Light On the Muhammadan Sunnah Or Defence of the Hadith
Detriment of Tales and Talebearer:
Al-Salafi reports on the authority of al-Fadl ibn Ziyad that he said: I heard Ahmad ibn Hanbal saying: The biggest liars among people being the questioner and story-teller.
Abu Qullabah is reported to have said: Knowledge is never deadened but by the story-teller.
Al-Uqayli reported on the authority of ‘Asim as saying: Abu Abd al-Rahman used to say: Be cautious of the story-teller.
Mu’awiyah was Fabricator of Tales:
In Akhbar al-Madinah, al-Zubayr ibn Bakkar reports from Nafi’ and other men of knowledge as saying: Story-telling was neither exercised in the
lifetime of the Prophet (S), nor during the caliphate of Abu Bakr, nor that of Umar, but it was only an innovation invented by Mu’awiyah when fitnah (sedition) erupted.
Ibn Abi Shaybah has reported the same khabar from Ibn Umar, and it is known that Umar (ibn al-Khattab) forbade from story-telling.
Tenth: Severity of intimidation and excess in temptation for the sake of guiding people. This kind of falsified traditions was even accelerated for their fabricators by the scholars’ stating that the weak traditions could be applied and followed regarding the virtuous deeds,
Eleventh: Permission to fabricating chains of transmission (asanid) for the euphonious speech, 205 so as to make a hadith out of it. This reason was mentioned independently, while it is to be included within the previous one.
Twelfth: Dissembling of the knowledge-claimant to be superior to his opponent in debate when controversy reaches topic of hadith, whereat the hypocrite who having feeble faith and corrupt knowledge would say: This hadith is reported by so and so and confirmed by so and so. Further he would ascribe this hadith to very scarce books (as sources) so as to delude people of his having preknowledge of things unknown or realized by others, or would invent a new chain of transmission for the hadith.
Al-Suyuti reported that Ibn al-Jawzi was among those whose traditions were fabricated, and that falsity and reversion are of several forms: some of the narrators were overcome by asceticism so they forgot about memorization. Or some whose books (of hadith) were lost so he used to narrate out of what he memorized, committing thus numerous mistakes and errors. Some others were trustworthy, but they were inflicted with mental disorder at the last days of their lives. Some who used to report the errors inadvertently, but when recognizing the truth and being certain of it, disdained from returning or repenting fearing from that blunder be attributed to them. Among them too were the Zanadiqah who used to fabricate and falsify the traditions on purpose with the aim of corrupting the Shari’ah (Islamic Law), and creating doubt and suspicion into religion making it as a plaything. Some of the Zanadiqah used to take advantage of the Shaykh’s inadvertence and to foisting something strange to his hadith. Some used to fabricate hadith for seeking content and temptation. Some others would compose chains of transmission through flowery language, with some doing so for gaining pleasure of the ruler, and the story-tellers who used to relate feeble unauthentic traditions. 206 In order not to expatiate on this topic, I suffice with the examples already cited.
Concerning the hadith fabricators, they were innumerable, the most
outstanding of whom being the following four: Ibn Abi Yahya in al-Madinah, al-Waqidi in Baghdad, Muqatil ibn Sulayman in Khurasan and Muhammad ibn Sa’id in the Sham. 207
Hereunder one example on fabrication of hadith for seeking favoritism near the kings and emirs:
Al-Rashid was so fond of pigeons and amusing himself with them. One day he received doves as a present at the presence of Abu al-Bukhtari al-Qadi 208 when he said: Abu Hurayrah reported from the Prophet (S) that he said: “No race is there but in the pad or hoof or wing”. The word ‘wing’ was added from his own for pleasing al-Rashid, for which he was gifted a valuable reward. When he went out, al-Rashid said: By God I got to know that he was a liar. Then he issued his orders to slaughter the pigeons, when it was said to him: What sin the pigeons perpetrated? He replied: Because of them a lie was composed against the Messenger of Allah!
Political Fabrication or for Sake of Politics
Before concluding this chapter I have to reveal a critical aspect in regard of fabrication of hadith, that having a long-term effect on life in Islam. This effect is still in force through the putrid thoughts, retrogressive minds and bigoted souls. This aspect being the intrusion of politics in this issue (fabrication of hadith), and its having an extreme impact and influence upon it, employing it for backing the rulers and statesmen, making it the strongest pillar for reinforcing the basis of their power.
