Liver of Fish the first food of the people of Paradise.

Q. Why is liver of fish considered as the first food in heaven? it is said to purify our stomach in heaven this is done, is this true?.

A. Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

It is proven in the saheeh Sunnah that the first food offered to welcome the people of Paradise when they enter it will be “the caudate lobe of whale liver”. That is mentioned in the hadeeth of Thawbaan, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), according to which one of the Jewish rabbis came to ask the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about some matters to test him.

In the hadeeth it says:

The Jewish man said: What will be presented to them first when they enter Paradise?
He said: “Caudate lobe of whale liver.”
He said: What food will be given to them after that?
He said: “The bull of Paradise, which used to graze along its edges, will be slaughtered for them.”
He said: What will their drink be?
He said: “From a spring there that is called Salsabeel.” …
Narrated by Muslim, 315

Imam an-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The words “What will be presented to them” refer to that with which a man is welcomed.
Ibraaheem al-Halabi said: It is usually good quality fruits.
End quote from Sharh Muslim, 3/227

He also said:
This refers to a whale, according to scholarly consensus… As for the caudate lobe of the liver, this is a separate piece that is attached to the liver and it is the best part of it.
End quote from Sharh Muslim, 17/135-136

That is also proven in other saheeh hadeeths in as-Saheehayn and as-Sunan. We quoted this particular hadeeth because of what it contains of differentiating between the first food presented to the people of Paradise, which is the caudate lobe of fish liver, and the food that they will eat after that, which is the meat of the “bull of Paradise”.

Secondly:

We could not find anything to indicate the wisdom behind the caudate lobe of whale liver being the first food presented to the people of Paradise, but we believe that Allah’s wisdom is great and that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is the All-Knowing, Most Wise, and that He said of Himself (interpretation of the meaning):

“And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses, no choice have they (in any matter). Glorified be Allah, and exalted above all that they associate as partners (with Him)”
[al-Qasas 28:68].

That should not prevent some of the scholars from trying to see the wisdom behind the choice of the caudate lobe of whale liver in particular. Some of them said that this is an indication of the end of this world, which is a transient abode, and moving to Paradise, which is an eternal abode, because the fish or whale is an aquatic animal which is indicative of the essence of life on earth, and the bull is a land animal which is indicative of tilling the soil and earning a living, so the people of Paradise are given these two things to eat to signal the end of this world and the beginning of the Hereafter.
 See: Rooh al-Ma‘aani by al-Aloosi, 7/94

Thirdly:

With regard to the benefits of the caudate lobe of fish liver, they are many, as has been discussed by doctors and nutrition specialists. Among these benefits are: lowering the level of cholesterol in the blood, reducing fat in the body, and lessening joint pain. It is also rich in vitamin D which has many benefits.

For more information on that, refer to specialist references in that field.

And Allah knows best.

Islam Q&A

Ref: http://islamqa.com/en/cat/226/ref/islamqa/169491

Concise commentaries on Saheeh al-Bukhaari

Q. I am asking about commentaries on Saheeh al-Bukhaari. I want to find the easiest book of commentary on al-Saheeh, concise and easy for one who is not a seeker of knowledge (Taalib ‘ilm).

A. Praise be to Allaah.

The commentaries on Saheeh al-Bukhaari are many and varied. For the most part they are written for specialists and are difficult to understand for those who are not specialized in the study of shar’i sciences. The reason for that it is that it is difficult to understand the way in which al-Bukhaari compiled his Saheeh, because he often paid attention to the number of isnaads and he repeated hadeeths and included many chapter headings, which may confuse both the ordinary reader and the scholar.  

Hence the great scholar Ahmad ibn Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Lateef al-Zubaydi (893 AH) summarized Saheeh al-Bukhaari, omitting repeated isnaads and reports, and he called his summary al-Tajreed al-Sareeh li Ahaadeeth al-Jaami’ al-Saheeh. This has been printed in an edition edited by Ibraaheem Barakah, with a brief commentary on these ahaadeeth. 

If a non-specialist wants to read Saheeh al-Bukhaari, he should read al-Zubaydi’s abridgement of it, and then try to understand the ahaadeeth in it by means of various commentaries, among the easiest of which are the following: 

1. I’laam al-Sunan by al-‘Allaamah al-Khattaabi (388 AH), which is a brief commentary on the Saheeh. 
2. Haashiyat al-‘Allaamah al-Sindi ‘ala Saheeh al-Bukhaari, which is a very brief but beneficial commentary.
3. ‘Awn al-Baari Sharh Tajreed al-Sareeh by Siddeeq Hasan Khan (1307 AH), which is a commentary on al-Zubaydi’s abridgement, which he based on Fath al-Baari, so it is like a summary thereof. 

