Light On the Muhammadan Sunnah Or Defence of the Hadith
Fabrication of Traditions Against Ali
Abu Ja'far al-Iskafi 412 said that Mu'awiyah forced some of the Companions and the Followers to narrate obscene and indecent reports, with ascribing then to Ali, with the aim of defaming and disowning him. He dedicated for this act a certain stipend, that made them compose and falsify traditions which pleased him, among whom being Abu Hurayrah, 'Amr ibn al-`As and al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah, beside Urwah ibn al-Zubayr from among the Tabi'un.
Al-A'mash reported that: When Abu Hurayrah arrived, with Mu'awiyah, in Iraq in the year called at-Jama'ah year
Messenger, 414 and burn myself in Fire? By God, I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: For every prophet there is a special shrine, and my shrine is at al-Madinah between "Ir to Thawr. Whoever causing hadath (condition requiring wudu' or ghusl), will be subject to damnation of Allah and the angels and all people... and I give witness by Allah that Ali has caused a hadath in it. When Mu'awiyah became aware of this hadith, he awarded and honoured Abu Hurayrah, with appointing him a governor over al-Madinah.
But truth never loses supporters, and though the Companions having among them a man like Abu Hurayrah, who can easily be beguiled and overcome by Mu'awiyah, the overwhelming majority of them can neither be tempted by any promise, nor be intimidated by any threat or menace. Sufyan al-Thawri reported from Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Qasim, from Umar ibn Abd al-Ghaffar, that when Abu Hurayrah entered al-Madinah with Mu'awiyah, he used to sit in the nights at Kindah Gate where people would gather round him. A youth from Kufah approached him saying: O Abu Hurayrah, I adjure you by God, have you heard the Messenger of Allah say to Ali ibn Abi Talib: O God! befriend whoever befriends him and be the enemy of whoever be hostile to him? He replied: Yes, by God. He said: I give witness by Allah that you have verily befriended His enemy and contracted the enmity of His friend. Then after levelling at him such a painful blow, he departed him.
Muslim reported that Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan said to Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas: What prohibits you from insulting Abu Turab?
said to him. Are you not pleased to have the position (manzilah) in relation to me as that Aron had in relation to Moses? But surely there is no prophethood after me." Also I heard him on the day (of the victory of) Khaybar: "Tomorrow I will give the standard to a man, who loves God and His Messenger, and God and His Messenger love him." Everyone of us was hopeful of getting it. (The next day) the Prophet declared: Summon Ali. Then they brought him while suffering from eye pain (ramad). The Prophet applied his saliva to his eyes and prayed for him. Ali recovered as if he had no pain before. Then the Prophet gave the standard to him. Also at the time of the revelation of the holy verse: "...say (unto him): Come! We will summon our sons and your sons,...", the Messenger of Allah summoned Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn saying: O God, these are my household.
Further, among the merits of Ali, we can refer to what the Prophet said to him. You are from me and I am from you. He also said to him: Of whomever I am his master Ali also is his master.
Ahmad ibn Hanbal says: The reports that we got in regard of any of the Companions can never amount to those ones regarding (the merits of) Ali. In another place, he and al-Nasa'i and al-Nisaburi and others said: the authentic and supported reports that reached us in honour of anyone of the Sahabah can never exceed those reported in regard of the merits of Ali.
About Ali too, Muslim is reported to have said: By Him Who split the seed and created the soul, what I know about him is that (the Prophet said to him): "Verily none loves you but only the believer, and that who detests you should be a hypocrite." Also al-Nasa'i has compiled a book under the title al-Khasa’is about the virtues and excellences of Ali.
His Conduct during His Rule
Umar appointed Abu Hurayrah as a governor over Bahrayn in 21H., then some reports reached him telling of his behaving in a way contradictory to the trust undertaken by the just governor. For this reason, Umar deposed him, appointing in his place Uthman ibn Abi al-'As al-Thaqafi. Then he summoned him and said to him: Do you remember that when I made you a wali over Bahrayn, you were barefooted! then I came to know that you bought horses with a thousand and six hundred dinars?!! He said: We had horses that bred and multiplied and donations that were given successively! He said: I have allocated for you enough wages and sustenance, and this is a favour that you should fulfil. He said: I am not obliged to do this for you! Umar replied: By God you should do so, and I have the right to hit your back for it. Then he stood up holding the durrah (pearl), beating him with it till causing blood to come out (from his back). After that he said to him: Bring it. He replied: I have taken it into account. Umar said: That may be approved only in case you have earned it through lawful means, and discharged it willingly! Have you come from the farthest spot in the Bahrayn, to this region where taxes are collected from people for you, neither for God nor for the Muslims? Verily Umaymah (mother of Abu Hurayrah) has never produced you but only for pasturing the red camels. 417
In another narration reported by Abu Hurayrah himself: Umar said: O the enemy of Allah and enemy of His Book! you have looted property of Allah, wherefrom you collected all these ten thousand (dinars)?
