Declaration of Disassociation from Shab-e-Barat
Allah, the Lord of the worlds, announced the completion of the religion of Islam, saying:
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ دِيناً [المائدة : 3]
“This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.” [Al-Ma’idah: 3]
And He commanded the Imam of the Prophets, Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him):
يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ وَاللّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ [المائدة : 67]
“O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allah will protect you from the people.” [Al-Ma’idah: 67]
And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) certainly conveyed the entire religion to us, and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) bore witness to this on the occasion of the Farewell Hajj, saying: “Yes, you have conveyed (the message), fulfilled (the trust), and advised (the ummah).” (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Hajj, Bab Hujjat al-Nabi ﷺ, H: 1218).
And Allah, the Lord of the worlds, commanded us to follow only the divine revelation and forbade us from following anything other than revelation, saying:
اتَّبِعُوا مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ قَلِيلًا مَا تَذَكَّرُونَ (الأعراف : 3)
“Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord and do not follow other than Him any allies. Little do you remember.” (Al-A’raf: 3)
And the divine revelation is confined and restricted to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet. That is why Allah has issued a warning for those who add to these two, i.e., the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), saying:
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِآيَاتِهِ إِنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الظَّالِمُونَ (الأنعام : 21)
“And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah or denies His verses? Indeed, the wrongdoers will not succeed.” (Al-An’am: 21)
Even concerning the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), Allah stated in clear words:
وَلَوْ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيْنَا بَعْضَ الْأَقَاوِيلِ * لَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُ بِالْيَمِينِ * ثُمَّ لَقَطَعْنَا مِنْهُ الْوَتِينَ * فَمَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ عَنْهُ حَاجِزِينَ (الحاقۃ : 44-47)
“And if he (Muhammad) had made up about Us some [false] sayings, We would have seized him by the right hand; Then We would have cut from him the aorta. And there is no one of you who could prevent [Us] from him.” (Al-Haqqah: 44-47)
Similarly, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said about those who fabricate false hadiths:
لاَ تَكْذِبُوا عَلَىَّ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ يَكْذِبْ عَلَىَّ يَلِجِ النَّارَ (صحیح مسلم ح 2)
“Do not lie upon me, for whoever lies upon me will enter the Fire.” (Sahih Muslim, H: 2)
He also said:
مَنْ تَعَمَّدَ عَلَىَّ كَذِبًا فَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ ( صحیح مسلم ح 3)
“Whoever intentionally lies upon me, let him take his seat in the Hellfire.” (Sahih Muslim, H: 3)
Likewise, he forbade narrating every heard hadith without verification, lest it be mixed with falsehood:
كَفَى بِالْمَرْءِ كَذِبًا أَنْ يُحَدِّثَ بِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعَ (صحیح مسلم باب النَّهْىِ عَنِ الْحَدِيثِ بِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعَ ح 7)
“It is sufficient for a man to be considered a liar that he narrates everything he hears.” (Sahih Muslim, Bab al-Nahy ‘an al-Hadith bikulli ma sami’a, H: 7)
He also forbade narrating false reports:
مَنْ حَدَّثَ عَنِّى بِحَدِيثٍ يُرَى أَنَّهُ كَذِبٌ فَهُوَ أَحَدُ الْكَاذِبِينَ(صحیح مسلم ح 1)
“Whoever narrates a hadith from me that is thought to be false, then he is one of the liars.” (Sahih Muslim, H: 1)
Similarly, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) described inventing new innovations (bid’ah) in religion as misguidance, saying:
وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَمُحْدَثَاتِ الأُمُورِ فَإِنَّ كُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلاَلَةٌ (سنن أبی داود کتاب السنۃ باب فی لزوم السنۃ ح 4607)
“And beware of newly invented matters, for every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance.” (Sunan Abi Dawood, Kitab al-Sunnah, Bab fi Luzum al-Sunnah, H: 4607)
