TABLE OF CONTENTS
1) The Hadeeth of Bara’ ibn `Azib (radhiallahu `anhu)
Objection # 3 : Bara’ was very small in age when the prophet came to madinah and did not reach puberty so this narration cannot be relied upon
Answer # 3 :
– 3.1) The Implied claim that small children cannot remember or memorize or learn :
– 3.2) The minimum age required for gauging a report as per the hadeeth science and its experts
Conclusion
Before we begin remember the following traits regarding those among the claimants of being Muslims, who attack Islamic literature :
Trait # 1. They always oppose centuries of unanimity or majority
Trait # 2. They don’t have actual learned scholars of the past in their support
Trait # 3. They don’t have actual learned scholars of their time in their support
Trait # 4. They and their analysis always happens to be in line with what the enemies of Islam desire
Trait # 5. They self interpret narrations and principles as per their own desires stemming from their limited human intellect
Trait # 6. They make lame, baseless claims and assertions on and against the Islamic scholarship and texts.
1) The Hadeeth of Bara’ ibn `Azib (radhiallahu `anhu)
Narrated Al-Bara’ (bin ‘Azib):
When the Prophet (ﷺ) came to Medina, he stayed first with his grandfathers or maternal uncles from Ansar. He offered his prayers facing Baitul-Maqdis (Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months, but he wished that he could pray facing the Ka’ba (at Mecca). The first prayer which he offered facing the Ka’ba was the ‘Asr prayer in the company of some people. Then one of those who had offered that prayer with him came out and passed by some people in a mosque who were bowing during their prayers (facing Jerusalem). He said addressing them, “By Allah, I testify that I have prayed with Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) facing Mecca (Ka’ba).’ Hearing that, those people changed their direction towards the Ka’ba immediately. Jews and the people of the scriptures used to be pleased to see the Prophet (ﷺ) facing Jerusalem in prayers but when he changed his direction towards the Ka’ba, during the prayers, they disapproved of it.
Al-Bara’ added, “Before we changed our direction towards the Ka’ba (Mecca) in prayers, some Muslims had died or had been killed and we did not know what to say about them (regarding their prayers.) Allah then revealed: And Allah would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost (i.e. the prayers of those Muslims were valid).’ ” (2:143)
[Ref: Sahih al-Bukhari 40; 7252; 399]
Objection # 1 : Abu Ishaaq as-sub`i is the only one narrating this
Trait # 6. They make lame, baseless claims and assertions on and against the Islamic scholarship and texts.
Answer to objection # 1 :
So? Since when did a single thiqah hafidh narrator narrating something become the sole basis for rejecting it?
Also see Destroying the opponents of rejecting Khabarul Wahid : http://fahmalhadeeth.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-authority-of-khabar-wahid-and.html
Imam Bukhari titled a chapter in his saheeh :
بَابُ مَا جَاءَ فِي إِجَازَةِ خَبَرِ الْوَاحِدِ الصَّدُوقِ فِي الأَذَانِ وَالصَّلاَةِ وَالصَّوْمِ وَالْفَرَائِضِ وَالأَحْكَامِ
Anas reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray towards Bait-ul-Maqdis, that it was revealed (to him):” Indeed We see the turning of the face to heaven, wherefore We shall assuredly cause thee to turn towards Qibla which shall please thee. So turn thy face towards the sacred Mosque (Ka’ba)” (ii. 144). A person from Banu Salama was going; (he found the people) in ruk’u (while) praying the dawn prayer and they had said one rak’ah. He said in a loud voice: Listen! the Qibla has been changed and they turned towards (the new) Qibla (Ka’ba) in that very state
[[Ref: Sahih Muslim 527]
And with another chain via Ibn `Umar radhiallahu `anhu also
Ibn ‘Umar reported:
As the people were praying at Quba’ a man came to them and said: It has been revealed to file Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during the night and he has been directed to turn towards the Ka’ba. So turn towards it. Their faces were towards Syria and they turned round towards Ka’ba.
