QURAN & HADITH

 

1. Preliminary Details & Definitions

HADITH (
حديث) literally means `talk`. Its plural is AHADITH.(أحاديث) In SHI`A terminology `HADITH` means the talk of a MA`SUM and also that narration which describes the talk, action or `TAQRIR` of a MA`SUM. Talk of a MA`SUM includes his writings and sign (ISHARAH) also. If a MA`SUM abstains from a work or thing, then this abstaining also is counted as an `action` (in the above definition).

`TAQRIR` of a MA`SUM means that if a follower of a MA`SUM did a work in the presence of the presence of the MA`SUM and the said MA`SUM did not prohibit that work_ even though he was in a position to forbid it is he so wished_ then it is called `TAQRIR` of the MA`SUM. We may translate this term as `tacit approval` or `silent approval`.

If a narration does not reach up to a MA`SUM, it is not counted as ` HADITH ` according to SHI`A terminology. (Though sometimes a talk of a companion of a MA`SUM or a disciple of such a companion is called ` HADITH ` just as a figurative expression.) According to the SUNNI terminology, talk, action and TAQRIR of the Prophet, his companions and disciples of such companions is called ` HADITH `. HADITH is also known as KHABAR (
خبر) i.e. news and ATHAR (أثر) i.e. trace or track.

Many terms will be used in the following chapters. It is, therefore, necessary to explain important ones beforehand. Here a compete tradition is given with its translation:

حماد بن سلمة عن محمد بن إسحاق عن عمرو بن شعيب عن أبيه عن جده قال : "قلت يا رسول الله اكتب كل ما أسمع منك؟ قال, نعم . قلت في الرضا والغضب؟ قال, نعم. فإني لا أقول في ذلك إلا الحق".

HAMMAD IBN SALMAH narrated from MUHAMMAD IBN ISHAQ who narrated from `AMR IBN SHU`AYB who narrated from his father who narrated from his father who said:

"I said, O Messenger of Allah, should I write everything which I hear from you?" The Prophet said, "Yes, I said, 'In pleasure and displeasure?" (That is, Should I write everything said by you in every condition?) The Prophet said, "Yes! Because I do not say any condition but the truth". The first part of the HADITH contains the names of the narrators who had transmitted it one to the other. This chain of narrators is called SANAD (
سند) Its plural is ASNAD.

The second part is the actual narration beginning from "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah' up to the end of the HADITH. It is called MATN (
متن) i.e. the next. The narrator is called RAWI (راوي). Its plural is RUWAT. The SANAD and MATN together are called one HADITH. A scholar of HADITH is called MUHADDITH (محدّث). Its plural is MUHADDITHUN or MUHADDITHIN.

2. The Status of HADITH.

After the QUR'AN, the HADITH of a MA'SUM is the most important binding authority (HUJJAT) IN Islam; and if anyone wants to succeed on the Day of Judgment, then he must follow the QUR'AN and HADITH together. For example Allah says in the QUR'AN; "O You who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Prophet and those who are Masters of the Affairs among you" (4:63).

In this AYAH Allah makes it obligatory for the believers to obey the Holy Prophet and the Masters of the Affairs, i.e. the Twelve Imams. Obviously nobody can follow the Holy Prophet and the Imams unless he knows what the Holy Prophet and Imams had said or done. And that brings us to AHADITH.

MEANING OF OBEDIENCE & FOLLOWING

To follow a MA'SUM means to do the same work as has been done by the MA'SUM with the same intention. For example, the Holy Prophet received some money from a Muslim by way of ZAKAH; if now someone usurps some property or money from someone without any religious authority it will not be called following in the foot-steps of the Prophet. It should be remembered that the AHADITH of the twelve Imams (a.s.) and the Lady FATIMAH AZ-ZAHRA (A.S.) are The AHADITH of the Holy Prophet himself.

The Imams themselves have made it quite clear many times. For example, IMAM MUHAMMAD BAQIR (A.S.) said, "When I narrate a HADITH without mentioning any chain of narrators, then my SANAD is from my father, who narrated it from my grandfather (IMAM HUSAYN) from his father (Imam Ali) from the Messenger of Allah who heard it from JIBRA'IL who was informed of it by Allah". The same declaration was made by IMAM JA'FAR AS-SADIQ (A.S.) about his own AHADITH.

A person who did not see a MA'SUM or did not hear from him, the only way for him to know the religion is through the AHADITH of the Holy Prophet, the 12 Imams and the Lady FATIMAH AZ-ZAHRA (peace be on them all). It is, however, necessary to see that the HADITH is authentic before acting upon it. In the following pages some details about the categories of AHADITH will be given to help the readers in this task.

3. The Categories of HADITH.

The value of a HADITH depends very much on the probity and trustworthiness of its narrators, the RUWAT.

THE RUWAT:

Some important qualifications of a RAWI are as follows:

The RAWI of a HADITH must be an adult (BALIGH), sane, Muslim, just (ADIL), and of good memory; according to the SHI'A ITHNA ASHERI sect, he should also be a SHI'A ITHNA ASHERI, though in some cases, the AHADITH narrated by non-ITHNA ASHERI Muslims are acceptable. ADIL means a person who does not commit any major sin (not intentionally) then he repents at once. Only an ADIL person can be relied upon. If he is not ADIL, he might forge AHADITH and mislead people. Good memory is necessary for a RAWI if he is to be trusted; otherwise, he may forget something and thus change, add or omit some wordings from the HADITH. 

It is not necessary that a RAWI should be a scholar or learned person.

 

The Four Types Of Hadith



ALLAMAH AL-HILLI and the ULAMA coming after him have divided the AHADITH into four categories according to the qualifications of the RUWAT:

1. SAHIH (Correct: True): A HADITH all of whose RUWAT are SHI'A ITHNA ASHERIS and all have been praised for their trustworthiness. For example, such wordings have been used for all of them: "He is trustworthy- THIQAH": "His AHADITH are correct- SAHIHU'L- HADITH" and such other words which show their trustworthiness.

