perhaps he will be
inexperienced and become ashamed.”157

May Allah bless this Imam; he said little but healed and
quenched us much. So understand this speech that
every narration is not taken as it is. Also that it is not
permissible for someone to read narrations and issue
an edict based upon his understanding alone.

‫عن مالك أنه قال لبني أخته أبو بكر و إسماعيل ابني أبي‬
‫ فقال إذا أردتما أن‬.‫ أراكما تحبان الحديث؟ قال نعم‬:‫أويس‬
‫ينفع ال بكما فأقل منه و تفقها‬.

2/159 ‫الخطيب البغدادي في الفقيه والمتفقه‬

Al-Khatabi Al-Baghdadi (may Allah be pleased with him)
mentioned that Malik said to his nephew Abu Bakr and
his son Ismail, “Do you love prophetic narrations?” They
said, “Yes.” He replied, “If you want Allah to beneft you
by them then study jurisprudence.”158

May Allah bless Imam Malik for the advice he gave to

his son, his nephew and the leaders of the Islam. And

157
Al-Faiqhi wa Al-Mutfqa of Al-Khateeb 2/158.
158
Ibid 2/159.
126
look how Allah taught us and you. Do you think that he
is miserly about the knowledge of prophetic narrations
or said this on a whim?? No, I swear by Allah that this
but the speech of a sincere scholar. He advised his
nephew and son not to take Prophetic narrations as
they are, as the narration is not sound without its
meaning and interpretation.

I shall mention more examples for you about the hadith

that Imam Malik left:

1.

‫فكبر – أي النبي صلى ال عليه وسلم – ثم أخذ شماله‬

‫ رواه أبو داود‬.‫بيمينه‬
He praised Allah (the Exalted), the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him), then put his right hand
over the back of his left hand at the forearm and
wrist.159

It was Imam Malik’s opinion to have the hands by the

sides and not held (on chest).

2.

159
Muslim in the chapter of faith no.116.
127
 ‫عن أبي أيوب النصاري رضي ال عنه قال رسول ال صلى‬
‫ من صام رمضان ثم أتبعه ستا من شوال‬: ‫ال عليه و سلم‬
‫ صحيح مسلم في باب الصيام‬.‫كان كصيام الدهر‬
Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him)
narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Whoever fasts
Ramadan then follows it with six in Shawwal, it is as if
he has fasted all year.” 160

Imam Malik stated in Al-Muwatta, “I have not seen any

of the people of knowledge fast it.”161 Likewise Abu
Hanifah said that it is Sunna.162

160
Muslim in the chapter of fasting from Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari
(may Allah be pleased with him).
161
Fast the days mentioned.
162
In difference to his students (Abu Yusuf and Imam
Muhammad), who considered it prophetic practice, and this is
the chosen position of the Hanaf school, although it is better
to fast separate days.
128
129
 Chapter Sixteen
Narrations left by Imam As-Shaf’i

‫ الشافعي أفقه الناس في الكتاب و السنة و كان‬:‫قال أحمد‬

‫قليل الطلب للحديث‬
Imam Ahmed (may Allah show him mercy) said, “As-
Shaf’i is the most well versed of the people concerning
the Quran and the Prophetic practice; he used to do
little seeking of narration.” The meaning of, “Seeking
some knowledge,” does not mean like a student of
knowledge of our time, as he knew more. He is one of
the narrators of Al-Muwatta; he has a collection of
books full of Prophetic narrations. There are some
issues of his school that he did not confrm before he
passed away; instead he tied these to authentic
narrations that his companions mentioned. So this
refutes any notion that he did not complete the
narrations with the conditions of acceptance before he
fnished. He is a leader of the believers in prophetic
narrations and one of the leaders of the four Sunni
schools.