And he declared these actions as rejected, saying:
مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِى أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ (صحیح مسلم کتاب الأقضیۃ باب نقض الأمور الباطلۃ ورد محدثات الأمور ح 1718)
“Whoever introduces into this matter of ours (Islam) that which is not of it, it will be rejected.” (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Aqdiyah, Bab Naqd al-Umur al-Batilah wa Radd Muhdathat al-Umur, H: 1718)
And similarly, in every sermon, he would say:
فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ وَخَيْرُ الْهُدَى هُدَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَشَرُّ الأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا وَكُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلاَلَةٌ ( صحیح مسلم کتاب الجمعۃ باب تخفیف الصلاۃ والخطبۃ ح 867)
“Indeed, the best of speech is the Book of Allah, the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace be upon him), the worst of matters are the newly invented ones, and every innovation is misguidance.” (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Jumu’ah, Bab Takhfif al-Salat wal-Khutbah, H: 867)
But alas, in our time, a storm of innovations and superstitions is raging. Every new day gives birth to a new trial, and every new year proves to promote a new innovation. The Muslim Ummah is so lost in superstitions and innovations that it has forgotten the Sunnah and the Seerah. Now, innovation has become the people’s religion, superstitions have become their acts of worship, and disobedience to Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) holds the status of acts of obedience for them. And to add insult to injury, all this appears clothed in the garb of virtues. If a warner rises and tries to unveil their transgressions, he is labeled as a reactionary, a fundamentalist, and an obscurantist. According to the poet:
“They called wisdom madness and madness wisdom; Your captivating beauty may do as it pleases.”
Among these innovations and newly invented matters is the celebration of Shab-e-Barat. In it, disobedience to Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) reaches its peak. Acts that the Sharia has forbidden are committed, and acts that it has commanded are ignored.
“These are the Muslims, seeing whom even the Jews would be ashamed.”
In this brief discussion, we will state the virtues and blessings of the month of Sha’ban and then present a refutation of the prevalent innovations and superstitions in this sacred month. We pray to Allah to grant us the ability to do that which pleases Him and to honor this act of ours with acceptance. Ameen.
The Virtue of the Month of Sha’ban
1- عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَصُومُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لَا يُفْطِرُ وَيُفْطِرُ حَتَّى نَقُولَ لَا يَصُومُ فَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اسْتَكْمَلَ صِيَامَ شَهْرٍ إِلَّا رَمَضَانَ وَمَا رَأَيْتُهُ أَكْثَرَ صِيَامًا مِنْهُ فِي شَعْبَانَ [صحیح بخاری کتاب الصوم باب صوم شعبان (1969)]
The Mother of the Believers, Sayyidah Aisha Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her), narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would fast continuously until we would say that he would not stop fasting. And he would leave fasting until we would say that he would not fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) complete the fast of a whole month except for Ramadan, and I never saw him fast more in any month than in Sha’ban. [Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Sawm, Bab Sawm Sha’ban (1969)]
2- عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ قَالَتْ مَا رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَصُومُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ إِلَّا شَعْبَانَ وَرَمَضَانَ [جامع الترمذی ابواب الصوم باب ما جاء فی وصال شعبان برمضان(736)]
Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that I never saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) fast for two consecutive months except for Sha’ban and Ramadan. [Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, Abwab al-Sawm, Bab Ma Ja’a fi Wisal Sha’ban bi Ramadan (736)]