2. HASAN (Good): A HADITH, all of whose narrators are SHI'A ITHNA ASHERIS but not all of them have been praised for trustworthiness; instead some or all have been praised in such word: "He is virtuous -MUSTAHSAN" or "He is of good memory- HAFIDH".

3. MUWATHTHAQ (Reliable): A HADITH not all of whose narrators are SHI'A ITHNA ASHERI, but all have been praised for trustworthiness.

4. DA'IF (Weak): A HADITH, which is neither SAHIH, HASAN nor MUWATHTHAQ.

The first three categories are considered as genuine. DA'IF has got no worth at all, unless it was accepted by all 'ULAMA of the early period, in which case it is called MAQBUL (acceptable), that is, accepted by early scholars. As has been mentioned earlier, a HADITH consists of a SANAD (chain of narrators) and a MATN (text). If a HADITH is classified as DA'IF (weak), it means that that particular SANAD is weak. But that same text might have been narrated somewhere else with SAHIH, HASAN or MUWATHTHAQ SANAD; and the value of HADITH will change accordingly.

MUTAWATIR & WAHID 

HADITH is also classified into "MUTAWATIR" and "WAHID" categories based on the number of its ASNAD:

1. MUTAWATIR (
متواتر) : It means a HADITH narrated at every stage by so many people that the very number of narrators is enough to create a conviction of its truth. A HADITH is classified as MUTAWATIR only if it fulfils the following four conditions:

(a) There must be, in all stages of narration, so many people that common sense cannot accept their coming together to forge a lie. If the number is great, fro example, in the beginning and the end but too small in the middle, such a HADITH is not called MUTAWATIR.

For example, the number of the narrators of the HADITH "INNAMA 'L-A'MALU BI 'N-NIYYAT- Verily, the actions are valued by the intentions" is too great in the middle and the later stages, but in the beginning its only narrator in UMAR IBN AL-KHATTAB. So, this HADITH is not MUTAWATIR.

(b) The information conveyed should be about a thing which can be felt by one of the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch).
(c) The hearers should not have prior knowledge of that matter.
(d) The hearers should not have a prior doubt about that information nor a preconceived belief opposed to that information.

If a HADITH is classified as MUTAWATIR, then there is no need to look at its individual ASNAD, or the credentials of its RUWAT. MUTAWATIR is of two kinds: 

i. MUTAWATIR in words:

A HADITH, which is narrated by all narrators with the same wording. For example, the HADITH "MAN KUNTU MAWLAHU FA HADHA 'ALIYUN MAWLAHU - He whose Master am I, 'Ali is his Master", and also the HADITH "MAN KADHABA 'ALAYYA FAL-YATABAWWA' MAQ'ADAHU FI 'N-NAR"- whoever tells a lie on me, should prepare his abode in the Fire", are MUTAWATIR in words. ii. MUTAWATIR in meaning:

If the narrators use different wordings but there is a common factor in all narrations, then that common factor will be called MUTAWATIR in meaning. For example, let us suppose that some one says that 'ALI IBN ABI TALIB (A.S.) killed 35 enemies in the battle of BADR; another says that he conquered the fortress of KHAYBAR; a third one says that he stayed fighting in UHUD while others had fled away, and likewise. Now all such narrations have one common factor- that 'Ali (a.s.) was extra -ordinarily brave person. Though each and every narration in itself may not be MUTAWATIR but the braver of Ali is MUTAWATIR.

2. WAHID: The second main category of HADITH based on the number of narrators is WAHID (
واحد). Every HADITH, whose narrators are not so many as to make it MUTAWATIR, is called WAHID.

As the MUTAWATIR HADITH creates a sure knowledge of its truth, it is obligatory to follow it. But the WAHID HADITH creates not a sure knowledge but only a reasonable assumption of its truth. However, if the WAHID HADITH is substantiated by the context or association (QARINAH) which creates certainty of its truth, then it will be obligatory to accept and follow it like a MUTAWATIR HADITH. Here are a few examples of such contexts:

- Conformity with logical reasons; 

- Conformity with the clear meaning of the QUR'AN;

- Conformity with other authentic AHADITH;

- Conformity with an unanimous belief of the Muslims and / or the SHI'A sect of Islam.

If a WAHID HADITH is associated with any of the above mentioned contexts, it must be accepted and followed. If it is not joined by any such context, then also according to many 'ULAMA, it is allowed to follow it, provided it is not against any accepted tenets of the religion.

4.Recording of the AHADITH. 

As mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, the Holy Prophet (P) encouraged people to write down whatever they heard him saying. Unfortunately, the first three Caliphs reversed this policy and forbade people to narrate or write any HADITH of Prophet (P). The first caliph burned such writings and this policy was followed by the 2nd and the 3rd caliphs.

In contrast to this policy, IMAM ALI IBN ABI TALIB (A.S.) always emphasized the importance and essentiality of writing the AHADITH. Many companions of the Prophet like 'ABDULLAH IBN ABBAS, SALMAN AL-FARISI, ABU DHARR AL-GHIFARI, BILAL and ABU RAFI' wrote down the traditions of the Holy Prophet. Likewise many of their disciples, like MITHAN TAMMAR, ALI IBN ABU RAFI, RABI'AH IBN SUMAY, ASBAGH IBN MUBATAH, UBAYDULLAH IBN AL-HUR, and SULAYM IBN QAYS AL-HILALI also wrote the traditions heard from Imam Ali and other trustworthy companions.

