Abu Rayyah Rejects the Hadith, “Allah Has a Rooster Whose Neck is Below the `Arsh”
Abu Rayyah Rejects the Hadith, “The Nile, Sayhan, Jayhan and the Euphrates are from the Rivers of Jannah”
December 2, 2015Abu Rayyah Rejects the Hadith, “The Sun and Moon Will be Wrapped up on the Day of Qiyamah”
December 2, 2015BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents
Abu Rayyah Rejects the Hadith, “Allah Has a Rooster Whose Neck is Below the ‘Arsh”
Abu Rayyah says (Page 94):
روى الحاكم فى المستدرك و الطبرانى و رجاله رجال الصحيح عن ابى هريرة ان النبى قال ان الله قد اذن لى ان احدث عن ديك قد مرقت رجلاه فى الارض و عنقه مثبتة تحت العرش وهو يقول سبحانك ما اعظم شانك قال فيرد عليه ما يعلم ذلك من حلف بى كاذبا
وهذا الحديث من قول كعب الاحبار و نصه:
ان لله ديكا عنقه تحت العرش و يراثته فى اسفل الارض فاذا صاح صاحت الديكة فيقول سبحان القدوس الملك الرحمان لا اله غيره
Al Hakim reports in al Mustadrak and al Tabarani also narrates (with a chain wherein the narrators are the same as the narrators of Sahih al Bukhari) from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Allah granted me permission to speak about a rooster whose legs have pierced the earth and its neck is stationed under the ‘Arsh. It says, ‘Glory be to Thee, how lofty is Thy status.’ A reply is given to it, ‘The one who swears falsely by my name does not realise that.’’’
This hadith is from the sayings of Ka’b al Ahbar. The exact wording is, “Allah has a rooster whose neck is stationed under the ‘Arsh and its legs are in the lowest portion of the earth. When it screams, all the roosters say, ‘Glory be to the Lofty one, the King, the Most Benevolent. There is no deity besides Him.’”
Our comment: Al Majlisi has a chapter, under which he has a few narrations, refer to the chapter, “the virtue of keeping a rooster and a chicken.” He quotes the narration with the narration of al Hakim which was narrated by Abu Hurairah radiya Llahu ‘anhu. It is the same narration which was rejected by the ‘trustworthy’ author! Furthermore, have a look at some of the ahadith which have been authentically narrated from the Ahlul Bayt, who narrate from their grandfather:
‘Abdul Mun’im ibn Idris reports from his father — Wahb — Ibn ‘Abbas — the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:
ان لله تبارك و تعالى ديكا رجلاه فى تخوم الارض السابعة و راسه عند العرش ثانى عنقه تحت العرش
Allah has a rooster whose legs are in the depths of the seventh earth and its neck is under the ‘Arsh, it bends its neck under the ‘Arsh.[1]
Jabir al Ju’fi reports that he heard Imam Jafar rahimahu Llah saying:
ان لله ديكا رجلاه فى الارض و راسه تحت العرش و فى رواية و راسه فى السماء تحت العرش جناح له فى الشرق و جناح له فى الغرب يقول سبحان الملك القدوس فاذا قال ذلك صاحت الديك و اجابته فاذا سمع اصوات الديك فليقل احدكم: سبحان ربى الملك القدوس
Allah has a rooster whose legs are below the earth and its head is under the ‘Arsh. Another version states, its neck is in the sky, under the ‘Arsh. One of its wings is in the east and the other is in the west. It says, “Glory be to the King, the Lofty one.” Therefore, when one of you hears the crowing of a rooster, then you should say, “Glory be my Rabb, the King, the Lofty one.”[2]
Rawdat al Kafi reports from Muhammad ibn al Fudayl who reports from Imam al Baqir:
ان لله ديكا رجلاه فى الارض السابعة و عنقه مثبتة تحت العرش و جناحاه فى الهواء اذا كان فى نصف الليل الثلث الثانى من اخر الليل ضرب بجناحه و صاح صبوح قدوس ربنا الله الملك الحق المبين فلا اله غيره رب الملائكة والروح فتضرب الديكة باجنحتها و تصبح
Allah has a rooster whose feet are in the seventh Earth, its neck is stationed under the ‘Arsh and its wings are in the air. After half the night, or the second third of the night, it flaps its wings and screams: “Glorification and exaltation! Our Rabb is Allah, the King, the Absolute Truth, the Dominant. There is no deity besides Him. The Rabb of the angels and ruh.” Thereupon, all the roosters flap their wings and wake up.