Such political situation reached its peak and exceeded all the bounds during the reign of Mu’awiyah, who supported and encouraged it by employing his influence and dedicating his money for pushing it forward. So we witnessed the continuation of this situation, with the hadith being lost and fully dedicated for the purpose of indicating Mu’awiyah’s honour and extolling him. They have exaggerated in supporting and showing strong fanaticism toward him, elevating the status of the Sham ruled by him, giving
it a position that was neither attained by al-Madinah of the Messenger of Allah nor by the Sacred Town (Makkah) in which he was born, going to the extremes in this respect to the extent that certain compilations were authored specifically for this purpose.
Though this subject needs in itself a separate book, I shall commit myself – within this book – to be brief and concise, demonstrating only a few indications and evidences.
Here are some examples on this fabrication:
We can refer to the hadith fabricated by al-Bakriyyah (supporters of Abu Bakr), and reported by Ibn Asakir from Abu Hurayrah, that the angels on the Day of Badr were exchanging announcement of good tidings saying: Aren’t you witnessing al-Siddiq with the Messenger of Allah in the canopy?! Al-Khatib reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas that the Prophet (S) said: Gabriel, upon whom be God’s peace, descended upon me putting on a rug and making friends (with angels)...I asked him: O Gabriel! What is that? He replied: Allah the Exalted commanded the angels in the heavens to make friends with each other as is done by Abu Bakr on earth.
Abu Ya’la reported from Abu Hurayrah that he said: The Messenger of Allah said: I ascended (by God) to the heaven, and by each heaven I passed I found my name written on it: (Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr al-Siddiq is my successor).
Abu Ya’la reported again from Ibn Umar that the Prophet said: Verily the angels are ashamed of Uthman as they are ashamed of Allah and His Messenger.
In another hadith, it is reported that the Messenger of Allah (S) said: The excellence of ‘A’ishah over all women is like that of the sop over all other foods. It is reported yet in another hadith that her portrait was sent to the Prophet in a piece of silky cloth with Gabriel who said to him” “This is you wife in the world and Hereafter”!!
Another hadith says: Take half of your religion from this Humayra’ (i.e. A’ishah). In another narration he (S) said: Take part of your religion
from this Humayra’.
This chapter is so expansive that no room is there to enumerate all its contents.
Mu’awiyah and Sham:
Concerning Mu’awiyah and the Sham that he and his relatives ruled over for a very long epoch, there are many traditions that were fabricated on their merits.
Mu’awiyah, as is known, embraced Islam together with his father on the day of Makkah conquest, being thus among the freed captives (tulaqa’). He was also one of those whose hearts are to be reconciled, who were receiving some fees for their (embrace of) Islam. It was him who subverted the principle of the rightly-guided caliphate in Islam, for which no trace is left and no edifice is established till the present time. He made of Damascus as the capital of his sovereignty and rule. Hereunder a recapitulation of the traditions composed on his excellence:
Al-Tirmidhi reported that the Prophet (S) said once to Mu’awiyah: O God! Make him a guide.
In another hadith, the Prophet said: O God! teach him knowledge of the Book and arithmetic, and Protect him against torment. There is an addition made to this hadith as follows: “and let him enter paradise”.
However, despite the abundant traditions cited on the merit of Mu’awiyah that were baseless and of no authentic origin, Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, the eminent leader (imam) and shaykh of al-Bukhari, is reported to have said: None of the traditions about merits of Mu’awiyah could be confirmed or approved.
Under the chapter “Merits of the Prophet’s Companions”, “bab dhikr Mu’awiyah”, 209 al-Bukhari, without citing traditions with chain of transmission going back to the Prophet, quoted two statements ascribed to Ibn Abbas giving an account of Mu’awiyah. In the first one he said, that he kept
company with the Messenger of Allah, and in the second statement he said that Mu’awiyah was a faqih!
In regard of the Sham, they claimed that it was the land of assembly (mahshar) and resurrection, and land of substitutes (abdal)... and that the descent of Jesus Christ shall be in this land. Here you are with some of the numerous traditions cited in its regard:
Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Baghawi and al-Tabarani and others reported that the Prophet (S) said: Consider the importance of Sham, as it is Allah’s choice of the best land, toward which He selects and guides the best of His bondmen. Allah appointed Himself as the agent to take care of the Sham and its people.