Unfortunately almost all those books are now lost except the book of SULAYM IBN QAYS AL-HILALI. The system established by the Prophet (P) and Ali (a.s.) was followed by the Imams of AHLUL-BAYT, and we find that thousands of famous companions of Imams (a.s) had collected all the AHADITH they heard from them. Some of those companions are so highly respected that a HADITH narrated by any one of them is considered authentic by many SHI'A scholars. Such companions of the Imams are divided into three groups:

First Group consists of six companions of Imam MUHAMMAD AL-BAQIR (A.S.) and Imam JA'FAR AS-SADIQ (A.S.) as follows:

1. ZURARAH IBN A'YAN.
2. MA'RUF IBN KHARABBUDH.
3. BURAYD IBN MU'AWIYAH AL-BIJILLI.
4. ABU BASIR AL-ASADI.
5. FUDAYL IBN YASAR.
6. MUHAMMD IBN MUSLIM ATH-THAQAFI.

Some people count ABU BASIR AL-MURADI in place of ABU BASIR AL-ASADI. Second Group consists of six companions of Imam JA'FAR AS-SADIQ (A.S.) as follows:

1. JAMIL IBN DARRAJ.
2. ABDULLAH IBN MASKAN.
3. ABDULLAH IBN BUKAYR.
4. HAMMAD IBN UTHMAN.
5. HAMMAD IBN ISA.
6. ABAN IBN UTHMAN AL-AHMAR.

Third Group consists of six companions of Imam MUSA AL-KAZIM (A.S.) and Imam ALI AR-RIDHA (A.S.) as follows:

1. YUNUS IBN ABDU 'R-RAHMAN YAQTINI.
2. SAFWAN IBN YAHYA AL-SABIRI.
3. ABDULLAH IBN AL-MUGHIRAH.
4. MUHAMMAD IBN ABI 'UMAYR AL-AZDI.
5. AL-HASAN IBN MAHBUB.
6. AHMAD IBN MUHAMMAD IBN ABI NASR.

Some people count HASAN IBN ALI IBN FADDAL in place of HASAN IBN MAHBUB; others add the name of FADHALA IBN AYYUB or UTHMAN IBN ISA in this list. Some other famous names are ABU HAMZAH ATH-THUMALI, ABAN IBN TAGHLIB, JABIR INB YAZID AL-JU'FI, MUHAMMAD IBN QAYS, HISHAM IBN AL-HAKAM, HISHAM IBN SALIM, ABDULLAH IBN YAHYA AL-KAHILI, ALI IBN RI'AB AL-KUFI, MANSUR IBN HAZIM, ALI IBN YAQTIN IBN MUSA, ABDULLAH IBN MUGHIRAH AL-BIJILLI, MU'AWIYAH IBN HUKAYM, ZAKARIYYAH IBN ADAM, ISMA'IL IBN MIHRAN, ABDU'R-RAHMAN IBN ABI NAJRAN AT-TAMIMI, HUSAYN IBN SA'ID IBN AL-HAMMAD, ALI IBN MAHAZYAR AL-AHWAZI, FADHL IBN SHADHAN, ABU JA'FAR AHMAD IBN MUHAMMAD IBN ISA, AYYUB IBN NUH IBN DARRAJ, ALI IBN IMAM JA'FAR AS-SADIQ (A.S), AHMAD IBN ISHAQ AL-QUMMI.

These are some of those highly respected companions of Imams (a.s) who collected traditions and wrote many other books, which are mentioned in their biographical details and in SHI'A bibliographical works. In short, from the days of Imam Ali (a.s) up to the days of Imam HASAN AL-ASKARI (A.S.) companions of Imams (a.s) wrote more than 6600 books, most of them containing the AHADITH of the Holy Prophet (P) and the Imams (a.s).

 

STYLE OF HADITH BOOKS

The recording of traditions varied in size and style as follows:

1. A narrator would record one long tradition on one subject. For example, SALMAN recorded the HADITH of literature was of this type.

2. Others collected the AHADITH of one subject in one booklet. During the period of Imams (a.s) thousands of such booklets were written. The collection was usually known by the subject; such as "KITABU 'S-SALAH- the Book of Prayer", "KITABU 'L-HAJJ- the Book of Pilgrimage" etc.

3. Some narrators collected AHADITH of different subjects in one volume. Such collections were called "AN-NAWADIR".

4. Many companions noted down whatever HADITH they heard from Imams, without any distinction of subject and without dividing them into chapters. Such collections were known as "ASL" (pl. USUL), foundation. Four hundred such USUL were prevalent among the SHI'AS at the time of the death of Imam HASAN AL-'ASKARI (A.S.).

These four hundred USUL were most popular of all collections and they formed the main source of the tenets, beliefs and laws of SHI'A ITHNA ASHARI faith.

However, there were many difficulties in relation to the above-mentioned four styles of HADITH collection:

Firstly, as there was no press in those days, those USUL and other HADITH literature were not easily available everywhere. The persecution of the SHI'AS compounded the problem by making the owners extraordinarily cautious: they did not give their copies except to those whom they fully trusted. Secondly, none of those four hundred USUL contained AHADITH concerning all aspects of religion in one place. Moreover, they were not divided according to subject. This resulted in great difficulty for anyone trying to find the relevant HADITH.

Thirdly, there was a danger that these treasures of religious knowledge would be lost forever due to the persecution of the SHI'AS and also because of the difficulty in obtaining and preserving the four hundred USUL.

THE FOUR BOOKS (AL-KUTUBU'L-ARB'AH).

These problems warranted the need for a new style in recording in which the AHADITH from all available sources be collected and arranged subject-wise, divided into chapters and sections. Such collections were called "KITAB-Book". However, the words ASL and KITAB are usually interchangeable.

The need for this type of HADITH collection was felt by the SHI'A scholars after the death of Imam HASAN AL-ASDARI (A.S.). They believed that if the AHADITH in those USUL were collected in one book and divided subject-wise into parts, chapters and sections, it would fulfill a great need of the time since handling one book would be much easier than four hundred booklets. This would also ensure the preservation of that vast treasure of knowledge.

