Light On the Muhammadan Sunnah Or Defence of the Hadith
Composition of Hadith and Its Causes
Postponement of writing down the hadith and recording its words till after the 1st century A.H. and beginnings of the 2nd century, led to expansion of categories of riwayah, and multiplication of composition without any regulation or restriction. Consequently the number of fabricated traditions reached tens of thousands, most of which are still recorded in the books circulated among Muslims all over the world, East and West.
Beginning of Invention in Riwayah and Falsifying the Messenger’s Hadith
There is unanimity among all researchers and investigating scholars that invention in riwayah and composition of hadith with ascribing it to the Messenger of Allah (upon whom be God’s peace and benediction) started during the days of the caliphate of Uthman, after the insurrection that ended with his death. Invention became more intense and increased after swearing allegiance to Ali. As soon as Muslims acknowledged him as the competent ruler, the Umayyad devil began hatching the plot after another to seize caliphate from its true owner and rendering it to an Umayyad sovereignty! And that came true, Alas!
Al-Ustadh al-Imam Muhammad Abduh (may God’s mercy be upon him) in his Muqaddimat on Risalat al-Tawhid, referred to the great sedition by saying: “This sedition led to the decline of a significant cornerstone of the temple of caliphate, causing to Islam and Muslims a shock that dislodged
them from the straight path they have trodden steadily, and on whose course the Qur’an remained established.” Then he wrote an accurate sincere statement declaring: “After that the sequence of events continued with breaching the covenant by some of those who swore allegiance to the Fourth Caliph, 194 and eruption of several wars among the Muslims that led to the shifting of power to the Umayyads! But the structure of the company was split, and bonds of their unity were severed, with people being divided into several schools of thought regarding caliphate, and parties embarking on supporting the opinion of some school against that of its opponent, verbally and practically. Then originated the invention in narration and interpretation, with every sect going to the extremes, leading then to disagreement and disunity among people 195 ...etc.
The Fabricated Hadith:
The fabricated hadith is the forged invented one ascribed to the Messenger of Allah (S), falsely and slandrously, whether it be deliberately or mistakenly.
And as one of the Imams said, fabricating the hadith and ascribing it to the Messenger of Allah (S) being more dangerous to religion and of severer detriment to Muslims than bigotry of people of the east and of the west. And separation of Muslims into schisms, communities, schools of thought (madhahib) and cults is but only one of the effects and consequences of fabrication and composition in the Din.
In his book Ithar al-haqq, al-Murtada al-Yamani said: Most of the innovations of the heretics among the Muslims, originate from the following two apparently invalid factors: addition to and omission from religion (hadith). One form of addition to religion is verily falsifying and fabricating it.
Al-Nawawi in Sharh Muslim, reports from al-Qadi `Iyad as saying:
Liars are of two sorts: one of them a group known of forgery and
falsity in the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (may God’s peace and benediction be upon him and his Progeny), who are of several categories: some known of composing traditions that were never uttered by the Messenger of Allah (S) at all, such as the Zanadiqah and their likes who were never observing any commitment to Allah, either out of favouritism as they alleged, and religiosity like the ignorants among worshippers, 196 who fabricated traditions on virtues and recommendable deeds, or out of doing something strange and seeking fame like the debauchees among traditionists. Or out of bigotry and argumentation like the propagators among the heretics and fanatics to madhahib (schools of thought), or for satisfying the desires of world-seeking people to attain to their goals, and asking for success for their doing. 197
Among them also were those who would not fabricate text of hadith, but would bring in a correct authentic chain of transmission for the weak text. Some of them would reverse the chains (asanid) or add to them on purpose either for the sake of saying what is stranger than others or to take away ignorance from himself. Some would lie by claiming to have heard what he did not really hear, and meet whom he did not really meet, reporting correct traditions from them. Some others would take the speech of the Companions or others, and maxims of the Arabs and sages, ascribing them to the Prophet (may God’s peace and benediction be upon him and his Progeny).
Besides the reasons mentioned by al-Nawawi for fabricating the hadith and falsifying the Messenger’s traditions, many others are there that were stated by the ulama’, the most important of which being the following: 198
First: Which is the most important of all. It includes the traditions fabricated and falsified by the Zanadiqah disguising cheatingly and hypocritically under the guise of Islam, with the purpose of corrupting and ruining the religion with creating conflict and disunity among Muslims.
Hammad ibn Zayd said: The Zanadiqah have fabricated four thousand traditions. This being the number he could realize through his knowledge and investigation in discovering their falsity, whereas the
traditionists reported that only one zindiq had composed this number of traditions. They say that” When Ibn Ali al-Awja’ was taken to be beheaded, he said: “I fabricated for you four thousand traditions, forbidding in them the halal (lawful) and deeming lawful the haram (unlawful)”.
