Salat Al-tasbih: in the Light of Fiqh and Hadith (6)

A Research Study

Dr. Amir Gazdar

9. The Hadith of Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA)

In the chapter concerning Salat al-Tasbih, the final narration attributed to Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA) has been transmitted in several Hadith sources. In chronological order, this narration may be found in the following references:

Al-Qiraah Khalf al-Imam, al-Bukhari (d. 256 AH), No. 149. Sunan Ibn Majah (d. 273 AH), No. 1387. Sunan Abi Dawud (d. 275 AH), No. 1297. Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah (d. 311 AH), No. 1216. Al-Mujam al-Awsat, al-Tabarani (d. 360 AH), Nos. 2318, 2879. Al-Mujam al-Kabir, al-Tabarani (d. 360 AH), Nos. 11365, 11622. Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn, al-Hakim (d. 405 AH), Nos. 1192, 1193, 1195. Hilyat al-Awliya wa Tabaqat al-Asfiya, Abu Nuaym (d. 430 AH), 1/25. Al-Dawat al-Kabir, al-Bayhaqi (d. 458 AH), No. 444. Al-Sunan al-Kubra, al-Bayhaqi (d. 458 AH), Nos. 4916, 4917, 4918. Shuab al-Iman, al-Bayhaqi (d. 458 AH), Nos. 2816, 2817. Dhikr Salat al-Tasbih, al-Khatib al-Baghdadi (d. 463 AH), Nos. 5, 8, 10, 11.

Upon careful examination, it becomes evident from the above references that across the third, fourth, and fifth centuries AH, nine scholars of Hadith transmitted this narration attributed to Ibn Abbas in twelve books, through multiple chains, amounting in total to 22 narrations.

INVESTIGATION OF THE CHAINS OF TRANSMISSION

A careful examination of the chains of these 22 narrations attributed to Ibn Abbas reveals that there are seven distinct chains reaching him. In the light of the science of al-rijal, and the established principles of Hadith criticism, we shall present to the readers an independent analysis of each of these seven chains along with their legal classification.

THE FIRST CHAIN

One chain of the narration of Ibn Abbas is as follows:

عن موسى بن عبد العزيز عن الحكم بن أبان عن عكرمة عن ابن عباس عن رسول الله صلى الله علیہ وسلم.

Mūsā ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, from al-Ḥakam ibn Abān, from ʿIkrimah, from Ibn ʿAbbās, from the Messenger of God (PBUH).

It should be noted that in the discussion of Salat al-Tasbih, this is the chain most confidently relied upon by those who affirm the validity of this prayer. This chain appears in the following works among the twelve sources mentioned above:

Al-Qiraah Khalf al-Imam, al-Bukhari, No. 149 Sunan Ibn Majah, No. 1387 Sunan Abi Dawud, No. 1297 Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, No. 1216 Al-Mujam al-Kabir, al-Tabarani, No. 11622 Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn, al-Hakim, No. 1192 Al-Dawat al-Kabir, al-Bayhaqi, No. 444 Al-Sunan al-Kubra, al-Bayhaqi, Nos. 4916, 4917 Dhikr Salat al-Tasbih, al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, No. 8

MUSA IBN ABD AL-AZIZ IN THE VIEW OF THE AUTHORITIES OF RIJAL

The first problematic narrator in this chain is Musa ibn Abd al-Aziz al-Qanbari (d. 175 AH).

It must first be noted that he is a narrator of very limited transmission. In the entire corpus of Hadith, only 13 chains include Musa ibn Abd al-Aziz. Among the nine Hadith sources listed above, with the exception of al-Bayhaqi’s Shuab al-Iman and al-Tabarani’s Al-Mujam al-Kabir, the remaining seven books mention Musa ibn Abd al-Aziz only in connection with the present narration of Ibn Abbas. It is therefore a factual observation that these seven Hadith scholars did not transmit any other narration of his in these works.