: ‫حدث محمد بن الفضل البزار قال سمعت أبي يقول‬

‫ ونزلت في مكان واحد معه أو‬، ‫حججت مع أحمد بن حنبل‬

130
‫في دار يعني بمكة ‪ ،‬وخرج أبو عبد ال )أحمد بن حنبل (‬
‫باكرا ‪ ،‬وخرجت أنا بعده ‪ ،‬فلما صليت الصبح ‪ ،‬درت‬
‫المسجد ‪ ،‬فجئت إلى مجلس سفيان بن عبينة وكنت أدور‬
‫مجلسا ‪ ،‬طلبا لبي عبد ال )أحمد بن حنبل( ‪ ،‬حتى وجدت‬
‫أحمد بن حنبل ‪ ،‬عند شاب أعرابي عليه ثياب مصبوغة وعلى‬
‫رأسه جمة ‪ ،‬فزاحمته حتى قعدت عند أحمد بن حنبل ‪،‬‬
‫فقلت يا أبا عبد ال تركت ابن عبينة وعنده من الزهرى‬
‫وعمرو بن دينار وزياد بن علقة والتابعين ي ما ال به عليم ؟‬
‫فقال لي ‪ :‬اسكت ‪ ،‬فإن فاتك حديث بعلو تجده بنزول ي ول‬
‫يضرك في دينك ول في عقلك ‪ ،‬وإن فاتك أمر هذا الفتى ‪،‬‬
‫أخاف أن ل تجده إلى يوم القيامة ما رأيت أحدا أفقه في‬
‫كتاب ال من هذا الفتى ‪،‬قلت ‪ :‬من هذا ؟ قال ‪ :‬محمد بن‬
‫‪.‬إدريس الشافعي‬
‫‪Muhammad ibn Al-Fadal Al-Bazara said he heard his‬‬
‫‪father say, “I went to pilgrimage with Ahmed ibn‬‬
‫‪Hanbal, so we reached a house in that place i.e. Mecca.‬‬
‫‪Abu Abdullah (Ahmed ibn Hanbal) left early and I left‬‬
‫‪after him. After praying the pre-sunrise prayer, I‬‬
‫‪131‬‬
searched the masjid for him. I came to the gathering of
Sufyan ibn Uyana and I barged my way into the
gathering in search of Abu Abdullah (Ahmed ibn
Hanbal), until I found Ahmed ibn Hanbal with a young
bedouin, wearing dyed clothes and long hair tied on his
head. Then I moved until I could sit with Ahmed ibn
Hanbal and I asked, “Dear Abu Abdullah, you have left
Ibn Uyana who is with Al-Zuhri, Umar ibn Dinar, Zayad
ibn A’llaqa and the successors. What by Allah, do you
know of him?” He said, “Be quiet, as his chains are the
highest that you will fnd and this does not harm your
religion or your intellect. And if I leave this youngster I
will not fnd, until the Day of Judgement, someone as
learned in the book of Allah, and neither have I seen
anyone like this youngster.” “Who is he?” He replied,
“Muhammad ibn Idress As-Shaf’i.”163

163
How great was this era! To be alive in a time where seeking
knowledge took place in the masjid. In the gatherings of Ibn
Uyana and As-Shaf’i. And where you can fnd Imam Ahmed
setting an example for the students. The Messenger of Allah
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) spoke the truth
when he said the best century is his; then those who follow,
until the third or fourth.
132
133
 Chapter Seventeen
Examples of the narrations left by
the Imams

1.

‫ إن بين‬:‫عن جابر سمعت النبي صلى ال عليه وسلم يقول‬

.‫الرجل وبين الشرك والكفر ترك الصلة‬
‫رواه مسلم‬
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he
heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) say, “The difference of a man between
polytheism and disbelief164 is leaving the prayer.” 165

This is not acted upon by As-Shaf’i, Malik and Abu

Hanifah (may Allah be pleased with them).

164
Here kafara means ingratitude and not disbelief. Although
some literalist have transmitted this meaning.
165
Narrated by Muslim, Imam Ahmed, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nisa’i
from Barida ibn Al-Hasaib (may Allah be pleased with him).
134
2.

‫عن ابن عباس رضي ال عنه أن رسول ال صلى ال عليه و‬

.‫ أيما إهاب دبغ فقد طهر‬:‫سلم قال‬
‫رواه الترمذي‬
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates
that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace
and blessings upon him) said, “Whichever hide is
tanned is cleansed.”166

Imam As-Shaf’i (may Allah show him mercy) said, “A

dead hide is not pure even if tanned.” Abu Hanifah
acted upon this narration.