Darim ibn Qabisah — al Rida — his forefathers — that the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
ان لله ديكا عنقه تحت العرش و رجلاه فى تخوم الارضين السابعة السفلى اذا كان فى الثلث الاخير من الليل سبح الله تعالى ذكره بصوت يسمعه كل شيئ ما خلا الثقلين الجن والانس ف تصبح عند ذلك ديكة الدنيا
Allah has a rooster whose neck is under the ‘Arsh and its legs are in the depths of the seventh earth. When the final third of the night arrives, it glorifies Allah, whose remembrance is elevated, in a manner that is hears by all except jinn and man. All the roosters of the earth awake upon this.[3]
Did these Imams and their narrators also learn from Ka’b al Ahbar? Did they also learn from the Jews as this fraudster claims? All of these ahadith have been authentically established from the Shia. As for Abu Hurairah radiya Llahu ‘anhu, this hadith cannot be established authentically from him. Ibn al Jawzi classified the text of this hadith as a fabrication and it is most deserving to be classified so. Al Hakim is well known for his inaccuracy in classifying narrations. Another indication that this hadith is not established is the statement of Ibn al Qayyim in al Ajwibat al Tarabulusiyyah, which he made after quoting a number of narrations regarding the rooster. He said, “All the ahadith concerning the rooster are fabrications except one, viz. when you hear the crowing of the rooster then ask Allah from His bounties as it saw an angel.”[4]
As for him quoting al Nuwayri as a reference, he was a linguist of the seventh century. He had no idea of where he took this narration from. Thus, the hadith is concocted and fabricated. It is neither established from Abu Hurairah radiya Llahu ‘anhu, nor from the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Hence, his argument is based upon a foundation which cannot even hold itself. This also means that if it is proven that this statement is a statement of Ka’b, which was taken from the widespread statements of the Jews, then it is your infallible Imams who have narrated it.
[1] Bihar al Anwar, 65/8-9, 87/181, 183.
[2] Bihar al Anwar, 65/3, Bab Fadl Ittikhadh al Dik wa l-Dajaj, 87/183-185, Bab ‘Illat Sirakh al Dik; Mishkat al Anwar, pg. 263; Rawdat al Wa’izin, 2/468; Hilyat al Muttaqin, pg. 597; al Saduq: al Tawhid, pg. 279.
[3] Bihar al Anwar, 87/181, chapter on the reason why a rooster crows.
[4] Difa’ ‘An al Sunnah, pg. 126.
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Abu Rayyah Rejects the Hadith, “Allah Has a Rooster Whose Neck is Below the ‘Arsh”
Abu Rayyah says (Page 94):
روى الحاكم فى المستدرك و الطبرانى و رجاله رجال الصحيح عن ابى هريرة ان النبى قال ان الله قد اذن لى ان احدث عن ديك قد مرقت رجلاه فى الارض و عنقه مثبتة تحت العرش وهو يقول سبحانك ما اعظم شانك قال فيرد عليه ما يعلم ذلك من حلف بى كاذبا
وهذا الحديث من قول كعب الاحبار و نصه:
ان لله ديكا عنقه تحت العرش و يراثته فى اسفل الارض فاذا صاح صاحت الديكة فيقول سبحان القدوس الملك الرحمان لا اله غيره
Al Hakim reports in al Mustadrak and al Tabarani also narrates (with a chain wherein the narrators are the same as the narrators of Sahih al Bukhari) from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Allah granted me permission to speak about a rooster whose legs have pierced the earth and its neck is stationed under the ‘Arsh. It says, ‘Glory be to Thee, how lofty is Thy status.’ A reply is given to it, ‘The one who swears falsely by my name does not realise that.’’’
This hadith is from the sayings of Ka’b al Ahbar. The exact wording is, “Allah has a rooster whose neck is stationed under the ‘Arsh and its legs are in the lowest portion of the earth. When it screams, all the roosters say, ‘Glory be to the Lofty one, the King, the Most Benevolent. There is no deity besides Him.’”