These commentaries are amongst the shortest and easiest commentaries on al-Saheeh. They deal with the meanings of the words and expressions used, and the meanings of the hadeeth, and they do not deal with the isnaads and problematic issues and subtleties. They are not difficult to read for most people, although they sometimes indulge in discussing some linguistic details and so on. The reader should overlook whatever he finds difficult to understand. 

But it is the best of these commentaries for the non-specialist, and he can also make use of some verbal commentaries on these books, such as that by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) on al-Saheeh, and the commentary of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr (may Allaah preserve him) on the abridgment by al-Zubaydi. 

We ask Allaah to make the book easy for the ordinary Muslim who reads it, and to benefit more people by means of it. 

For more information on Saheeh al-Imam al-Bukhaari and its author, please see questions no. 20153 and 21523. 

And Allaah knows best.

 

Islam Q&A

Ref: http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/105655

Imam ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisee (d.620H) on "Belief (Creed) in Allah's Names and Attributes"

He (Allaah) is described by what He has attributed to Himself in His Magnificent Book and upon the tongue of His honorable Prophet.We are obligated to believe in and to welcome with submission and acceptance everything that is mentioned in the Qur'aan and that is authentically reported on the Prophet (Peace by upon him) concerning Allah's Attributes.And we must abandon opposing it (which is done) by-

• Radd (rejection), 
• Ta'weel (distortive interpretation; hidden meaning), 
• Tashbeeh (comparison), and 
• Tamtheel (representation). 

As for what appears unclear from that, then we are obligated to affirm its wording and not oppose its (literal) meaning. We are to return the precise knowledge of it to the One who stated it and we entrust it upon the one who transmitted it, following the example of the ones who are deeply endowed with knowledge, those whom Allaah has praised in His manifest Book, saying:

"And those who are firmly grounded with knowledge say: 'We believe in it (the Qur'aan); the whole of it (clear and unclear verses) is from our Lord'"

[Surah Aali-Imraan (3):7]

And He says, disprasing the one who seeks the Ta'weel (hidden meaning) of the unclear verses of His revelation.

"As for those in whose hearts there is deviation, they follow that which is not entirely clear thereof, seeking fitnah (mischief) and seeking for its ta'weel (hidden meanings), but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allaah."

[Surah Aali-Imraan (3):7]

Thus Allaah has placed the aspect of seeking after the hidden meanings (ta'weel) as a sign of deviation. And He has placed a barrier between them and that which they aspire and He cuts off their ambitions from what they seek after, by saying: 

"But no one knows its hidden meanings except Allaah."

[Surah Aali-Imraan (3):7]

Concerning the ahadeeth: "Verily, Allaah descends to the lowest heaven" and "Verily, Allaah will be seen on the Day of Judgement" and what is similar to these ahaadeeth, Imam Abu 'Abdillaah Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimahullaah) said: 

"We believe in them and we attest to their verity, without saying how and without ascribing a (fixed) meaning for them. Nor do we reject any part from them. We know that whatever the Messenger came with is the truth. We do not reject what Allaah's Messenger came with, nor do we describe Allaah with more than He has described Himself, without limits.

Allaah says: 'There is nothing whatsoever like Him (in comparison). And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.' We say as He said. We describe Him with what He has described Himself and we do not transgress that. The description of those who (attempt to) describe Him, cannot grasp Him. We do not reject any of His Attributes due to a discomfort (that we may perceive towards it). We do not transgress the Qur'aan and the Hadeeth. And we have no knowledge of how to understand them, except through the affirmations of the Messenger and the confirmation of the Qur'aan."

Imam Abu 'Abdillaah Muhammad ibn Idrees Ash-Shaafi'ee, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
"I believe in Allaah and in what has been reported concerning Allaah, upon what was intended by Allaah. And I believe in the Messenger of Allaah and in what has been reported concerning the Messenger of Allaah, upon what was intended by the Messenger of Allaah."

This is the way that the scholars of the past and present have followed, may Allaah be pleased with them. They all unanimously agreed on acknowledging, accepting, and affirming what has been mentioned in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (Peace be upon him) concerning the Attributes, without turning towards the use of ta'weel.

pg. 5-6, Lum'at-ul-'Itiqaad [Sufficiency in Creed] - by Imam ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisee (d.620H)
Download the Book "Sufficiency in Creed" here.

