Hadith 9: (Abu ‘Abdullah al Jadali said,) I entered the presence of Umm Salamah. She said to me, “Is the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam being cursed (by anyone) among you?” …

BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents

 

Hadith 9

 

دخلت على أم سلمة، فقالت لي: أيسب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فيكم؟ قلت: معاذ الله، أو سبحان الله، أو كلمة نحوها. قالت: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: من سب عليا فقد سبني.

 

(Abu ‘Abdullah al Jadali said,) I entered the presence of Umm Salamah. She said to me, “Is the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam being cursed (by anyone) among you?” He said, “Ma’adh Allah! (May Allah forbid!) (Or ‘Subhan Allah’, or something along those lines).” She said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam say, ‘Whoever curses ‘Ali has cursed me.’”

 

---

This hadith is narrated by Umm Salamah, Ibn ‘Abbas, and Sa’d ibn Malik radiya Llahu ‘anhum.

 

The Hadith of Umm Salamah

This version has many (different) chains of transmission, including:

1. Imam Ahmed and others narrate from Isra’il — from Abu Ishaq — from Abu[1] ‘Abdullah al Jadali.[2]

Abu Ishaq al Sabi’i is a mudallis (obfuscates when he transmits) and a mukhtalit (commits serious errors).

In his edition of the Musnad Ahmed, Shu’ayb al Arna’ut writes, “The chain of transmission for this hadith is sahih (authentic). Although Abu Ishaq al Sabi’i commits serious errors, this narration is very precise because Isra’il is narrating from him. Isra’il remained in his company for a long time.”[3]

I have explained in the original work that despite Isra’il remaining in the company of Abu Ishaq al Sabi’i, this does not prevent (the possibility) that he narrated from him when he was committing serious errors. Actually, this causes more doubt because the fact that he remained in his company (for a long time) means that he narrated from him before and after his ikhtilat (committal of serious errors).

Al Sabi’i was also inconsistent in this narration. Ibn ‘Asakir narrates from ‘Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Harun ibn Ziyad al Himyari (this hadith appears in his individual hadith work), “Muhammad ibn Harun narrated to us (i.e. his father) — Ismail ibn al Khalil narrated to us — from ‘Ali ibn Mushir — from Abu Ishaq al Sabi’i who said, “I made hajj with a young man. I passed by Madinah and saw the people lined up one behind the other. I followed them. They had all come to Umm Salamah, the wife of Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.’” This narration has Abu ‘Abdullah al Jadali missing.

Muhammad ibn Harun ibn Ziyad al Himyari could not be traced. Al Albani says he is munkar (unacceptable).[4]

 

2. Al Hakim narrates the following from Jandal ibn Waliq:

ثنا بكير بن عثمان البجلي، قال: سمعت أبا إسحاق التميمي، يقول: سمعت أبا عبد الله الجدلي، يقول: سمعت أم سلمة تقول: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: من سب عليا فقد سبني، ومن سبني فقد سب الله تعالى.

Bukayr ibn ‘Uthman al Bajali narrated to us (and) said — I heard Abu Ishaq al Tamimi saying — I heard Abu ‘Abdullah al Jadali saying — I heard Umm Salamah saying, “I heard the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam saying, ‘Whoever curses ‘Ali has cursed me. And whoever has cursed me has cursed Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala.’”[5]

 

There is a difference of opinion regarding the status of Jandal ibn Waliq. Bukayr is majhul (unknown) for the fact that I have not seen anyone regard him as a reliable narrator.

Regarding his statement, “I heard Abu Ishaq al Tamimi,” I think it is a mistake. The name should rather be ‘Abu Ishaq al Sabi’i’ because he is known for his narrations; and also because the person narrating from Abu Ishaq (al Sabi’i) is his mawla.

 

3. Ibn ‘Asakir narrates with two baseless chains of transmission.[6] I have explained in the original work that they deserve no consideration.

 

4. Ibn ‘Asakir also narrates with a disparaged chain.[7] It contains a narrator by the name of ‘Amr ibn Shimar al Ju’fi al Kufi. He is matruk (suspected of forgery) and muttaham (suspected of lying).

 

The Hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas

This version has many (different) chains of transmission, including:

1. Al Shajari narrates — from Abu Sa’id al Thaqafi Jundar ibn Wathiq — from Hammad — from ‘Ali ibn Zaid — from Sa’id ibn Jubayr.

I am not aware of who Abu Sa’id al Thaqafi Jundar ibn Wathiq is. Perhaps there is some sort of misspelling. One of the narrators of this hadith is Jandal ibn Waliq, perhaps it is him. It is possible that the word ‘from’ was dropped. Allah knows best. The narrator ‘Ali ibn Zaid is ibn Jud’an, who is da’if (weak).

In support of this view, Ibn ‘Asakir actually narrates a hadith from Jandal ibn Waliq — from ‘Ali ibn Hammad — from al Munqari — from the person who narrated to him — from Ibn ‘Abbas who said: “Ibn ‘Abbas passed by…”[8]

This chain of transmission is completely baseless. ‘Ali ibn Hammad is possibly Ibn al Sakan. Ibn al Sakan is a considered matruk (suspected for forgery). The teacher of al Munqari is majhul (unknown). And there is a difference of opinion regarding the status of Jandal ibn Waliq.

 

2. Ibn al Maghazili narrates this version with a disparaged chain of transmission,[9] as I have explained in the original work.

 

The Hadith of Sa’d ibn Malik

Imam al Nasa’i narrates this version with a chain of transmission that contains the narrator Abu Bakr ibn Khalid ibn ‘Arfatah.[10] No one has regarded him as reliable.

In short, all chains of transmission are very weak, except for the first and last version of Abu Ishaq. Therefore, I believe the hadith is da’if (weak). And Allah knows best.

 

NEXT⇒ Hadith 10

---

[1] The word ‘Abu’ is missing from the Musnad Ahmed.

[2] Imam Ahmed: Musnad Ahmed, 6/323 and Fadaʾil al Sahabah, hadith no. 1011.

[3] Imam Ahmed: Musnad Ahmed, ed. Shu’ayb al Arnaʾut, 44/329.

[4] Al Albani: Silsilat al Ahadith al Da’ifah wa al Mawdu’ah, hadith no. 2310.

[5] Al Hakim al Naysaburi: Mustadrak al Hakim, hadith no. 4616.

[6] Ibn ‘Asakir: Tarikh Dimashq, 14/131.

[7] Ibn ‘Asakir: Tarikh Dimashq, 42/267.

[8] Ibn ‘Asakir: Mujam Ibn ‘Asakir, 1/448.

[9] Ibn al Maghazili: Manaqib ‘Ali, hadith no. 447.

[10] Imam al Nasaʾi: al Sunan al Kubra, hadith no. 8423 and Khasaʾis ‘Ali, hadith no. 92.