3- Usama ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَمْ أَرَكَ تَصُومُ شَهْرًا مِنْ الشُّهُورِ مَا تَصُومُ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ قَالَ ذَلِكَ شَهْرٌ يَغْفُلُ النَّاسُ عَنْهُ بَيْنَ رَجَبٍ وَرَمَضَانَ وَهُوَ شَهْرٌ تُرْفَعُ فِيهِ الْأَعْمَالُ إِلَى رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ فَأُحِبُّ أَنْ يُرْفَعَ عَمَلِي وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ [ سنن نسائی کتاب الصیام باب صوم النبی صلى اللہ علیہ وسلم (2357)]
I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), “I have not seen you fast in any month as much as you fast in Sha’ban?” He (peace be upon him) replied, “That is a month between Rajab and Ramadan of which people are neglectful. It is a month in which deeds are raised to the Lord of the worlds, so I like for my deeds to be raised while I am fasting.” [Sunan an-Nasa’i, Kitab al-Siyam, Bab Sawm al-Nabi ﷺ (2357)]
Prohibition of Fasting After Mid-Sha’ban
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
إِذَا انْتَصَفَ شَعْبَانُ فَلَا تَصُومُوا [ سنن ابی داود کتاب الصوم باب فی کراہیۃ ذلک (2337)]
“When Sha’ban is halfway through, do not fast.” [Sunan Abi Dawood, Kitab al-Sawm, Bab fi Karahiyat Dhalik (2337)]
Prohibition of Fasting in Reception of Ramadan
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
لَا يَتَقَدَّمَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ رَمَضَانَ بِصَوْمِ يَوْمٍ أَوْ يَوْمَيْنِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ رَجُلٌ كَانَ يَصُومُ صَوْمَهُ فَلْيَصُمْ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ [ صحیح بخاری کتاب الصوم باب لا یتقدم رمضان بصوم یوم ولایومین(1914)]
“None of you should fast a day or two before Ramadan, except for a man who was already fasting on that day, in which case he may fast that day.” [Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Sawm, Bab La Yataqaddam Ramadan bi Sawm Yawm wa la Yawmayn (1914)]
Meaning, for example, if a person regularly fasts on Mondays and Thursdays, and a Monday or Thursday falls one day before Ramadan, it is permissible for such a person to observe this fast. However, it is forbidden to fast the last one or two days of Sha’ban for the purpose of welcoming Ramadan.
Prohibition of Fasting on the 15th of Sha’ban
Considering the two hadiths mentioned above, it is established that when half of the month of Sha’ban has passed, no one is permitted to fast before Ramadan. And when fourteen days of Sha’ban have passed, the month is halfway through, because no one knows if Sha’ban will be 29 or 30 days. This means it is unclear whether the 15th of Sha’ban falls in the first half or the second half. Therefore, fasting on the 15th of Sha’ban is doubtful, and fasting on a day of doubt is also forbidden in Islam:
Sayyiduna Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him) says: “Whoever fasts on the day of doubt has disobeyed Abu al-Qasim (peace be upon him).” [Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, Abwab al-Sawm, Bab Ma Ja’a fi Karahiyat Sawm Yawm al-Shakk (686)]
However, for a person who fasts on the Ayyam al-Beed (13th, 14th, 15th) of every month, there is a concession for him to also fast on the 15th of Sha’ban.
Weak Narrations Related to Sha’ban
The Most Virtuous Fast:
1- Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was asked which fast is the most virtuous. He (peace be upon him) replied: “The fast of Sha’ban in honor of Ramadan.”
This narration is weak because Sadaqah bin Musa is a weak narrator. It also contradicts the authentic hadith in which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) declared the fast of Muharram al-Haram as the most virtuous after Ramadan.
The Fast of Mid-Sha’ban:
Similarly, another narration is transmitted in Sunan Ibn Majah from Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
” إذا كانت ليلة النصف من شعبان ، فقوموا ليلها وصوموا نهارها ، فإن الله ينزل فيها لغروب الشمس إلى سماء الدنيا ، فيقول : ألا من مستغفر لي فأغفر له ألا مسترزق فأرزقه ألا مبتلى فأعافيه ألا كذا ألا كذا ، حتى يطلع الفجر ” [سنن ابن ماجه – كتاب إقامة الصلاة والسنۃفیھا، باب ما جاء في ليلة النصف من شعبان – حديث:138۸]
“When the night of mid-Sha’ban comes, stand in prayer during its night and fast during its day. For indeed, Allah descends to the lowest heaven at sunset and says: ‘Is there not one who seeks forgiveness from Me so that I may forgive him? Is there not one who seeks provision so that I may provide for him? Is there not one who is afflicted so that I may relieve him? Is there not such and such? Is there not such and such?’ until the dawn breaks.”