Types of Martyrs in Islam

Q. Does a person who died of cancer as a result of smoking attain the status of a martyr?

A. Praise be to Allaah.


It is proven in the saheeh Sunnah that there are various kinds of martyrs who will attain the status of martyrdom in the Hereafter; this is by the grace and mercy of Allah.


It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
“The martyrs are five: the one who dies of the plague, the one who dies of a stomach disease, the one who drowns, the one who is crushed beneath a falling wall, and the martyr who is killed for the sake of Allaah.”


Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:


Ibn al-Teen said: All of these are deaths which involve hardship. Allah has bestowed His grace upon the ummah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) by making them means of erasing their sins and increasing their rewards, and enabling them to attain the status of martyrdom.


Fath al-Baari, 6/44


If a person dies of cancer, some of the scholars are of the view that he is included among the types of martyr mentioned in the hadeeth, on the basis that the word mabtoon (the one who dies of a disease in the abdomen) is general and includes everyone who dies of a disease in his abdomen and that this does not apply to any one specific disease.


Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:


The word mabtoon means the one with a disease in the abdomen, which is diarrhoea. Al-Qaadi said: And it was said that he is the one who suffers from dropsy or oedema and swelling of the abdomen. And it was said that it refers to the one who suffers some disease in his abdomen. And it was said that it refers to anyone who dies from a disease in the abdomen in general. End quote from Sharh Muslim by al-Nawawi.


But it should be noted that this suggestion is connected to two conditions:


(i) that the site of the cancer be in the abdomen so that he may truly be said to be mabtoon.


Shaykh ‘Abd al-Muhsin al-‘Abbaad (may Allah preserve him) was asked:


Does a person who dies of cancer come under the heading of mabtoon?


He replied:


No, because cancer is not always in the stomach; it may be somewhere other than the stomach.


Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood (tape no. 230)


As the site of your friend’s cancer was in the throat, he is not included among any of the groups who are regarded as martyrs.


(ii) that the disease should not have been caused by smoking, taking drugs or drinking alcohol, or other haraam things, unless he has repented sincerely from that and has given up consuming those haraam things.


This condition is general and applies to all those mentioned in the hadeeth. If a woman is pregnant as the result of zina and dies in labour, she is not regarded as one of the martyrs. If a person who drowned had boarded the boat or ship in order to commit sin or some immoral activity, and dies as a result of drowning, he is not one of the martyrs. A person who is killed by a falling wall when he is committing zina or drinking alcohol is not one of the martyrs. In the answer to question no. 45669, we have quoted the Standing Committee as saying that a person who dies as the result of a car accident when he was inside the car comes under the same heading as one who was killed by a falling wall, so he is a martyr, by Allah’s leave. But this cannot be applied to those foolish young men to whom this happens when they are racing in their cars, or to those who compete in difficult circumstances in the mountains or in the snow (“extreme sports”).


In the answer to question no. 22140, we quoted Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah as saying that if a person drowns after boarding a ship for sinful purposes, he is not a martyr.


And elsewhere he said:


Whoever wants to follow a path where the possibilities of being safe or being killed are equal has to refrain from following it; if he does not refrain, then he is aiding in his own destruction so he is not a martyr.


Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 5/381


Al-Suyooti (may Allah have mercy on him) said:


Al-Qurtubi said: This and the previous one -- i.e., those who are killed by a falling wall or drowning -- if they did not take risks and did not fail to take precautions, (then they are martyrs). But if they did not take precautions and died as a result of that, then they are sinners.


Al-Deebaaj ‘ala Muslim (4/508)


In al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (26/273, 274) it says:


An exception is made in the case of one who travels for the purpose of sin and dies away from home. Another exception is made in the case of one who drowns but was sinning by boarding the ship when he knew that it was most likely not to be safe for him to do so, or he boarded it for the purpose of committing sin. Another exception is made in the case of a woman who is pregnant as a result of zina and dies in childbirth.
End quote.


If the person who is slain in battle was fighting for the sake of tribalism or to show off, he does not attain the virtue or status of martyrdom, and it is more likely that such people will not attain that great reward.


Summary:

Cancer in and of itself does not mean that the person who dies of it is one of the types of martyrs, unless the disease was in his abdomen. That is not what is stated in the hadeeth; rather it is the ijtihaad (opinion) of some scholars with regard to the meaning of mabtoon. If a person’s disease was caused by smoking and the like, and he dies of it before repenting, then he is not a martyr, even if the disease was in his abdomen. But if the disease in his abdomen was not the result of a haraam action, we hope that he will attain the status of the martyrs in the Hereafter, in sha Allah.

And Allaah knows best.