Imam al-Bayhaqi and Imam Ibn al-Jawzi declared him to be majhul (unknown).

Imam al-Dhahabi stated: “ma huwa bilhujjah” — “He is not authoritative.”

Al-Dhahabi also wrote: “hadithuhu min al-munkirat” — “His narrations are counted among the rejected (munkar) reports.”

Imam Ali ibn al-Madini declared him weak (daif) and munkar al-hadith.

Imam Ahmad ibn Ali al-Sulaymani (d. 404 AH) also judged him munkar al-hadith.

In contemporary scholarship, Dr. Bashshar Awwad Maruf and Shaykh Shuayb al-Arnaut have likewise declared him weak (daif).¹

THE VIEWS OF THE HADITH AUTHORITIES REGARDING HAKAM IBN ABAN AL-ADANI

As for Hakam ibn Aban al-Adani, the teacher of Musa ibn Abd al-Aziz in this chain:

Imam Ibn Khuzaymah stated that the scholars of Hadith have expressed criticism regarding reliance upon his narrations.

Imam Muhammad ibn Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak al-Mukharrimi included him among those narrators whose reports he advised should be rejected entirely due to weakness.

Imam Ibn Adi also declared him weak (daif).

Imam Abu Jafar al-Uqayli included him in Al-Duafa al-Kabir and declared him weak, adding that any corroboration found for his narrations appears only through weak chains.

Imam al-Dhahabi also mentioned him in Al-Mughni fi al-Duafa.²

LEGAL STATUS AND RULING OF THE FIRST CHAIN

From the above analysis, it is established that the first chain of the narration of Ibn Abbas, transmitted in the nine Hadith sources mentioned earlier, is weak and unreliable.

Among contemporary Hadith researchers, Dr. Bashshar Awwad Maruf and Shaykh Shuayb al-Arnaut have likewise declared it a munkar narration.³

It is therefore clear that Salat al-Tasbih cannot be established on the basis of this chain of the narration of Ibn Abbas.

LEGAL STATUS AND RULING OF THE SECOND CHAIN

In Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn, No. 1193, there is another chain of the narration of Ibn Abbas in which the two weak and rejected narrators from the first chain are again present. In addition, the narrator from whom Imam al-Hakim himself transmits in this chain—Muhammad ibn Harun al-Hadrami—is unknown to the scholars of rijal (narrators). Due to this unknown (majhul) narrator, the chain is also munqati (disconnected). It is therefore self-evident that this is an extremely weak chain.

In Al-Mustadrak, the chain is recorded as follows:

حدثناه محمد بن هارون بن سليمان الحضرمي، ثنا إسحاق بن أبي إسرائيل، ثنا موسى بن عبد العزيز أبو شعيب القنباري ثنا الحكم بن أبان، حدثني عكرمة عن ابن عباس عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم.

It was narrated to us by Muḥammad ibn Hārūn ibn Sulaymān al-Ḥaḍramī, who said: Isḥāq ibn Abī Isrāʾīl narrated to us; he said: Mūsā ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Abū Shuʿayb al-Qunbārī narrated to us; he said: al-Ḥakam ibn Abān narrated to us; ʿIkrimah narrated to me, from Ibn ʿAbbās, from the Prophet (PBUH).

LEGAL STATUS AND RULING OF THE THIRD CHAIN

One chain of the narration of Ibn Abbas was transmitted by al-Tabarani in Al-Mujam al-Kabir, No. 11365, with the following chain:

حدثنا إبراهيم بن نائلة ، ثنا شيبان، ثنا نافع أبو هرمز، عن عطاء، عن ابن عباس، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Ibrāhīm ibn Nāʾilah narrated to us; he said: Shaybān narrated to us; he said: Nāfiʿ Abū Harmuz narrated to us, from ʿAṭāʾ, from Ibn ʿAbbās, from the Prophet (PBUH)

The fundamental defect in this chain lies in the presence of the narrator Abu Hurmuz Nafi ibn Hurmuz al-Sulami.

