Bi ismillahir rahmanir raheem
asslamu alaikum
I have left one Q&A out so any discussion does not turn political, also it was completely of topic.
The Prophet in Barzakh
The Special Life of Our Prophet by Sayyid Muhammad ibn `Alawi al-Maliki
Translation and notes by GF Haddad �
Posted with permission
It is established that our Prophet possesses an isthmus-life that is
greater and more perfect than that of any other, of which he himself
told us. It is equally established that he is intimately connected with
the Community, fully cognizant of their states, seeing their actions,
hearing their speech, replying to their greetings, and the hadiths to
that effect are numerous.
Among these hadiths is the narration of the Prophet from `Abd Allah ibn
Mas`ud - Allah be well-pleased with him: "Verily, Allah has angels that
roam the earth and convey to me the greeting of my Community." (Inna
lill�hi mal�'ikatan sayy�h�na fi al-ardi yuballigh�n� min ummat�
al-sal�m.)1
Al-Mundhiri said: "Al-Nasa'i and Ibn Hibban in his Sahih narrated it."
Isma`il al-Qadi2 and others have narrated it through various paths with
chains that leave no doubt as to their soundness. All of these chains
are to Sufyan al-Thawri: From `Abd Allah ibn al-Sa'ib: From Zadhan:
From `Abd Allah ibn Mas`ud. Al-Thawri explicitly declared having heard
it from `Abd Allah ibn al-Sa'ib, as reported in al-Qadi Isma`il's book.
As for `Abd Allah ibn al-Sa'ib and Zadhan, Muslim used them as
sub-narrators [in his Sahih], and Ibn Ma`in declared them trustworthy
(thiqa), so the chain is sound.3
Also among these hadiths is Ibn Mas`ud's narration that the Prophet
said: "My life is a great good for you, you will relate about me and it
will be related to you, and my death is a great good for you, your
actions will be exhibited to me, and if I see goodness I will praise
Allah, and if I see evil I will ask forgiveness of Him for you."
(Hay�t� khayrun lakum tuhaddith�na wa yuhaddathu lakum wa waf�t�
khayrun lakum tu`radu a`malukum `alayya fam� ra'aytu min khayrin
hamidtu All�ha wa m� ra'aytu min sharrin istaghfartu All�ha lakum.)4
The hadith master al-`Iraqi said in the book of Jana'iz of his work
Tarh al-Tathrib fi Sharh al-Taqrib: "Its chain is good" (isn�duhu
jayyid).5 The hadith master al-Haythami said: "Al-Bazzar narrated it
and its sub-narrators are the men of the Sahih."6 The hadith master
al-Suyuti declared it sound (sah�h) in al-Mu`jizat and al-Khasa'is. So
did al-Qastallani the commentator of al-Bukhari. Al-Munawi also
declared, in Fayd al-Qadir, that it is sah�h.7 So did al-Zurqani in his
commentary on al-Qastallani's al-Mawahib al-Laduniyya. So did Shihab
al-Din al-Khafaji in his commentary on [al-Qadi `Iyad's] al-Shifa'.8 So
did al-Mulla `Ali al-Qari in his, adding: "Al-Harith ibn Usama narrated
it in his Musnad with a sound chain."9 Ibn Hajar also mentioned it in
al-Matalib al-`Alya.10 This hadith also came to us through another,
mursal way from [the Tabi`�] Bakr ibn `Abd Allah al-Muzani. The hadith
master Isma`il al-Qadi narrated it in his monograph on the invocation
of blessings on the Prophet , and Shaykh al-Albani said about it:
"Mursal sah�h."11 The hadith master Ibn `Abd al-Hadi declared it sound
(sah�h) despite his excessive rigor and harshness in his book al-Sarim
al-Munki. After all this evidence, does any meddler have anything left
to say? The hadith is undoubtedly sound, and no-one questions its
authenticity.
This hadith indicates that the Prophet knows about our actions because
they are being shown to him, and he asks Allah forgiveness on our
behalf for whatever wrong we may do. If this is the case, then it is
permissible for us to use him as a means to Allah and ask for his
intercession with Him. For he knows our case, and so he can intercede
for us and supplicate for us, as he is the intercesor whose
intercession is granted - may Allah send blessings and peace upon him
and his Family, and increase him in honor and bounty.
