Friday, January 28, 2011

Hadeeth is Da`eef (weak) - Names of Prophets and their Successors (عليهم السلام)

I wanted to make a separate post on the hadeeth that is on the blog titled "Names of Prophets and Their Successors". My initial look at the hadeeth and the matn was that, yes there was a majhool narrator, but I didn’t see other problems in the isnaad. After a brother brought it to my attention, and after more research, this hadeeth has to be classed as being da`eef. I will provide the reasoning to this grading, inshaa’Allaah.

This hadeeth is da`eef (weak) for many reasons.
                               1.)    Muqaatil bin Sulaymaan is majhool (unknown)
                               2.)   This hadeeth is Mursal (disconnected)


1.)    Muqaatil bin Sulaymaan is Majhool meaning that there is no clear-cut tawtheeq (authentification) for him. The only thing that is said about Muqaatil bin Sulaymaan from Shee`ah Rijaal books is that he was either a Zaydee Batriyyah (See: Rijaal Al-Toosi, pg. 146; Al-Kashee's Rijaal, pg. 390; Al-Khoei's Mu`jam, vol. 18, pg. 311, person # 12603) or an `Aamee (Sunni) (See: Rijaal Al-Barqee, pg. 46)


2.)   This hadeeth is mursal (disconnected) because Al-Hasan bin MaHboob is saying that he got this hadeeth DIRECTLY from Muqaatil bin Sulaymaan. This is very problematic, as you will see.


Muqaatil bin Sulaymaan died in the year 150:

مات سنة خمسين ومائة

“He died in the year 150”
Source:
1.       Ibn Hajr, Taqreeb Al-Tahdheeb, pg. 545, person # 6868


أن مقاتلا مات في سنة خمسين ومئة
“That Muqaatil died in the year 150”
Source:
1.       Al-Mizzee, Tahdheeb Al-Kamaal, vol. 28, pg. 450, person # 6161


Al-Hasan bin MaHboob died in the year 224 and was 75 years old:

و مات الحسن بن محبوب في آخر سنة أربع و عشرين و مائتين و كان من أبناء خمس و سبعين سنة
“And Al-Hasan bin MaHboob died in the end of the year 224, and was 75 years old.”
Source:
1.       Al-Kashee, Ikhtiyaar Ma`aarifah Al-Rijaal, pg. 585, # 1094


مات سنة أربع و عشرين و مائتين عن خمس و سبعين سنة

“He died in the year 224 and was 75 years old”
Source:
1.       Ibn Dawood , Rijaal, pg. 116, person # 449


مات سنة أربع و عشرين و مائتين 
“He died in the year 224”
Source:
1.       Ibn Dawood , Rijaal, pg. 116, person # 449
2.      Al-Hillee, Al-KhulaaSah, pg. 37, person # 1


If Al-Hasan bin MaHboob died 75 years old in the year 224, this means that he was born in the year 149. While, Muqaatil bin Sulayman died in the year 150. If this is true, then Al-Hasan bin MaHboob got this narration while he was one year old, an infant, which is impossible. By the methodologies of science of hadeeth, this will make the hadeeth mursal (disconnected), because there has to be a waasiTa (middle man) in between Muqaatil bin Sulaymaan and Al-Hasan bin MaHboob.

Since Muqaatil bin Sulaymaan is already majhool (unknown) and now we have this big question mark as to who is in between Muqaatil and Al-Hasan bin MaHboob, this puts the hadeeth into some major problem, making the hadeeth really da`eef  (weak). The person in between Muqaatil and Ibn MaHboob can be anyone, which is a reason why we must desist in taking any sort of beliefs or acting upon this narration.


May Allaah forgive me for narrating  and relying on this weak hadeeth. Aameen.

3 comments:

  1. My dear brother, even though I am not Sheeah, I admire you for being honest and admitting that you made a mistake. Many of us are too proud to admit that. May Allaah reward you

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  2. Salam bro Nader,

    Your willingness to admit & correct your mistake is very admirable. Please continue your good work brother. Hopefully ALLAH will be pleased with you & group you among the follower of the Prophet & his Ahlul Bayt

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  3. Salaamun `Alaykum All,

    After doing some more research, I have found a SaHeeH hadeeth that contradicts this hadeeth about which prophet succeeds which prophet. In the hadeeth of the successors it says:

    ...
    و دفعها زكريا إلى عيسى ابن مريم
    و أوصى عيسى إلى شمعون بن حمون الصفا
    و أوصى شمعون إلى يحيى بن زكريا
    ...
    "...And Zakariyyah paid (appointed) `Eesa bin Maryam (عليه السلام) as his successor;
    And `Eesa bin Maryam (عليه السلام) appointed Sham`oon bin Hamoon Al-Saffaa as his successor;
    And Sham`oon appointed YaHya bin Zakariyyah as his successor;..."