It was, however, not an easy task: collecting the USUL from far and wide was an uphill task in itself; then editing and arranging them was another painstaking job. All eyes turned to THIQATU 'L-ISLAM ABU JA'FAR MUHAMMAD IBN YA'QUB AL-KULAYNI AR-RAZI. When pressure mounted, he accepted the responsibility. This was during the Minor Occultation of our Twelfth Imam who was accessible to the people only through his special deputies who resided in Baghdad.

ABU JA'FAR AL-KULAYNI was the religious head of the SHI'A in Ray (near Tehran) and had moved to Baghdad just two years before his death. He spent twenty years of his life in collecting AHADITH, several times traveling to other places and obtaining as many USUL as he could. Thus, after twenty years of continuous backbreaking effort AL-KAFI came into being.

AL-KAFI alone contains more AHADITH than all the six books (AS-SIHAHAS -SITTAH) of the SUNNIS put together. It is divided into three parts: AL-USUL (related to matters of belief) in 2 volumes; AL-FURU (related to SHARI'AH laws) in 5 volumes; and AR-RAWDAH, one volume. Each volume is divided in sections, and in all there are thirty sections, containing 16199 traditions.

AL-KULAYNI was born in 260 AH and died in 329 AH/941 CE. In other words, his life began and ended with the Minor Occultation. Other scholars also collected the AHADITH from other books and USUL. The most famous among them are:

ABU JA'FAR MUHAMMAD IBN ALI IBN HUSAYN IBN MUSA IBN BABUWAYH AL-QUMMI, popularly known as SHAYKH AS-SADUQ (born cir. 306 AH; died 381 AH/991 CE) wrote MAN LA YAHDURUHU 'L-FAQIH. This book contains 5963 AHADITH divided into 666 chapters.

ABU JA'FAR MUHAMMAD IBN HASAN IBN ALI AT-TUSI, popularly known as SHAYKHU 'T-TA'IFAH and SHAYKH AT-TUSI (born 385 AH; died 466 AH/1067 CE) wrote TAHDHIBU 'L-AHKAM and AL-ISTIBSAR. TAHDHIBU 'L-AHKAM has 393 chapters with 13590 AHADITH; and AL-ISTIBSAR has 925 (or 915) chapters containing 5511 AHADITH.

The later two books opened the way of critical study of AHADITH, and thus laid the foundation of IJTIHAD.

You may have noticed that all three authors of these four books were named "Muhammad" and all had the KUNYAH of "ABU JA'FAR". In 448 AH, the SUNNIS of Baghdad attacked the SHI'AS and burned the house of SHAYKH AT-TUSI and his library, which contained many unique manuscripts. Disheartened, he left Baghdad and went to Najaf. His disciples and seeders of knowledge followed him: this was the beginning of the town and the religious university of Najaf.

Many other collections of AHADITH were written in the period under review, but only these four became popular and famous. There was another collection, MADINATU 'L-ILM, by SHAYKH AS-SADUQ which would have formed, in view of SHI'A scholars, as the fifth of the "Early Books", if it would not have been lost.

A point, which students of HADITH must bear in mind, is that if a HADITH is found in any of the above-mentioned four books, it does not necessarily follow that that "HADITH" is authentic. On the other hand, if a HADITH is found in other collections and fulfils all the required conditions, then it will be accepted as authentic even if it is not found in the four books.

THE THREE LATER BOOKS

In later period the following collections of AHADITH became very popular:

1. MUHAMMAD IBN MURTADA IBN MAHMUD, popularly known as MULLA MUHSIN FAYD AL-KASHANI (d. 1091 AH/1680 CE) wrote AL-WAFI.

2. SHAYKH MUHAMMAD IBN HASAN AL-HURR AL-'AMILI (d. 1104 AH/1692 CE) wrote WASA'ILU'SH-SHI'A. its new edition has been printed in 20 volumes; and contains 35850 AHADITH.

3. MUHAMMAD BAQIR IBN MUHAMMAD TAQI, popularly known as ALLAMAH MAJLISI (d. 1111 AH/1700 CE) wrote BIHARU 'L-ANWAR in 26 bulky volumes. Its new edition in typescript has been published in 110 volumes.

It is interesting to note that these three traditionalists were also named Muhammad. They are called "the later three MUHAMMADS". In the 14th century, SHAYKH HUSAYN NURI (1254-1320 AH) wrote MUSTADRAKU 'L-WASA'IL in 1319 AH. It contains 23,000 AHADITH. With the exception of AL-KAFI and BIHARU'L-ANWAR, the other six collections are confined to the AHADITH related to the SHARI'AH laws. Among them, AL-WAFI is considered the best in style, classification and other distinctions.

In our times, a new collection, known as JAMI'U AHADITHI'SH-SHI'AH, is being prepared and published which is sure to eclipse all the above-mentioned six collections. This work began by order and under patronage of the late AYATULLAH SAYYID HUSAYN AL-BURUJARDI (d. 1380 AH) in QUM. The project has continued under patronage of succeeding MARAJI', and is nearing completion. So far 25 volumes have been published. 

THE SUNNI COLLECTIONS 

It will not be out of place to give here the names of some famous collections of AHADITH written by the SUNNI scholars:

1. IMAM MALIK IBN ANAS IBN MALIK (d. 175 AH/795 CE) wrote AL-MUWATTA.

2. IMAM MUHAMMAD IBN ISLAM'IL AL-BUKHARI (d. 256 AH/870 CE) wrote SAHIH AL-BUKHARI,

3. IMAM MUSLIM IBN HAJJAJ AN-NISHAPURI (d. 261 AH/875 CE) wrote SAHIH MUSLIM.

4. HAFIZ MUHAMMAD IBN YAZID IBN MAJAH AL-QAZWINI (d. 264 AH/886 CE) wrote AS-SUNAN.

5. HAFIZ ABU DAWUD SULAYMAN IBN ASH'ATH AS-SIJISTANI (d. 275 AH) wrote his AS-SUNAN.

6. HAFIZ ABU 'ISA MUHAMMAD IBN 'ISA IBN SURA AT-TIRMIDHI (d. 279 AH/893 CE) wrote AL-JAMI', known as SAHIH AT-TIRMIDHI.

7. IMAM ABU 'ABDI 'R-RAHMAN AHMAD IBN SHU'AYB AN-NASA'I (d. 303 AH/915 CE) wrote his AS-SUNAN. He also wrote AL-KHASA'IS.