I suffice with the reports cited here, as they can supply enough information.
His death:
Abu Hurayrah died in 59 H, at the age of eighty, in his palace in the Aqiq. His coffin was carried to the Medina and he was buried in al-Baqi' (graveyard). Salat al-mayyit (prayer upon the dead) was performed on him by al-Walid ibn Utbah ibn Abi Sufyan, who was the then emir of al-Madinah, as a sign of honour to him. When al-Walid sent a letter to his uncle Mu'awiyah announcing to him the death of Abu Hurayrah, Mu'awiyah wrote to him: "You have to seek and know whomever he left behind (wife and children), and pay to his heirs ten thousand dirhams, doing the honours of them and treating them amicably." Thus their support and donations to him continued even after his death.
A General Word in His Regard
Reaching this stage of the biography of Abu Hurayrah, I follow by quoting some words uttered by the great scholar and muhaddith al-Sayyid Rashid Rida, about him.
"He embraced Islam in the year 7H., keeping the company of the Messenger of Allah for three-plus years, so most of the traditions he reported were not got directly from the Prophet but he heard them from the Companions and Followers. Had all the Companions been — as claimed by most of the (Sunni) traditionists — just in whole, this epithet (adalah) can never be applied to the Followers (Tabi'un). Further it is confirmed that he used to hear and take traditions from Ka'b al-Ahbar who was known of uttering weak and unauthentic traditions. But Abu Hurayrah used to declare publicly of hearing 418 in the hadith "Allah created the soil (turbah) on Saturday," upon which there was unanimity among ulama’ that he quoted this hadith from Ka'b al-Ahbar." 419
He added: "In his traditions, he depended on narration on the basis of denotation (intended by the hadith) and irsal
He also said: "Abu Hurayrah had been a unique narrator of many traditions, some of which were disapproved or suspected (of being falsified) because of their odd and eccentric theme, like those related to seditions and the ones concerned with describing the conditions of the Prophet (S) through some invisible and hidden events that were about to take place after him. Added to this, some of these texts (of the traditions) were odd and strange in themselves, in a way that had the like of which been singly reported by anyone other than the Companions, it would have been counted among the factors through which its narration could be confirmed — as commonly known among hadith critics, Ahl al-Jarh wa al-Ta`dil (men of sarcasm and modification)
Al-Bukhari recorded 446 traditions on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, with recording only 217 ones for Ibn Abbas. They were not alone in narrating this number of traditions on principles (usul) of religion, but some others shared them in reporting many of them. Enumerating the traditions concerned with legal rulings that were singly reported by Abu Hurayrah, we would find them to be very few in number, realizing that hadn’t he narrated them, not that many would have been missed of books of ahkam, and whatever is missing can be learnt from the static Shari'ah rules and definite principles, like: the law of relieving the interdiction and distress,
establishing and preferring ease, beside the principle of freedom from obligation, and that prohibition is applied originally to all evils and adversities, and lawfulness being the basic rule for all the good things (tayyibat), and that necessity knows no law, and other laws.
Also al-Bukhari, declaring that the two champions of Israeliyyat and sources of superstitions being Ka'b al-Ahbar and Wahb ibn Munabbih, said:
"How can we know that all the narrations – or the mawquf (suspended)
ones – are reported by them both, as the Companions were not citing what
they used to hear from each other and from the Followers out of
narration and transmission, but they were doing so in occasions and
often without referring to chain of transmitters. And so were many of
the Tabi'un, rather most of the marfu’ traditions reported by Abu
Hurayrah, he never heard from the Prophet (S), the reason why he
narrated them with weakness (‘an’anah) or by saying; The Messenger of
Allah said (S), or at least with the words: I heard the Messenger of
Allah say so and so. 424 It is known that
he reported from some Companions and some Followers, and it is proved
that he reported hadith from Ka'b al-Ahbar. Hence we can say decisively
that the inalienable (mawquf) traditions of the Sahabah, that having no
room for ijtihad or exertion of opinion, have not the power of marfu’
(whose chain goes back to the Prophet) — as said by the traditionists —
unless they be not like the Israeliyyat.
That was a brief profile of Abu Hurayrah, in which I observed the reportorial aspect, not adopting the analytical and objective method, without which accurate profiles can never be perfect, nor study of rijal and episodes can be done properly. That is because I have not realized yet the possibility of its dominance, especially when it is concerned with one of the Companions in whose regard it was said that all of them being righteous and just to the extent
that no one is ever entitled, though presenting a scientific and decisive proof and argument (hujjah), to criticize any of them or suspect his narration, or witness, or conduct. Further it was said about them that their rug had been rolled" as if adalah is singly confined in them alone and that they exceeded the level of human being, where they can never be afflicted, like other people, with oversight, or erring, or fancy, or forgetfulness. I utter such words not out of falsity or calumny!