Allah has informed us in the Qur'an that the Prophet is a witness over
his entire Community. This assuredly requires that the actions of his
Community be shown to him so that he may witness to whatever he saw and
knew:
Ibn al-Mubarak said: One of the Ans�r narrated to us from al-Minhal ibn
`Amr that the latter hears Sa`id ibn al-Musayyib say: "Not one day
passes except the Prophet's Community is shown to him morning and
evening. He knows them by their marks [or names] and their actions,
thereby giving witness concerning them. Allah said: {But how (will it
be with them) when we bring of every people a witness, and We bring you
(O Muhammad) a witness against these?} (4:41). (Laysa min yawmin ill�
wa yu`radu f�hi `al� al-nabiyyi ummatuhu ghuduwwatan wa `ashiyyan fa
ya`rifuhum bi s�m�hum wa a`m�lihim fa lidh�lika yashhadu `alayhim.
Yaq�lu All�hu ta`�l�...)12
Also among these hadiths is the narration from `Ammar ibn Yassir -
Allah be well-pleased with him - that the Prophet said: "Verily, Allah
has put an angel in charge of my grave and given him the names of all
creatures. No-one invokes blessings upon me until the Day of
Resurrection except he informs me of his name and the name of his
father thus: So-and-so son of So-and-so has just invoked blessings upon
you." (Inna All�ha wakkala bi qabr� malakan a`t�hu All�hu asm�'a
al-khal�'iqi fal� yusall� `alayya ahadun il� yawmi al-qiy�mati ill�
ablaghan� bi ismihi wa ismi ab�hi h�dh� ful�nu ibnu ful�nin qad sall�
`alayk.)
It is narrated by al-Bazzar, while Abu al-Shaykh - Ibn Hayyan - narrates it thus:
The Prophet said: "Allah Most High has an angel to whom he has given
the names of all creatures, and he shall stand at my grave, after I
die, so that none shall invoke blessings upon me except he shall say:
`O Muhammad, So-and-so son of So-and-so has just invoked blessings upon
you.' Thereupon the Almighty Lord shall send a blessing upon that
person, tenfold for each blessing he invoked upon me." (Inna lill�hi
malakan a`t�hu asm�'a al-khal�'iqi fa huwa q�'imun `al� qabr� idh�
mittu falaysa ahadun yusall� `alayya sal�tan ill� q�la y� Muhammadu
sall� `alayka ful�nu ibnu ful�nin. Q�la fa yusall� al-Rabbu `al�
dh�lika al-rajuli bi kulli w�hidatin `ashr�.)13
Also among these hadiths is the narration of Abu al-Darda': "Make
abundant invocations of blessings upon me the day of Jum'a, for that
day is witnessed by the angels. Verily, no-one invokes blessings upon
me except his invocation is shown to me until he finishes it." Abu
al-Darda' said: "Even after death?" The Prophet replied: "Even after
death! Truly Allah Most High forbade the earth to consume the bodies of
Prophets. Therefore the Prophet of Allah is alive and sustained!"
(Akthir� al-sal�ta 'alayya yawma al-jumu'a fa innahu mashh�dun
tashhaduhu al-mal�'ikatu wa inna ahadan lan yusalliya 'alayya ill�
'uridat 'alayya sal�tuhu hatt� yafrugh� minh�. Q�la qultu wa ba'da
al-mawt? Q�la wa ba'da al-mawti inna All�ha harrama 'al� al-ardi an
ta'kula ajs�da al-anbiy�'i fa nabiyyull�hi hayyun yurzaq.)14 Shaykh Ibn
Taymiyya said: "This hadith is authentic by the criterion of Muslim."
Also, the hadith of Abu Hurayra: Abu Dawud narrated with a sound
(sah�h) chain - as stated by al-Subki - from Abu Hurayra that the
Messenger of Allah said: "No-one greets me except that Allah has
returned my soul to me so that I may greet him back." (M� min ahadin
yusallimu 'alayya ill� radd All�hu 'alayya r�h� hatt� arudda 'alayhi
al-sal�m.)15
Also, the hadith of Abu Hurayra from the Prophet : "Whoever invokes
blessings upon me at my grave I hear him, and whoever invokes blessings
on me from afar, I am informed about it." (Man sall� `alayya `inda
qabr� sami`tuhu wa man sall� n�'iyan bullightuhu.)16 The narrations to
that effect are very numerous indeed.