Objection # 2 : Abu Ishaq is Mukhtalit (had memory issues or confusion) during his last days and this tradition was reported during those days
[Ref: Tareekh ibn Ma`een via ad-dawri 3/372]
Hafidh ibn Hajar (rahimahullah ) said :
And i haven’t seen in Bukhaari among narrations being narrated from Abu Ishaq except by his (Abu Ishaq’s) older companions such as at-thawri and shu`bah (who narrated from him before his ikhtilaat)…
[Ref: Hadi as-sari Muqaddama Fath ul-Bari 431]
Shaykh al-Albani (rahimahullah) said:
And he was victim to ikhtilaat except (in narrations) which were narrated by (his senior companions) thawri and shu`bah and their narrations from him are hujjah (proof)….
[Ref: Silsilah Aahadeeth as-saheeha (4/83)]
Imam Tirmidhi said :
“Verily Shu`bah and Thawri have narrated this from Abu Ishaq in the same gathering “
[Ref:Jami` Tirmidhi under 1126]
Then Imam tirmidhi gives the statement of shu`bah himself saying
” I heard sufyan ath-thawi asking Aba Ishaq ; have you heard from abu barda (radhiallahu `anhu)….”
[Ref: Jami` tirmidhi under 1125]
More so, Imam ibn salah says
” And it is said ” that sufyan heard from abu ishaq after his ikhtilaat..”
[Ref: Muqaddamah ibn Salah 248]
And Hafidh al-`Iraqi (D. 806 A.H) said commenting on the above
The author (Ibn Salah) has mentioned regarding the hearing of Ibn Uyaynah from him (Abu Ishaq) after he was mukhtalat with seegha e tamreedh (i.e. a linguistic article implying doubt) and this is what is right . For some of the people of knowledge took this meaning from the statement of Ibn Uyaynah (but the matter of fact is that) it is not clear in that (accusation )
[Ref: Sharh Muqaddamah ibn salah 1/145]
Imam `Abdur rahman Mahdi rahimahullah himself said that whatever traditions of sufyan via abu ishaq i have (left) , it is after i relied upon israel for the same as he narrates it connected [Ref: Jami` tirmidhi under 1126]
thus had israel narrated after the ikhtilaat of abu ishaq, then imam mahdi wouldn’t have left sufyan (ath-thawri) and took from israel even though it was shown above that thawri also narrated from him before abu ishaq’s ikhtilaat.
Someone as giant as Imam Mahdi relied on Israel (ibn yunus) to the extent that he rahimahullah even said
“(Kaana Israel yahfadh) .. Israel has memorized the narrations of Abu Ishaq just as he memorized (kama yahfadh al-hamd..) surah al-faatiha
[Ref: Mustadrak `ala saheehayn 2/170; sanad saheeh by shaykh abu yahya Noor puri]
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, in a narration of sufyan thawri and shu`bah from abu ishaq graded the addition (ziyadat) of israel ibn yunus as ” addition of a thiqah ” and accepted it.
[Ref: Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhqi (7/108)]
Hajjaj ibn Muhammad said that when we asked (Imam) Shu`bah to narrate (some traditions) from (the route of ) abu Ishaq so imam shu`bah replied
Ask about them (the narrations) from Israeil for he is stronger (in narrating abu ishaq’s narration) from me
[Ref: al-Kamil li-Ibn `Adi 1/413]
As shown above, Shu`bah , Sufyan and even israel all have narrated from abu ishaq and memorized from him before abu ishaq’s ikhtilaat, more so claims against israel of mixing abu ishaq’s narration were refuted by imam shu`bah himself above by preferring israel over himself.
and Imam Dhahabi himself attested this when he said
“Na`m shu`bah athbat minhu illa fi abi ishaaq ”
yes shu`bah is stronger (in memory, transmission and preservation) than him (israel) except for (the narrations of) abu ishaq
[Ref: Meezan al-`Itidaal (1/209)]
If israel were to be known for narrating from abu ishaq after his ikhtilaat and mixing his narration as you ACCUSE ,then how on earth is he more established in abu ishaq’s narration from the king of hadeeth shu`bah?!!
