“Know that it is a Hadith on which it is not permissible to base, nor is it suitable to rely on it, because it is a Munkar Hadith, with a dropped Isnad, and none of the Hufaz authenticated it and none of the Imams based themselves on it, rather they weakened it and criticised it and some of them mentioned it among fabricated Ahadith and reports that are lies.”
And Hafiz ibn Abdil Hadi mentioned that its narrator Hafs ibn Abi Dawud and he is Hafs ibn Sulayman Abu ‘Umar Al-Asadi Al-Kufi Al-Bazar Al-Qari Al-Ghadiri though he was an Imam in Qira’ah, but in the field of Hadith he has been weakened by the Ahlul Hadith and some of them accused him of lying.
Here are some quotes from Ibn Abdil Hadi from Imams of Jarh and Ta’deel on Hafs, p 63 and after of the edition published by “Muasasah Ar-Rayan” with the footnotes of ‘Aqil ibn Muhammad Al-Muqtari, student of Shaykh Muqbil:
Abu ‘Uthman ibn Sa’id Ad-Darimi and others said from Yahya ibn Ma’in: “He is not trustworthy (thiqah)”
Al-‘Uqayli mentioned from Yahya (ibn Ma’in) that he was asked about him and he said: “He is nothing” (Laysa bi Shayin)
And Abdullah ibn Imam Ahmad said: I heard my father saying: Hafs ibn Sulayman Abu ‘Umar Al-Qari is abandoned in Hadith (Matruk Al-Hadith).
And Al-Bukhari said: “They left him”
Ibrahim ibn Ya’qub Al-Juzjani said: ‘They have left him from a long time.”
Muslim ibn Hajjaj said: “Matruk”
‘Ali ibn Madini said: “Weak in Hadith and I have left in purposely”
An-Nassa’i said: “he is not trustworthy and his Hadith is not written” and he said once: “Abandoned in Hadith (Matruk Al-Hadith)”
Salih ibn Muhammad Al-Baghdadi said: “His Ahadith are not written and all of his Ahadith are Manakir” (A Munkar Hadith is that of a weak narrator and it also opposes an authentic Hadith)
Zakariya As-Saji said: “He narrates from Samak, ‘Alqamah ibn Marthad, Qays ibn Muslim and ‘Asim some Bawatil (false Ahadith).”
Abu Zur’ah said: “Weak in Hadith”
Ibn Abi Hatim said: “I asked my father about him and he said: His hadith is not written and he is weak in Hadith, he is not trusted and is abandoned in Hadith (Matruk Al-Hadith)”
AburRahman ibn Yusuf Kharash said: “He is a liar, abandoned (Matruk), he used to fabricate Hadith.”
Al-Hakim Abu Ahmad said: “Zahib Al-Hadith” (He forgets Hadith).
Ad-Daraqutni said: “Weak”
Abu Hatim ibn Hibban said: “He used to mix the chains of transmission and used to declare Marfu’ some mursal reports, and he used to take from the books of people and write them and narrate them without listening (to them).”
Ibn ‘Adi said: “As-Saji informed me that Ahmad ibn Muhammad Al-Baghdadi informed me, he said: “I heard Yahya ibn Ma’in saying: “Hafs ibn Sulayman and Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayash where the most knowledgeable people of the Qira’ah of ‘Asim, and Hafs was better in Qira’ah than Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr was Saduq, and Hafs was a liar”
And ibn ‘Adi mentioned some of his rejected Hadith and among them this Hadith about the visit of the Prophet’s grave.
Ibn Abdil Hadi said that Al-Bayhaqi narrates in his Sunnan Kabir and in His Shu’b Al-Iman this narration of Hafs about the visit and he declared him to be weak in both of his works.
And ibn Abdil Hadi concluded that if this is the status of Hafs for the Imams of Hadith, then how can someone rely on his report, especially when the narrator from him, Layth ibn Abi Sulaym is Mudhtarib Al Hadith (he contradicts in narrating)?