In another hadith, he said: The Sham is the best choice of Allah in His land. Toward it He selects and leads the best among His bondmen. Whoever departs the Sham betaking himself to other than it, will verily deserve God’s wrath and anger... and whoever enters it coming from other than it, shall verily be included in His mercy and grace.
Al-Bayhaqi , in al-Dala’il, reports from Abu Hurayrah, through a chain of transmission, as saying: Caliphate is (confined) in al-Madinah while the sovereign power is seclusively in the Sham. Ka’b al-Ahbar is reported to have said: People of Sham are one of God’s swords, with whom He will verily revenge Himself upon whoever disobeyed Him and rebelled against His orders!
In another hadith, he (S) said: The Sham will verily be conquerred for you. When you are asked to choose abodes in it, you have to select a town that is called Dimashq (Damascus), which is the metropolis of the Umayyads. It is verily the stronghold of the Muslims during fierce battles and invasions, and its marquee is situated in a land called al-Ghawtah.
They (narrators) made of Damascus 210 the rabwah (height) to which the holy Qur’an referred in the verse: “...and We gave them a refuge on a height, a place of flocks and watersprings”. In a transmitted hadith. Abu Hurayrah made of it one of the cities of paradise in a hadith with a chain of
transmission reaching to the Prophet, with the following text: Four cities are among the paradise cities, which being: Mecca, Medina, Quds and Damascus, whereas the Fire cities are: Constantinople, Tabariyyah, Antaqi and San’a!
At the time they consider Constantinople in this hadith one of Fire (Hell) cities, they cite the following hadith on its excellence after its becoming the aspiration of all sights Constantinople will verily be conquerred ... what an excellent emir is its emir and what an excellent army is that army! Probably this hadith was fabricated for the sake of Yazid ibn Mu’awiyah, since it was him who commanded over the army during the Constantinople Battle.
I am not intending to follow up whatever is cited on the merit of the Sham, as it needs a number of separate compilations to cover, as said by Ibn Taymiyyah in his book Iqtida’ al-Sirat al-mustaqim.
A group of people composed several works on the advantages of Quds (Bayt al-Maqdis) and other localities in the Sham, citing in them some of the transmitted traditions and statements from Ahl al-Kitab and those who took from them, upon which it is unlawful for Muslims to base and found their religion. The most outstanding man from whom these falsified traditions (Israeliyyat) were reported, being Ka’b al-Ahbar, who was the source of such traditions for the people of Sham.
Origin of Substitutes Village:
The epithet with which the land of the Sham was distinguished – after imparting upon it and its people multiple traits – was calling it the land of abdal (substitutes). This belief was one of the factors that led to destruction and subversion of Islam, as the Sufis adopted it as a principle and source for their tariqah (creed; system of belief), on which they based and constructed their fancies and superstitions.
Al-Waqidi 212 reported that when Mu’awiyah returned from Iraq to the Sham, after swearing allegiance to (al-Imam) al-Hasan (in 41 H), he
addressed people saying: “O people! The Messenger of Allah said: You will verily succeed me in assuming the post of caliphate! So choose the socred land that verily contains the substitutes.” Here I have informed you, so curse Abu Turab! (i.e. Ali ibn Abi Talib). The next day he wrote a letter, gathering them then and reciting it for them, in which was the following: This document is written by Amir al-Mu’minin Mu’awiyah, the owner of the revelation (wahy) of Allah, who delegated Muhammad as a Prophet, who was illiterate neither knowing to read nor to write. Then He chose for him from among his family, a trustworthy vizier as a scribe. When the revelation was sent down to Muhammad, I was writing it down, without his being aware of what I was writing. No one was there as an intermediary between me and Allah from among His creatures.” The attendants there said: You said the truth!!
As soon as the Sham was described as the land of substitutes by Mu’awiyah, a number of traditions about these abdal, ascribed to the Prophet emerged on the scene, among which we can refer to the following: 214
“The abdal (substitutes) in this Ummah are thirty men, whose hearts are sympathetic with that of Ibrahim the Friend of Allah. Whenever one of them dies Allah will verily substitute him with another man (reported from Ubadah ibn al-Samit).
“The substitutes in my Ummah are thirty. With them the earth is established! And through their help you will be verily triumphant and will be showered with raining” (reported from Ubadah).
“The substitutes are among people of the Sham, through them God will verily help and provide them with means of living – (reported from Awf ibn Malik).