166
Reported by Muslim 116, Ahmed in Al-Musnad, At-Tirmidhi,
An-Nisa’i and Ibn Majah from Ibn Abbas.
135
 Chapter Eighteen
Narrations left by Ahmed

‫ ما يستحي أبوك‬: ‫قال ابن معين لصالح بن أحمد بن حنبل‬

‫ ورأيته‬،‫ والشافعي راكب وهو راجل‬، ‫!! رأيته مع الشافعي‬
: ‫ قل له‬: ‫ فقال لي‬.‫ قال صالح فقلت لبي‬،‫وقد أخذ بركابه‬
‫إن أردت أن تتفقه فخذ بركابه الخر‬.
Ibn Mu’in (may Allah show him mercy) said to Salah ibn
Ahmed ibn Hanbal, “Is your father not ashamed? I saw
him with As-Shaf’i and As-Shaf’i was riding and he was
walking! I saw him holding his stirrup!” Salah told his
father what he said. Ahmed said, “Tell him that if he
wishes to understand jurisprudence then he should take
the other stirrup.” May Allah show them all mercy.

‫ ما عرفت ناسخ الحديث من منسوخه حتى‬:‫قال أيضا‬

‫جالست الشافعي‬
He also said, “I did not know the science of abrogation
in narration until I sat with As-Shaf’i.” Ahmed would sit
with As-Shaf’i, when As-Shaf’i would come to Iraq, after
Ahmed had completed his search for prophetic
narration. He completed his studies in prophetic
136
narrations when he was forty years old; he had sought
narrations close to twenty years. The least student of
narration, in our time, studies for four years then leaves
with the relied upon opinions on narrations. How vast is
the gap between the two!

137
 Chapter Nineteen
Narrations left by the Imams

1.

‫أوفاطوور الوحارجقم ووالوماحقجوم‬

‫رواه أحمد‬
“The cupper and the cupped have broken their
fasts.”167

This narration has been narrated by twenty-fve

companions and it is authentic. Imam Ahmed, Abu
Hanifah, As-Shaf’i and Malik refused it, and Ishaq, Al-
Hassan, Ibn al-Muzdr (may Allah be pleased with them)
and the rest of the companions. 168

2.

‫من مات وعليه صوم صام عنه وليه‬.

167
Imam Ahmed from Aisha 24714 and Abu Hurayrah 8380
(may Allah be pleased with them).
168
This hadith is abrogated when the Prophet (may Allah
bestow peace and blessings upon him) was cupped on his
farewell pilgrimage.
138
 ‫رواه البخاري‬
“Whoever dies and owes fast, it is fasted by his
benefactor.”169

Al-Hafz ibn Hajar, may Allah show him mercy, said that
Al-Layth, Imam Ahmed, Ishaq, Abu Ubayd (may Allah
show them all mercy) stated there is no fast for them
except if oath was made.

3.

‫عن أبي هريرة رضي ال عنه عن النبي صلى ال عليه‬

‫ ل يتقدمن أحدكم رمضان بصوم يوم أو يومين إل‬:‫وسلم قال‬
‫أن يكون رجل كان يصوم صومه فليصم ذلك اليوم‬.

‫رواه البخاري‬
Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates
that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him,
said, “Do not any of you precede Ramadan, by fasting a
day or two except he who habitually fasts that day,
then let him fast.”170

169
Al-Bukhari in the chapter of fasting from Aisha 1851 and
Muslim 1147.
170
Ibid. 1781 and Muslim 1812.
139
Imam Ahmed (may Allah show him mercy) said it is
necessary to fast in the days of doubt171 going against
proven evidence.

171
When it is not clear that the month of Ramadan has begun
or not. It is highly disliked to fast days of doubt in Hanaf
school.
140
 Chapter twenty
Please note

Do not think that memorising authentic narrations

which the scholars left and the weak ones that they
relied upon, that you have taken the books of prophetic
narrations. Of course not, I swear by Allah that there
are many more narrations, and we took some to shed
some light here.