Islam QA
Ref: http://islamqa.com/en/ref/145203/

Jinn entering human bodies

Jinn entering human bodies

In the last few days a controversy has arisen concerning the matter of jinn entering human bodies. Some say that this is rationally impossible, because of the difference in the essences from which they were created, as man was created from clay and the jinn from fire. It has also been said that the shayaateen (devils) have no power other than waswaas (insinuating whispers) and that Allaah has not given them any power over man. And it is said that the recorded tapes that are in circulation (recordings of jinn supposedly speaking through people) are no proof of anything. What is your response to all this?

Praise be to Allah.

The fact that jinn can enter human bodies is proven in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and by the consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, and by real-life events. No one disputes this apart from the Mu’tazilah who give priority to their own rational analysis over the evidence of the Qur’aan and Sunnah. We will mention a little about this below:

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Those who eat Ribaa will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaytaan (Satan) leading him to insanity. That is because they say: ‘Trading is only like Ribaa’…” [al-Baqarah 2:275]

Al-Qurtubi said in his Tafseer (part 3, p. 355): “This aayah is proof that those people are wrong who deny that epilepsy is caused by the jinn and claim that its causes are only physical, and that the Shaytaan does not enter people or cause madness.”

Ibn Katheer said in his Tafseer (part 1, p. 32), after mentioning the aayah quoted above: “They will not rise from their graves on the Day of Resurrection except like the way in which the epileptic rises during his seizure, when he is beaten by the Shaytaan. This is because they will rise in a very bad state. Ibn ‘Abbaas said: the one who consumes ribaa will rise on the Day of Resurrection crazy and choking.”

According to a saheeh hadeeth narrated by al-Nasaa’i from Abu’l-Yusr, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray: “Allaahumma innee a’oodhu bika min al-taraddi wa’l-haram wa’l-gharaq wa’l-harq, wa a’oodhu bika an yatakhabatani al-shaytaan ‘ind al-mawt ( O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from being thrown from a high place, old age, drowning and burning; and I seek refuge with You from being beaten by the Shaytaan at the time of death).” Commenting on this hadeeth in Al-Fayd (part 2, p.148), al-Manaawi said: “[The phrase] ‘and I seek refuge with You from being beaten by the Shaytaan at the time of death’ means, lest he should wrestle with me and play with me, and damage my religious commitment or mental state (at the time of death) by means of his insinuating whispers which cause people to slip or lose their minds. The Shaytaan could take control of a person when he is about to depart this world, and misguide him or stop him from repenting…”

Ibn Taymiyah (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 42/276) said: “The fact that jinn can enter human bodies is proven by the consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘Those who eat Ribaa will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaytaan (Satan) leading him to insanity. That is because they say: ‘Trading is only like Ribaa’…’ [al-Baqarah 2:275]. And in as-Saheeh it is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The Shaytaan flows through the son of Adam as the blood flows through his veins.’”

‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said; “I said to my father, ‘There are some people who say that the jinn do not enter the body of the epileptic.’ He said: ‘O my son, they are lying; the jinn could speak through this person.’” Commenting on this, Ibn Qudaamah said: “What he said is well known, because a person may suffer an epileptic seizure and speak in a language that no one understands, and his body may be beaten with blows that would fell a camel, but the epileptic does not feel them at all, and he is also unaware of the words he is saying. The epileptic and others may be dragged about, or the carpet on which he is sitting may be pulled, and utensils may be moved about from place to place, and other things may happen. Anyone who witnesses such a thing will know for sure that the one who is speaking through the person and moving these things is not human.” And he said, may Allaah have mercy on him: “There is no one among the imaams of the Muslims who denies that jinn may enter the body of the epileptic and others. Anyone who denies that and claims that Islam denies it is lying about Islam. There is nothing in the proofs of sharee’ah to show that it does not happen.”

So the fact that jinn may enter human bodies is proven in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and by the consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, some of whose comments we have quoted above.

As regards the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “but they could not thus harm anyone except by Allaah’s Leave” [al-Baqarah 2:102], this is undoubtedly a clear indication that the jinn cannot harm anyone through witchcraft or epilepsy or through any other kind of disturbance or misguidance, except with the permission of Allaah. As al-Hasan al-Basri said: “Whomever Allaah wills, He gives them power over him, and whomever He does not will, He does not give them power over him, and they cannot do anything to anyone except with the permission of Allaah.” The Shaytaan (who is the disbelieving jinn) may gain power over the believers by making them sin and by making them neglect the remembrance and Tawheed of Allaah and sincerity in worshipping Him. But he has no power over the righteous slaves of Allaah, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, My slaves (i.e. the true believers of Islamic Monotheism) — you have no authority over them. And All-Sufficient is your Lord as a Guardian” [al-Israa’ 17:65]

During the Jaahiliyyah the Arabs were well aware of this and mentioned it in their poetry. For example, the poet al-A’shaa likened his she-camel’s energy to that of one who was touched by the jinn, and said that it was the jinn who was giving her her energy.

