Friday, October 15, 2010

Hadeeth: "Allaah created Adam in his image"

I have seen people take out this hadeeth of “Allaah has created Adam in his image”, and say this is one of Aboo Hurayrah’s fabrications. I wanted to know if this hadeeth exists in our books. And what do you know? This is a very well known hadeeth, and some of the companions of the Imaam asked the Imaam regarding this specific hadeeth, and the Imaam (عليه السلام) did not deny this hadeeth coming from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) nor did they call it a fabrication.

This hadeeth has been narrated through various isnaads.

حدثنا أحمد بن الحسن القطان قال حدثنا أبو سعيد الحسن بن علي بن الحسين السكري قال حدثنا الحكم بن أسلم قال حدثنا ابن علية عن الجريري عن أبي الورد بن ثمامة عن علي ع قال سمع النبي ص رجلا يقول لرجل قبح الله وجهك و وجه من يشبهك فقال ص مه لا تقل هذا فإن الله خلق آدم على صورته

He said: “The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) heard a man say to (another) man: ‘May Allaah deform your face, and of everyone who resembles you’. So he (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: ‘Do not say this, for verily Allaah has created Adam in his image’.”
Source:
1.       Al-Sadooq, Al-TawHeed, ch. 12, pg. 152, hadeeth # 10

Now here is a two aHaadeeth of people relating the hadeeth to our Imaams, and look at their response. They will also give a brief ta’wil (commentary) on what the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) meant when he said this.

Here is the commentary / meaning of this hadeeth from our Imaams:

حدثنا أحمد بن زياد بن جعفر الهمداني رضي الله عنه قال حدثنا علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم عن أبيه عن علي بن معبد عن الحسين بن خالد قال قلت للرضا ع يا ابن رسول الله ص إن الناس يروون أن رسول الله ص قال إن الله عز و جل خلق آدم على صورته فقال قاتلهم الله لقد حذفوا أول الحديث إن رسول الله ص مر برجلين يتسابان فسمع أحدهما يقول لصاحبه قبح الله وجهك و وجه من يشبهك فقال ص له يا عبد الله لا تقل هذا لأخيك فإن الله عز و جل خلق آدم على صورته
I said to Al-RiDaa (عليه السلام): ‘O son of the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). The people narrate that the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: “That Allaah (عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ) created Adam in His image.” So he (عليه السلام) said: ‘May God kill them! They have deleted the beginning (part) of the hadeeth. The Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) passed by two men who were abusing each other.  He (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) heard one of his companions say, ‘May Allaah deform your face and of everyone who resembles you!’  So he (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said to him: ‘O `Abd Allaah! Do not say this to your brother since indeed Allaah (عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ) created Adam in his image.’”
Source:
1.     Al-Sadooq, `Uyoon Al-Akhbaar Al-RiDaa, vol. 1, ch. 11, pg. 119, hadeeth # 12
2.     Al-Sadooq, Al-TawHeed, ch. 12, pg. 152, hadeeth # 12


عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بَحْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ الْخَزَّازِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَمَّا يَرْوُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَ آدَمَ عَلَى صُورَتِهِ فَقَالَ هِيَ صُورَةٌ مُحْدَثَةٌ مَخْلُوقَةٌ وَ اصْطَفَاهَا اللَّهُ وَ اخْتَارَهَا عَلَى سَائِرِ الصُّوَرِ الْمُخْتَلِفَةِ فَأَضَافَهَا إِلَى نَفْسِهِ كَمَا أَضَافَ الْكَعْبَةَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ وَ الرُّوحَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ فَقَالَ بَيْتِيَ وَ نَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِي‏
 “I asked Abaa Ja`far (عليه السلام) about which they narrate that Allaah created Adam in his image. So he (عليه السلام) said: ‘It is created in a new image, and Allaah chose and selected it over the other various images and He joined to it himself like the joining of the ka`bah to itself, and the soul to itself. So it said: ‘My House, and we have blown my spirit in him’”
Source:
1.     Al-Kulayni, Al-Kaafi, vol. 1, Kitaab Al-TawHeed, Ch. Al-RooH, pg. 134, hadeeth # 4
2.     Al-Sadooq, Al-TawHeed, ch. 6, pg. 103, hadeeth # 18
Grading:
1.       Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is Da`eef (Weak)
à Mir’aat Al-`Uqool, vol. 2, pg. 84

And here is a commentary of this hadeeth from a classical scholar:

Al-MurtaDa says:

أ و ليس ظاهر هذا الخبر يقتضي التشبيه و أن له تعالى عن ذلك صورة الجواب قلنا قد قيل في تأويل هذا الخبر أن الهاء في قوله في صورته إذا صح هذا الخبر راجعة إلى آدم ع دون الله فكان المعنى أنه تعالى خلقه على الصورة التي قبض عليها و أن حاله لم يتغير في الصورة بزيادة و لا نقصان كما تتغير أحوال البشر و ذكر

"It is not necessary that this khabar (hadeeth) apparently implies tashbeeh (likening) and that Allah has an image. We say our answer is: That the ‘haa’ in Sooratuh, if this statement is SaHeeH, is that it goes back to Adam not Allah. And that the meaning is that The Most High (Allaah) created Adam in the image that he was when He seized him (i.e. died). And that he did not change in the image through growth or anything similar like other humans.”
Source:
1.     Al-MurtaDa, Tanzeeh Al-Anbiyaa, pg. 127

So I wouldn’t jump the gun so quickly and say that a Hadeeth is fabricated when neither our Imaams nor our classical scholars have said these statements.

