Abu Rayyah Rejects the Hadith: “A Slave Keeps Getting Close to Me on Account of Optional Prayers”

On page 24, Abu Rayyah says:

لقد اقحموا فى كتبهم هذا بغير ما مناسبة حديثا رواه البخارى عن ابى هريرة واعتبروه صحيحا ما دام البخارى قد رواه و هذا نصه: “من عادى لى وليا فقد اذنته بالحرب, وما زال عبدى يتقرب الى بالنوافل حتى احبه فاذا احببته كنت سمعه الذى يسمع به و بصره الذى يبصر به و يده التى يبطش بها و رجله التى يمشى بها, وان سالنى اعطيته و لئن استعاذنى لاعيذنه

They have shoved this in their books even when it is not related to anything. It is a hadith reported by al Bukhari from Abu Hurairah. They have classified it authentic simply because it is reported by al Bukhari. These are the exact words, “I have declared war against the one who shows enmity towards a friend of mine. My slave continues to draw close to me by performing optional prayers until I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he holds and his feet with which he walks. If he asks of Me I will definitely grant (his request) to him and if he seeks My protection, I will most definitely protect him.”

He then goes on to claim:

وما ذكره ابو نعيم فى الحلية من انه منقول عن وهب بن منبه اليهودى وكان ابو هريرة راوى الحديث تلميذا لكهان اليهود يتلقى عنهم و يبث ما يتلقاه بين الناس على انه من قول النبى (ص)

Abu Nuaim has mentioned in al Hilyah that this is narrated from Wahb ibn Munabbih, the Jew, and that Abu Hurairah, the narrator of the hadith, was a student of the soothsayers of the Jews. He would learn from them and thereafter spread whatever he learnt among the people as if it was from the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

Our comment: Firstly, Abu Hurairah radiya Llahu ‘anhu is not the sole narrator of this hadith. It was narrated by other Sahabah as well including Aisha, ‘Ali, Abu Umamah, Ibn ‘Abbas, Anas, Hudhayfah, and Muaz ibn Jabal among others radiya Llahu ‘anhum. Secondly, if you think that Abu Hurairah radiya Llahu ‘anhu was a liar, then we will narrate for you that which is authentic according to you, as it is narrated from the Ahlul Bayt who narrates from their grandfather salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

Hammad ibn Bashir says: I heard Abu ‘Abdullah al Sadiq rahimahu Llah saying that the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:

قال الله: من اهان لى وليا فقد ارصد لمحاربتى وما تقرب الى عبد بشيئ احب الى مما افترضت عليه وانه ليتقرب الى بالنافلة حتى احبه فاذا احببته كنت سمعه الذى يسمع به و بصره الذى يبصر به و لسانه الذى ينطق به و يده التى يبطش بها و ان دعانى اجبته و ان سالنى اعطيته

Allah says, “Whoever belittles a friend of mine, has decided to go to war with me. A slave gains closeness to me by doing that which is most beloved to me, which I have made compulsory upon him. (Then) he gains more closeness to be by carrying out optional acts until I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his tongue with which he speaks and his hand with which he holds. If he supplicates to me, I will definitely respond to him and if he asks of me, I will most definitely grant him (that which he asks for).”^[1]

و عن ابان بن تغلب عن ابى جعفر قال لما اسرى بالنبى قال يا رب ما حال المؤمن عندك؟ قال يا محمد من اهان لى وليا فقد بارزنى بالمحاربة و انا اسرع شيئ الى نصرة اوليائى…وما يتقرب الى عبد من عبادى بشيئ احب الى مما افترضت عليه وانه ليتقرب الى بالنافلة حتى احبه فاذا احببته كنت سمعه الذى يسمع به و بصره الذى يبصر به و لسانه الذى ينطق به و يده التى يبطش بها و ان دعانى اجبته و ان سالنى اعطيته

Aban ibn Taghlib reports from Abu Jafar (al Baqir), “When the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was taken for mi’raj, he asked Allah, ‘O my Rabb, what is the condition of a mu’min in your court?’

Allah replied, ‘O Muhammad, whoever belittles a friend of mine, has decided to go to war with Me and I am extremely swift in helping My friends. A slave gains closeness to Me by doing that which is most beloved to Me, that which I have made compulsory upon him. (Then) he gains more closeness to Me by carrying out optional acts until I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his tongue with which he speaks and his hand with which he holds. If he supplicates to Me, I will definitely respond to him and if he asks of Me, I will most definitely grant him (that which he asks for).’”^[2]

Khomeini also established the authenticity of this narration in his book Zubdat al Arba’in Hadithan,^[3] which is reported by Abu Jafar from the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. You may refer to it there. Will Abu Rayyah accuse the Ahlul Bayt of false narrations just as he accused Abu Hurairah radiya Llahu ‘anhu?

NEXT⇒ Abu Rayyah Objects to the Appetite of Abu Hurairah

^[1] Usul al Kafi, 2/351, 352; al Fawa’id al Tusiyyah, pg. 45-46, 71; al Sabzwari: Jami’ al Akhbar, pg. 205; Kitab al Mahasin, 1/454; Bihar al Anwar, 75/155, 84/257, 70/22, 16, 87/31; al Jawahir al Saniyyah, pg. 99, 100, 123, 129, 130, 260, 264, 270, 273.

^[2] Usul al Kafi, 2/352; al Anwar, 1/134, 218; Anwar al Wilayah, pg. 308; al ‘Awali, 1/408.

[3] Zubdat al Arba’in Hadithan, pg. 246.

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