Do Weak Hadeeths Prove A Deed To Be Minimally Desirable?

Istihbaab (desirability) is not proven by da’eef (weak) ahaadeeth because istihbaab is one of the five decrees of the Sharee’ah (1) and any Sharee’ah decree can only be proven on the basis of some authentic hadeeth, which is not the case in da’eef ahaadeeth. Shaykh Al-Islaam, Ibn Taymiyyah also adopted the same point of view.

Similarly Shaykh Naasir Ad-Deen Al-Albaanee says that it is not lawful to establish the obligatory nature of acting on da’eef hadeeth because the least level of legality is istihbaab (desirable), which is one of the five decrees of Islaam and none of the decrees could be proved without any authentic argument in its favour.

[Taken from Shaykh Imraan Ayoob’s introduction to Shaykh Ehsaan Aly ‘Uteby’s book, “100 Famous Weak Hadeeth Among Khateebs And Speakers”, p.20]

Is A Mursal Hadeeth Weak?

A mursal narration is a narration that a taabi’ee ascribes to the Prophet (saw) without mentioning the Companion that he took it from.

Al-Haakim said:

“This is a vast science because the Imaams differ regarding the validity of narrations that do not have complete chains.” [162]

– The fuqahaa (scholars of fiqh) disagree as to whether the mursal hadeeth is a valid proof (most of them saying it is weak – see An-Nawawee’s quote below).

– The hadeeth scholars, however, agree among themselves that it is not a valid proof.

Imam Muslim said in the introduction to his saheeh:

“In our basic view and the view of the scholars of narrations, the mursal hadeeth is not a valid proof, neither in our view nor in the view of the learned scholars of hadeeth.” [Muqaddimah, Baab Sihhat Al-Ihtijaaj Bil-Hadeeth Al-Mu’an’an]

Al-Haafidh Ibn As-Salaah said:

“As to our mention of the invalidity of the mursal hadeeth and our ruling of it being weak, the group of hadeeth retainers and critics of narrations agree with our view. A view they expressed in their various works.” [See Uloom Al-Hadeeth of Ibn As-Salah, p.55]

An-Nawawee has been quoted to have said:

“The mursal hadeeth is a weak hadeeth according to the vast majority of hadeeth scholars, Ash-Shaafi’ee, and most of the fuqahaa (scholars of fiqh) and jurisprudents of usool.” [See Tadreeb of As-Suyootee, p.119]

This is because of ignorance of the condition of the missing link which may possibly be weak who may be a person other than a Companion.

The Difference Between Saying “A Saheeh Hadeeth” And Saying “Its Isnaad Is Saheeh”

The Difference Between Saying “A Saheeh Hadeeth” And Saying “Its Isnaad Is Saheeh”

QUESTION:

What is the difference between a saheeh hadeeth and a hadeeth whose isnaad is saheeh?.

ANSWER:

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

The muhaddithoon state that the saheeh hadeeth which is most likely attributable to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the hadeeth which fulfils all of the five following conditions:

1. Each of its narrators is of good character

2. Each of its narrators has a precise memory

3. The isnaad is uninterrupted from beginning to end

4. The hadeeth is sound and free of any shudhoodh (irregularity) in its isnaad or matn (text)

5. The hadeeth is sound and free of any ‘illah (fault) in its isnaad or text.

This has been discussed in the answer to question no. 79163.

Secondly:

The fourth and fifth conditions are among the most precise of conditions and the most difficult for the critic, because proving them required intense research and precision, bringing together all the isnaads and narrations of the hadeeth, as well as extensive experience in the sciences of hadeeth and specialization in criticism. Hence many of the later muhadditheen chose to err on the side of caution in their verdicts, and they limited their studies to checking the outward appearance of the isnaad to check whether it met the first three conditions, so if a specific isnaad met these three conditions they would say “a saheeh isnaad”, so as to alert the reader to the fact that they were only verifying that it met the first three conditions, and not the fourth and fifth, so that the reader would be aware of what this muhaddith meant.

Al-Haafiz ibn al-Salaah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

When they say “This hadeeth has a saheeh isnaad or a hasan isnaad” instead of “this is a saheeh hadeeth or a hasan hadeeth”, that is because it may be said that this hadeeth has a saheeh isnaad but it is not saheeh per se because it is shaadhdh (odd) or mu’allal (faulty). End quote.

Muqaddimah fi ‘Uloom al-Hadeeth (p. 23)

Ibn Katheer says:

The fact that the isnaad is deemed to be saheeh or hasan does not necessarily mean that the same applies to the text, because it may be shaadhdh (odd) or mu’allal (faulty). end quote.

Ikhtisaar ‘Uloom al-Hadeeth (p. 43).

Virtues of Chapters in the Qur’aan – Surat Al Baqarah, By Shaykh Al-Albaani

Virtues of Chapters in the Qur’aan – Surat Al Baqarah

By Shaykh Al-Albaani

The Authentic Ahaadeeth

1) On the Authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allaah –‏صلى الله عليه وسلم – said:

“Do not turn your homes into graves, Indeed the Shaytaan flees from a house that Suratul Baqarah is read in.”
[Collected by Muslim]

2) On the Authority of bu Mas’ood – may Allaah be pleased with him – the Prophet of Allaah –‏صلى الله عليه وسلم – said:

“The last two Ayaat of Suratul Baqarah will suffice whoever reads them in a night.”
[Collected by al Bukhaaree. T.N. Starting from Aman ar Rasool…it doesn’t mean the last two Ayaat literally as explained by ibn Hajar and others.]