NOTES
1Narrated from Ibn Mas`ud with a sound chain by Muslim's criterion as
stated by Shaykh Shu`ayb al-Arna'ut in Ibn Hibban (3:195 #914),
al-`Azim Abadi in `Awn al-Ma`bud (6:21), Ibn al-Qayyim who declared its
chain sound in Jala' al-Afham (p. 24), and al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak,
confirmed by al-Dhahabi (2:241=1990 ed. 2:456). Also narrated by
al-Nasa'i with six chains in his Sunan, al-Sunan al-Kubra (3:43), and
`Amal al-Yawm wa al-Layla (2:167), Isma`il al-Qadi in Fadl al-Salat
`ala al-Nabi - Allah bless and greet him - (p. 34), al-Bayhaqi in
Shu`ab al-Iman (2:217) and al-Sunan al-Kubra (1:380), Abu Ya`la in his
Musnad (9:137 #5213), Ahmad in his, al-Darimi in his, Ibn Abi Shayba
(2:253=2:517, 6:316), `Abd al-Razzaq in his (2:215 #3116), al-Tabarani
in al-Kabir (#10528-10530), Ibn al-Mubarak in al-Zuhd (p. 364 #1028)
and his Musnad (p. 30 #51), and al-Khatib in Talkhis al-Mutashabih (p.
766).
2The Imam and hadith master, Shaykh al-Islam Abu Ishaq Isma`il ibn
Ishaq ibn Isma`il ibn Hammad ibn Zayd al-Azdi al-Jahdami al-Qadi
al-Maliki (199-282), author of several works, including a Musnad. See
al-Dhahabi, Siyar (Arna'ut ed. 13:341).
3Zadhan in this narration is Abu `Umar al-Kindi al-Bazzaz as named
explicitly in Abu Sa`id al-Shashi's (d. 335) narration of this hadith
in his Musnad (2:252). Muslim narrated from him, from Ibn `Umar, two
narrations of the Prophet in three places: "Whoever strikes his slave
in the face or beats him unjustly, his expiation is to manumit him,"
and the Prophet's prohibition of the use of wine fermentation-vessels.
See also Abu Bakr al-Asbahani's Rijal Muslim (1:230) and Ibn Hajar's
Taqrib. He was declared thiqa by Ibn Ma`in, Ibn Sa`d, al-`Ijli, Ibn
Shahin, al-Khatib, and al-Dhahabi as reported by al-Arna'ut and Ma`ruf
in al-Tahrir (1:409 #1976). From `Abd Allah ibn al-Sa'ib al-Kindi or
al-Shaybani al-Kufi, Muslim narrated through two chains the hadith of
Thabit ibn al-Dahhak whereby the Prophet forbade sharecropping. He is
trustworthy (thiqa) as stated in Ibn Hajar's Taqrib (1:304 #3339). The
rest of the sub-narrators of this hadith are all the men of al-Bukhari
and Muslim.
4Narrated from Ibn Mas`ud by al-Bazzar in his Musnad (1:397) with a
sound chain as stated by al-Suyuti in Manahil al-Safa (p. 31 #8) and
al-Khasa'is al-Kubra (2:281), al-Haythami (9:24 #91), and al-`Iraqi in
Tarh al-Tathrib (3:297) - his last book, as opposed to al-Mughni`an
Haml al-Asfar (4:148) where he questions the trustworthy rank of one of
the narrators in al-Bazzar's chain. Shaykh `Abd Allah al-Talidi said in
his Tahdhib al-Khasa'is al-Kubra (p. 458-459 #694) that this chain is
sound according to Muslim's criterion, and Shaykh Mahmud Mamduh in
Raf`al-Minara (p. 156-169) discusses it at length and declares it
sound. Their shaykh, al-Sayyid `Abd Allah ibn al-Siddiq al-Ghumari (d.
