Tawakaltu alAllah

Important Notes About Hadeeths Used in the Book:

Hisnul-Muslim by Sa'eed al-Qahtaani
("Fortification of the Muslim" or "Citadel of the Believer")

- PART ONE -

Since the book Hisnul-Muslim (translated as "Fortification of the Muslim" or "Citadel of the Believer") by Sa'eed al-Qahtaani has been translated into English and made widely available, it is important to identify the dha'eef (weak, unacceptable) hadeeths found in it and to clarify other issues related to some of the authentic hadeeths. So, seeking Allaah's Assistance, we begin with a clarification of the seventh supplication mentioned by al-Qahtaani in Hisnul-Muslim:

- 1 - "May you wear it out and Allaah ta'aalaa replace it (with another)." [1]
This is mentioned by al-Qahtaani as a "supplication said to someone wearing a new garment."

It should be made clear here that this supplication is saheeh (authentic), however it was narrated by Aboo an-Nadhrah al-Munthir ibn Maalik as something that he heard the Companions say to each other when they would wear a new garment, as is mentioned in Sunan Abee Daawood (#4020). So it is mawqoof, or something from the words of some of the Companions, and not marfoo', meaning something from the words of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam). [2]

This does not mean that a person is not allowed to say it, rather whoever supplicates with this phrase is following something reported from the Companions (may Allaah be pleased with them), so it is a good
supplication. Furthermore, it is very similar to a supplication that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) made three times for Umm Kaalid bint Khaalid (may Allaah be pleased with her):

"Tublee wa Akhlifee (Wear it out and replace it, ie. live a long life)." [3]

Since Hisnul-Muslim was intended to be a book of supplications from the Book and the Sunnah, then this supplication of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) is more deserving to be listed in this place, since it is from the direct speech of the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) and due to it being in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree as well.

Then, al-Qahtaani brings a supplication for entering the home:

- 2 - "In the Name of Allaah we enter, and in the Name of Allaah we leave, and upon our Lord we place our trust." [4]

This hadeeth was collected by Aboo Daawood (#5096). It is dha'eef (weak, unacceptable) due to a broken chain of narration, as mentioned by al-Albaanee in his checking of Sunan Abee Daawood. Since some of the scholars accepted this hadeeth, let us look at the chain and then understand how it is broken from two angles, so as to be upon clarity.

The chain:

Aboo Daawood
Muhammad ibn 'Awf
Muhammad ibn Ismaa'eel ibn 'Ayyaash
Ismaa'eel ibn 'Ayyaash
Dhamdham ibn Zur'ah
Shurayh ibn 'Ubayd
Aboo Maalik al-Ash'aree (may Allaah be pleased with him)
The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam)

1) Notice that Muhammad ibn Ismaa'eel ibn 'Ayyaash narrates from his father (Ismaa'eel ibn 'Ayyaash).

Aboo Zur'ah said about Muhammad ibn Ismaa'eel, "He narrates from his father, and that is found in Sunan Abee Daawood. Aboo Haatim said: He never actually heard from his father. They urged him to narrate from his father and so he did." [5] So this shows the first break in the chain.
2) Knowing that Muhammad ibn Ismaa'eel did not hear from his father, Ibn 'Awf then said: "And I saw in the original book of Ismaa'eel ibn 'Ayyaash that he narrated from Dhamdham..." One may think that
this connects the chain, however someone's book is only used as a witness for his personal narration, as the scholars have clarified. And Ibn 'Awf never met Ismaa'eel. Al-'Atheem Abaadee said, "The hadeeth's chain is not muttasil (connected) since neither Ibn 'Awf or Muhammad ibn Ismaa'eel heard from Ismaa'eel ibn 'Ayyaash." [6]

So the hadeeth is dha'eef (weak, unacceptable) due to the break in the chain.

Then, al-Qahtaani mentions a supplication for after the athaan:

- 3 - "O Allaah, owner of this perfect call and Owner of this prayer to be performed, bestow upon Muhammad al-waseelah and al-fadeelah, and send him upon a praised platform which you have promised him. Verily you never fail in Your promise." [7]

This hadeeth, with the exception of the last phrase ("Verily you never fail in Your promise") has been collected by al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh. However, the last phrase is only found in as-Sunan as-Sughraa
of al-Bayhaqee (1/103, Daar al-Ma'rifah).