Then ibn Abdil Hadi mentioned that As-Subki tried to strengthen this Hadith with ignorance and deception, as he refused to admit for sure that Hafs ibn Abi Dawud the narrator of this Hadith is Hafs ibn Sulayman Al-Qari, and he said that it is possible they are two different narrators. And As-Subki claimed that Ibn Hibban mentioned Hafs ibn Abi Dawud in his “Kitab Ath-Thiqat”.
And Ibn Abdil Hadi replied that these words of As-Subki are full of mistake, mixing and deception (Talbis), as the narrator of this Hadith is Hafs ibn Sulayman Al-Qari et he is Hafs ibn Abi Dawud without any doubt, and the one who claims that this Hadith is narrated by two narrators one of them being Hafs ibn Abi Dawud and the other Hafs ibn Sulayman, and one of them is Thiqah (trustworthy) and the other is weak, then he is ignorant mistaken by consensus or an opponent (to the truth) a person of passion following his desire and his aim is to deceive and mix the truth with falsehood : “And he for whom Allah has not appointed light, for him there is no light” (An-Nur 24 : 40)
Hafiz ibn Abdil Hadi further added that he did not find in the nuskhah of the book “Ath-Thiqat” of ibn Hibban that was available for him what As-Subki quoted, that Hafs ibn Abi Dawud was mentioned in it. And ‘Aqil Al-Muqtari also checked a nuskhah of it and did not find these words of Ibn Hibban.
And what is strange is that Ibn Hibban himself said that Hafs ibn Sulayman is Hafs ibn Abi Dawud as indicated by ibn Abdil Hadi and Ibn Hibban weakened him in “Kitab Al-Majruhin”: “Hafs ibn Sulayman Al-Asadi Al-Qari Abu ‘Umar Al-Bazar, and he is the one called Hafs ibn Abi Dawud… He used to mix the chains of transmission and used to declare Marfu’ some mursal reports, and he used to take from the books of people and write them and narrate them without listening (to them)”
And ibn Abdil Hadi said that if the quote of As-Subki that Ibn Hibban mentioned Hafs ibn Abi Dawud in his Kitab Thiqat is true, then it will be a clear contradiction of Ibn Hibban. Yet As-Subki took from ibn Hibban what suited him and left his words in “Al-Majruhin” that was against him. Hafiz Ibn Abdil Hadi described the pathetic condition of As-Subki: “It is not a novelty for this person who is an objector to Shaykh Al-Islam and a follower of his desire that he takes the saying of a person (ibn Hibban) in which he erred and none agreed with him in it and he leaves his saying (of Ibn Hibban) that is correct and in which he is followed. And Allah gives Tawfiq.”
And if ever this quote of As-Subki exists, yet As-Subki took this saying of ibn Hibban and opposed Hufaz like Al-Bukhari, ibn Abi Hatim, Abu Zur’ah, Al-Hakim and others who said that Hafs ibn Sulayman is Hafs ibn Abi Dawud and here are some quotes taken from ibn Abdil Hadi:
“Al-Bukhari said in his “Kitab Du’afa”: Hafs ibn Sulayman Al-Asadi Abu ‘Umar Al-Qari narrating from ‘Alqamah ibn Marthad and ‘Asim, they left him and he is ibn Abi Dawud Al-Kufi. Then ibn Abi Al-Qadhi said: Sa’id ibn Mansur said to us: Hafs ibn Sulayman said to us from Layth from Mujahid from ibn ‘Umar: he said the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “He who visits me after my death, it is as if he visited me in my life” So Al-Bukhari mentioned like this showing some rejected narrations of Hafs.
And he said in his Kitab At-Tarikh: “Hafs ibn Sulayman Al-Asadi Abu ‘Umar Al-Qari, they abandoned him and he is Hafs ibn Abi Dawud.”