The books nos. 2 to 7 are jointly known as AS-SIHAH AS-SITTA (The Six Authentic Books) among SUNNIS.

8. The son of IMAM AHMAD IBN HANBAL collected his AHADITH, which is known as MUSNAD of IMAM AHMAD IBN HANBAL. (IMAM AHMAD IBN HANBAL died in 241 AH/855 CE). This book is thought by many SUNNIS to be as authentic as AS-SIHAH AS-SITTA.

9. IMAM ABUL QASIM SULAYMAN IBN AHMAD AT-TABARANI (d. 360 AH) wrote AL-MU'JAMU 'L-KABIR.

10. IMAM MUHAMMAD IBN ABDULLAH AL-HAKIM AN-NISHAPURI (d. 405 AH) wrote AL-MUSTADRAK 'ALA'S-SAHHAYN.

11. IMAM ABDU R-RAHMAN JALALU 'D-DIN AS-SUYUTI (d. 911 AH) wrote JAMU' 'L-JAWAMI'.

12. SHAYKH MULLA ALI IBN HUSAMU 'D-DIN AL-MUTTQI AL-HINDI (d. 975 AH) edited the book of AS-SUYUTI and named it KANZU 'L-UMMAL.

It should be noted again that being included in, or excluded from, these books has no effect upon the authenticity or otherwise of a given HADITH. As the writer of MISHKATU 'L-MASABIH says, "The books of AS-SIHAH AS-SITTA contain all types of HADITH: SAHIH, HASAN and DA'IF". Not only that. A thorough study will show that there are even many forged and completely baseless "AHADITH" in these books; therefore, every HADITH has to be judged on its own merits.

5.The Problem of Fabrication & Its Solution

MAWDU' literally means forged. In Islamic terminology it is used for a "HADITH" which is not from any MA'SUM but has been forged by someone and attributed to a MA'SUM. It is HARAM and strictly unlawful to narrate a MAWDU' "HADITH" except when it is first declared to be forged. It is an extremely painful tragedy of early Islamic period that a good number of the companions of the Holy Prophet and many of their disciples used to fabricate AHADITH for material benefits or for the sake of sectarian polemics. It is not possible to give full detail of this tragedy here. I will enumerate some of the causes, which prompted such unscrupulous persons to lie against the Holy Prophet and Imams:

1. Some people fabricated AHADITH to please the rulers.

2. Others fabricated AHADITH on the spur of the moment to fit it in their talks so that their popularity brings them worldly gains.

3. Many apparently pious people forged AHADITH to exhort their audience to do good work. Such AHADITH are found mostly on the subject of abstaining from worldly affairs and in sermons dealing with ethics.

4. Many people forged AHADITH to support their own religious views. For examples, the atheists (ZANADIQA) forged at least 12,000 AHADITH and attributed them to the Holy Prophet. A KHARIJITE said after repenting from his previous belief; "Be careful in listening to AHADITH; because we used to forge HADITH whenever we wanted to support an opinion". Also those people who believed that Imams were gods fabricated AHADITH in support of their belief.

5. MU'AWIYAH and his successor UMAYYAD rulers started wholesale fabrication of AHADITH in praise of the first three KHALIFAS and in condemnation of Imam Ali and his family (a.s).

Muslim history records that in the beginning of the UMAYYAD rule, those people who forged 'the saying of the Prophet' according to the wishes of the rulers, were greatly encouraged. They were given handsome presents and heavy monthly allowances and thus they were immensely enriched. And those who dared mention any true saying of the Prophet which happened to be against the desires and wishes of the rulers, were denied their basic rights and their names were removed from the roll of BAYTU 'L-MAL (public treasury). Such a person was turned away from the courts of the rulers and his statements were treated as false and were rejected.

It is clear that those sayings of the Prophet, which were against the policy of the government, had more chances of being genuine than those, which were in favor of the reigning group. Those who wrote against the government were always in danger of losing their lives, property and honor. On the other hand, those who wrote for the government had a strong worldly motive to coin stories and forge traditions. The political needs of those sovereigns gave rise to many things in the HADITH corpus, which were totally against the Islamic tenets.

Some examples have been given in my other books. See for example, the comment of 'ALLAMAH SHIBLI on the belief of predestination of man's actions (in Justice of God) and the controversy about MI'RAJ- ascension of the Holy Prophet (in The Holy Prophet).

One more example may be given here of such "AHADITH" which attribute sins to the previous prophets and to the Holy Prophet of Islam. Most of the rulers who are regarded as caliphs according to the SUNNI belief, were fallible (non-MA'SUM), and most of them (especially from the UMAYYADS and then, the ABBASIDS) were of very low moral standard; they were more depraved than even a common man. 'ALLAMAH SHIBLI has slightly hinted at it, in the statement quoted in Justice of God. Under these circumstances, it was the easiest thing for saving their skins from various charges, to invent stories and coin AHADITH to show that even the Holy Prophet Himself was not free from sins; and, therefore, there was no harm if those caliphs were guilty of various sins and crimes.

