. JI ದ : ; (cont.)

Al-Bukhari said that he is "very fragile", meaning a weak to very weak narrator. Some did state that he is honest but has lots of mistakes. Ibn Adi pointed out that he has hadith that no one else corroborates. Abu Haatim, the expert on defects in hadith, stated that this hadith is "false" by this chain. Al-Uqaili also stated that this hadith has no source in the hadith of Sufyaan al-Thauri. He says that perhaps Muhammad took it from Khalid discussed earlier, then left his name out of it and narrated it from Sufyaan. 1 However, there is another narration from Sufyaan that is recorded by al-Baihaqi in Shuab al-Imaan. This chain contains Abu Qataada who is also a rejected narrator. Hence, neither this chain or the previous chain can be used as supporting evidence nor can they be supported to make the hadith acceptable. In Shuab al-Imaan, al-Baihaqi has yet another chain for this hadith. This goes through Zaafir ibn Sulaimaan on the authority of Muhammad ibn Uyaina2 from Abu Haazim from Sahl. It is also narrated from Zaafir from Muhammad ibn Uyaina from ibn Umar. Ibn Muhammad states that the problem with this chain is that both Zaafir and Muhammad ibn Uyaina, although known to be honest, commit lots of mistakes in their reports and cannot be used as evidence. 3 However, here ibn Muhammad is simply repeating what ibn Hajr stated about them in Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb, although he did not mention his source for this statement.4 In Tahdheeb al-Tahdheeb, a much more detailed work, ibn Hajr mentions that al-Ijli considers Muhammad ibn Uyaina trustworthy but Abu Hatim said, "He cannot be used as an argument because he brings objectionable reports."5 Of the two narrators, Zaafir seems to be the weaker. Ibn Hibban stated about him, 1 Ibn Muhammad, p. 1 85. 2 He was the brother of the more famous Sufyaan ibn Uyaina. 3 Ibn Muhammad, p. 1 86. 4 For Muhammad ibn Uyaina, see Ahmad ibn Hajr, Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb, p. 887; for Zaafir ibn Sulaimaan, see ibn Hajr, Taqreeb, p. 333. 5 Ahmad ibn Hajr, Tahdheeb al-Tahdheeb (Hyderabad: Majlis Daairah al-Maarif al­ Nidhaamiyah, 1326 A.H.), vol. 9, p. 395. Al-Dhahabi also had the same quote from Abu Haatim and that is all al-Dahabi stated in Muhammad al-Dhahabi, Al-Mughnifi al-Dhuafaa (Noor al-Din Itr, ed.), vol. 2, p. 623. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi He had many mistakes in his narrations from Shubah and Malik. He has expansive mistakes in his reports even though he is honest. In my opinion, concerning him, his reports should be considered when they are in agreement with trustworthy narrators. And what he singularly reports should be recorded [so that if supporting evidence is found for it, it can be accepted]. 1 Al-Dhahabi quotes al-Nasaai as stating that he is not a qualified narrator and that he narrates many strange reports from Malik. Al-Dhahabi then quotes al­ Saaji as saying that he has many gross mistakes.2 Finally, ibn Adi stated, "The chains as well as the texts of his hadith have been distorted3. Most of what he narrated is not corroborated. His hadith are to be recorded even given his weak status [as supporting evidence may raise them to the level of has an]. "4 The fact that this hadith is narrated through Muhammad and Zaafir in two different ways is a sign that the hadith has not been preserved properly by at least one of them. 5 There is yet another chain of this hadith that needs to be dealt with. Abu Nuaim records this hadith with a chain of Ibraaheem ibn Adham from Mansoor from Mujaahid from Anas from the Prophet (peace be upon him). Then Abu Nuaim says that this is not correct. He mentions two narrators later in the chain and says that the mistake must be from one of them. The confirmed narrators narrated this from Ibraaheem from Mansoor from Mujaahid from the Prophet (peace be upon him), without mentioning Anas' name. Hence, the link between Mujaahid and the Prophet (peace be upon him) is missing, making this a weak chain. Abu Nuaim also says that Taaloot mentions it from Ibraaheem without going any further. Then he says, seemingly casting some doubt on the hadith, that as a hadith of Mansoor and Mujaahid, it is rare and what is well­ known is what is narrated from Sufyaan from Abu Haazim from Sahl.6 1 Muhammad ibn Hibbaan, Kitaab al-Majrooheen min al-Muhaditheen wa al-Dhuafaa wa al­ Matrookeen (Beirut: Daar al-Marifah, 1992), part 2, pp. 3 1 7-3 1 8. 2 Al-Dhahabi, Mizaan, vol. 2, p. 64. 3 What be actually said is maqloobah (ැfo), meaning that sometimes the narrators in the chain were misplaced or the names were stated backwards and also in the text the words were stated in incorrect order. 4 Ibn Adi, vol. 3, p. 1089.