3) On the authority of Abu Umaamah – may Allaah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allaah – صلى الله عليه وسلم – said:

“Whoever reads Ayatul Kursee after every obligatory prayer, nothing will prevent this person from entering Jannah except death.”
[Collected by an Nasaa-ee and declared authentic by ibn Hibbaan and al Albaanee in Saheeh al Jaami’ as Sagheer #6464]

4) On the authority of an Nu’maan ibn Basheer, the Prophet –‏صلى الله عليه وسلم – said:

“Indeed Allaah had written a book before He created the heavens and earth by two thousand years. He revealed two verses from it that with which He concluded Suratul Baqarah. Shaytaan will not draw close to a house in which they are read for three nights.”

[Collected by at Tirmidhee and authenticated by al Albaanee in Saheeh al Jaami’ as Sagheer # 1799]

5) On the Authority of ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir:

“Read these last two Ayaat of Suratul Baqarah, for indeed my Lord has given them to me from underneath the Throne.”
[Collected by al Imaam Ahmad and at Tabaraanee. Declared authentic by al Albaanee in Saheeh al Jaami’ #1172]

6) On the authority of Abu Umaamah al Baahilee:

“Allaah’s greatest name – with which if He were called by, He would respond – is in three Ayaat in al Baqarah, Aal ‘Imraan and Taha.”
[Declared authentic by al Albaanee: Refer to Saheeh al Jaami’ #979, al Jaami’ as Sahgeer: 1/99]

Virtues Of Chapters In The Qur’aan – Surat Al Faatihah, By Shaykh Al-Albaani

Virtues Of Chapters In The Qur’aan – Surat Al Faatihah

By Shaykh Al-Albaani

The Authentic Ahaadeeth:

1) On the authority of ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with them, who said:

“While Jibreel was sitting with the Messenger of Allaah – صلى الله عليه وسلم – he heard a creaking from above, so he raised his head and said:
‘That is a gate in the heavens that opened today, it had never been opened before until today.’ An angel descended from it, he [Jibreel] said: ‘This is an angel that descended to Earth, he never descended before until today.’ He [the angel] extended the Salaam and said: ‘Rejoice for two lights that have been given to you, no Messenger was given them before you; the Faatihah (opening) of the Book, and the concluding verses of Surat al Baqarah, you will not read a word from them, except that you will be given it.’”

[Collected by Muslim, Saheeh at Targheeb wat Tarheeb: 1456 – al Albaanee.]

2) The Messenger of Allaah – صلى الله عليه وسلم – said:

“The likes of it was not revealed in the Tawraat, or the Injeel, or the Zaboor or in the Furqaan. It is ‘the seven oft repeated’ and the Great Qur-aan that I was given.”
[Collected by both al Bukhaaree and Muslim.]

3) The Messenger of Allaah – صلى الله عليه وسلم – stated:

“Allaah the Elevated said: ‘I have split the Salaat between Me and my servant into two parts, and My servant will receive what he asked for.’
When the servant says {All praise is due to the Lord of the worlds} Allaah would say: ‘My servant has exalted me.’

When he says: {The Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy} Allaah would say: ‘My servant has praised Me.’

When he says: {the Only Owner of the day of Deen} Allaah would say: ‘My servant has glorified Me.’

When he says: {You alone do we worship, and from You alone do we seek aid} Allaah would say: ‘This is between Me and My slave, and for My slave is what he asks.’

When he says: {Guide us to the straight path, The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger , nor of those who went astray.} Allaah would say: ‘That is for My servant and My servant shall get what he asks for.’”

[Collected by Muslim ‘Saheeh at Targheeb wat Tarheeb’ :1455 – al Albaanee.]

Definition Of A Mursal Hadeeth

Definition Of A Mursal Hadeeth

QUESTION: What is a mursal hadeeth?

ANSWER: Praise be to Allaah.

A hadeeth is called a “mursal hadeeth” if the one who narrated it from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is a Taabi’i and not a Sahaabi. It is possible to differentiate between a Sahaabi and a Taabi’i by referring to books of biography.

Imam Abu ‘Abd-Allah al-Haakim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

There is no difference of opinion among the shaykhs of hadeeth that the mursal hadeeth is one which the muhaddith narrated with a complete isnaad back to the Taabi’i, and the Taabi’i says, “The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said.” End quote.

Ma’rifah ‘Uloom al-Hadeeth, 67

Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

This name is given by consensus to the hadeeth of a senior Taabi’i from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), such as when ‘Ubayd-Allah ibn ‘Adiyy ibn al-Khayyaar, or Abu Umaamah ibn Sahl ibn Haneef, or ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Aamir ibn Rabee’ah, and the like, say: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said…

The same applies to those who are lower in status than these, such as Sa’eed ibn al-Musayyab, Saalim ibn ‘Abd-Allaah, Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan, al-Qaasim ibn Muhammad, and others like them.

The same applies to ‘Ilqimah ibn Qays, Masrooq ibn al-Ajda’, al-Hasan, Ibn Sireen, al-Sha’bi, Sa’eed ibn Jubayr, and others like them among the rest of the Taabi’een who it has been proven met a number of the Sahaabah and spent time with them. This is what is meant by mursal according to the scholars.

It also applies to reports narrated from Taabi’een of lower status than those mentioned above, such as hadeeth narrated by Ibn Shihaab, Qataadah, Abu Haazim and Yahya ibn Sa’eed from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which they call mursal, like the mursal reports of the senior Taabi’een. End quote.

It is essential to point out that the muhadditheen — especially the earlier ones among them — called every report that had an interruption in its isnaad a mursal report.

Al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Mursal refers to a report whose isnaad (chain of transmission) is interrupted, meaning that among its narrators is one who did not hear it from the one whose name comes before his. But in most cases, what is described as mursal is that which was narrated by the Taabi’i from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). End quote.

Al-Kifaayah, p. 21.

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