Hadith 6: After conquering Makkah, the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam headed towards al Ta’if. He laid siege of them for seven or eight days…

BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents

 

Hadith 6

 

افتتح رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مكة، ثم انصرف إلى الطائف، فحاصرهم ثمانية أو سبعة، ثم أوغل غدوة أو روحة، ثم نزل، ثم هجر، ثم قال: أيها الناس إني لكم فرط، وإني أوصيكم بعترتي خيرا موعدكم الحوض، والذي نفسي بيده لتقيمن الصلاة، ولتؤتون الزكاة، أو لأبعثن عليكم رجلا مني أو كنفسي فليضربن أعناق مقاتليهم، وليسبين ذراريهم. قال: فرأى الناس أنه يعني أبا بكر أو عمر، فأخذ بيد علي، فقال: هذا.

After conquering Makkah, the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam headed towards al Ta’if. He laid siege of them for seven or eight days. After that, he penetrated deeper into their territory either in the morning, or in the evening. Then he disembarked. Then he vacated. Then he said, “O people, I will be gone before you. I advise you to treat my family well. Your abode is the Hawd (Cistern). By the One in Whose hand is my soul, you will establish salah and give zakat, or I will send a man among you that is from me, or similar to me; he will strike the necks of their killers and capture their children.” (The narrator said) everyone believed he was referring to Abu Bakr or ‘Umar. He took hold of ‘Ali’s hand and said, “This (referring to ‘Ali).”

 

---

This hadith is narrated by ‘Abdul Rahman ibn ‘Awf, ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad, Abu Dharr, Jabir ibn ‘Abdulla, ‘Aisha, and al Muttalib ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Hantab radiya Llahu ‘anhum.

 

The Hadith of ‘Abdul Rahman ibn ‘Awf

Ibn Abi Shaybah, al Bazzar, al Hakim and others narrate this version from ‘Ubaidullah ibn Musa who said — Talhah ibn Jabr al Ansari narrated to us — from al Muttalib ibn ‘Abdullah — from Mus’ab ibn ‘Abdul Rahman — from ‘Abdul Rahman ibn ‘Awf radiya Llahu ‘anhu.[1]

Al Hakim and Ibn Jarir authenticated the hadith. However, this is not the case. It contains the following ‘ilal (hidden impairing defects):

• Al Muttalib ibn ‘Abdullah is ibn Hantab. He commits tadlis (obfuscates when he transmits) frequently and transmits mursal[2]
• Talhah ibn Jabr al Ansari is not the same person as Ibn Khayr, as it appears in al Mustadrak. He (i.e. Talhah ibn Jabr al Ansari) is da’if (weak).
• Mus’ab ibn ‘Abdul Rahman ibn ‘Awf was not regarded as a thiqah (reliable) except by Ibn Hibban.
• Talhah differs with Tawus and makes the hadith mursal. Ma’mar narrates in his Jami’ from Ibn Tawus — from his father — from al Muttalib ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Hantab who said, “The Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said to a delegation of Thaqif when they arrived.”[3]

Tawus is much more reliable than Talhah ibn Jabr; therefore, his narration is more reliable.

 

The Hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad

Ibn Abi Shaybah narrates this hadith.[4] Imam Ahmed narrates it as follows: Yahya ibn Adam narrated to us (and said) — Sharik narrated to us — from ‘Ayyash al ‘Amiri — from ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad ibn al Had.[5]

This chain of transmission contains Sharik. In addition to this, the hadith is mursal.

 

The Hadith of Abu Dharr

Imam al Nasa’i narrates this version from Yunus ibn Abi Ishaq — from Abu Ishaq — from Zaid ibn Yuthay’ — from Abu Dharr.[6]

Abu Ishaq’s name is Abu Ishaq al Sabi’i. He is a mudallis (obfuscates when he transmits) and a mukhtalit (commits serious mistakes).Furthermore, his narration is inconsistent in this instance. Imam Ahmed narrates it as a mursal hadith in the following manner: Yahya ibn Adam narrated to us — Yunus narrated to us — from Abu Ishaq — from Zaid ibn Uthay’.

Ibn Abi Shaybah narrates it in the following manner: Abu al Jawab narrated to us — from Yunus ibn Abi Ishaq — from Zaid ibn Yuthay’ — from Abu Dharr.”[7] Abu Ishaq is criticised from the chain of transmission.

 

The Hadith of Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah

Imam al Tabarani narrates this version with a chain of transmission that contains the narrator ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdul Quddus. He is da’if (weak). In fact, ibn Ma’in says regarding him, “Laysa bi shay (He is nothing) (i.e. he is da’if (weak)).” Imam al Nasa’i once said regarding him, “He is not a thiqah (reliable).”

 

The Hadith of ‘Aisha

Ibn al Jawzi narrates this hadith with a fabricated chain of transmission.[8] Al Dhahabi, al Suyuti, Ibn ‘Iraq and al Shawkani mention this hadith in their respective works on fabricated narrations (al mawdu’at).[9]

 

The Hadith of al Muttalib ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Hantab

Ma’mar narrates from Ibn Tawus — from his father — from al Muttalib ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Hantab who said:

 

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لوفد ثقيف حين جاؤوا: لتسلمن أو لنبعثن رجلاً مني أو قال مثل نفسي فليضربن أعناقكم، وليسبين ذراريكم، وليأخذن أموالكم. فقال عمر: فوالله ما تمنيت الإمارة إلا يومئذ، جعلت أنصب صدري رجاء أن يقول هو هذا. قال: فالتفت إلى علي فأخذ بيده، ثم قال: هو هذا، هو هذا.

The Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said to a delegation of Thaqif when they arrived, “You will surrender or we will send a man from me (or he said ‘like me’) who will strike your necks, capture your children and take your possessions.”

‘Umar said, “By Allah, I never desired a position of leadership except for that day. I began sticking out my chest, hoping he would say, ‘He is this person (referring to himself.’”

(The narrator said) the Prophet turned towards ‘Ali, took him by the hand and said, “He is this person. He is this person.”[10]

 

Imam Ahmed narrates this hadith with the same chain of transmission.[11]

This hadith is mursal.

 

NEXT⇒ Hadith 7

---

[1] Ibn Abi Shaybah: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, 6/368; al Bazzar: Musnad al Bazzar, hadith no. 1050; al Hakim: Mustadrak al Hakim, hadith 2559.

[2] A mursal hadith is when a transmitter cites someone or the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam without actually having met him. [translator’s note]

[3] Imam ‘Abdul Razzaq al San’ani: Musannaf ‘Abdul Razzaq, 11/226; Imam Ahmed: Fada’il al Sahabah, hadith no. 1008.

[4] Imam ibn Abi Shaybah: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, 6/369.

[5] Imam Ahmed: Fada’il al Sahabah, hadith no. 1008.

[6] Imam al Nasa’i: al Sunan al Kubra, hadith no. 8403 and Khasa’is ‘Ali, hadith no. 72.

[7] Imam ibn Abi Shaybah: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, 6/374.

[8] Ibn al Jawzi: Kitab al Mawdu’at, 1/401.

[9] Imam al Dhahabi: Talkhis al Mawdu’at, hadith no 137; Imam al Suyuti: al La’ali al Masnu’ah, 1/348; ibn ‘Iraq: Tanzih al Shari’ah, 1/367; al Shawkani: al Fawa’id al Majmu’ah, hadith no. 332.

[10] Imam ‘Abdul Razzaq al San’ani: Musannaf ‘Abdul Razzaq, 11/226.

[11] Imam Ahmed: Fada’il al Sahabah, hadith no 1008.