Second: Fabrication of hadith for the sake of backing and supporting the schools of thought in regard of principles (usul) and branches of religion. Since when Muslims were separated into schisms and madhahib, every group embarked on doing its utmost to prove the legality of its madhhab, especially after the door of debate and disputation regarding the madhahib was opened wide. The aim of this was only dumbfounding the opponent and showing of superiority over him, to the extent they have made dispute a science compiling on it many works, though their religion was averse to nothing but to dispute and conflict. This cause seems to be one of the consequences and effects of the previous one. This cause was cited by some of the traditionists who had written about causes of fabrication, saying: Someone among the heretics repented and embarked on expressing: You should investigate the source from which you take the hadith, as we used to render to a hadith whatever we desired or loved to be attained.
Fabrication of hadith for supporting the madhahib was not restricted to the heretics and owners of schools in usul. Rather many among Ahl al-Sunnah, who having disagreement about the branches (furu’) of religion, were known of composing traditions each for supporting one of the schools of thought or glorifying any of the leaders (imams)...
I introduce here one hadith as an example: “There shall be a man in my Ummah called Muhammad ibn Idris, who will be more detrimental to my Ummah than Iblis. And there shall be among my Ummah a man called Abu Hanifah, who is verily the beacon for my Ummah.” It is said that among the chain of transmitters there are two fabricators: Ma’mun ibn Ahmad al-Salami, and Ahmad ibn Abd Allah al-Khunbari. The hadith was reported by al-Khatib on the authority of Abu Hurayrah with a chain of transmitters, sufficing with the part related to Abu Hanifah, adding: It is a fabricated
hadith, composed by Muhammad ibn Sa’id al-Maruzi al-Bawraqi. Then he said: He narrated it in this way in Khurasan and then in Iraq, adding to it: “There shall be among my Ummah a man called Muhammad ibn Idris, who will cause a sedition that be more detrimental to my Ummah than that of Iblis”.
It is said that no need is there to prove the baselessness of this intentional violation of truth. Nevertheless, there are some considerable jurisprudents who mention in their fiqhi books the part of the hadith labelling Abu Hanifah as the beacon of the Ummah,
In his Sharh Sahih Muslim, Abu al-Abbas al-Qurtubi says: Some of the self-opinionated fuqaha’ permit to verbally ascribe to the Messenger of Allah the ruling that is indicated by a clear-cut analogy (qiyas), saying in this regard: “The Messenger of Allah said so and so”. Hence we find their books replete with traditions whose texts testify on themselves being fabricated since they seem to be identical with verdicts (fatawa) of the fuqaha’, and never be fit to the eloquency of the speech of the Master of Apostles, beside their being unsupported by isnad.
Abu Shamah, in his book Mukhtasar Kitab al-Mu’ammal, is reported to have said:
“The practice followed by chiefs of fiqh regarding the Prophetic traditions and reported old speeches being abundant inference by weak traditions to support their beliefs and their claims, with deleting some words once and adding some others to the hadith. Many examples for these cases can be found in the works of Abu al-Ma’ali and his companion Abu Hamid. 200
Third: Neglecting memorization due to be busy with asceticism and
devotion in worship. These ascetics and Sufis were thinking well of people considering sarcasm as a forbidden backbiting. Therefore they were deceived by the lies circulated here and there, reporting traditions without any knowledge or verification. So no trust should be put to the traditions filling the books of preaching, exorcization and maysticism without indicating their sources and degree of authenticity. This judgement is not related only to the books whose authors have precedence in knowledge, like the book Nuzhat al-Majalis, which is replete with falsities on hadith and other fields. Rather, even some books of the leaders (imams) of ulama’, such as al-Ihya’ of al-Ghazzali, can never be free from numerous fabricated traditions.
Fourth: The intention of seeking favoritism near the kings’ sovereigns and emirs, as stated by several memorizers. And as the hireling ‘ulama’ fabricated many of the Messenger’s traditions for gaining the pleasure of the monarchs and rulers, they also falsified many fiqhi rules and branches of religion for this purpose. Among the traditions composed in this regard are those containing flattery and extolling for the rulers, through which the ignorant cajole the kings presently as they used to do in the past.
Fifth: Error and inadvertence, that befell some of the narrators who, despite recognizing the truth, abstained from forsaking their viewpoints, out of disdain and to evade any error be ascribed to them. Frailty in faith and dishonesty in the task of narrating the hadith could not be realized until experiencing those events that are known for all.
Sixth: Reporting the hadith by memorizing from those having reliable books, with being inaccurate in memorization, entailing consequently the loss of books and occurrence of mistakes and errors.
Seventh: Mental confusion inflicting people at the end of life, as in the case of a group of trustworthy narrators, who were excused for this reason, except those who were free from all the faults ascribed to them, with no distinction between what is reported from them in the state of maturity and sanity and that which is reported in the state of insanity and decrepitude.
Eighth: Trying to overcome the opponent in debate and controversy
particularly when being in public, the condition differing from fabrication of hadith for supporting the schools of thought. Ibn al-Jawzi says: Among the causes of fabrication of hadith being the inference exercised by an impious person during debates in public meetings, to prove his claims in the way complying to his desires...for putting his argument in order, edifying his statement, gaining superiority over his opponent, desiring for achieving triumph, satisfying his lust for power and escaping scandal when being defeated by his opponent in debate.