Imam al-Bukhari declared him munkar al-hadith. Several Hadith scholars classified him as matruk al-hadith (abandoned in transmission) and dhahib al-hadith (his narrations are worthless). Imam Yahya bin Main labeled him a kadhdhab (liar). Imam Ibn Hibban stated that this individual fabricated a collection of narrations which he attributed to Ata, Ibn Abbas, and Aishah (RA). It is neither permissible to regard him as authoritative nor to record his narrations—except that scholars, in the course of academic investigation and analysis, may review such reports merely for the purpose of critical awareness.⁴

It is therefore evident that this chain of the narration of Ibn Abbas is, according to the principles of Hadith criticism, matruk (abandoned) and mawzu (fabricated). It holds no probative value.

LEGAL STATUS AND RULING OF THE FOURTH CHAIN

Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi transmitted a unique chain of the narration of Ibn Abbas in Dhikr Salat al-Tasbih, No. 5, through the narrator Hammad ibn Amr al-Nasibi. The chain is as follows:

حدثنا حماد بن عمرو النصيبي، عن أبي رافع، عن محمد بن المكندر، عن عبد الله بن عباس، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Ḥammād ibn ʿAmr al-Naṣībī narrated to us, from Abū Rāfiʿ, from Muḥammad ibn al-Munkadir, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās, from the Prophet (PBUH)

Hammad ibn Amr al-Nasibi has been declared munkar al-hadith by some authorities of rijal, daifun jiddan (very weak) by others, and matruk al-hadith by yet others. Some scholars have stated that he has no standing at all. Numerous Hadith authorities have explicitly described him as a wazza (fabricator) and kadhdhab (liar), stating that he used to fabricate narrations and attribute them to reliable transmitters in order to circulate false Hadith among people.⁵

Furthermore, in this chain, the person from whom Hammad ibn Amr narrates is Ismail ibn Rafi ibn Uwaymir Abu Rafi, who was regarded by the Hadith scholars as a storyteller. Some authorities of rijal declared him daif, others munkar al-hadith, and several classified him as matruk al-hadith. Numerous leading scholars also stated that he possesses no standing in Hadith transmission.⁶

Accordingly, in light of the established principles of transmission, this chain of the narration of Ibn Abbas is also mawzu (fabricated) due to Hammad ibn Amr al-Nasibi. Therefore, according to the Hadith scholars, it is not permissible to present this narration to the public as a Prophetic Hadith without clarifying its status.

LEGAL STATUS AND RULING OF THE FIFTH CHAIN

The fifth chain of the narration of Ibn Abbas appears in three sources:

1. Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn, al-Hakim, No. 1195.

2. Al-Sunan al-Kubra, al-Bayhaqi, No. 4918.

3. Shuab al-Iman, al-Bayhaqi, Nos. 2816, 2817.

The chain is recorded as follows:

ثنا إسحاق بن إبراهيم الحنظلي، أنبأ إبراهيم بن الحكم بن أبان عن أبيه، عن عكرمة، عن بن عباس، عن النبي صلى الله علیہ وسلم.

Isḥāq ibn Ibrāhīm al-Ḥanẓalī narrated to us; he said: Ibrāhīm ibn al-Ḥakam ibn Abān informed us, from his father, from ʿIkrimah, from Ibn ʿAbbās, from the Prophet (PBUH).

This chain contains two criticized narrators: Ibrahim ibn Hakam al-Adani and his father Hakam ibn Aban al-Adani, who also appeared in the first chain of the narration of Ibn Abbas. For the readers’ reminder, the opinions of the Hadith authorities regarding Hakam ibn Aban are repeated below.