But approving of their claim that every Companion was infallible against whatever afflicting other people, and his being non-liable to forgetfulness, or committing a mistake, or imagination, or misunderstanding, and that no hypocrite was there among the Sahabah, or that none of them perpetrated any major or minor sin, nor all those disputes occurred among them, and that no one of them apostatized after the demise of the Prophet (S), nor other alike things with which their sahih history books were filled, it can be said that the case with Abu Hurayrah differs from that of all the Companions, as he was criticized and deplored by a number of high-ranking Sahabah, and those who succeeded them, raising doubts and question marks about his narrations, as it was previously manifested.
Among the statements uttered by the ulama of Kalam — owners of open and free reasons I would prefer the following wise words about him: "What raises our wonder about them — i.e. men of hadith — being their accusing the (shaykh) 426 with falsity, and abstaining from recording from him those traditions that got the approval of muhaddithun, through referring to sarcasm of Yahya ibn Mu'in and Ali ibn al-Midyani and their likes,
Throughout the exposition of biography of Abu Hurayrah only reality is observed, and I demonstrated his true character as created by Allah, without any addition on my part. But I cited the correct and authentic traditions about that, referring only to confirmed and indisputable doubtless sources. However I have deliberately neglected many things confirmed and proved by correct history, due to the fact that some of our present age people are still fearing power of truth, and never tolerating decisiveness of proof and argument.
And — as said before — Abu Hurayrah had no considerable position whether during the lifetime of the Prophet (S) or the reigns of the Four Caliphs, with being unable to utter even one hadith except only after the murder of Umar. Further he could not dare to issue one fatwa (legal verdict) but only after the first fitnah (insurrection)
We never miss the chance to state that among the traditions he reported, there appears a ray of the light of prophethood, that penetrates the healthy hearts. These traditions might be among what he actually heard (and did accurately). The correct hadith gives light like daylight.
Samples of Abu Hurayrah's Narrations:
Al-Bukhari and Muslim reported that he said: Death Angel was sent to Moses (A), and when he approached him, he (Moses) slapped him,
tell him (Moses) to put his hand on the back of an ox, as with each hair comes under his hand one year will be added to his life! He said: O God, then what? He replied: After that death comes. He (the angel) said: Now I beg God to bring him near the Sacred Land a stone’s throw! The Messenger of Allah said: Had I been there at that time I would have shown you his grave on the road side near the red sandhill!!
In another narration Muslim said: Moses slapped the Death Angel on his eye, which he gouged out.
In Tarikh al-Tabari, Abu Hurayrah is reported to have said: The Death Angel used to come to people conspicuously till visiting Moses who slapped him and gouged out one of his eyes, after which he started to come to people stealthily! Verily this hadith smells of Israelism!
They also reported from him, that the Prophet (S) said: The Paradise and Hell reasoned with each other! The Hell said: I have been distinguished with (containing) the arrogant and tyrants. The Paradise said: What is the matter with me that only the oppressed and low people enter me! Allah, the most High, said to the Paradise: You are My mercy, with you I compassionate whomever I will from among My bondmen. Whereas He said to the Hell: You are just a torture, with you I torment whomever I will from among My servants, and every one of you has its filling. Concerning the Hell, it can never be filled till Allah the Glorious and Most High places His leg in it when it says: Never, never. Only then it will be filled and will gather its all ramifications.
Al-Bukhari reported from Abu Hurayrah as saying: "Between the two shoulders of the disbeliever there is a three-day march for the hasty rider."
Also al-Bukhari with Ibn Majjah reported from him, that the Prophet said: If a fly falls in the cup of anyone of you, he has to immerse all of it and
throw it away then, as verily in one of its wings there is malady and in the other is remedy. 431
In al-Awsat, al-Tabarrani reported from him that the Prophet said: an angel brought me a letter from Allah, the Glorious and Exalted, and then he raised his leg and placed it over the sky while keeping the other one on earth, never lifting it.
Al-Tirmidhi reported from him that the Messenger of Allah said: "Compressed dates come from Paradise and they contain remedy for poison.
Al-Hakim and Ibn Majjah, through a reliable and correct sanad, reported from him that the Prophet said: "Anneal the pots, recline the water-skins, putrefy the doors and prevent your boys from (approaching) the women, as the jinn spread suddenly and snatch... turn out the lights in time of sleeping, since the fuwaysaqah (i.e. rat) may pull the wick and burn the inmates of the house.