“The substitutes are in the Sham, and they are forty men. Whenever one of them deceases, Allah shall substitute him with another man. Through them rain will be watering the earth and victory will be obtained against the enemies. With them the torment will be verily turned away from people of the Sham” – (reported from Ali).
“The substitutes are forty men and forty women! Whenever a man
dies Allah will verily substitute him with another man. And whenever a woman dies Allah will substitute her with another woman” – (from Anas ibn Malik).
- “The substitutes are among the mawali (masters)” – (reported from ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah).
A question about these traditions was raised to the traditionist jurisprudent al-Sayyid Rashid Rida (upon whom be God’s mercy) in the following way by an inquirer: What is the meaning behind distinguishing people of the Sham with them? What denotation is indicated by removing of torment, aiding to triumph and providing by substitutes to people of the Sham? And are people of the Sham provided with livelihood, helped to triumph, and delivered from torment seclusively and alone from among inhabitants of the earth?!
Al-Sayyid gave him a scholastic, attentive and accurate reply, the abstract of which I present hereunder: 215
He initiated his speech by saying: “These traditions are altogether false and invalid in respect of narration and dirayah (knowledgeability), and also regarding their sanad and text. That which made them so commonly circulated among the Ummah was the much care and concern exerted toward it by the Sufis. To all of them a reference was made by the traditionist Ibn al-Jawzi in his book al-Mawdu’at, who proved their invalidity one by one. The substitutes traditions were commonly fabricated by the Sufis, Shi’ah,
“Then the latters among Sufis and Mutakallimun on revelation (kashf) and supersensible matters, have penetrated deeply into this subject, in a way that most of them were believing and calling to compromise solutions
and agreement of opinions, filling the newspapers with this call, like al-Harawi and others, followed by Ibn al-Arabi, Ibn Sab’in and their disciple Ibn al-Afif. Their ancestors were coexisting with the Isma’ilites, the latters among the Rafidites believing too in the compromises and divinity of the Imams, a doctrine that was never held by their formers. Consequently each party was imbued with the doctrine of the other, with their speech being confused and beliefs being intermingled, and the Sufis starting to believe in the magnate, which meaning the head of gnostics. They were claiming that no one could be equal to him in respect of his status in knowledge till God takes his life, when his position is to be inherited by another gnostic. Moreover they started to talk about the order of substitutes to follow this magnate, as held by the Shi’ah regarding the Nuqaba’ (headmen), to the extent that when intending to find origin of the piece of cloth of Sufism for making it a principle for their system of belief and seclusion (takhliyah), they ascribed it to Ali, may God be pleased with him, the fact included too in this meaning. Otherwise, Ali was not distinguished from among the Companions with a certain way of seclusion or manner of wearing or conduct, rather Abu Bakr and Umar were the most ascetic and devoted in worship after the Messenger of Allah, may God’s peace and benediction be upon him and his Progeny... No one among them was singled out with any certain act reported about him in particular, but all the Sahabah were ideal in religiosity, asceticism and strife. Many of the fuqaha’ and men of verdict (mujtahidun) were commissioned with the task of refuting and dumbfounding the contemporary writers of these articles and their likes, including in their disapproval campaign whatever they faced within the system of belief”.
The scholars of hadith have expressed their views regarding the asanid (chains of transmission) of these traditions.
words that all being feeble. This saying is closer to truth than that of Ibn Hajar himself, who said: Some of them are correct and some are incorrect!”
Al-Sayyid Rashid, after disproving these traditions one by one, said: Mulla Ali al-Qari reported from Ibn al-Salah about the fabricated traditions, that he said: The strongest hadith we narrated about the substitutes being Ali’s utterance: The substitutes will be verily in the Sham. This saying agrees with what Ibn Taymiyyah said in his treatise 220 about Ahl al-Siffah and the Sufis with respect to the narrator. While the investigation held by Shaykh al-Islam on this issue with regard to cognizance is truly the end of extremities. Following are some excerptions of his statements in this regard:
(Section): Concerning the names that were circulated recurringly among a large number of hermits and common people, such as the succour (ghawth) that will be in Mecca, the four stakes, the seven magnates, forty substitutes and three hundred pedigrees (nujaba’), they altogether have neither existence in the Book of Allah, nor been reported from the Prophet, may God’s peace and benediction be upon him and his Progeny, through a veracious isnad or probable weak one. Excepted from these is the term Abdal (substitutes), in whose regard a decisively confirmed Shami hadith is reported from Ali ibn Abi Talib, on the authority of the Prophet (upon whom be God’s peace and benediction) as saying: “Among them – i.e. people of the Sham – are the substitutes, who are forty men...whenever anyone of them dies Allah will verily substitute him with another man.” The ancestors have never referred throughout their speeches and researches to these names in the order previously mentioned…etc.