    Now after reading some aHaadeeth on this matter, I have found a SaHeeH hadeeth that contradicts this.

    عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ يَزِيدَ الْكُنَاسِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع أَ كَانَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ع حِينَ تَكَلَّمَ فِي الْمَهْدِ حُجَّةَ اللَّهِ عَلَى أَهْلِ زَمَانِهِ فَقَالَ كَانَ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَبِيّاً حُجَّةَ اللَّهِ غَيْرَ مُرْسَلٍ أَ مَا تَسْمَعُ لِقَوْلِهِ حِينَ قَالَ إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ آتانِيَ الْكِتابَ وَ جَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا. وَ جَعَلَنِي مُبارَكاً أَيْنَ ما كُنْتُ وَ أَوْصانِي بِالصَّلاةِ وَ الزَّكاةِ ما دُمْتُ حَيًّا (مريم -: 30 - -) قُلْتُ فَكَانَ يَوْمَئِذٍ حُجَّةً لِلَّهِ عَلَى زَكَرِيَّا فِي تِلْكَ الْحَالِ وَ هُوَ فِي الْمَهْدِ فَقَالَ كَانَ عِيسَى فِي تِلْكَ الْحَالِ آيَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَ رَحْمَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ لِمَرْيَمَ حِينَ تَكَلَّمَ فَعَبَّرَ عَنْهَا وَ كَانَ نَبِيّاً حُجَّةً عَلَى مَنْ سَمِعَ كَلَامَهُ فِي تِلْكَ الْحَالِ ثُمَّ صَمَتَ فَلَمْ يَتَكَلَّمْ حَتَّى مَضَتْ لَهُ سَنَتَانِ وَ كَانَ زَكَرِيَّا الْحُجَّةَ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَى النَّاسِ بَعْدَ صَمْتِ عِيسَى بِسَنَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ مَاتَ زَكَرِيَّا فَوَرِثَهُ ابْنُهُ يَحْيَى الْكِتَابَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَ هُوَ صَبِيٌّ صَغِيرٌ أَ مَا تَسْمَعُ لِقَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يا يَحْيى‏ خُذِ الْكِتابَ بِقُوَّةٍ وَ آتَيْناهُ الْحُكْمَ صَبِيًّا (مريم -: 12 -)
    From Yazeed Al-Kunaasee said: I asked abu Ja‘far (عليه السلام) Was `Eesa (عليه السلام) at the time he spoke to people from the cradle a Divine Authority over the people of his time?’ He (عليه السلام) said, ‘At that time he was a prophet, a Divine Authority over the people but not a Mursal (Messenger). Have you not heard the words of Allaah that say, “He said, ‘I am the servant of Allaah. He has given me the Book and has appointed me to be a prophet (19:30). He has blessed me no matter where I dwell, commanded me to worship Him and pay the religious tax for as long as I live.’” (19:31)

    I asked: ‘Was he the Divine Authority over Zakariyyah at the time that he was in the cradle?’ He (عليه السلام) said, ‘At that time `Eesa was a sign from Allaah to people and a blessing to Maryam when he spoke on her behalf. He was a prophet and a Divine Authority over all those who heard his words at that time. Thereafter he did not speak until he was two years old. At Such time Zakariyyah was the Authority of Allah (عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ) over the people after the silence of `Eesa. Zakariyyah then died and his son Yahya inherited the book and wisdom and he was a small child. You can hear it in the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Gracious, ‘We commanded John, Zakariyyah’s son, “O John, follow the guidance of the Lord with due steadfastness. We gave knowledge and wisdom to John during his childhood.’” (19:12)

    Source:
    Al-Kulayni, Al-Kaafi, vol. 1, pg. 382-383, hadeeth # 1

    Grading:
    Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is "Kal-SaHeeH" (Like a SaHeeH (hadeeth))
    --> Mir'aat Al-`Uqool, vol. 4, pg. 242

    By looking at the isnaad, there is no issues with any of the narrators, therefore this hadeeth is straight SaHeeH.

    Wa `Alaykum Assaalaam

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