Ibn Abi Hatim said in his book “Jarh wa Ta’dil”: Hafs ibn Sulayman Al-Asadi Abu ‘Umar Al-Muqri, and he is Al-Bazzar and he is Ibn Abi Dawud the companion of ‘Asim in Qira’at, I heard my father saying this. And Abu Zur’ah was asked about Hafs ibn Abi Dawud and he said: he is hafs ibn Sulayman and he is weak in Hadith. And Al-Hakim Abu Ahmad said in his book “Al-Kuna”: Abu ‘Umar Hafs ibn Sulayman Al-Asadi Al-Muqri Al-Kufi and Sulyman (his father) is Al-Asadi Al-Muqri Al-Kufi and Sulayman has the kuniyah Abu Dawud, he is Zahib Al-Hadith (he forgets hadith)”
So one can clearly see the sayings of the Imams of Jarh and Ta’dil, and how As-Subki opposed them, making ibn Abdil Hadi saying: “I am surprised to see how this objector (to Ibn Taymiyah) came with this mixing in words and deception in saying…”
And specially when someone lacks of respects towards Ibn Taymiyah, attacks him violently with lies, and is unjust and oppressor as mentioned by ibn Abdul Hadi, and this man (As-Subki) comes with deception and opposes the Imams of Jarh and Ta’dil. Allah ul-Musta’an.
And what is shocking is that the commander of the believer in Hadith, Imam Al-Bukhari mentioned this Hadith of Hafs to show some of his rejected Hadith, and Ibn ‘Adi also did the same. So earlier Hufaz have clearly weakened this narration, yet As-Subki tried with ignorance or deception to authenticate this Hadith. And if Al-Bukhari and ibn ‘Adi knew some reliable strengthening reports, he would have mentioned them.
But As-Subki said that this Hadith of Hafs has a following narration that strengthens it, and Ibn Abdil Hadi showed the status of this following narration.
In the “Mu’jam “of At-Tabarani, he said: Ahmad ibn Rushdin narrated to us, ‘Ali ibn Al-Husayn ibn Harun Al-Ansari narrated to us, Al-Layth ibn Bint Al-Layth ibn Abi Sulaym said: My grant mother ‘Aishah bint Yunus the wive of Al-Layth narrated me from Al-Layth ibn Abi Sulaym from Mujahid from ibn ‘Umar; he said the Messenger of Allah said: “He who visits my grave after my death, it is as if he visited me in my life”:
Ibn Abdil Hadi said: “This isnad is nothing on which one can rely, and it is not something one can turn to, rather it is an unjust and extremely weak sanad, because it is composed of weak narrators on which it is not permissible to base upon and of unknown narrators whose condition is not known so to accept their information, and ibn Rushdin is the teacher of At-Tabarani and he has been criticised, and ‘Ali ibn Al-Husayn Al-Ansari is not someone whose narrations are reliable, and Al-Layth ibn Bint Al-Layth ibn Abi Sulaym and his grant mother are both unknown (Majhul), their condition is not known to the people of knowledge so to accept their narration, and they do not have any mention in other than this hadith, and Layth ibn Abi Sulaym is Mudhtarib Al Hadith (he contradicts in narrating), this has been said by Imam Ahmad ibn Hambal.
Abu Mu’mar Al-Qati’i said: Ibn ‘Uyaynah used to weaken Layth ibn Abi Sulaym. And Yahya ibn Al-Ma’in and An-Nassa’i said: weak. As-Sa’di said: His Hadith is weakened. Ibrahim ibn Sa’id Al-Johiri said that Yahya ibn Ma’in narrated to us from Yahya ibn Sa’id Al-Qattan that he would not narrate from Layth ibn Abi Sulaym.
And Ahmad ibn Sulayman Ar-Rahawi said from Muamil ibn Al-Fadl, ‘Issa ibn Yunus narrated to us: don’t you listen (Hadith) from Layth ibn Abi Sulaym. He replied: I have seen him, and he mixes (ikhtalata) (Hadith)…”
Ibn Abi Hatim said: I heard my father and Abu Zur’ah saying: Layth should not be dealt with, he is Mudhtarib Al-Hadith (contradicts himself)…”
So Ibn Abdil Hadi pointed that even if the sanad was authentic up to Layth ibn Abi Sulaym, then the narration would be weak, and how can it be authentic when the chain contains darkness over darkness? And how can such a narration of many unknown and mudhtarib and mukhtalit people be a witness to the narration of Hafs?