Imam Abu Hatim ar-razi rahimahullah said about israel :
من أتقن أصحاب أبي إسحاق
( Thiqah sudooq) is among the most thorough companions of abu ishaaq”
[Ref: Siyar `alam 7/358 ; http://library.islamweb.net/newlibrary/display_book.php?ID=1247&bk_no=60&flag=1]
Imam abu hatim also said :
Zuhayr is preferred above israel in everything except in the narration (from) abu ishaq…and zuhayr is the best among the people of sunnah but he heard from abu ishaq after his ikhtilaat.
[Ref: Jarh wa ta`deel of Ibn Abi Hatim 3/588]
This shows that near abu hatim, zuhayr heard from abu ishaq after his ikhtilaat whereas israel took before his (abu ishaq’s) ikhtilaat otherwise he wouldn’t have said what he said above.
Even Abu Zur`ah praises israel , shu`bah and thawri saying they are the most through companions of abu ishaaq [Ref: Jarh wa ta`deel of ibn abi hatim 1/66]
So did Imam tirmidhi concur with abu zur`ah in his Jami` tirmidhi under 1126
`Isa ibn Yunus (rahimahullah) the son of abu ishaaq says about his own son israeel
“Israel has preserved narrations from abi ishaaq just like how a man preserves a surah from al-qur’an (yahfadh hadeeth abi ishaaq kama yahfadh ar-rajul as-soorah minal-qur’an)
[Ref: Sunan al-Kubra of Bayhaqi (7/108) ]
So much so that when shubabah ibn sawar when asked `Isa ibn yunus to dictate or write the ahadeth of abu ishaaq, then he replied
“write from israil for my father (abu ishaq) used to make him (israil) write (his narrations)”
[Ref: Jarh wa ta`deel of ibn abi hatim (2/330)]
Imam ibn `Adi said
“Israel ibn yunus ibn abi ishaaq as-sub`i is among those who has narrated many narrations and is established upon transmitting them from abi ishaaq and other than him. And many imams have narrated from him (israil) and no one objected to taking from him “
Ibn `Adi also said that in the narration ” Laa nikah illa biwali..” many scholars have taken this hadeeth to be authentic only from the route of israel (from abi ishaq) because he memorized the narrations of abu ishaaq (firmly)’
[Ref: Al-Kaamil fi-dhu`afah (1/425)]
More so israeil was senior enough that people took his permission to see his grandfather abu ishaaq and he replied to them saying
“Shaykh (abu ishaq) prayed with us last night thereafter fell into ikhtilaat”
[Ref: Mustadrak `ala saheehayn 2/184]
This also shows that israil himself recognized and warned others from the state of his grandfather of when he went into ikhtilaat and when he didn’t so to accuse of him or purposely narrating the mukhtalat narrations is a lie.
Imam sakhawi himself along with others affirm that among the rules of bukhari in his saheeh was to take the narration from the thiqah narrator that which he narrated before the ikhtilaat of his teacher. [Ref: Fath ul-Mugeeth 2/ 366]
Imam daraqutni, Imam Hakim , Dhahabi in his tareekh al-islam 10/85, tadhkiratul huffadh 1/214 , Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari 1/351 , Ibn Hibban in his intro to saheeh mentioned that he will take mukhtalat from only those narrators who have their senior established students narrating from before the ikhtilaat (thereby showing that israeil and shubah etc were thiqah in narration from abu ishaq near ibn hibban – see 1/161) and all others agree to this view so the objection # 2 of rejecting based on the ikhtilaat of abu ishaq and accusing israeil and shu`bah and others is all baseless.
Objection # 3 : Bara’ was very small in age when the prophet came to madinah and did not reach puberty so this narration cannot be relied upon
Trait # 5. They self interpret narrations and principles as per their own desires stemming from their limited human intellect
It was narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari that ‘Amr ibn Salamah al-Jarami said: “My father came from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said that he had heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘When the time for prayer comes, let the one among you who knows the most Qur’aan lead you in prayer.’ They looked and they did not find anyone who knew more Qur’aan than me, so they made me lead them in prayer, and I was a boy of six or seven years.”