1413/1993) declared it sound in his monograph Nihaya al-Amal fi Sharh
wa Tashih Hadith `Ard al-A`mal. Opposing these six judgments al-Albani
declares it weak in his notes on al-Qadi Isma`il's Fadl al-Salat (p. 37
n. 1). It is also narrated with weak chains from Anas and - with two
sound mursal chains missing the Companion-link - from the Successor
Bakr ibn `Abd Allah al-Muzani by Isma`il al-Qadi (d. 282) in his Fadl
al-Salat `ala al-Nabi (p. 36-39 #25-26). The latter chain was declared
sound by al-Qari in Sharh al-Shifa' (1:102), Shaykh al-Islam al-Taqi
al-Subki in Shifa' al-Siqam, his critic Ibn `Abd al-Hadi in al-Sarim
al-Munki (p. 217), and al-Albani in his Silsila Da`ifa (2:405). A
third, weak chain is related from Bakr al-Muzani by al-Harith ibn Abi
Usama (d. 282) in his Musnad (2:884) as per Ibn Hajar in al-Matalib
al-`Aliya (4:23). Al-Albani declared the hadith weak on the grounds
that some authorities questioned the memorization of the Murji' hadith
master `Abd al-Majid ibn `Abd al-`Aziz ibn Abi Rawwad. However, he was
retained by Muslim in his Sahih and declared thiqa by Yahya ibn Ma`in,
Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Nasa'i, Ibn Shahin, al-Khalili, and al-Daraqutni,
while al-Dhahabi listed him in Man Tukullima Fihi Wa Huwa Muwaththaq
(p. 124) as stated by Mamduh in Raf` al- Minara (p. 163, 167).
Al-Arna'ut and Ma`ruf declare him thiqa in Tahrir al-Taqrib (2:379
#4160) as well as Dr. Nur al-Din `Itr in his edition of al-Dhahabi's
Mughni (1:571 #3793) and Dr. Khaldun al-Ahdab in Zawa'id Tarikh Baghdad
(10:464). Even if al-Albani's grading were hypothetically accepted,
then the weak musnad narration in conjunction with the sound mursal one
- graded sah�h by al-Albani - would yield a final grading of hasan or
sah�h, not da`�f. In addition to this, Mamduh quoted al-Albani's own
words in the latter's attempted refutation of Shaykh Isma`il al-Ansari
entitled Kitab al-Shaybani (1:134-135) whereby "The sound mursal hadith
is a proof in all Four Schools and other than them among the Imams of
the principles of hadith and fiqh, therefore it is apparent to every
fair-minded person that the position whereby such a hadith does not
form a proof only because it is mursal, is untenable." This is one of
many examples in which al-Albani not only contradicts, but soundly
refutes himself.
Shaykh Hasanayn Muhammad Makhluf wrote in his Fatawa Shar`iyya
(1:91-92): "The hadith means that the Prophet is a great good for his
Community during his life, because Allah the Exalted has preserved the
Community, through the secret of the Prophet's - Allah bless and greet
him - presence, from misguidance, confusion, and disagreement, and He
has guided the people through the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him -
to the manifest truth; and that after Allah took back the Prophet , our
connection to the latter's goodness continues uncut and the extension
of his goodness endures, overshadowing us. The deeds of the Community
are shown to him every day, and he glorifies Allah for the goodness
that he finds, while he asks for His forgiveness for the small sins,
and the alleviation of His punishment for the grave ones: and this is a
tremendous good for us. There is therefore `goodness for the Community
in his life, and in his death, goodness for the Community.' Moreover,
as has been established in the hadith, the Prophet is alive in his
grave with a special `isthmus-life' stronger than the lives of the
martyrs which the Qur'an spoke of in more than one verse. The nature of
these two kinds of life cannot be known except by their Bestower, the
Glorious, the Exalted. He is able to do all things. His showing the
Community's deeds to the Prophet as an honorific gift for him and his
Community is entirely possible rationally and documented in the
reports. There is no leeway for its denial; and Allah guides to His
light whomever He pleases; and Allah knows best."
5Al-`Iraqi, Tarh al-Tathrib (3:297).
6Al-Haythami, Majma` al-Zawa'id (9:24 #91).
7Al-Munawi in Fayd al-Qadir (3:401) only reported al-`Iraqi's words
"Its narrators are the men of the Sahih except for `Abd al-Majid ibn
Abi Rawwad who, despite being retained by Muslim as a narrator and
being declared trustworthy (thiqa) by Ibn Ma`in and al-Nasa'i, was
declared weak by some." Al-Munawi then went on to criticize al-Suyuti's
unmitigated authentication of the narration in Manahil al-Safa although
al-Suyuti is correct.