Ibn Abdil Hadi said that someone from the later Hufaz reported a narration other than the way of Layth ibn Abi Sulaym, he said: Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Abdillah ibn Bukar ibn Karmun narrated us at Intakiyah, Abu ‘Umar and ‘Uthman ibn Abdillah ibn Kharzad Al-Baghdadi narrated to us, that An-Nu’man ibn Ash-Shibl narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Al-Fadl narrated to us from Jabir from Muhammad ibn ‘Ali from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib that he said: the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “He who visits me after my death, it is as if he visited me in my life, and he who does not visit my grave has harmed me”:
Hafiz Ibn Abdil Hadi replied that it is a fabricated hadith and this for four reasons
First: An-Nu’man ibn Shibl as been accused (of lying) by Musa ibn Harun al-Hamal and Abu Hatim ibn Hibban Al-Busti said: he narrates from trustworthy narrators with some falsehood and from established people with inversed Hadith (Maqlub).
Secondly: Muhammad ibn Al-Fadl ibn ‘Atiyah is a liar as said by Yahya ibn Ma’in. And Imam Ahmad ibn Hambal said: he is nothing, his Hadith is that of people of lies. Ibrahim ibn Ya’qub Al-Juzjani said: he is a liar…Al-Falas said: Abandoned in Hadith (Matruk) a liar. Abu Hatim Ar-Razi said: Zahib Al Hadith (forgets Hadith) and his Hadith was abandoned. And Muslim ibn Al-Hajjaj, ibn Kharash and An-Nassa’i said: Abandonned in Hadith (Matruk) and An-Nassa’i said in another place: a liar, and ibn ‘Adi said: majority of his Hadith are not followed by trustworthy narrators (Thiqat), and Salih ibn Muhammad Al-Hafiz said: he used to fabricate Hadith, and ibn Hibban said: he was among those who would narrate fabrications from established narrators… And Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah attacked him severly.
Third reason: Jabir in the chain is Jabir Al-Ju’fi and he was not trustworthy. Abu Hatim Ar-Razi said from Ahmad ibn Hambal: Yahya and AbdurRahman left him, and Abu Hanifah said: I did not see someone more liar than Jabir Al-Ju’fi. Yahya ibn Ma’in said: Jabir Al-Ju’fi was a liar, his Hadith is not written without any doubt, he is nothing. As-Sa’di said: he is a liar, I asked Ahmad ibn Hambal and he said: Ibn Mahdi abandoned him…An-Nassa’i said: abandoned in Hadith (Matruk) and he said in another place: he is not trustworthy and his Hadith is not written, and Al-Hakim Abu Ahmad said: Zahib Al-Hadith (He forgets hadith). And ibn Hibban said: he was a Sabai, from the companions of Abdullah ibn Saba, and he used to say that ‘Ali would return in this world, then he narrated from Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah that he said: Jabir Al-Ju’fi believes in the return (of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib), Zaidah said: As for Jabir Al-Ju’fi, he was by Allah a liar and a believer in the return (of ‘Ali).
Fourth reason: Muhammad ibn ‘Ali from who Jabir narrates Abu Ja’far Al-Baqir and he did not meet the grant father of his father ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib.
So one can be shocked to see people mentioning such liars to support the narration of Hafs ibn Sulayman that is fabricated. May Allah protect us from the disease of grave worship and innovations on graves.
As-Subki mentioned another narration of Ad-Daraqutni with close words, but it contains Harun ibn Abi Quz’ah who is unknown and also a narrator is not named in the chain : “a man from Ale Hatib” and this narration is Mudhtarib as some narrators said “a man from Ale ‘Umar” and some said: “a man from Ale Khattab” and the Matn is different for each hadith, this Hadith has so much Idhtirab and two unknown narrators, how on earth can this Hadith be authentic?
As-Subki came with so many liars and unknown people contradicting each others, and he wants to refute Shaykh Al-Islam with lies and forgeries. What if these unknown narrators are liars like others? May Allah protect us from taking our religion from unknown narrators and liars.
May Allah protect us from the Quburiyah