Shaykh al-Albaanee said:

"As for the additional phrase, 'Verily you never fail in Your promise,' that is found in the last part of the hadeeth collected by al-Bayhaqee, it is shaath (contradictory to what has been authentically reported),
since it is not to be found in the other narrations from 'Alee ibn 'Ayyaash, except in the narration of al- Kishmeenee in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, as opposed to what others have reported. Furthermore, it is shaath
due to its contradiction to the narrations of others in Saheeh (al-Bukhaaree). So it seems that this is why al-Haafith (Ibn Hajr) paid it no mind and did not even mention it in Fath (al-Baaree), as was his habit
when gathering the additional phrases found in different routes of a hadeeth. This is supported by the fact that the additional phrase is not found in al-Bukhaaree's Af'aal al-'Ibaad, while it is the same chain.
This additional phrase is also found in the book, Qaa'idah Jaleelah fee at-Tawassul wal-Waseelah of Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, in all of its published versions: p.55 of al-Manaar's first printing, p.37
of the second printing, and p.49 of the Salafiyyah printing. It seems to have been something added by some of the scribes, and Allaah knows best." [8]

So in a nutshell, this supplication is saheeh (authentic) except for the last phrase ('Verily you never fail in Your promise'), which is dha'eef due to its contradiction to what has been authentically reported.

[Part two of this series coming soon in shaa' Allaah]

Footnotes:

[1] Hisnul-Muslim (Fortification of the Muslim) of Sa'eed al-Qahtaani, p.35-36
[2] I asked Shaykh Muhammad 'Umar Baazmool (1425/02/09) about this hadeeth: Since it has been related from some of the Companions and it is a supplication for a specific occasion, can it be considered marfoo' hukman, something that must have been originally from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam)? He replied that this supplication is just something that they used to say and is considered their customary speech and not an act of legislated worship, so it can not be understood to be from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam). He said that this supplication is similar to their saying "Taqabbal Allaah minnaa wa minkum" on the day of the 'Eed. These are permissible supplications reported from the Companions that are not considered to be from the Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam).
[3] Saheeh al-Bukhaaree [#3071] - Ibn Battaal mentioned in his explanation of the hadeeth that it should read "Akhlifee" and not "Akhliqee" as found in some versions of Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, since the difference is based on the letter qaaf (q) or faa' (f) in the wording, and the Arabic language supports "Akhlifee" more in a general context and specifically due to the supplication of the Companions mentioned previously. [Sharh Ibn Battaal, 9/117-118]
[4] Hisnul-Muslim (Fortification of the Muslim) of Sa'eed al-Qahtaani, p.43
[5] Tuhfah at-Tahseel fee Thikr Ruwaat al-Maraaseel of Aboo Zur'ah, (p.440, Maktabah ar-Rushd)
[6] 'Awn al-Ma'bood of al-'Atheem Abaadee (1/297, Daar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyyah)
[7] Hisnul-Muslim (Fortification of the Muslim) of Sa'eed al-Qahtaani, p.49-50
[8] Irwaa' al-Ghaleel of al-Albaanee (#243)

Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem

Dislike of the Salaf with Regards to Giving Religious Verdicts
by al-Haafith Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali

Source: Tibyan.com

This is similar to the hatred of the Salafus-Saalih (the Pious Predecessors) that a person should put himself forward to give religious verdicts (fataawaa) and to crave them, and to hasten to it, and to do it in excess. Ibn Lahee'ah reports from 'Ubaydullaah ibn Abee Ja'far in mursal form from the Prophet that he said, "He who is boldest from you in giving religious verdicts, will be the boldest in proceeding to the Fire." [It is reported by ad-Daarimee 1/57 and its chain of narration is weak
since it is mursal (i.e. there is a missing link or links between the last narrator and the Prophet)].

'Alqamah said, "They used to say, 'The boldest of you in giving religious verdicts is the one having the least knowledge.'" al-Baraa' said, "I met a hundred and twenty of the Ansaar from the Companions of Allaah's Messenger and when one of them was asked about a matter there was not a single man amongst them except that he wished that his brother would suffice him (by answering)." [This saying is reported by ad-Daarimee (1/53) and Ibn 'Abdul-Barr in Jaami' (2/163).
However it is the saying of 'Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Abee Laylaa and not the saying of al-Baraa', and its chain of narration is saheeh. As for the saying of al-Baraa', then it is, "I saw three hundred of the people of Badr, there was not a single one of them except that he loved that someone else should take his place in answering." It is reported by Ibnul-Mubaarak in az-Zuhd (no. 58), ibn Sa'd (6/11) and others and its isnaad contains Aboo Ishaaq as-Sabee'ee who is acceptable (sadooq)
except that he was mudallis and reports it without stating that he heard it directly.]