8Al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa' (1:102).
9Al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa' (1:102), referring to the mursal hadith of Bakr al-Muzani.
10Ibn Hajar, al-Matalib al-`Alya (4:22).
11In his edition of Isma`il al-Qadi's Fadl al-Salat `ala al-Nabi -
Allah bless and greet him - (p. 37), after which he goes on to say that
the hadith is weak, as in his Silsila Da`ifa (#979).
12Narrated by Ibn al-Mubarak in al-Zuhd (p. 42), Ibn Kathir (asm�'ihim
instead of s�m�hum) in his Tafsir (1:500), al-Qurtubi in al-Tadhkira
(1:335), Ibn Hajar (asm�'ihim instead of s�m�hum) in Fath al-Bari (1959
ed. 9:99), and al-Mubarakfuri (asm�'ihim instead of s�m�hum) in Tuhfa
al-Ahwadhi (8:300).
13Narrated from `Ammar ibn Y�sir by Abu al-Shaykh in al-`Azama (1988
ed. 2:763) and al-Bazzar in his Musnad (Ibn Hajar, Mukhtasar 2:436
#2164), and from Abu Bakr al-Siddiq by al-Daylami in al-Suyuti's
al-La'ali' al-Masnu`a (1996 ed. 1:260 =1981 ed. 1:284) and al-Haba'ik
fi Akhbar al-Mala'ik (p. 99).
Al-Haythami (10:162) said: "Its chains contain Nu`aym ibn Damdam whom
some scholars declared weak and `Imran ibn al-Himyari [al-Ju`fi], whom
al-Bukhari indicated was unconfirmable (l� yut�ba`) [i.e. very weak],
while the author of Mizan al-I`tidal [al-Dhahabi] declared him unknown.
The rest of its sub-narrators are the men of the Sahih." There are some
inaccuracies in this report. Al-Bukhari actually stated in al-Tarikh
al-Kabir (6:416 #2831): "He is unconfirmable in his narration of that
hadith" as cited by Ibn `Adi in al-Kamil (5:93 #1273). Al-Dhahabi in
the Mizan (3:236 #6278) did not declare Ibn al-Himyari unknown, but
said: "His narration of the hadith `Allah has given me an angel' is not
known, and al-Bukhari said: he is unconfirmable in narrating it.'" Ibn
Hajar names him `Imran ibn Himyar and similarly states in Lisan
al-Mizan (4:345 #996): "His narration of `Allah has given me an angel'
is not known." However, Ibn Hibban includes him in the Thiqat (5:223
#4608) and Ibn Abi Hatim mentions him without discrediting him in
al-Jarh wa al-Ta`dil (6:296 #1644). As for Nu`aym ibn Damdam, Ibn Hajar
in Lisan al-Mizan (6:169 #595) stated: "From him narrated Sufyan ibn
`Uyayna, Abu Ahmad al-Zubayri, Qubaysa ibn `Uqba, `Abd al-Rahman ibn
Salih al-Kufi, and others... and I was so far unable to discover who
had declared him weak." Accordingly, the chain of the hadith is fair
because Nu`aym's unknown state is eliminated and his credibility is
established by the fact that two or more trutworthy authorities
narrated from him, according to the rules of hadith science. Lastly,
al-Daylami's chain contains neither Nu`aym nor `Imran.
Al-`Uqayli cited the narration in his Du`afa' (3:248 #1246) and said:
"`Ali ibn al-Qasim al-Kindi from Nu`aym ibn Damdam is a Shi`i chain of
transmission that needs investigation." Al-Suyuti cited it in La'ali'
al-Masnu`a (1996 ed. 1:259-260 =1981 ed. 1:284) and went on to narrate
corroborative proofs for the authenticity of the hadith, among them Ibn
Abi Shayba's (2:253, 6:326) two mursal narrations from the weak T�bi`�
Yazid ibn Aban al-Raqashi: "An angel is in charge of all that invoke
blessings upon the Prophet to inform him of it saying: `So-and-so from
your Community has invoked blessings on you.'" Isma`il al-Qadi also
narrates it from Yazid in Fadl al-Salat (p. 37-38 #27) but with the
addition: "on the day of Jum`a, and with the wording: "So-and-so from
your Community is invoking blessings on you."