Then he stated that the term ghawth (help) and ghiyath (helper) can never fit but to Allah the Exalted. After that, Shaykh al-Islam uttered some rational sensible words about the issues of stakes (awtad) and magnate, returning then to the substitutes when he said: “Regarding the chain (marfu’) hadith, it is more likely not among the utterance of the Prophet (S), as faith was found in Hijaz and Yemen before the conquests of the Sham, when the Sham and Iraq were lands of kufr (infidelity). Furthermore, during the
caliphate of Ali, an authentic hadith was reported from the Prophet (S) that he said: “A group of renegades will verily rebel against the best community (firqah) of Muslims, and will be killed by the cult that is more entitled to truth”. Hence Ali and his companions were more entitled to truth than those whom he fought from among people of the Sham.
Resuming his speech, al-Sayyid Rashid (may God’s mercy be upon him) said: “The reason behind what is reported from Ali, may God be pleased with him, being that some of his followers used to insult and revile people of the Sham, but he forbade them from that absoluteness saying: Among them are the Abdal. That is, Allah the Exalted will substitute from among the supporters of Mu’awiyah with others, or what gives such meaning. Then some narrators sychophant to the Umayyads, followed by the Sufis, came and added abundantly to, making of it a chain authentic hadith, composing other traditions on flattery and censure to be circulated throughout the famous metropolises.
Ibn Asakir reported that Ka’b al-Ahbar 221 said: The substitutes are thirty men. He also said: The substitutes are in the Sham, and the Nujaba’ are in the Kufah. Then he stated a good number of such sayings reported from that time people about the substitutes, pedigrees (Nujaba’), heads (Nuqaba’) and the righteous. The term ‘Abdal’ was the most widely known of these terms, while people during the 2nd and 3rd centuries were unable to perceive from this word yet what the Sufis were claiming about it. Rather, al-Imam Ahmad said: “The substitutes are men of hadith”.
In regard of what these narrations claim that Allah the Most High will succour people of the Sham and provide them with the substitutes, is verily one of the defects of their texts and signs of their fabrication. Since the Almighty Allah made certain means for victory that can be recognized from His Book and sunan (methods, ways) in His creation. The best people led by the best of apostles (peace be upon them), fell short of some of these means during Battle of Uhud, the fact led to their defeat and be overcome by the polytheists after they were victorious. When finding that strange and
incredible, the following verse was revealed by Allah the Exalted to His Messenger (may God’s peace and benediction be upon him and his Progeny) for demonstrating this fact for them: “What! When a misfortune befell you (at Uhud) while ye had already inflicted twice as much (on the disbelievers), ye said: “Whence is this?” Say (unto them, O Muhammad): “This is from your (own) selves...”
Among these social means and factors is the one manifested by God through these words: “...if ye help (in the way of) God, He will (also) help you”, and also through His saying: “...and quarrel ye not, for then ye will be weakened in heart, and will depart your power...”
And among the spiritual and moral means of victory it can be referred to the holy verse: (“O’ ye who believe!) when ye meet a party (the contingent of the infidels) then be firm, and remember God much, (that ye be successful).”
After throwing light upon the wretchedness and straitened conditions experienced by people of the Sham in 1927,
Then he concluded his utterance by saying:
“These narrations have demolished the might of the Islamic Ummah, with the Sufis and followers of this system turning to be a sedition for all the Muslims, startling away those having intellectual independence and modern sciences, from Islam, deeming it as a religion of superstitions and fancies like other religions. They were also a shame to the Muslims before the advanced peoples of the world. Their ignorance and corrupt religion and morals reached an extent that they became collaborators for France in Africa from frontiers of Tunisia up to the cultivated land of Morocco. It is high time to comprehend and perceive our religion from the Qur’an not from these abominable narrations which diverted us far from the Book of Allah and Sunnah of His Messenger (may God’s peace and benediction be upon him and his Progeny), that are neither liable to interpretation nor can be subjected to perversion. The
time has come to tread under foot all those misleading perverters with all their supporters and those interpolating (the facts) for them from among the sacristans of the worshipped tombs, due to the belief prevailed among common people that sustenance and world felicity can be acquired from those buried under earth. Because of such superstition our Ummah became downtrodden under the feet of all nations, with its common people keeping on to believe that the dead and invisible men are the source of its sustenance and keeping it safe against misfortune.”