And Allaah knows best.

11 comments:

  1. for those interested, you can also read the following excerpt from '40 ahadith by Imam Khomenei' who is also discussing the same hadith:
    http://www.al-islam.org/fortyhadith/40.htm

    ReplyDelete
  2. To be honest why should we even bother if all hadiths mentioned by brother Nader are weak!!

    untill i see a sahih hadith with same wordings then there's no point in even trying to interpret this or find explanations for it.

    first hadith: weak

    second : weak

    third : weak

    so what's the point ?

    ws

    ReplyDelete
  3. And by the way : sayed al-khomeini (raH) even though i have respect for his honesty and sincerity as a leader but he is a man with corrupt aqeedah unfortunately may allah forgive him and he is also very contradictory in accepting and rejecting hadiths.

    we have to leave the desire in accepting or rejecting hadiths and every hadith must be looked at in light of iight of its rijel THEN looked at in the light of the Quran so i don't acre who said what unless it's backed with proof.
    this matter of faith and hell and paradise not a game

    ws

    ReplyDelete
  4. Salamu Alaikom,

    I agree %100 with Brother Wasil.
    What is even the use of weak hadiths?

    Regardless of what the hadith says, we can't be certain if this is indeed what our Imams and prophet, peace be upon them, have said or not.

    So, a weak hadith, in my opinion, has zero value, when one is trying to learn about a concept or an issue.

    I wonder, if there is any value to a weak hadith?

    So, in this post, we have 3 weak hadiths.
    3 hadiths that could've fabricated and/or modified from their original state.

    3 hadiths that may or may not have been said by our infalibles.

    So, I ask what brother Wasil asked. What is the point?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wa 'Alaykumassalaam,

    I think what Brother Nader is trying to say is that you can't call something fabricated because it might be true that the A'immah (AS) said it. Also, you don't see our old school scholars going against this hadeeth. So if they aren't going against it, what gives you the right to? This was specifically, in particular, going against those people who go against the Ahl Al-Sunnah when they take these types of Ahaadeeth out and say they are doing jism of Allaah (SWT). And you can't use something like this in a debate against them when it is said in our books.

    Was salaam.

    ReplyDelete
  6. we cannot base our aqeedah on "might" and "maybe".
    weak hadiths are not hujja , we use sahih sunnis hadiths we don't use their weak hadiths like many salfis do. there's big difference

    ReplyDelete
  7. Brother Wasil, what do you mean we use sahih sunni hadiths?

    Why would we ever use sunni hadiths, whethere it's sahih or da'if to sunnis or not?

    ReplyDelete
  8. salam brother anonymous
    i meant in debates i don't use weak sunni hadiths against sunnis like they use weak shia hadiths against us. i don't mean that we use sunni hadiths at all.

    jazakallah khairan brother and this is my last comment in this blog and my last visit to it inshallah.
    if you need any help brother get in touch :

    my email:
    marakeshasta@yahoo.com

    ws

    ReplyDelete
  9. Salamu Alaikom

    Brother Wasil, why would you leave?
    Your presence and contribution in this blog is very valuable.

    Please don't leave, but at the same time, do not over burden or stress yourself.

    This blog has an excellent potential to grow, however, it needs to the knowledge of all the shia brothers, who are experts in ilm al-rijal.


    In short, don't leave, please.

    ReplyDelete
  10. there was some misunderstanding between and Nader but it' sorted now so yes i will stay and try to contribute inshallah.

    still if anyone needs my help then i am ready and my email is there for u and the brothers and sisters who need help in hadiths or matters of aqeedah.

    jazakallah khairan
    wassalam

    ReplyDelete
  11. Brother Nader.so our Shias lies when they call Aboo Hurayrah’s fabrications.I have come across many hadeeths which we used to laughed on him actually present in our own books.
    We have been put in dark can I ask why?
    @Wasil "And by the way : sayed al-khomeini (raH) even though i have respect for his honesty and sincerity as a leader but he is a man with corrupt aqeedah unfortunately may allah forgive him and he is also very contradictory in accepting and rejecting hadiths" he wasnt a good leader either to me he was brought in power by USA.

    ReplyDelete