These "traditions" were forged by some companions of the Holy Prophet like ABU HURAYRAH and his ilk. It is interesting to note that ABU HURAYRAH accepted Islam at the end of the 7th year of HIJRA and remained with the Holy Prophet for about 3 years only during which, period he also went to Bahrain. And he claimed to hear in such a short period so many things from the Holy Prophet that exceed by far the total AHADITH narrated in SUNNI books from the first four caliphs (ABU BAKR, UMAR, ALI), the lady FATIMAH, all wives of the Holy Prophet (including AISHAH), and HASAN and HUSAYN. Traditionalists have counted that there are 5374 AHADITH narrated by ABU HURAYRAH. Now look at The AHADITH of some of the above mentioned personalities recorded in SUNNI books:

- ABU BAKR: 142 AHADITH
- UMAR: 537 AHADITH
- UTHMAN: 146 AHADITH
- ALI (A.S): 586 AHADITH 
- TOTAL 1411 AHADITH

And these 4 KHALIFAS had spent together a total of about 86 years with the Holy Prophet. Now compare 1411 AHADITH in 86 years with 5374 AHADITH in less than 3 years!!!

What is more tragic is that ABU HURAYRAH is not alone. There are scores like him, and their "AHADITH" have found place in all SUNNI books because they were companions of the Holy Prophet! It is such AHADITH which serve as the armory for the enemies of Islam, who use them to cast doubt on the character, sincerity, integrity and truth of the Holy Prophet on Islam. 

 

HOW TO TEST A HADITH

AHADITH have been collected by SUNNIS and SHI'AS alike indifferent books. But all those books are a collection of every kind of traditions. It must be clearly understood that there never was in Islam any system of canonization of the books. There was never any system of authorization by state or church for the publication of books. It helped tremendously in the advancement of knowledge, because scholars were free to write whatever they liked. But so far as traditions were concerned it corrupted the authenticity of the traditions. Forgery and corruption of HADITH became a common disease. Soon devices had to be developed to test the authenticity or otherwise of traditions.

The First Device was provided by the Holy Prophet himself. He told the Muslims to test any tradition with the QUR'AN. It has been mentioned earlier that every word of the Prophet was based upon revelation. And QUR'AN also was revelation. And truth from the same source of knowledge cannot differ. Therefore, if a HADITH was not against QUR'AN, it was to be regarded as genuine one; if, on the other hand, it was against QUR'AN, the Holy Prophet ordered the Muslims to reject it outright as fabrication.

The Second Device was to check the character and life of those who narrated that tradition right from the person who claimed to have heard it from the Prophet to the last man in the chain. If the chain was broken or one or more links were weak or unreliable, then the HADITH lost its value. The subject which deals with the categories of the narrators is named '''ILMU 'R-RIJAL-KNOWLEDGE about men'''. It is an objective critique of every person in the field of tradition. As it has direct bearing on the value of AHADITH, which is a part of revelation, this is one of the most important subjects of Islamic Theology. Thus, it will appear that though the books of AHADITH have not been purged from fabricated narrations, still we have full records by which every tradition may be tested, and accordingly accepted or rejected.

The Third Device is of AD-DIRAYAH: It literally means "knowledge". In Islamic terminology it means verifying a HADITH with "known" factors. For example, if a HADITH attributed to the Holy Prophet contains a word, which was not in use in his days, it will be a proof that that HADITH was forged. Or if some RAWI mentions an event, which he did not see himself, and then he does not mention the name of his source, it will be a proof of forgery. These three devices are the most important for sifting the authentic AHADITH form the mass collected in the books of traditions.


ADDENDA* THE SATANIC SUGGESTION!!!

It appears from a story narrated by many SUNNI (traditionist) (fortunately this time not in their "Six authentic collections") that even after the supposed repeated removal of the pathetic satanic portion from the Prophet's heart, he fell prey to a very serious satanic suggestion --- and that too in conveying the revelation to the people!

AS-SUYUTI his AD-DURRU 'L-MANTHUR has quoted from ten (traditionists) several "traditions" to this effect, one of which is given here as a sample: - "IBN ABI HATIM has narrated through MUSA IBN 'AQABAH from IBN SHAHAB that he said, "When the SURAH AN-NAJM was revealed; and the polytheists used to say, "If this man (the Prophet) were to mention our deities in good (terms) we would have accepted him and his companions; but he does not use such abusive and harsh words about others like the Jews and the Christians who oppose his religion, as he does about our gods"; and the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) was much distressed because of the troubles inflicted upon him and his companions by the idolaters and their rejection (of faith), and he was aggrieved by their straying;

he therefore wished cessation of their harmful activities. When Allah sent down the SURAH AN-NAJM, and he recited (the verses 19 and 20): Have you then considered the Lat and the 'USSAH, and MANAT, the third, the other? The Satan inserted some words after the mention of the idols and said, "and surely they are the exalted cranes, and surely it is their intercession that is hoped for".

It was the Satan's rhymed composition and his mischief; and these two sentences entered the heart of every MECCAN polytheist, and it was continuously on their tongues, and they congratulated each other and said that Muhammad had returned to his old religion and that of his people. When the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) reached the end of (the SURAH) AN-NAJM, he prostrated and with him did prostrate every Muslim and polytheist. This word spread among the people, and the Satan propagated it,

until the news reached the country of Ethiopia. Then Allah revealed (verse 52 of SURAH AL-HAJJ): And We did not send before thee any messenger or prophet, but when he desired, the Satan made a suggestion respecting his desire; but Allah annuls that which the Satan casts, then does Allah establish His signs, and Allah is Knowing, Wise. So when Allah made known His decision and freed him from the Satanic rhymes, the polytheists turned back to their straying and their enmity of the Muslims, rather it became more serious! Similar "traditions" with minor or major variations are quoted in AD-DURRU 'L-MANTHUR, vol. IV pp. 366-368.

Some of them say that the Prophet was praying in the Sacred Mosque and recited the SURAH; but the fact is that the Prophet or the Muslims were not in a position to pray in the Sacred Mosque in the 5th year of the declaration of the Prophet-hood, when this incident is said to have taken place. Other claim that he felt sleepy while praying and in that drowsiness the Satan made him utter these words! 