Our comment: Al Majlisi has a chapter, under which he has a few narrations, refer to the chapter, “the virtue of keeping a rooster and a chicken.” He quotes the narration with the narration of al Hakim which was narrated by Abu Hurairah radiya Llahu ‘anhu. It is the same narration which was rejected by the ‘trustworthy’ author! Furthermore, have a look at some of the ahadith which have been authentically narrated from the Ahlul Bayt, who narrate from their grandfather:
‘Abdul Mun’im ibn Idris reports from his father — Wahb — Ibn ‘Abbas — the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:
ان لله تبارك و تعالى ديكا رجلاه فى تخوم الارض السابعة و راسه عند العرش ثانى عنقه تحت العرش
Allah has a rooster whose legs are in the depths of the seventh earth and its neck is under the ‘Arsh, it bends its neck under the ‘Arsh.[1]
Jabir al Ju’fi reports that he heard Imam Jafar rahimahu Llah saying:
ان لله ديكا رجلاه فى الارض و راسه تحت العرش و فى رواية و راسه فى السماء تحت العرش جناح له فى الشرق و جناح له فى الغرب يقول سبحان الملك القدوس فاذا قال ذلك صاحت الديك و اجابته فاذا سمع اصوات الديك فليقل احدكم: سبحان ربى الملك القدوس
Allah has a rooster whose legs are below the earth and its head is under the ‘Arsh. Another version states, its neck is in the sky, under the ‘Arsh. One of its wings is in the east and the other is in the west. It says, “Glory be to the King, the Lofty one.” Therefore, when one of you hears the crowing of a rooster, then you should say, “Glory be my Rabb, the King, the Lofty one.”[2]
Rawdat al Kafi reports from Muhammad ibn al Fudayl who reports from Imam al Baqir:
ان لله ديكا رجلاه فى الارض السابعة و عنقه مثبتة تحت العرش و جناحاه فى الهواء اذا كان فى نصف الليل الثلث الثانى من اخر الليل ضرب بجناحه و صاح صبوح قدوس ربنا الله الملك الحق المبين فلا اله غيره رب الملائكة والروح فتضرب الديكة باجنحتها و تصبح
Allah has a rooster whose feet are in the seventh Earth, its neck is stationed under the ‘Arsh and its wings are in the air. After half the night, or the second third of the night, it flaps its wings and screams: “Glorification and exaltation! Our Rabb is Allah, the King, the Absolute Truth, the Dominant. There is no deity besides Him. The Rabb of the angels and ruh.” Thereupon, all the roosters flap their wings and wake up.
Darim ibn Qabisah — al Rida — his forefathers — that the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
ان لله ديكا عنقه تحت العرش و رجلاه فى تخوم الارضين السابعة السفلى اذا كان فى الثلث الاخير من الليل سبح الله تعالى ذكره بصوت يسمعه كل شيئ ما خلا الثقلين الجن والانس ف تصبح عند ذلك ديكة الدنيا
Allah has a rooster whose neck is under the ‘Arsh and its legs are in the depths of the seventh earth. When the final third of the night arrives, it glorifies Allah, whose remembrance is elevated, in a manner that is hears by all except jinn and man. All the roosters of the earth awake upon this.[3]
Did these Imams and their narrators also learn from Ka’b al Ahbar? Did they also learn from the Jews as this fraudster claims? All of these ahadith have been authentically established from the Shia. As for Abu Hurairah radiya Llahu ‘anhu, this hadith cannot be established authentically from him. Ibn al Jawzi classified the text of this hadith as a fabrication and it is most deserving to be classified so. Al Hakim is well known for his inaccuracy in classifying narrations. Another indication that this hadith is not established is the statement of Ibn al Qayyim in al Ajwibat al Tarabulusiyyah, which he made after quoting a number of narrations regarding the rooster. He said, “All the ahadith concerning the rooster are fabrications except one, viz. when you hear the crowing of the rooster then ask Allah from His bounties as it saw an angel.”[4]
As for him quoting al Nuwayri as a reference, he was a linguist of the seventh century. He had no idea of where he took this narration from. Thus, the hadith is concocted and fabricated. It is neither established from Abu Hurairah radiya Llahu ‘anhu, nor from the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Hence, his argument is based upon a foundation which cannot even hold itself. This also means that if it is proven that this statement is a statement of Ka’b, which was taken from the widespread statements of the Jews, then it is your infallible Imams who have narrated it.
[1] Bihar al Anwar, 65/8-9, 87/181, 183.
[2] Bihar al Anwar, 65/3, Bab Fadl Ittikhadh al Dik wa l-Dajaj, 87/183-185, Bab ‘Illat Sirakh al Dik; Mishkat al Anwar, pg. 263; Rawdat al Wa’izin, 2/468; Hilyat al Muttaqin, pg. 597; al Saduq: al Tawhid, pg. 279.
[3] Bihar al Anwar, 87/181, chapter on the reason why a rooster crows.
[4] Difa’ ‘An al Sunnah, pg. 126.