Al-Suyuti cites `Ammar's narration in his commentary on al-Nasa'i's
Sunan (4:110). Al-Mundhiri cites the narration in al-Targhib (1994 ed.
2:388) after al-Bazzar, Abu al-Shaykh, and al-Tirmidhi in [al-`Ilal?]
"al-Kabir." The hadith is further confirmed by the sound narrations
already mentioned and those that follow, as well as the T�bi`� Ayyub
al-Sikhtyani's sound mursal narration in Isma`il al-Qadi's Fadl
al-Salat (p. 36): "It has reached me - and Allah knows best - that
there is an angel in charge of each person that invokes blessings on
the Prophet so that he will convey it to him." Al-Tabari in the
commentary on the verse {For him are angels ranged before him and
behind him who guard him by Allah's command} (13:11) in his Tafsir
(13:115) narrates from `Uthman ibn `Affan that the Prophet identified
the angels that attend every believer as twenty, ten in the day and ten
in the night, among them two angels whose unique responsibility is to
record one's invocations of blessings upon the Prophet . See also
al-Albani, Silsila Sahiha (#1530).
14Narrated from Abu al-Darda' by Ibn Majah with a munqati' chain
missing a sub-narrator in two places. However, its parts are confirmed
verbatim by other sound narrations, among them Aws's narration cited
below. Consequently the hadith master al-Busiri declared it sound in
his Zawa'id (2:58-59). The first part (concerning the order to invoke
more blessings on Jum'a and the disclosure of this invocation to the
Prophet) is related by al-Bayhaqi in Shu'ab al-Iman through Abi Umama,
Anas, and Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari, and by al-Hakim in his Mustadrak from
the latter. Al-Shafi'i in his Musnad relates the first part only
("Invoke blessings upon me abundantly on Friday") mursal from Safwan
ibn Salim.
15Narrated from Abu Hurayra by Abu Dawud with a chain declared sound by
al-Nawawi in Riyad al-Salihin and al-Adhkar, Ibn al-Qayyim in Jala'
al-Afham (1996 ed. p. 48 #23 cf. 'Awn al-Ma'bud 6:22), Ibn Hajar in
Fath al-Bari (1959 ed. 6:488), al-Wadyashi in Tuhfa al-Muhtaj (2:190),
al-'Ajluni in Kashf al-Khafa' (2:253), and al-Shawkani in Nayl
al-Awtar. Also narrated from Abu Hurayra by Ahmad with a sound chain
according to al-Zayn in the Musnad (9:575 #10759) and al-Bayhaqi in
al-Sunan al-Kubra (5:245 #1040) and Shu'ab al-Iman (2:217, 3:490-491);
and al-Tabarani in al-Awsat (3:262) with a weak chain as indicated by
al-Haythami (10:162). There is little weight to al-Albani's claim in
his notes on al-Alusi's al-Ayat al-Bayyinat (p. 80) and his Silsila
Sahiha (#2266) that "this hadith is only fair, not sound."
16A fair hadith narrated from Abu Hurayra, not by Ibn Abi Shayba (as mistakenly stated by al-Qadi `Iyad in al-Shifa') but:
* By Abu al-Shaykh with a good chain in Thawab al-Salat `ala al-Nabi as
stated by Ibn al-Qayyim in Jala' al-Afham (p. 48-49=p. 16-22), Ibn
Hajar in Fath al-Bari (1989 ed. 6:379=1959 ed. 6:488), al-Suyuti in
al-La'ali' (1996 ed. 1:259=1:282-283), and others. Ibn al-Qayyim
states: "This narration is extremely singular" while Ibn Hajar states:
"Abu al-Shaykh cites it in al-Thawab with a good chain (sanad jayyid)."