As regards the causes of epilepsy, Ibn Taymiyah explained (in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 19/39) the causes. He said: “When the jinn touch a person with epilepsy, it may be because of desire or love, just as happens between one human and another… or it may – as is usually the case – be because of hatred and punishment, such as when a person has harmed them or they think that he has harmed them deliberately, either by urinating on them or pouring hot water on them or killing them, even if the person did that unknowingly. There are ignorant and wrongdoing ones among the jinn who may punish a person more than he deserves, or they may be playing with him and mistreating him, like foolish people among mankind.”

And I say: the way to save oneself from this is to remember Allaah and speak His Name at the beginning of all things, as it was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to mention Allaah in many cases, such as when eating, drinking, mounting his riding-beast, taking off his clothes for any reason, having intercourse and so on…

As regards treatment (of one whose body has been entered by the jinn), Ibn Taymiyah said (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 19/42): “When the jinn attack a person, they should be told of the rulings of Allaah and His Messenger, proof should be established against them, and they should be commanded to do what is good and told not to do what is evil, just as should be done in the case of people, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning)’ [al-Israa’ 17:15].” Then he said: “If the jinn does not leave after being addressed in this manner, then it is permissible to rebuke him, tell him off, threaten him and curse him, as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did with the Shaytaan when he came with a falling star to throw it in his face, and the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I seek refuge with Allaah from you and I curse you with the curse of Allaah” – three times. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari).We may also seek help against the jinn by remembering Allaah (dhikr) and reciting Qur’aan, especially Aayat al-Kursi. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever recites it will remain under the protection of Allaah and no shaytaan (devil) will be able to approach him until the morning.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari). And al-Mi’wadhatayn (the last two soorahs of the Qur’aan) may also be recited.

As for psychiatrists who do not treat the epileptic in the manner described, they cannot do him any good at all.

This issue may be discussed in much more detail, but what we have said here is sufficient for those who want to know a little about this matter, Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds.

Masaa’il wa rasaa’il, Muhammad Mahmoud al-Najdi, p. 23

Ref: http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/1819

The authors of the Six Books

The authors of the Six Books

Who are the authors of the Six Books, and are there any da’eef (weak) ahaadeeth in their books?

The Praise be to Allah.

The authors of the Six Books are:

1- Imam al-Bukhaari

2- Imam Muslim

3- Imam Abu Dawood

4- Imam al-Tirmidhi

5- Imam al-Nasaa’i

6- Imaam Ibn Maajah

There follow brief details about each of them.

1 – Imam al-Bukhaari

His full name was Abu ‘Abd-Allaah Muhammad ibn Ismaa’eel ibn Ibraaheem ibn al-Mugheerah ibn Bardizbah al-Ja’fi al-Bukhaari. His grandfather al-Mugheerah was a freed slave of al-Yamaan al-Ja’fi, the governor of Bukhaarah, so he took his name after he became Muslim. Imam al-Bukhaari was born in Bukhaara in 194 AH. He grew up an orphan and started to memorize ahaadeeth before he was ten years old. When he was a young man he set out to travel to Makkah and perform the obligation of Hajj. He stayed in Makkah for a while, studying under the imams of fiqh, usool and hadeeth. Then he began to travel around, going from one Islamic region to another, for sixteen years in all. He visited many centers of knowledge where he collected ahaadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) until he had compiled more than 600,000 ahaadeeth. He referred to one thousand scholars of hadeeth and discussed these reports with them. These scholars were people who were known for their sincerity, piety and sound belief. From this huge number of ahaadeeth he compiled his book al-Saheeh, following the most precise scientific guidelines in his research as to their authenticity and in distinguishing the saheeh (sound) from the weak, and in finding out about the narrators, until he recorded in his book the most sound of the sound, although it does not contain all the saheeh ahaadeeth. The book’s full title is al-Jaami’ al-Saheeh al-Musnad min Hadeeth Rasool-Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wa Sunanihi wa Ayaamihi.