The chain of this narration includes Abu Bakr bin Muhammad bin Abi Sabrah al-Sabri al-Madani, who is weak. In fact, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal and Yahya bin Ma’in said that he fabricates narrations. Therefore, this narration is fabricated (mawdu’). And fabricated narrations are the worst type of weak narrations.
General Forgiveness Except for the Polytheist or the Spiteful:
A narration is also presented that Allah Almighty forgives all of His creation on the night of mid-Sha’ban except for a polytheist and one who holds grudges and enmity: [Sunan Ibn Majah – Kitab Iqamat al-Salat wal-Sunnah fiha, Bab Ma Ja’a fi Laylat al-Nisf min Sha’ban – Hadith: 1390]
However, its chain also has several defects (‘ilal), among which the fact that Abdullah ibn Lahi’ah was mukhtalit (became confused in his narrations) and Dahhak bin Ayman is majhul (unknown) are particularly noteworthy. Therefore, due to these two major reasons, this narration is also deemed unreliable.
My Month:
A narration is also cited:
رجب شہر اللہ وشعبان شہری و رمضان شہر أمتی
“Rajab is the month of Allah, Sha’ban is my month, and Ramadan is the month of my Ummah.”
In the chain of this narration, a narrator named Abu Bakr Naqqash is a known liar (kadhdhab); he used to fabricate hadiths. Therefore, this narration is also unreliable.
Salat al-Alfiyyah:
A narration is also cited that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
یا علی من صلى مائۃ رکعۃ فی لیلۃ النصف من شعبان یقرأ فی کل رکعۃ بفاتحۃ الکتاب وقل ہوا للہ احد عشر مرات , یا علی ما من عبدیصلى ہذہ الصلوات إلا قضی اللہ عزو جل لہ کل حاجۃ طلبہا تلک اللیلۃ (اللآلی المصنوعۃ فی الاحادیث الموضوعۃ للسیوطی جلد 2 صفحہ 49)
“O Ali, whoever prays one hundred rak’ahs on the night of mid-Sha’ban, reciting in each rak’ah Surah Al-Fatihah and Surah Al-Ikhlas ten times, O Ali, no servant prays these prayers except that Allah Almighty fulfills every need that he asks for on that night.”
People call this prayer Salat al-Bara’ah or Salat al-Alfiyyah. There is no proof for it in any authentic hadith. It has three chains of narration, and each chain is filled with unknown narrators (majahil).
Similarly, another narration is cited:
من صلى ليلة النصف من شعبان ثنتي عشرة ركعة يقرأ في كل ركعة قل هو الله أحد ثلاثين مرة، لم يخرج حتى يرى مقعده من الجنة ويشفع في عشرة من أهل بيته كلهم وجبت له النار “. (اللآلی المصنوعۃ فی الاحادیث الموضوعۃ للسیوطی جلد 2 صفحہ 49 , الموضوعات لابن جوزی جلد2 صفحہ 129)
“Whoever prays twelve rak’ahs on the night of mid-Sha’ban and recites Surah Al-Ikhlas thirty times in each rak’ah, will not leave before seeing his place in Paradise.”
This narration is also narrated by a very large group of unknown narrators (majahil).