[ Ref: Also see al-Maghaazi, 3963. See Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 7/389-390 for more details on this subject]
It is reported that Imam al-Shaa’fi (may allah have mercy on him) memorized the Qur’ān at age seven, then Mālik’s Muwaṭṭa’ at age ten, at which time his teacher would deputise him to teach in his absence. He receive permission to give fatwa at age fifteen
[Narrated by Ibn Abī Hātim, Manāqib Ash-Shāfi’ī wa-Ādābuh ]
Khateeb Baghdadi rahimullah (d463H) has been a renowned scholar of hadeeth.He has cited several such reports on this topic, in his famous work Sharf Ashaabil Hadees.
أخبرني محمد بن الحسين بن الفضل القطان ، قال : أخبرنا دعلج بن أحمد ، قال : أخبرنا أحمد بن علي الأبار ، قال : حدثنا أبو أمية الحراني ، قال : حدثنا مسكين بن بكير ، قال : مر رجل بالأعمش ، وهو يحدث ، فقال له : تحدث هؤلاء الصبيان ؟ فقال الأعمش : « هؤلاء الصبيان يحفظون عليك دينك »
Muhammad ibn al Husayn ibn al Fadl al Qattaan narrated…that Miskeen ibn Bukayr stated: A man passed by Imaam al A`mash while he was teaching Hadeeth and said: ‘You are teaching these children?!’
Al-A`mash responded: ‘These children are preserving your religion for you!’
73 – حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ، عَنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ رَجَاءٍ، قَالَ: «كُنَّا نَجْمَعُ الصِّبْيَانَ فَنُحَدِّثُهُمْ»Imam Abu Khaithama narrated to us, saying: Muhammad Ibn Fudayl reported to us from Al-A`amash from Isma`eel Ibn Rajaa that he said:
“We used to gather the children together (in one place) and narrate hadeeth to them.”
[Ref: Kitaab al-`Ilm lil Abu khaithama an-Nasa`ee (73).]
Al Hasan ibn Abee Taalib informed me that…I heard al Musayyib ibn Waadi’ saying: ‘Ibn Mubaarak may Allaah have mercy upon him, if he saw the children of the people of Hadeeth with pens in their hands he would draw them close and say: ‘These are the seedlings of the religion, we were told that the Messenger of Allaah – صلى الله عليه وسلم – said:
“Allaah continues to plant seedlings in this religion that He supports it with, they are youngsters amongst you today, but they may be the Kibaar [major scholars or elders] after you.”
This is a Hasan narration : http://www.islamweb.net/hadith/display_hbook.php?bk_no=724&pid=371305&hid=129
Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Rizq informed us that…‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr said: ‘Amr ibn al ‘Aas stood at a circle of knowledge amongst Quraysh and said:“Why have you discarded these children? Do not do so, make space for them in the circle, let them hear Hadeeth and make them understand it. Indeed they are the youngsters amongst you now, and they will soon be the Kibaar of others. You were once the youngsters of a people, and today you are the Kibaar of your people.”
أخبرني محمد بن الفرج بن علي البزاز ، قال : أخبرنا محمد بن زيد بن مروان الكوفي ، قال : حدثنا عبد الله بن ناجية ح وأخبرنا رضوان بن محمد الدينوري ، قال : أخبرنا عمر بن إبراهيم المقرئ ، ببغداد ، قال : حدثنا البغوي ، قالا حدثنا زيد بن أخزم ، قال : سمعت عبد الله بن داود ، يقول : « ينبغي للرجل أن يكره ، ولده على سماع الحديث . وكان يقول : ليس الدين بالكلام ، إنما الدين بالآثار »
Muhammad ibn al Faraj ibn ‘Alee al Bazaar narrated to us that…Zayd ibn ibn Ahkzam said: ‘I heard ‘Abdullaah ibn Dawood saying: ‘It is befitting for a man to force his children to listen to Hadeeth.’ He also used to say: “Religion is not by (greek derived) kalaam, indeed religion is only the Athaar [narrations]
أخبرنا محمد بن أحمد بن رزق ، قال : أخبرنا محمد بن الحسن بن زياد النقاش ، قال : حدثنا محمد بن محمود أبو عمرو ، بنسا ، قال : حدثنا حميد بن زنجويه ، قال : حدثنا إبراهيم بن محمد الفريابي ، قال : حدثنا النضر بن الحارث ، قال : سمعت إبراهيم بن أدهم ، يقول : قال لي أبي : « يا بني ، اطلب الحديث ، فكلما سمعت حديثا ، وحفظته ، فلك درهم فطلبت الحديث على هذا
Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Rizq informed us that…an Nadar ibn al Haarith said: I heard Ibraheem ibn Adham saying: ‘My father said to me:
“My son, study Hadeeth, for every time you hear and memorize a Hadeeth I will give you a Dirham.” So I studied Hadeeth upon that.” End of Quotes from Sharf Ashaabil Hadeeth
From Hamad bin Salamah who said: I heard Ayyoob saying:
‘Whoever loved Abu Bakr then he has indeed established his Deen, and whoever has loved Umar then he has indeed made the path clear, and whoever loved Uthmaan then he has indeed become enlightened with the light of Allaah and whoever loved Alee then he has held on to a firm handhold which will not break.’