THE VIEWS OF THE HADITH AUTHORITIES REGARDING HAKAM IBN ABAN AL-ADANI

Imam Ibn Khuzaymah stated that the scholars of Hadith have raised objections to deriving proof from his narrations. Imam Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak al-Mukharrimi included him among those narrators whose reports he advised should be rejected entirely due to weakness. Imam Ibn Adi declared him weak. Imam Abu Jafar al-Uqayli mentioned him in Al-Duafa al-Kabir and classified him as weak, stating that even when corroborations are found for his narrations, they appear only through weak chains. Imam al-Dhahabi also mentioned him in Al-Mughni fi al-Duafa.⁷

STATEMENTS OF THE SCHOLARS OF RIJAL REGARDING IBRAHIM IBN HAKAM AL-ADANI

Ibrahim ibn Hakam al-Adani was declared weak by Imam Abu Zurah al-Razi and Imam al-Daraqutni. Imam Yaqub ibn Sufyan al-Fasawi wrote that there is no disagreement regarding his weakness. Imam Abu Dawud stated: “la ahdithu anhu” (“I do not narrate any Hadith from him.”) Some leading authorities were even more severe in their judgment. Imam Yahya ibn Saeed al-Qattan, Imam Yahya ibn Main, and Imam Abu Jafar al-Uqayli stated: “laysa bi shayin” (“He is nothing (of worth) in Hadith transmission”).

Imam Ibrahim ibn Yaqub al-Jawzajani declared him saqit (fallen).

Imam al-Nasai classified him as matruk al-hadith and stated that his narrations should not even be recorded.

Imam Abu al-Fath al-Azdi described him as matruk al-hadith saqit.

Imam al-Dhahabi likewise declared him matruk.⁸

From the analysis of this chain, it is abundantly clear that, according to the principles of Hadith criticism, this chain of the narration of Ibn Abbas is also extremely weak and cannot, under any circumstance, serve as proof for the establishment of Salat al-Tasbih.

LEGAL STATUS AND RULING OF THE SIXTH CHAIN

The sixth chain of the narration of Ibn Abbas appears in three references:

1. Al-Mujam al-Awsat, al-Tabarani, No. 2318.

2. Hilyat al-Awliya wa Tabaqat al-Asfiya, Abu Nuaym, 1/25.

3. Dhikr Salat al-Tasbih, al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, No. 10.

The chain is recorded as follows:

حدثنا هشام بن إبراهيم أبو الوليد المخزومي، حدثنا موسى بن جعفر بن أبي كثير، عن عبد القدوس بن حبيب، عن مجاهد، عن ابن عباس، عن رسول الله صلى الله علیہ وسلم.

Hishām ibn Ibrāhīm Abū al-Walīd al-Makhzūmī narrated to us; he said: Mūsā ibn Jaʿfar ibn Abī Kathīr narrated to us, from ʿAbd al-Quddūs ibn Ḥabīb, from Mujāhid, from Ibn ʿAbbās, from the Messenger of God (PBUH).

In this chain, three narrators are subject to criticism:

The first is Hisham ibn Ibrahim. The biographical sources of ilm al-rijal (science of narrators) are devoid of any substantial information regarding him. Only Ibn Hibban mentioned him among trustworthy narrators. However, it is a fact that neither the major authorities of this discipline prior to Ibn Hibban nor those after him made any mention of this narrator in terms of either criticism or validation. In other words, apart from Ibn Hibban, he is unknown to the leading scholars of rijal and remains an unidentified (majhul) narrator. Scholars are aware that when a narrator is declared trustworthy solely by Ibn Hibban, while remaining unknown to the rest of the Hadith authorities, such solitary authentication does not elevate him to the rank of an accepted and reliable transmitter in the judgment of Hadith scholars.

The second criticized narrator is Musa ibn Jafar ibn Abi Kathir al-Ansari. Imam Abu Jafar al-Uqayli states concerning him:

’مجهول بالنقل ولا يتابع على حديثه ولا يصح إسناده‘

He is unknown in transmission; his narrations are neither supported by corroboration nor is his chain sound.