Al-Sakhawi reiterates the latter verdict in al-Qawl al-Badi` (p. 154)
as reported by Shaykh `Abd Allah Siraj al-Din in al-Salat `ala al-Nabi
(p. 214) and Shaykh Mahmud Mamduh in Raf` al-Minara (p. 351). Al-Munawi
questions this grading in Fayd al-Qadir and Ibn `Abd al-Hadi in
al-Sarim al-Munki (p. 206) claims without proof that Abu al-Shaykh's
chain, although strong, is "a gross mistake" because - in his view -
"the hadith did not come to us except through al-Suddi, who is
discarded" (cf. below). However, Ibn `Arraq in Tanzih al-Shari`a
(1:335) confirms Ibn Hajar's verdict and al-Suyuti in al-La'ali'
authenticates Abu al-Shaykh's chain - among other narrations, citing it
in his commentary on al-Nasa'i's Sunan (4:110) and rejecting Ibn
al-Jawzi's verdict of forgery in al-Mawdu`at (1:303). Shaykh Ahmad
al-Ghumari in his al-Mudawi li `Ilal al-Munawi (6:277) graded Abu
al-Shaykh's chain "spotless."
* By al-Bayhaqi with two chains - with ublightuhu in the end - in
Shu`ab al-Iman (2:218 #1583), al-`Uqayli in al-Du`afa' (4:137) and
others, through Muhammad ibn Marwan al-Suddi who is accused of lying
and is discarded as a narrator as stated by Ibn Kathir in his Tafsir
(6:466), or through al-`Ala' ibn `Amr al-Kufi who is weak, but
al-Bayhaqi in Hayat al-Anbiya' (p. 15) cites corroborating chains and
narrations which strengthen the hadith.
* By al-Khatib in Tarikh Baghdad (3:292) with the very weak chain of
Muhammad ibn Marwan al-Suddi with the wording: "Whoever invokes
blessings upon me at my grave I hear him, and whoever invokes blessings
on me from afar, an angel was put in charge of it who informs me of it.
He will have sufficiency of his worldly needs for it as well as his
needs in the hereafter, and I shall witness on his behalf - or: I shall
be his intercessor." Al-Ahdab in his Zawa'id Tarikh Baghdad (3:69)
considers the second sentence of this narration undoubtedly forged.
As for al-Albani's grading of mawd�` for this hadith in his notes on
al-Alusi's al-Ayat al-Bayyinat (p. 80) and his Silsila Da`ifa (#203) in
imitation of Ibn Taymiyya's identical verdict in the latter's al-Radd
`ala al-Akhna'i in Majmu`a al-Fatawa (27:241-242), it stems from
studied ignorance of Abu al-Shaykh's chain as pointed out by Mamduh in
Raf` al-Minara (p. 354). Note that Ibn Taymiyya contradicts himself by
(1) declaring al-Suddi's chain not forged but "containing some weakness
(f�h� l�n) and corroborated by firmly established reports" elsewhere in
his Fatawa (27:116) and (2) considering the meaning of the hadith
correct, all of which al-Albani rejects ("I do not know from where Ibn
Taymiyya took his claim (27:384) that he hears the salaam from someone
near!"). That man goes so far as to state: "I have found no evidence
for the Prophet's hearing of the salaam of those who greet him at his
grave"! This is one of his greater enormities and the essence of
innovation and deviation. On the hearing of the Prophet in the grave
see also al-Nabahani, Shawahid al-Haqq (p. 283-285).
Allah bless and greet the Prophet, his Family, and all his Companions. Wal-hamdu lillahi Rabb al-`alamin.
Hajj Gibril
GF Haddad �
[2000-06-11]
Questions on "The Prophets in Barzakh"
Wa `alaykum as-Salam wa rahmatullah:
However, I would like to seek clarification on a few points. 1) Volume 1 - pg 38 - hadith 18
Text:
18. Ibn al-Mubarak said: One of the Ans�r narrated to us from al-Minhal
ibn 'Amr that the latter heard Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib say: "Not one day
passes except the Prophet's Community is shown to him morning and
evening. He knows them by their marks [or names] and their actions,
thereby giving witness concerning them. Allah said: { But how (will it
be with them) when we bring of every people a witness, and We bring you
(O Muhammad) a witness against these?} (4:41).
This is a matqu` report by a Tabi`i in commentary of a Qur'anic verse.
However, Ibn al-Musayyib is among the most knowledgeable of the Tabi`is
overall, and possessed the most extensive knowledge of the Sunna among
them. As for the evidence for the above in the Sunna, it is based on
the authentic Prophetic hadith (#17) from Ibn Mas`ud cited in the pages
previous to the above:
"My life is a great good for you, you will relate about me and it will
be related to you, and my death is a great good for you, *your actions
will be presented to me*, and if I see goodness I will praise Allah,
and if I see evil I will ask forgiveness of Him for you."