The governor of Bukhaara wanted al-Bukhaari to come to his house to teach his children and read ahaadeeth to them. But al-Bukhaari refused and wrote to him: “Knowledge is to be sought in its own house,” meaning that knowledge is to be sought not summoned. Whoever wanted to learn from the scholars should go to them in the mosque or in their houses. So the governor bore a grudge against him and ordered that he be expelled from Bukhaara. So he went to the village of Khartank which is near Samarqand, where he had relatives, and he settled there until he died in 256 AH at the age of 62. May Allaah have mercy upon him.

2 – Imam Muslim

His full name was Muslim ibn al-Hajjaaj ibn Muslim al-Qushayri al-Nisapoori Abu’l-Husayn. He is one of the leading scholars of hadeeth and one of the most knowledgeable. He was born in Nisapoor on the day that Imam al-Shaafa’i died in 204 AH. He studied in Nisapoor, and when he grew up he traveled to Iraq and the Hijaaz to learn hadeeth. He heard ahaadeeth from many shaykhs, and many scholars of hadeeth narrated from him. The most famous of his books is his Saheeh which is known as Saheeh Muslim. This is one of the six reliable books of hadeeth. He spent nearly fifteen years compiling this book, which is second only to Saheeh al-Bukhaari in status and in the strength of its ahaadeeth. Many scholars have written commentaries on his Saheeh.

His books also include Kitaab al-Tabaqaat, Kitaab al-Jaami’ and Kitaab al-Asma’, and others which exist in printed and manuscript form. He died in the city of Nasarabad, near Nisapoor, in 261 AH, at the age of 57. May Allaah have mercy on him.

3 – Imam Abu Dawood

His full name was Sulaymaan ibn al-Ash’ath ibn Shaddaad ibn ‘Amr ibn Ishaaq ibn Basheer al-Azdi al-Sajistani, from Sajistan. Abu Dawood was the leading hadeeth scholar of his age. He is the author of al-Sunan, which is one of the six reliable books of hadeeth. He was born in 202 AH. He traveled to Baghdad where he met Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and stayed with him; he also looked like him. He also traveled to the Hijaz, Iraq, Khurasaan, Syria, Egypt and the borders of the Islamic world. Al-Nasaa’i, al-Tirmidhi and others narrated hadeeth from him. He attained the highest degree of piety and righteousness. His book al-Sunan includes more than 5300 ahaadeeth.

The caliph Abu Ahmad Talhah (al-Muwaffaq al-‘Abbaasi) asked three things of him: the first was that he should move to Basrah and settle there, so that seekers of knowledge could come to him, thus bringing more people to settle there. The second was that he should teach al-Sunan to his children. The third was that he should give exclusive classes to his children, for the children of the caliph should not sit with the common people. Abu Dawood said to him: As for the first, yes; as for the second, yes; as for the third, no way, because all people are equal when it comes to knowledge. So the sons of al-Muwaffaq al-‘Abbaasi used to attend his lessons, and they would sit with a screen between them and the people. He remained in Basrah until he died in 275 AH. May Allaah have mercy on him.

4 – Imam al-Tirmidhi

His full name was Muhammad ibn ‘Eesa ibn Soorah ibn Moosa ibn al-Dahhaak al-Salami al-Tirmidhi, Abu Eesa. He came from Tirmidh, once of the cities of Transoxiana, after which he was named. He was one of the leading scholars of hadeeth and memorization of hadeeth. He was born in 209 AH and studied under al-Bukhaari; they had some of the same teachers. He began to seek ahaadeeth by travelling to Khurasaan, Iraq and the Hijaz. He became famous for his memorization of hadeeth, trustworthiness and knowledge. His shaykhs included Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Abu Dawood al-Sajistani. He compiled al-Jaami’ which is counted as one of the six reliable books of hadeeth. In this book he examined the ahaadeeth in detail, which is of benefit to students of fiqh, because he mentions the ahaadeeth and most of his ahaadeeth deal with rulings of fiqh. He mentions the isnaads and lists the Sahaabah who narrated the hadeeth, so what he believes is saheeh he says is saheeh, and what he believes is da’eef he says is da’eef. He explains who among the fuqaha’ accepted the hadeeth and who did not. His Jaami’ is the most comprehensive of the books of al-Sunan, and is the most useful to the muhaddith (hadeeth scholar) and faqeeh. His other works include Kitaab al-Shamaa’il al-Nabawiyyah and al-‘Ilal fi’l-Hadeeth. He was blind for the latter part of his life, after he had travelled around and compiled saheeh reports from prominent and well-versed scholars. He died in 279 AH at the age of 70. May Allaah have mercy on him.