Yet others say that JIBRA'IL came to the Prophet and told him to recite again the revelation brought by him. The Prophet recited the SURAN together with the satanic verses. JIBRA'IL said, "I had not brought this to you; it is from the Satan". Then the verse 22:52 was revealed. Still anther "tradition" says, that the Prophet, on being informed of that satanic mischief was very grieved and felt remorse for "fabricating lie against Allah". This depression continued until at the end Allah revealed the verse 22:52.

The actual meaning of the word, AL-GHARANIQ (translated here as 'cranes') is obscure. It may mean wading birds (like cranes), or a soft grass growing with boxthorn, or a soft-skinned youth.

There are twelve variations in as many traditions of the pathetic satanic verses, some of them difficult to understand, e.g. 'they are surely in the exalted GHARANIQ' and, 'they are surely with the exalted GHARANIQ. This story is so diametrically opposed to many QUR'ANIC realities, that it should not be glorified by comment. But seeing that it has been used by orient-lists like Alfred Guillaume to discredit the Prophet's claim of divine revelation, some scrutiny is in order. After describing the story, he very "innocently" writes:

- "In fact the incident is the strongest possible testimony to the sincerity of Muhammad. Of course it opens the door to the enquiry whether he may have been mistaken in supposing that his words were inspired on other occasion also". If this story is true then certainly this question would arise.

As mentioned elsewhere, the people had started attributing false stories and forged traditions to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) even during his lifetime. The Prophet (s.a.w) had to warn the Muslims against this FITNAH in these words:

- "Surely there are many who forge lie against me, and their number is sure to increase; whoever intentionally tells a lie against me should prepare his abode in the Fire. Therefore, whenever a HADITH is narrated to you, put it (for testing) before the Book of Allah and my (established) SUNNAH, and whatever conforms with the Book of Allah, take it, and what goes against the Book of Allah and my SUNNAH, reject it". Therefore we must check whether this story conforms with other QUR'ANIC statements:

- First: The Satan himself had admitted that he had no power over the purified servants of Allah:

'He (Satan) said, "My Lord! and I will certainly cause them all to deviate, except thy servants from among them, the purified ones. He (Allah) said… surely as regards My servants, you have no authority over them except those deviators who would follow you. (QUR'AN, 15:39-42). "He (the Satan) said, "Then by Thy Might! I will surely make them deviate all of them, except Thy servants from among them, the purified ones". (QUR'AN, 38:82-83).

- Second: Allah himself is the protector of the QUR'AN and He guarantees that falsehood shall not come to it from any side: "Surely We have revealed the Reminder (the QUR'AN) and most surely We are its Protector". (QUR'AN, 15:9). "And most surely it is a Mighty Book; falsehood shall not come to it from before it nor from behind it; a revelation from the Wise, the Praised One". (QUR'AN, 41:41-42).

Now with all this divine protection and guarantee how could the satanic falsehood enter into it-and that also to such an extent that it was imprinted on the memory of the Prophet and he even repeated it before JIBRA'IL?

- Third: Allah declares about the Prophet:

"And if he had fabricated against us some of the sayings, We would certainly have seized him by the right hand, then We would certainly have cut off his aorta; and not one of you could have withheld us from him". (QUR'AN,69:44-47).

Then how is it that in spite of such serious fabrication against the fundamental belief of monotheism and passing off the satanic sayings as divine revelation, the Prophet's aorta was not cut off? Now let us have a glance at the SURAH AN-NAJM, and see if such insertion was possible in this SURAH:

- One: At the beginning of the SURAH, Allah swears that the Prophet has not erred nor has he gone astray, nor does he speak out of desire; it is nothing but revelation that is revealed. (Vs. 1-4). Is it not amusing that after such a sworn divine statement, the narrators had the temerity to claim that the Satan inserted his own composition in this very SURAH?

Vs. 5-18 speak of the Prophet's ascension and say that his heart was not untrue to what he saw there; and he certainly saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.

- Two: Then come the vs. 19-23 in condemnation of the idols:

"Have you then considered the Lat and the UZZA, and the MANAT, the third, the other? (Vs. 19-20). What! For you are the males and for Him the females? This indeed is an unjust division! They are nothing but names which you have named, you and your fathers; Allah has not sent for them any authority. They follow nothing but conjecture and the low desires which (their) souls incline to, while the guidance has certainly come to them from their Lord". 

These "traditions" allege that the satanic rhymes were added after verse 20. How could those sentences fit in the above vs. 19-23? Were the MECCAN idol-worshippers so naïve that they were overjoyed and prostrated to Allah even after hearing such condemnation of their deities?

- Three: Vs. 24-26 describe Allah's ownership of this life and the hereafter, and declare that intercession of many an angel will not avail at all except after Allah's permission "to whom He pleases and chooses". Vs.27-30 ridicule the idolaters' custom of giving female names to the angles. This right of intercession, denied even to the angels, was supposed to be bestowed upon the three idols through that interpolation!

The whole SURAH proceeds in the same vein declaring Allah's power and might and describing the punishment meted out to some previous peoples because of their disbelief and arrogance. In short, the theme of the whole SURAH from the beginning to the end testifies to the incorruptibility of the divine revelation, condemns idol-worship, and emphasizes monotheism and divine power. How could that totally miss-matched satanic sentence fool the idolaters?

Now, let us have a look at the v.52 of SURHA AL-HAJJ (ch.22).

It is a part of a long speech, beginning with verse 49 and going to verse 54 and beyond. After declaring that the Prophet was a Warner to the people, it mentions good reward of the believers and then says:

- "And (as for) those who strive to oppose our sings, they shall be inmates of the flaming fire". (Verse;51). Then comes verse 52: "And We did not send before thee any messenger or prophet, but when he desired, the Satan made a suggestion respecting his desire; but Allah annuls that which the Satan casts, then does Allah establish His signs. And Allah is Knowing, Wise". (V.52). And then it proceeds: "So that He may make what the Satan casts a trial for those in whose hearts is disease and those whose hearts are hard: and most surely the unjust are in a great opposition". (V.53) And so it goes on.