For example:

1.

.‫أيما امرأة زوجت نفسها بغير إذن وليها فنكاحها باطل‬

‫رواه أبو داود‬
“Whichever woman marries herself, without the
permission of her guardian, then her marriage is
invalid.”172

There are four kinds of ways to understand the word,

“woman.”

1. Virgin below maturity

172
Imam Ahmed and Abu Dawood from Aishah (may Allah be
pleased with her) 2083. This is also due to the Quranic
passage, “Until she marries another.” Al-Baqarah 2:230. So
priority is given to the Quranic passage over the hadith.
141
2. Divorced below maturity

3. A mature virgin

4. A mature divorcee.

So some of the scholars said this was virgin below

maturity or divorced. Some went with the meaning, a
mature Virgin or below mature. Others made the ruling
on intellect so this is the same as these four kinds. As
we see that the scholars do not take all the meanings of
the word “woman” which they relate in narration, rather
each one takes a meaning.

2.

‫ ل وضوء لمن لم يذكر‬:‫قال رسول ال صلى ال عليه و سلم‬

‫اسم ال عليه‬.

‫رواه أبو داود‬

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and
blessings upon him) said, “There is no purifcation for
the one who does not mention the name Allah.” 173

The word “la” (no) is a negation of any type in apparent

meaning, concerning all the types of complete or

173
Abu Dawood from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased
with him) in the chapter of purifcation 92.
142
incomplete purifcation. The majority considered this for
perfect ablution (or to attain the highest rank of
ablution); Imam Ahmed said that we take the apparent
meaning. Do not think that they chose the meanings
randomly from their own egos, rather that they had
textual evidence, and each of them drew out from the
sentence what was apparent. This action is because
Allah said,

‫ض فللماَ لجلزآَهء لمن يلمفلعهل ذذلحلك‬ ‫ب لوتلمكفههرولن بحبلمع ض‬ ‫ألفلتهمؤحمهنوُّلن بحبلمع ح‬

‫ض ٱملحكلتاَ ح‬
‫ب‬ ‫ي حفيِ ٱمللحلياَحة ٱللدمنلياَ لويلموُّلم ٱملقحلياَلمحة يهلرلدولن إحللذى أل ل‬
‫شدد ٱلللعلذاَ ح‬ ‫حمنهكمم إحلن حخمز ي‬
‫لولماَ ٱنله بحلغاَفحضل لعنماَ تلمعلمهلوُّلن‬
“Do you believe in some of the book and reject another
part? There is no recompense for whoever does this
except in the world and on the Day of Judgement they
receive the worst punishment.”174

So whoever fnds narrations and then issues an edict

without making a comparison in all that was related in
that chapter of hadith, Quranic injunctions, Speech of
the companions, and opinions of the scholars, is
included in the above verse. May Allah (the Exalted)
protect us from misguidance after being guided.

3.

،‫ " الذهب بالذهب‬:‫قال رسول ال صلى ال عليه وسلم‬

،‫ والتمر بالتمر‬،‫ والشعير بالشعير‬،‫ والبقير بالبقيثر‬،‫والرفضة بالفضة‬

174
Sura Baqarah 2:85.
143
 ‫ فإن‬،‫ يادا بيد‬،‫ سواء بسواء‬،‫ مثلا بمثل‬،‫والملح بالملح‬
‫اختلفت هذه الصناف فبيعوا كيف شئتم إذا كان يادا بيد‬."

‫رواه مسلم‬
Ubayd ibn As-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him)
reports that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow
upon him peace and blessings) said, “Gold for gold;
Silver for silver; wheat for wheat; barley for barley;
dates for dates; salt for salt; same for same, similar for
similar, hand over hand, and if it is different from these
types then sell as you wish ...”175

The narration deals with six types of interest. The

majority say that this is not taken as outwardly rather
the interest enters into other than these types. Then
this disagreement is in the explanation of the
discrepancies of interest. Some say that it is the weight
of the type; others say its price and goods; others say
that the discrepancy is the price and the foodstuffs.