5 – Imam al-Nasaa’i

His full name was Ahmad ibn Shu’ayb ibn ‘Ali ibn Sinaan ibn Bahr ibn Dinar al-Nasaa’i, Abu ‘Abd al-Rahmaan. He came from the city of Nasa in Khurasaan, after which he was named (Nasawi or Nasaa’i). He was born in 215 AH, and he was one of the leading scholars and muhaddiths of his time. His comments on al-jarh wa’l-ta’deel (the study of the soundness or otherwise of narrators of hadeeth) are highly esteemed by the scholars. Al-Haakim said: I heard Abu’l-Hasan al-Daaraqutni say more than once, “Abu ‘Abd al-Rahmaan is the foremost among all scholars of hadeeth, and he is the best evaluator of narrators of his time.”

He was extremely pious and righteous, and he used to regularly observe the best kind of fasting (the fasting of Dawood), he used to fast on alternate days. He lived in Egypt, where his books became famous and people learned from him. Then he moved to Damascus, where he died on Monday 13 Safar 300 AH, at the age of 85. May Allaah have mercy on him.

6 – Imam Ibn Maajah

His full name was Muhammad ibn Yazeed al-Rab’i al-Qazwayni, Abu ‘Abd-Allaah. His father Yazeed was known as Maajah, so he was known as Ibn Maajah. The name al-Rab’i refers to Rabee’ah, after whom he was named because his father was a freed slave of Rabee’ah . He was a famous hafiz and the author of the book of hadeeth called al-Sunan. He was born in Qazwayn, after which he was named, in 209 AH. He travelled to Iraq, Basrah, Kufa, Baghdad, Makkah, Syria, Egypt and al-Rai to write down hadeeth. He wrote three books during his travels: a book on Tafseer; a book on history, in which he compiled the reports of men who had written down reports of the Sunnah from the time of the Sahaabah until his own time; and his book al-Sunan. Ibn Maajah died on Monday 22 Ramadaan 273 AH, at the age of 64. May Allaah have mercy on him.

Ruling on the ahaadeeth in these books:

With regard to Saheeh al-Bukhaari and Saheeh Muslim, the ummah accepts the ahaadeeth that are contained in these books, and they are agreed that everything in them is saheeh apart from a very few phrases which al-Bukhaari and Muslim narrated in order to explain why they are not sound, either explicitly or implicitly, as the scholars who wrote commentaries on these two books, such as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him), have explained. With regard to the other books of Sunan, they are not free of some da’eef (weak) ahaadeeth here and there. Some of them are noted as such by the authors themselves, and others have been pointed out by other scholars. They did not point out all the weak ahaadeeth, because they narrated the ahaadeeth with their isnaads, so it is easy for the scholars to tell the saheeh ahaadeeth from the da’eef by checking the chain of narrators and knowing who is reliable and who is weak.

Among the famous scholars in this field were Ahmad, al-Daraqutni, Yahya ibn Ma’een, Ibn Hajar, al-Dhahabi, al-Waaqi and al-Sakhaawi. Among the contemporary scholars in this field are al-Albaani, Ahmad Shaakir and others. May Allaah have mercy on them all.

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

Ref: http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/21523

Introduction to the Muwatta’ of Imam Maalik

Introduction to the Muwatta’ of Imam Maalik

How many ahaadeeth are there in the Muwatta’ of Imam Maalik?.

Praise be to Allaah.

This is a brief introduction of the book entitled Muwatta’ al-Imam Maalik; we ask Allaah to benefit us thereby.

Firstly:

Al-Muwatta’ is one of the great books of Islam which includes a number of marfoo’ ahaadeeth and mawqoof reports from the Sahaabah, Taabi’een and those who came after them. It also includes many rulings and fatwas of the author.

The Muwatta’ is so called because its author made it easy (watta’a) for the people in the sense that he made it easily accessible to them.

It was narrated that Maalik said: I showed this book of mine to seventy of the fuqaha’ of Madeenah, and all of them agreed with me (waata’ani) on it, so I called it al-Muwatta’.

Secondly:

The reason why it was compiled: Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (may Allaah have mercy on him) stated in al-Istidhkaar (1/168) that Abu Ja’far al-Mansoor said to Imam Maalik: “O Maalik, make a book for the people that I can make them follow, for there is no one today who is more knowledgeable than you.” Imam Maalik responded to his request, but he refused to force all the people to adhere to it.