Muslim also reported from him that the Messenger of Allah said: In the Paradise there being a tree under whose shade the rider may move for a hundred years.
Beside other narrations for Abu Hurayrah like that or even much more exorbitant with which many books are replete, and we are unable to cite them as a whole, since this task needs several complete volumes.
Sharh Nahj al-balaghah, vol. I, p. 358.
It is the year in which (al-Imam) al-Hasan renounced his right to rule to Mu'awiyah for sparing Muslims' lives in 41 H. They used to call it the Jama'ah year while it was in fact year of separation.
This saying indicates that Abu Hurayrah's lying against the Prophet became so commonly known everywhere, since he said this when he was in Iraq. And all people were talking about this falsity wherever they settled and depared.
Abu Turab is Ali (A). And the practice which Mu'awiyah and the Umayyad rulers who succeeded him followed was their asking or obliging people to slandering and cursing Ali from over the pulpits. This bad sunnah remained to be followed for many years till it was cancelled by Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz (may God's mercy be upon him).
It is the Battle of Tabuk.
That is, your mother has not given birth to you but for taking care of the asses. It is known that Umar has never addressed anyone other than Abu Hurayrah with such a rude language which reveals only harsh humiliation, by describing him to be unfit but to pasturing the asses. In fact he kept company with the Prophet for only one year and nine months (refer to my book Shaykh al-mudirah).
That is, he heard it (hadith) from the Messenger of Allah (S).
Al-Sayyid (Rashid Rida), the great muhaddith or rather the head of muhaddithun in present time, and others proved that he (Abu Hurayrah) was untruthful in his claim that he heard this hadith from the Prophet (S). The text and occasion of this hadith were stated before in al-Manar Journal, vol. XXIX, p. 43.
The mursal tradition is that one in which no reference is made to the Companion who heard it from the Prophet (S).
Was there anyone daring to suspect authenticity of Abu Hurayrah while they closed the door of jarh and ta'dil in respect of all the Sahabah, opening it wide for others? Had jarh and ta'dil been applied and accepted in respect of the Sahabah, Islam would have benefitted much from this.
Journal of al-Manar, vol. XIX, p. 97.
Ibid., p. 101. It is noted that al-Sayyid said these words in his refutation to propagators of Christianism who criticized Abu Hurayrah, so we find him defending Abu Hurayrah.
You have seen the value of veracity of his narration when he said, that he heard it from the Prophet (S) previously in the hadith: God created the turbah (ground) on Saturday!
Tafsir al-Manar, vol. IX, p. 476.
No definite shaykh is meant by this, but any of the shaykhs, whomsoever.
That means the ulama' of jarh and ta'dil.
Ta'wil mukhtalif al-hadith, pp. 10, 11.
In his exposition of Ibn Abbas, Ibn Sa'd said: It is reported from Ziyad ibn Mina as saying: Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar, Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, Abu Hurayrah, Abd Allah ibn Amr ibn al-'As, Jabir ibn Abd Allah, Rafi' ibn Khadij, Salamah ibn al-Akwa', Abu Waqid al-Laythi, and Abd Allah ibn Buhaynah with their likes among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may God's peace and benediction be upon him and his Progeny) were issuing verdicts in al-Madinah and relating hadith from the Messenger of Allah from the time Uthman died till the end of their lives. If we review those who used to give fatwas during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah and caliphate of Abu Bakr and Umar, we wil never find Abu Hurayrah, among them, nor any Companion to whom people were referring in any issue but only after the death of Uthman. Also 'A'ishah used to give fatwa during the caliphates of Abu Bakr and of Umar and Uthman and even Ali till the last days of her life, and some of the magnates among the Companions used to question her about the sunan.
When al-Tha'alibi reported this khabar in his book Thimar al-qulub, under the heading, 'Musa's slap' he said: And of the legends of the ancestors, that Musa asked his Lord …(the story). What he said: The Angel of Death is one-eyed, and it was said about him: O Angel of Death, you faced an abomination,
Slap of Musa made you one-eyed!!
Al-Tha'alibi concluded his speech by the clause "I am free from this tale", and he has right to discharge himself of this.
- The full text of the hadith is thus: When a fly falls in the drink of anyone of you, he should immerse it and take it away, as in one of its wings there is malady while in the other is cureness. It is reported by al-Bukhari and Ibn Majah from Abu Hurayrah. In another narration, this clause is added to it: It wards off (evil) with its wing having illness. In a third narration: If a fly falls in the utensil of any of you he should take it out of it as in one of its wings there be poison and in the other there is remedy, and it advances the poison and delays the remedy. In a fourth narration: If a fly falls in the utensil of anyone of you he should immerse it completely or take it away, as remedy is in one of its wings and malady in the other. In a fifth narration: It wards off (evil) with its wing having malady, so he should immerse it fully.