If we were to give a presentation of this chapter, a

larger volume would be necessary. So to this extent,
just an indication suffices for the intelligent.

Do not think that just by reading this chapter or the

previous chapter that the apparent meaning is left then
he adopts a way to the books of the Sunna! Rather the
chapters of this are numerous. One of the knowledge
(present here) are; Makhus min ul-Badd, Mutaq wa

175
Reported by Imam Muslim 2970.
144
Muqayad, muskil wa mufasir, Haqiqa maqusura, majaz
wa a’mm al-Majaz, Sarih wa Kinyat, Nasikh wa
Mansukh,176 and the reminder concerning these
chapters.

Do not think you can contain all these chapters then

end up with narrations. If you wish to do this then may
Allah bless your time and aspirations because this is the
initial stages of seeking sacred knowledge. We are
students when we begin seeking sacred knowledge. We
hope that you ponder about what we arrived at in terms
of understanding narrations; a true understanding
without innovation or crookedness. If you sure of this
then you have adopted the best manner of seeking
knowledge; begin with the Arabic language, then
jurisprudence, then narrations and fnally Quranic
exegesis. Do not ignore this order as Allah said,

‫ت رمان‬
‫ت رمان ظققهوررها وولوركسن البرسر ومرن اتسيوقيى وأتايقوا البقيقيو و‬ ‫س الابرر ربأان وتأقتوا البقيقيو و‬
‫وولوياي و‬
‫أبايوواربها وواتسيققوا اللسهو لووعلسقكام تقيافرليقحون‬

“It is not righteousness that you go to houses by the

back doors thereof (as do the idolaters at certain
seasons), but the righteous man is he who wards off
(evil). So go to houses by the gates thereof, and
observe your duty to Allah, that you may be
successful.”177

176
These are terms used in the science of the principles of
jurisprudence or Usul Al-Fiqh so please look them up there as
it is too much to explain each one here.
177
Quran: Sura Baqarah 2:189.
145
146
147
 Chapter Twenty One
The Objectives

The main objectives were to clarify the following:

1. It is necessary to take the meaning of the narration

from scholars as they received its words through
narration. The companions, the successors and the
Mujtahid scholars left hadith and did not act upon them
until they authenticated its chain of narration.

2. It is not permissible for someone to fnd an authentic

narration, to act upon it and issue legal edict on it.

3. Authentic narrations according to the experts and

acceptance of the narration, according to the scholars,
are not synonymous.

4. Weak narrations according to the experts and not

acting upon it, according to the jurists, are not
synonymous.

5. Eligibility of the narrator of the narration does not

qualify his peers to distinguish what is acted upon and
what is not acted upon.

6. Narration is one instruction and this depends on the

ruling.

7. If it is left by one of the Imams of narration then it is

not by obeying whims or because he did not receive it.

148
8. Whoever has all the books of narration and
jurisprudence cannot issue legal edict if they do not
meet the conditions of issuing edicts.

9. As we scrutinise the men who narrate, so do we can

clarify its meaning from men. As we receive the chain of
narration, and the text from men, likewise we receive
its meaning from men.178

If this is difficult upon you, what I have said, then do not

swamp me with correspondence. Do not inform me that
I neglected your questions concerning theological belief
because I will ask for permission from my spiritual
master to allow me to compose it, and when permission
will be given, I will place the epistle in front of you and
it will represent the introduction to the science of
theology.

This was written by Sheikh Atabek Shukurov Al-Kashi on

the tenth night of Jamda At-Thani in the year one
thousand, four hundred and twenty nine since the
emigration of the Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him.

The translation was completed on the twenty fourth of

Ramadan, 1429 by Arfan Shah Al-Bukhari.

All praise is only worthy for Allah Mighty and Majestic,

and may benedictions and salutations, in innumerable
178
“Men” meaning people who are qualifed to narrate.
149
multitudes, be upon the Prophet Muhammad, his family,
his companions and those who follow his path, until the
day of judgment.

150