Countless Forgiveness:
A narration from Jami’ al-Tirmidhi is presented where the Mother of the Believers, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), narrates:
” فقدت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ليلة فخرجت ، فإذا هو بالبقيع ، فقال : ” أكنت تخافين أن يحيف الله عليك ورسوله ” ، قلت : يا رسول الله ، إني ظننت أنك أتيت بعض نسائك ، فقال : ” إن الله عز وجل ينزل ليلة النصف من شعبان إلى السماء الدنيا ، فيغفر لأكثر من عدد شعر غنم كلب ” [جامع الترمذي ، أبواب الصوم عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ،باب ما جاء في ليلة النصف من شعبان، حديث:۷۳۹]
“I lost the Messenger of Allah ﷺ one night, so I went out and found him in al-Baqi’. He said: ‘Were you afraid that Allah and His Messenger ﷺ would be unjust to you?’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I thought you had gone to one of your other wives.’ He ﷺ said: ‘Allah Almighty descends to the lowest heaven on the night of mid-Sha’ban (the fifteenth) and forgives more people than the number of hairs on the sheep of the Kalb tribe.'”
The chain of this narration has several flaws. Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him), after quoting this narration, himself wrote: “We do not know the hadith of Aisha except through this chain from the narration of al-Hajjaj,” and I heard Muhammad (al-Bukhari) weakening this hadith. He said: “Yahya ibn Abi Kathir did not hear from ‘Urwah, and Hajjaj bin Artat did not hear from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir.”
So, Imam al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) has declared this hadith as weak and, while stating the reason for its weakness, mentioned a disconnection in the chain at two places. Similarly, “Hajjaj bin Artat” is saduq (truthful) but makes many mistakes and commits tadlees (deceptive narration), and Yahya ibn Abi Kathir is also a mudallis (one who practices tadlees), and both are narrating with the word “‘an” (from). It is an established principle in the science of hadith that the ‘an’anah (narration using ‘an’) of a mudallis narrator is unacceptable.
Therefore, due to these four flaws, this narration is rejected and unreliable.
Clarification of a Misconception
The Muhaddith of our time, Allamah Nasir al-Din al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him), has quoted this narration in Al-Silsilah al-Sahihah 3/135 (1144). And after it, he writes: “An authentic hadith, narrated from a group of Companions through different chains that strengthen each other.”
Then, the Sheikh has mentioned those chains and presented their takhrij (sourcing) and tahqiq (verification). But the reality is that this narration, despite all these chains, does not even reach the level of Hasan li-ghayrihi (good due to other factors), let alone being declared Sahih (authentic). In fact, the existence of these multiple chains further increases the weakness of this narration.
We will mention below the words of Sheikh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) and a brief commentary on them:
1- Hadith of Mu’adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him): This narration, with the chain of Mak’hul from Malik ibn Yukhamir from Mu’adh ibn Jabal, is found in the following books:
Kitab al-Sunnah by Ibn Abi ‘Asim (512), Ibn Hibban (1980), Amali Qazwini 4/2, Al-Majlis al-Sabi’ by Abu Muhammad al-Jawhari 3/2, Amali by Abi al-Qasim al-Husayni Q 12/1, Shu’ab al-Iman by al-Bayhaqi 3/382, Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn ‘Asakir 40/142, etc.
After the complete sourcing of this narration, Sheikh al-Albani himself writes: “Al-Dhahabi said: Mak’hul did not meet Malik ibn Yukhamir.”
He further states: “I (al-Albani) say: If it were not for that (disconnection), the chain would have been Hasan (good), because its narrators are trustworthy, and al-Haythami said in ‘Majma’ al-Zawa’id’ (8/65): ‘Al-Tabarani narrated it in ‘al-Kabir’ and ‘al-Awsat’, and the narrators of both are trustworthy.'”
Meaning, Sheikh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) considers this chain weak due to the disconnection.
2- Hadith of Abu Tha’labah (may Allah be pleased with him): Al-Ahwas bin Hakim narrated it via Mahasir bin Habib from Abu Tha’labah (may Allah be pleased with him). And this narration is present in the following books with this same chain:
Kitab al-Sunnah by Ibn Abi ‘Asim (511), Kitab al-‘Arsh by Muhammad bin ‘Uthman bin Abi Shaybah (87).