Hamad said: I asked Ayyoob:
‘Should we memorise this?’
He answered:
‘Yes, memorise it, teach it to your children, and your children should teach it to their children.’
[From: Sharh Usool `Itiqaad – al-Laalaka’ee (d. 418 A.H.) No. 2333, & Tareekh Dimishq 41/333]
In sahih Muslim it reports :
We used to make toys out of dyed wool for the children and keep them with us so if the children asked us for food we would give them the toys to distract them until they completed their fast.
Imam ibn hajar asqalani (D. 852 A.H) ,his parents died before he reached the age of five and he was raised by his stepmother’s brother, Shaykh Zaki al-Din al-Kharuwbi, who upon seeing his potential, took him to study in the local school were he memorized Surah Maryam on his first day. In this way, he continued his Islamic education and by the age of nine, he had memorized the Qur’an as well as several classical Islamic texts including Umdat al-Ahkam, al-Hawi, and Mukhtasar Ibn al-Hajib.
So this is a very tiny glimpse to show the extent of training what the children used to go through and here we have Mufti 2015 coming up with weird principles. Moving on ,
To see more such narrations regarding children visit the article ” THE CHILDREN WHO SOUGHT KNOWLEDGE OF AHADEETH”
Link : http://the-finalrevelation.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-children-who-sought-knowledge-of.html
Conclusion
Imam Shah Muhaddith Dhelvi Hanafi rahimahullah said :
أما الصحیحان فقد اتفق المحدثون علی أن جمیع ما فیھما من المتصل المرفوع صحیح بالقطع و أنھما متواتران الی مصنفیھما و أنہ کل من یھون أمرھما فھو مبتدع متبع غیر سبیل المؤمنین
As for the matter of Saheehayn then the muhaddithoon are united and agreed upon the fact that whatever musnad marfoo muttasil narrations are present in it are qat`an (without a doubt) saheeh and the chains in these two books connecting to their authors are known by tawatur and whoever intends to reduce its nobility or value (in front of people or anyone) then he is an innovator and has strayed from the path of ahl al-emaan
[Ref: Hujjatullah al-Baaligha 1/297, the version which was published in karachi]
Ibn `Abdul Birr said :
And the scholars have a consensus that among the first affairs that was abrogated in the qur’an was the change of qiblah and (the scholars are also) agreed upon that this occurred in Madinah. And the Messenger of Allah (sallalahu `alayhi wa sallam) changed his prayer from Bayt al-Muqaddas and the command came with the prayer towards ka`bah in Madinah
[Ref: Tamheed (17/49)]
He also said
“And no one among the scholars have a difference of opinion that when the Messenger of Allah (sallalahu `alayhi wa sallam) arrived in Madinah (by then) he had prayed towards baytil Muqaddas for 16 months …”
[Ref: At-Tamheed 23/134-135]
More details on the above subject can be found in shaykh abu Yahya’s “Saheeh Bukhaari ka Mutalla aur Munkarine hadeeth” under chapter two. The above article is an ongoing series of projects we intend to cover wherein we abridge and partially translate from Shaykh Abu Yahya Noorpuri’s work along with few additions to strengthen the argument and few alterations as and when required. Kindly note that the above translations into English is a rough translation but ensuring the original intended meaning of the arabic passage is unchanged.