Does this mean that absolutely all of our actions are taken to the Prophet.
Yes, this is what the verse means as elucidated by the hadith and understood by Ibn al-Musayyib.
Maulana Maududi says that only the general state of affairs
of the Ummah are taken. Imam Hamza Yusuf agrees with Maududi's opinion
on this and says this is the majority position. Is this really the
majority view?
The majority view is the opposite and the Awliya all agree that the
Prophet knows the particulars of the Umma also. Anyway, this is not a
matter decided by opinion but by transmission. Insha Allah, increased
familiarity with Shaykh Ahmad Rida Khan's al-Dawla al-Makkiyya, Qadi
Yusuf al-Nabahani, Imam al-Sha`rani, and similar documentation will
help clarify this for English-speaking Muslims.
I know that Deobandi scholars say that if all actions of
the Ummah are viewed by the Prophet then would he view a man and a
woman in the privacy of their bedroom (I'm not sure whether it is good
adab to even pose a quetion like this)
His awareness of all the actions of the Umma, like all the states
connected with Barzakh, is a reality (haqiqa) we do not qualify with
"how" (bila kayf). It is unbefitting that we should speculate and
compare it to peeking in the normal sense or exposure to what is
unseemly. It is established that the angels supplicate for a man to be
rewarded and blessed for as long as he is engaged in intercourse with
his wife, yet we also know that the angels do not remain in a house
where there is a junub. This means their knowledge is not at all from
sight in the conventional sense. Allah Almighty - without comparison to
anything! - sees us at all times and knows our acts in their most
intimate details, yet the Prophet said: "He does not look at your forms
and possessions, but only at your hearts and intentions." So the
speculation that "if all actions of the Ummah are viewed by the Prophet
then he would view a man and a woman in the privacy of their bedroom"
is rejected and misconceived. It must be rephrased to state: "then he
would be appraised even of a man and a woman in the privacy of their
house."
Further does your quote above contradict what Imam Hamza is saying.
It is more appropriate to say that Brother Hamza contradicts what Ibn al-Musayyib says.
Further, how do classical scholars interpret the ayahs of the Prophet being a shahid?
See on this:
http://sunnah.org/aqida/haadir_wa_naadir.htm
2) Volume 1 - pg 43 - hadith 21
Text:
The Prophet said: "By the one in Whose hand is Abu al-Qasim's soul,
`Isa ibn Maryam shall descend as a just and wise ruler. He shall
destroy the cross, slay the swine, eradicate discord and grudges, and
money shall be offered to him but he will not accept it. Then he shall
stand at my grave side and say: 'O Muhammad!' and I will answer him."
Narrated from Abu Hurayra by Abu Ya`la in his Musnad (11:462) with a
sound (sah�h) chain according to Shaykh Husayn Asad and al-Haythami in
Majma` al-Zawa'id (8:211).
This hadith mentions Hazrat Isa calling the Prophet at the
graveside. It is not clear from Shaykh Alawis words above the hadith
whether the Prophet would answer our call if we called him from afar,
say England. Please calrify. If we can interpret this hadith to call
upon the Prophet from afar, what is the basis for this?
The basis for calling the Prophet from afar is the hadith (#2) of Abu
Hurayra, that the Messenger of Allah said: "No-one greets me except
that Allah has returned my soul to me so that I may greet him back."
I.e. in absolute terms without specifying that it must be at the
graveside for this to work. Narrated with sound chains by Abu Dawud,
Ahmad, and al-Bayhaqi.
Also, the hadith (#21) of Abu Hurayra from the Prophet : "Whoever
invokes blessings upon me at my grave I hear him, and whoever invokes
blessings on me from afar, I am informed about it." Ibn Hajar in Fath
al-Bari (1989 ed. 6:379=1959 ed. 6:488) said its chain in Abu
al-Shaykh's al-Thawab was good. Al-Munawi contested this grading in
Fayd al-Qadir then al-Ghumari in his commentary on Fayd al-Qadir titled
al-Mudawi (6:347) confirmed Ibn Hajar's grading.
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Rasul Allah (sallah llahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Whoever knows himself, knows his Lord" and whoever knows his Lord has been given His gnosis and nearness.
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