This saying and its holders have brought so much detriment to people, in respect of their religion and life.
The following basis was laid down by them in this regard: "Unless the intercession be there, the intercessor would be of no use."
Refer to the section: Fabrication of hadith for rhetoric speech, in this book.
Kashf al-khafa', vol. II, p. 409.
Ibn Khallikan, vol. II, p. 113.
Abu al-Bukhtari was the judge of al-Madinah after Bakkar ibn Abd Allah. After that he undertook adjudication of Baghdad after Abu Yusuf, the companion of Abu Hanifah. He died in 200 H. during the caliphate of al-Ma'mun. Tafsir al-Qurtubi, vol. I, p. 69.
In his exposition of this bab, Ibn Hajar said: "Notice: Al-Bukhari used, in this statement, the word dhikr (remembrance) not the word fadilah (virtue) nor manqabah (merit), since the virtue cannot be understood from the hadith of this section, as out of Ibn Abbas' acknowledging of his fiqh and companionship indicates much honour. In al-mawdu'at, Ibn al-Jawzi reported that Ibn Rahawayh said: No hadith on excellences of Mu'awiyah has been confirmed, so al-Bukhari's refraining from using the word manqabah (for Mu'awiyah) came in fact in reliance upon the utterance of his shaykh 'Ibn Rahawayh'. The same can be said in regard of al-Nasa'i when he depended on words of his shaykh Ishaq, and so also with al-Hakim. Ibn al-Jawzi reported again from Ibn Abd Allah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal as saying: I asked my father: How do you view Ali and Mu'awiyah? He paused for a while and then said: You should know that Ali had so many enemies, who endeavoured to find any fault for him, but on failing they resorted to a man who fought against him, flattering him out of vengeance against Ali. Then this man embarked on citing many merits for Mu'awiyah, which were invented by his followers, that having no origin whatsoever. So many ahadith were reported showing excellences of Mu'awiyah, but no one of them could prove to be correct through isnad (chain of transmitters), the fact determined by Ishaq ibn Rahawayh and al-Nasa'i and others. And God knows better. Thus ended the speech of Ibn Hajar, in Fath al-Bari, vol. VII, p. 83. Concerning the story of al-Nasa'i (to which Ibn Hajar referred), who is the author of one of widely-known hadith books, it was reported by al-Dhahabi who said: When being in Damascus, al-Nasa'i was inquired about merit's of Mu'awiyah, when he said: Isn't he pleased to be compared head to head (i.e. to be likened to Ali), so as to be preferred? Al-Dhahabi says: Then people kept on pushing him till driving him out of the majlis (meeting), when he was carried toward Kufah where he died.
Of what is narrated in regard of excellence of Damascus, I can refer to what is reported by Abu Dawud, from Abu al-Darda', that he said: The Messenger of Allah (S) said: The fustat (tent) of Muslims on the day of epic in Ghautah, at the region near a city called Damascus, which is the best of the cities of the Sham.
See p. 208, and refer too to my book Shaykh al-mudirah.
Sharh Nahj al-balaghah, p. 261.
Mu'awiyah was never one of scribes of revelation (wahy), and had never inscribed even one word of the Qur'an.
These traditions are cited by al-Suyuti in his book al-Jami' al-saghir.
Journal of al-Manar, vol. XXVII, pp. 747-754.
The Shi'ah categorically deny their participation in fabrication of substitutes (abdal) traditions, since they had no abdal, so as to compose traditions for them, nor they acknowledged them at all.
The eminent 'alim al-Izz ibn Abd al-Salam had a printed treatise about the abdaI, ghawth qutub (magnate), and the nujaba' (the dignified), stating in it that these names have no origin in Islam and were not reported from the Prophet (S), neither in a sahih tradition nor a weak one.
Refer to the Muqaddimah, Edition of Beirut, p. 473.
That is the traditions of substitutes (abdal).
It is the 3rd treatise in the book al-Rasa'i wa al-masa'il of Ibn Taymiyyah.
In every place there is trace for Tha'labah.
The year in which this fatwa was written.
Let those who still look at the realities with obstinacy hear this.