Thirdly:

Imam Maalik read the Muwatta’ to people for forty years, adding to it, taking away from it and improving it. So his students heard it from him or read it to him during that time. So the reports in al-Muwatta’ are many and varied because of what the Imam did of editing his book. Some of his students narrated from him before it was edited, some during the process, and some at the end of his life. Some of them transmitted it in full whilst others narrated part of it. So a number of transmissions of the Muwatta’ became well known, the most important of which are:

The transmission of Yahya ibn Yahya al-Masmoodi al-Laythi (234 AH). This is the most famous transmission from Imam Maalik, and most of the scholars based their commentaries on it.

The transmission of Abu Mus’ab al-Zuhri, which is distinguished by the additions contained therein. It is the last version transmitted from Maalik and it is still in circulation among the scholars.

The transmission of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Maslamah al-Qa’nabi (221 AH). This is the largest version of the Muwatta’, and ‘Abd-Allaah is one of the soundest of people with regard to the Muwatta’, according to Ibn Ma’een, al-Nasaa’i and Ibn al-Madeeni.

The transmission of Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybaani.

The transmission of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Salamah al-Fahri al-Masri.

And there are many others. Shaykh Muhammad Fu’aad ‘Abd al-Baaqi (may Allaah have mercy on him) spoke about the narrators of the Muwatta’ and discussed fourteen versions of it, in his introduction to the edition of the Muwatta’ that he edited (pp. 6-16).

These versions differ in the order of the books and chapters, and in the number of marfoo’, mursal, and mawqoof ahaadeeth. The wording of the ahaadeeth also differs greatly.

Fourthly:

The number of ahaadeeth in the Muwatta’ differs from one version to another, and according to the system of numbering [?]. That is because some scholars counted every report from the Sahaabah or Taabi’een as a separate hadeeth, whilst others did not count them in their numbering. Hence it is sufficient for us to mention the numbers that are mentioned in some of the edited versions of the Muwatta’, which are:

The version transmitted by Yahya al-Laythi (which is the most famous version, and this is what is usually meant by al-Muwatta’): It was numbered by Shaykh Khaleel Sheeha, and the number of ahaadeeth that he counted was 1942, including both marfoo’ and mawqoof reports.

The version transmitted by Abu Mus’ab al-Zuhri was numbered in the edition published by the Mu’sasat al-Risaalah. The number of hadeeth in this edition is 3069, which includes everything, even the words of Imam Maalik, hence the number is greater.

Fifthly:

The conditions he followed in his book are among the most reliable and strongest of conditions. He followed a method of erring on the side of caution and choosing only sound reports.

Al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: There is nothing on earth after the Book of Allaah that is more correct that the Muwatta’ of Maalik ibn Anas.

It was narrated that al-Rabee’ said: I heard al-Shaafa’i say: If Maalik was uncertain about a hadeeth he would reject it altogether.

Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah said: May Allaah have mercy on Maalik, how strict he was in his evaluation of men (narrators of hadeeth).

Al-Istidhkaar (1/166); al-Tamheed (1/68)

Hence you will find that many of the isnaads of Maalik are of the highest standard of saheeh. Because of this, the two Shaykhs al-Bukhaari and Muslim narrated most of his ahaadeeth in their books.

Note: Imam al-Shaafa’i made the comment quoted above before al-Bukhaari and Muslim wrote their books, as was noted by al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) in his summary of ‘Uloom al-Hadeeth (pp. 24-25).

Sixthly:

In compiling his book, Maalik followed the method of compilation that was current during his time, so he mixed the hadeeths with the words of the Sahaabah and Taabi’een and fiqhi opinions. The reports of the Sahaabah number 613 and the reports of the Taabi’een number 285. In one chapter the marfoo’ ahaadeeth appear first, and are followed by the reports of the Sahaabah and Taabi’een, and sometimes he mentions the actions of the people of Madeenah, so his book is a book of fiqh and hadeeth at the same time, it is not just a book of reports only. Hence you will find that some chapters have no reports, rather they contain the views of the fuqaha’ and the actions and ijtihaad of the people of Madeenah. An example of that is the chapter on produce on which no zakaah is due, and the chapter on the fast of one who kills another by mistake, and so on.

We also find that it is limited to sections on fiqh, etiquette and the actions of day and night. There is nothing in his book about Tawheed, zuhd (asceticism), the Resurrection, stories and tafseer.

See: al-Fikr al-Manhaji ‘inda al-Muhadditheen by Dr Humaam Sa’eed, p. 111-118; Manaahij al-Muhadditheen by Dr Yaasir al-Shimaali , p. 285ff; Muqaddimah Tahqeeq al-Muwatta’, ed. Fu’aad ‘Abd al-Baaqi.

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

Ref: http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/81160