In a narration there occurs the addition, "…so this one would refer it to another, and he would refer it to someone else until it would eventually return to the first one." From Ibn Mas'ood, who said, "The one who gives a religious verdict to the people about everything that he is asked is indeed insane." [Reported by Ibn 'Abdul-Barr (2/164-165), al-Khateeb in al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih (2/197-198) and Aboo Khaithamah in al-'Ilm (no. 10) and its chain of narration is saheeh.]

'Umar ibn 'Abdul-'Azeez was asked about a question and replied, "I am not one who is bold about giving religious verdicts." He also wrote to one of his governors, "By Allaah I am not one who craves after giving religious verdicts, as long as I can find a way to avoid it."

Ibn Yameenah said, "This affair is not for those who love that the people should have need of them, rather this affair is only for those who love that someone can be found to take their place." It is also reported from him that he said, "The most knowledgeable of people concerning religious
verdicts is the one who is most often silent, and the most ignorant of people about them is the one who speaks the most with regard to them." [Reported by al-Khateeb in al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih (2/166) and its isnaad is weak.]

Sufyaan ath-Thawree said, "We reached the scholars and they used to hate answering questions and giving religious verdicts until they could find no way out except to give a verdict, but if they were relieved of having to do so then that was more beloved to them."

Imaam Ahmad said, "He who puts himself forward to give religious verdicts has put himself forward to something very serious, unless he is forced through necessity." It was said to him, "Then which is better: for him to speak or to remain silent?" He said, "It is more beloved to us that he should withhold." It was said, "But if there is a necessity?" So he started saying, "Necessity! Necessity!" And he said, "It is safer for him to withhold."

So those who give religious verdicts should realise that they are transmitting Allaah's orders and prohibitions and that he will be made to stand to account and be questioned about it. Ar-Rabee' ibn Khaitham said, "O giver of religious verdicts! Look and see how you are giving verdicts."

'Amr ibn Deenaar said to Qataadah when he sat to give religious verdicts, "Do you realise the affair that you have fallen into? You have come between Allaah and His worshippers and say, 'This is correct and this is not correct.'" [Reported by al-Khateeb in al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih (2/168)]

From Ibnul-Munkadir who said, "The scholar enters between Allaah and His creation, so let him look and see how he enters between them." [Reported with variations in wording by ad-Daarimee (1/53), and al-Khateeb in al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih (2/168) and its isnaad is saheeh.]

When Ibn Seereen was asked about anything pertaining to the permissible and forbidden his colour would change and he would alter so that he would not seem to be the same person. [Reported by ibn S''d (7/195), al-Khateeb in al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih (2/167) and its isnaad is saheeh].

When an-Nakhaa'ee was asked about something then hatred would be seen upon his face and he would say, "Could you not find someone else to ask other than me?" He also said, "I spoke and if I had found any way out I would not have spoken, and indeed a time when I am the scholar of Koofah is an evil time." [Reported in meaning by Aboo Khaithamah in al-'Ilm (no. 131).]

It is related that Ibn 'Umar said, "You ask us for religious verdicts in such a manner that it is as if we are people who are not going to be questioned about the verdicts that we give you." [Reported by al-Fasawee (1/490) and al-Khateeb in al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih (2/168) and its isnaad is weak.]

Also from Muhammad ibn Waasi' who said, "The first of those who will be called to account are the scholars."

It is reported about Maalik, radiallaahu 'anhu, that when he was asked about a matter it was as if he were standing between the Paradise and the Hell-Fire. [Reported by al-Khateeb in al-Faqeehwal-Mutafaqqih (2/167) and its isnaad is weak.]

One of the scholars also said to a person who used to give religious verdicts, "When you are asked about a matter then do not let your concern be to release and find a way out for the questioner, but rather to release and save your own self." [The one who said this was 'Umar ibn Khaldah az-Zurqee and he was speaking to Rabee'ah ibn Abee 'Abdir-Rahmaan. This narration is reported with very close wordings by al-Fasawee (1/556-557), Aboo Nu'aym in al-Hilyah (3/260-261) and al-Khateeb in al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih (2/169) and its isnaad is saheeh.]

Another said, "If you are asked about a matter then consider - if you find a way out of it then speak, otherwise remain silent."

The sayings of the Salaf about this are too many to quote and gather.