Now let us look at the claim that the verse 52 was revealed to console the Prophet after that satanic interpolation.

- First: Had SURAH AN-NAJM and the verse 52 of SURAH AL-HAJJ been connected in any way, they should have been revealed at about the same time. But even according to Rev. RODWELL, SURAH AN-NAJM (ch.53) was revealed at Mecca 5 years after the declaration of the Prophet-hood; and SURAH AL-HAJJ (ch.22) was revealed at Medina. According to the order of revelation established by Rev. RODWELL, AN-NAJM is the 46th chapter while AL-HAJJ is the 107th. (Although Muir calls it a MECCAN chapter, he too believes that it must have been revealed at the very end of the Prophet's stay at Mecca, i.e. some 8 years after AN-NAJM). There can thus be no connection between the two chapters.

- Second: To create the connection one has to look at the verse 52 in isolation and take it out of its context. Does academic honesty allow such exercise?

- Third: The meaning of the above-mentioned AYAH is plain and simple. There is no need for any story to make its meaning clear. What is the desire of every messenger and prophet? Simply, to establish in the world the belief in the Unity of Divine Being, explaining the truth, which is revealed to him. Satan interferes is this desire of every messenger and prophet; instigating men, making suggestions to them to oppose the prophets and to put obstacles in the way of truth. But God promises to establish truth of His revelation.

Now where is the need of any story to make its meaning comprehensible?

- Fourth: Those who want to connect the verse 22:52 with that supposed satanic interpolation, have to interpret the word UMNIYYAH (desire) as "recital". RODWELL has translated this sentence as follow: "We have not sent any apostle or prophet before thee, among whose desires Satan injected not some wrong desire".

Then he has written the following note: "It is said by tradition that Muhammad was consoled by this revelation for the satanic suggestion mentioned in SURA LIII, 20, p.70 (n). But in this view of the text, for 'among whose desires' or 'affections', we should render 'when he recited'.

So you see, the connection cannot be established unless the meaning of "UNMIYYAH" is changed from desire to recitation. But "desire" is the actual meaning of the word; and recitation etc. is metaphorical extension of the true meaning. IBN MANZUR explains in his LISANU 'L-ARAB: "Recital is called UNMIYYAH because when a recite of the of the QUR'AN passes from a verse of mercy, he desires (to get) it, and when he passes from a verse of chastisement, he desires to be saved from it". Further extension has given this word meanings of lie and forgery, "because when someone says a thing he does not know, then it is as if he desires it (to happen)".

And it is a well-established rule of Arabic literature that the real meaning should always be given preference, unless there is some solid reason to overlook it for metaphorical interpretation. Therefore, the translations, which use the word recital and reciting, are all off the mark. And without this change, no connection can be established between the two chapters.

Thus both external and internal QUR'ANIC evidence goes emphatically against this story of the Prophet's "lapse". In view of these QUR'ANIC proof's, there is no need to look at the chains of its narrators. Even so, it should be mentioned here that this story appears for the first time in the book of AL-WAQIDI who is known to be unreliable and fabricator of reports. Moreover, six "traditions" end at one or the other TABI'I (disciple of a companion);

and eight end at IBN 'ABBAS who was not even born at the time this incident is said to have taken place. Who was the person who informed those narrators about it? We do not know - probably because there was no such person; and those reports were forged by some people in later days. Although ALFRED GUILLAUME rejects traditions everywhere indiscriminately, he has tried to prove this "tradition" as genuine, as it suits his purpose. He has this to say against this last argument:

"Critics of tradition have endeavored to discredit the honesty of those who reported this story; but it is impossible to suggest a motive for its invention other than a desire to discredit Muhammad, the QUR'AN, and Islam itself - and such a supposition in regard to sincere Muslims is absurd. In other words, if the real motive is disclosed, A. Guillaume would accept this story as false. In this connection, we shall have to remind our readers of the painful reality of the early days of Islam, and that is the currency of false and gorged "AHADITH", as briefly mentioned in pp. 107-110. Alfred Guillaume himself has written several pages about it in this same book.

The political needs of the UMAYYADS brought in very many things which were totally against the Islamic Faith, e.g. about the predestination of human actions. 'ALLAMAH SHIBLI NU'MANI writes:

"Although all these causes were present which were responsible for the difference in faith, yet the political differences started the ball rolling. The reign of the UMAYYADS was full of cruelty and bloodshed; and as against that there was a spirit of revolt among the common people; but the well-wishers of the government always silenced the people by saying that "Whatever happens takes place according to the will of the Almighty, and as such common people should not raise their voices against it at all. Every thing is destined before-hand, and whatever happens, good or bad, happens according to the Will of God; and we should bow down to that".

The SHI'AS believed that their Imams were MA'SUM, sinless. And the UMAYYAD caliphs were certainly not sinless. In fact most of them were more immoral and depraved than even their subjects. It is not the intention here to prove as to whose idea about the "sinless-ness" was correct; it is enough to point out here that this difference of the article of faith was present there with full force. Under such circumstances, it was the easiest thing to save their sinful caliphs from serious charges by inventing stories and "AHADITH" to show that even the Holy Prophet himself was not free from sins and satanic snares. Why should the public be concerned if their caliphs were guilty of various sins and crimes, and if they were open to the temptations of Satan?

In this back-ground not only the motive for forging this story of the satanic verses, but also of all attempts which were made to smear and tarnish the image of the Holy Prophet becomes clear. It was due to these forgeries that Alfred Guillaume had to say that the SUNNIS did not believe in the "sinless-ness" of the prophets; and that it was only after they were effected by the "sinless Imams" of the SHI'AS, and the "sinless Messiah" of the Christians that they also began to believe in the "sinless-ness" theory of all other prophets.