Ninth: Pleasing people and seeking their approval with attracting them to attend their preaching congregations, and expanding the sphere of their allies and supporters. The narrators have attached this cause to the talebearer. Maybe Ibn al-Jawzi was not to compile his book on fabricated traditions until practising the job of preaching with experiencing the corruption caused to religion at the hands of the preachers. About himself he said that he used to disapprove the traditions that were usually cited during the preaching meetings held by him, the fact arousing the grudge of all talebearers against him.
Talhah and al-Zubayr were the first people who breached the swear of allegiance (bay'ah), supported by A'ishah, because of the malice and grudge they harboured against Ali (A). These two were - as is known - among the ten men whom the Prophet (S) augured with paradise.
Risalat al-Tawhid, 1st edition, pp. 7, 8.
I will discuss the righteous fabricators at the end of this chapter.
The Islamic encyclopedia says: After the demise of Muhammad (S), the original religious opinions and treatments that prevailed among the vanguard of Muslims could not remain intact without being inflicted with changes. As a new era of development emerged on the scene, when the ulama' started to make advancement on an orderly system of acts and beliefs compatible with the new circumstances. As after the great conquests, Islam prevailed and spread over spacious areas, borrowing from downtrodden peoples new opinions and principles, with the life and thinking of Muslims being affected then in many respects not only by Christianity and Jewism, but also by Hellenism, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism. Anyhow, the Muslims have abided strictly by the principle: The Sunnah of the Prophet and the foremost in Islam was the only basis fit to be the moral ideal example to be followed by the believers. This led to fabrication of ahadith, with the narrators allowing themselves to invent traditions of their own, containing saying and act, ascribing them to the Prophet so as to make them agree with the opinions of the coming era. So that era witnessed circulation of falsified ahadith ascribed to the Prophet, showing him to say or do something that was recommendable in the following era. Besides, the narrators began to foist into the hadith utterances taken from the innovated sayings of apostles and gospels, and Jewish notions and Greek philosophical doctrines … etc. which were approved by a certain group of Muslims, who found no harm in making the Prophet elaborating by this story-telling style some issues referred to in the Qur'an so briefly, calling to new opinions and beliefs. Rather, a large number of these invented contained important rules (ahkam), like halal and haram, purity (taharah), and rules of food, law, etiquette, good morals, beliefs, Reckoning Day, heavens and hell … etc.
With passage of time reporting the saying and acts of the Prophet gradually multiplied, and during the first centuries coming in the wake of the demise of the Messenger, the disagreement among Muslims exacerbated regarding some opinions about divergent issues, and every party embarked on supporting its opinion by a saying or an act cited, in fabricated contradictory traditions ascribed to the Prophet's Sunnah. And in the main disputes that were resulted from bigotry, every sect resorted to the Messenger to prove its right, as some group ascribed to him (S) a saying foretelling of the establishment of the Abbasid State. As a whole, they made him prophesy in a way where vision intermingles with prophethood, in respect of political events and religious movements, or rather the new social phenomena that came into being out of the great conquests, like elevation of honour, with the purpose of justifying all these things in view of the new Islamic group. Certain number of these traditions were composed in a form of utterances ascribed to Muhammad (S), talking about various places and regions that were not conquered by Muslims but only very lately.
Hence, we cannot - due to multiplicity of ahadith - give a correct historical description for the Prophet's Sunnah, but on the contrary, they - ahadith - stand for opinions adopted by some men of influence during the first centuries that followed demise of Muhammad (S), and were ascribed to him only then (vol. VII, pp. 330-335).
Some ignorant men may think that by quoting this speech we intend to make it as one of our evidences to prove our claim, counting this among matters for which we deserve censure, unaware that our only aim of this being to manifest for them and their illiterate brethren that the orientalists have knowledge of facts of our religion of which they themselves (ignorant) being unaware. Glorified is He the Bestower of intellects!
Refer to journal of al-Manar, vol. III.
For this reason the Shafi'is were forced to narrate (falsely) a hadith in regard of their leader giving him by it superiority over all other leaders, which reads: The Messenger of Allah (may God's peace and benediction be upon him and his Progeny) said: "Dignify Quraysh, as its 'alim will verily fill the whole earth with knowledge"! On their part, the followers of al-Imam Malik have also invented the following hadith in regard of their leader: "People will migrate from the East toward the West, where they will not find a man more knowledgeable than the 'alim of people of al-Madinah." They reported also another hadith with the same meaning from Abu Hurayrah. Refer to Ibn Abd al-Barr's al-Intiqa'.
See p. 21.
These people, as said by Ibn Asakir in his Ta'rikh, used to: "make of the mursal as marfu' once, give sanad for the mawquf another time, and approve of the isnad once and insert a hadith into another one, another time." (Vol. II, p. 10).
Among them a group of beggars who used to stand at the bazaars and mosques, falsifying against the Messenger of Allah traditions with correct asanid, which they have learned by heart, mentioning thus the themes through those asanid (Tafsir al-Qurtubi, vol. I, p. 69).