Imam al-Uqayli also stated that he transmitted a fabricated Hadith. Regarding him, al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar said:

I have not seen any mention of him.

Imam al-Dhahabi stated:

He is unknown, and his report is invalid.

In Diwan al-Duafa, al-Dhahabi wrote:

His narrations are fabricated.⁹

The third criticized narrator in this chain is Abd al-Quddus ibn Habib al-Wahazi. Imam Ibn Adi states that his narrations are munkar both in chain and text. Imam al-Daraqutni also declared him munkar al-hadith. Imam al-Bukhari said that he is munkar al-hadith and that the scholars abandoned him. According to Imam Ahmad, he is extremely weak. Imam Abu Hatim al-Razi and Imam al-Nasai classified him as matruk al-hadith. Imam Amr ibn Ali al-Fallas stated:

The scholars are unanimously agreed upon abandoning his narrations.

Imam Yahya ibn Main declared him:

Discarded in Hadith.

Imam Muslim and Imam Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Mawsili described him as:

His narrations are worthless.

Imam Abu Dawud stated that this narrator has no standing.

Imam Abu al-Samani said:

He fabricates Hadiths in the names of trustworthy narrators.

Imam Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Mukharrimi declared him a kadhdhab (liar).

Imam Ibn Hibban stated:

He used to fabricate Hadiths in the names of trustworthy narrators; it is not permissible to record his narrations nor to transmit from him.

Ismail ibn Ayyash al-Ansi said:

I do not testify to anyone’s falsehood except in the case of Abd al-Quddus ibn Habib.¹⁰

Thus, in light of the principles of Hadith methodology, it is established that this chain of the narration of Ibn Abbas is mawzu (fabricated) due to Abd al-Quddus ibn Habib. Therefore, according to the Hadith scholars, it is impermissible to present this narration to people as a Prophetic Hadith without clarifying its status.

LEGAL STATUS AND RULING OF THE SEVENTH CHAIN

The seventh and final chain of the narration of Ibn Abbas appears only in two sources:

1. Al-Mujam al-Awsat, al-Tabarani, No. 2879.

2. Dhikr Salat al-Tasbih, al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, No. 11.

The chain is recorded as follows:

حدثنا يحيى بن عقبة بن أبي العيزار، عن محمد بن جحادة، عن أبي الجوزاء، قال: قال ابن عباس عن رسول الله صلى الله علیہ وسلم.

Yaḥyā ibn ʿUqbah ibn Abī al-ʿAyzār narrated to us, from Muḥammad ibn Juḥādah, from Abū al-Jawzāʾ, who said: Ibn ʿAbbās said, from the Messenger of God (PBUH).

This chain contains the following three defects:

1. Imam Ibn Adi states about Yahya ibn Uqbah ibn Abi al-Izar al-Kufi that generally his narrations lack corroboration from other transmitters. Several authorities of rijal declared him weak. Imam al-Bukhari and Imam Salih ibn Jazrah classified him as munkar al-hadith. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar described him as matruk al-hadith. Imam Abu Dawud and others said:

He is nothing (of worth).

Imam Ibn Tahir stated that he was among those who fabricated narrations in the names of trustworthy transmitters and that he has no standing in Hadith transmission.

Imam Yahya ibn Main said:

A wicked liar, an enemy of Allah; he was mocked, and his Hadith is not to be written.

Imam Abu Hatim al-Razi stated:

Abandoned; he used to fabricate Hadith and insert falsehood into it.

Imam Abu Hafs Ibn Shahin also declared him a liar.

Al-Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi accused him of falsehood.

Imam Ibn Hibban said:

He was among those who narrated fabricated reports in the names of reliable authorities; it is not permissible to use him as proof under any circumstances.¹¹

2. The second criticized narrator in this chain is Abu al-Jawza Aws ibn Abd Allah al-Rabi, whom Imam Abu Jafar al-Uqayli included among weak narrators. Imam al-Bukhari stated:

There is scrutiny regarding his chain.

Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar wrote that he frequently narrated mursal reports without naming the Companion, and due to this aspect the scholars of rijal criticized him.

Imam Ibn Adi narrates from his teacher Yahya ibn Muhammad ibn Saeed that, in reality, it was not established that Abu al-Jawza personally heard Hadith from Ibn Abbas or other Companions. For this reason, Imam al-Bukhari stated that his chain is subject to scrutiny; in any case, according to Imam al-Bukhari, he is a weak narrator.¹²

3. The third impugned narrator in this chain is Muhammad ibn Juhadah al-Awdi, whom Imam Abu Jafar al-Uqayli has included among the weak narrators. He has also transmitted the statement of Imam Abu Awanah al-Waddah regarding him that he was given to excess (ghuluw) in Shiism.¹³

Accordingly, in light of the established principles of the science of transmission, critical examination of the chain demonstrates that this final route of the hadith of Ibn Abbas is likewise mawzu (fabricated) due to the presence in its chain of Yahya ibn Uqbah ibn Abi al-Ayzar al-Kufi. Therefore, this route too cannot, under any circumstances, be advanced as proof for the establishment of Salat al-Tasbih.

INCONSISTENCIES OF HADITH OF IBN ABBAS

Apart from the lack of authenticity of all its chains, the various textual versions of the hadith of Ibn Abbas also contain several inconsistencies and contradictions, as follows:

1. On the one hand, according to the majority of its routes, Ibn Abbas (RA) reports that the Prophet (PBUH) granted the prayer of Salat al-Tasbih as a gift to his father, al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (RA). On the other hand, in certain narrations—such as al-Mujam al-Awsat, al-Tabarani, no. 2318—Ibn Abbas states that this gift, in the form of this prayer, was bestowed by the Prophet upon him personally rather than upon his father. Moreover, in some texts—such as al-Mujam al-Awsat, al-Tabarani, no. 2879—there is no mention at all of this prayer being granted as a gift to either of them; rather, it merely transmits a statement attributed to the Prophet concerning Salat al-Tasbih.

2. In al-Mujam al-Kabir, al-Tabarani, no. 11365, it is reported that al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib came to the Prophet (PBUH) at an unexpected time and mentioned a certain difficulty and anxiety. On that occasion, the Prophet granted him this prayer as a gift. In contrast, Dhikr Salat al-Tasbih by al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, no. 5, reports that al-Abbas said: on one occasion the Messenger of Allah passed by me, and at that time he granted me this prayer as a gift.

3. In some routes—such as al-Mujam al-Kabir, al-Tabarani, no. 11622—there is only a general statement concerning the forgiveness of sins, whereas in most of the texts there is a prediction of forgiveness encompassing all sins: past and future, minor and major.

4. In certain versions of the hadith of Ibn Abbas—such as Dhikr Salat al-Tasbih by al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, no. 10—there appears an instruction to recite a specific supplication with fixed wording in the final sitting of the prayer after the tashahhud. This element is absent from the majority of the remaining versions of this narration, and in all other corroborative reports attributed to other Companions regarding this prayer, no such specified supplication at this point has been transmitted.

5. In most versions of the hadith of Ibn Abbas, the exhortation to perform this prayer daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, or once in a lifetime is described in the same manner as in the majority of other supporting reports. However, in Dhikr Salat al-Tasbih, al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, no. 5, there is mention of performing it every month and also at half-yearly intervals, while there is no mention of performing it once in a lifetime.

From this detailed analysis, it becomes clear that the hadith of Ibn Abbas, in addition to being unsound in terms of its chains of transmission, is also textually inconsistent (muztarib) and anomalous (munkar), and therefore cannot be regarded as an authentic report in any reliable sense.

[To be Continued…]