In the chain of this narration, al-Ahwas bin Hakim is weak, as Sheikh al-Albani has also mentioned. Furthermore, the meeting of Mahasir bin Habib with Abu Tha’labah is not proven.
3- Hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him): Abdullah ibn Lahi’ah narrated it via Hayy bin ‘Abdullah from Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Hubuli from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him). This narration is present in Musnad Ahmad (6642).
After mentioning it, Sheikh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “And this is a chain that is not bad in mutabi’at (corroborating narrations) and shawahid (witnessing narrations).”
However, it must be submitted that in its chain, ‘Abdullah ibn Lahi’ah is a mukhtalit narrator (one who became confused in his narrations), and there is no proof that Hasan bin Musa, who narrated from Ibn Lahi’ah, heard from him before his confusion.
After quoting this chain, Sheikh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “But he was corroborated by Rishdin bin Sa’d from Hayy. Ibn Haywayh narrated it in his ‘Hadith’ (3/10/1). Thus the hadith is Hasan.”
But the reality is that Rishdin bin Sa’d is himself weak. So how can the narration of a mukhtalit narrator become Hasan by the corroboration of a weak one??
In short, this narration remains weak despite this corroboration!!!
4- Hadith of Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him): This was also narrated by Ibn Lahi’ah via Zubayr bin Sulaym from Dahhak bin ‘Abd al-Rahman from his father from Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him).
Ibn Majah narrated it in his Sunan (1390) and Ibn Abi ‘Asim al-Lalika’i (510) narrated it.
After its sourcing, Sheikh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) himself writes: “And this is a weak chain because of Ibn Lahi’ah. And ‘Abd al-Rahman, who is ibn ‘Arzab, the father of al-Dahhak, is majhul (unknown).”
Similarly, Ibn Majah narrated this narration with another chain in which Walid bin Muslim is a mudallis (deceptive narrator) and Dahhak bin Ayman is majhul (unknown), and in addition to that, this chain is also munqati’ (disconnected), as Sheikh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) has also pointed out. Meaning, this narration is also severely weak.
5- Hadith of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him): Hisham bin ‘Abd al-Rahman narrated it via al-A’mash from Abu Salih from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), and this narration was reported by al-Bazzar in his Musnad (2046).
Regarding it, Sheikh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) says that al-Haythami said: “And I do not know Hisham bin ‘Abd al-Rahman, and the rest of its narrators are trustworthy.” (Meaning, to me he is unknown). Therefore, this narration is also severely weak.
6- Hadith of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him): ‘Abd al-Malik bin ‘Abd al-Malik narrated it via Mus’ab bin Abi Dhi’b from Qasim bin Muhammad from his father or his uncle from Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). And this narration is present in al-Bazzar (2045), Kitab al-Tawhid by Ibn Khuzaymah (200), al-Sunnah by Ibn Abi ‘Asim (509), al-Sunnah by al-Lalika’i (750), Akhbar Asbahan by Abu Nu’aym 2/2, and Shu’ab al-Iman by al-Bayhaqi (3827).
While discussing this narration, Sheikh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) quoted the statement of Imam al-Bukhari (may Allah, the Exalted, have mercy on him), saying: “And regarding this ‘Abd al-Malik, al-Bukhari said: ‘There is consideration in his hadith’ (fi hadithihi nazar).” (Imam al-Bukhari’s saying fihi hadith nazar means that this narrator is matruk [abandoned]).
7- Hadith of ‘Awf ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him): Ibn Lahi’ah narrated it from ‘Abd al-Rahman bin An’am from ‘Ubadah bin Nusayy from Kathir bin Murrah. This narration is in al-Bazzar’s Musnad (2048).
Written by: Muhammad Rafiq Tahir
