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Please, tell me about the authenticity of the following hadith .. and also tell me is there any thing wrong in this hadith ?

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please, tell me about the authenticity of the following hadith .. and also tell me is there any thing wrong in this hadith ?

Umar ibn al-Khattab said:

As we sat one day with the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), a man in pure white clothing and jet black hair came to us, without a trace of travelling upon him, though none of us knew him.

He sat down before the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) bracing his knees against his, resting his hands on his legs, and said: "Muhammad, tell me about Islam." The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: "Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and to perform the prayer, give zakat, fast in Ramadan, and perform the pilgrimage to the House if you can find a way."

He said: "You have spoken the truth," and we were surprised that he should ask and then confirm the answer. Then he said: "Tell me about true faith (iman)," and the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) answered: "It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His inspired Books, His messengers, the Last Day, and in destiny, its good and evil."

"You have spoken the truth," he said, "Now tell me about the perfection of faith (ihsan)," and the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) answered: "It is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you see Him not, He nevertheless sees you."

He said: "Now tell me about the Hour." The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) answered: "The one who is asked about it does knows no more than the questioner."

He said: "Then tell me about its signs." The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace answered: "That a slave girl shall give birth to her mistress, and that you see barefoot, naked, destitute shepherds vying to build tall buildings."

Then the visitor left. I waited a long while, and the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said to me, "Do you know, ‘Umar, who was the questioner?" and I replied, "Allah and His messenger know best." He said,

"It was Gabriel, who came to you to teach you your religion" (Sahih Muslim, 1.37: hadith 8). 

 

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Answer:

 

Authenticity of hadith Jibrael

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Your Question: please, tell me about the authenticity of the following hadith .. and also tell me is there any thing wrong in this hadith ?
To the best of our knowledge the exact translation of the above quoted hadith from Sahih Muslim is a part of the following narration:

 

Sahih Muslim Hadith 1 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab

It is narrated on the authority of Yahya ibn Ya'mar that the first man who discussed Qadr (Divine Decree) in Basrah was Ma'bad al-Juhani. Humayd ibn AbdurRahman al-Himyari and I set out for Pilgrimage or for Umrah and said: ‘Should it so happen that we come into contact with one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (saws) we shall ask him about what is talked about Taqdir (Division Decree).’ Accidentally we came across Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab, while he was entering the mosque. My companion and I surrounded him. One of us (stood) on his right and the other stood on his left. I expected that my companion would authorize me to speak. I therefore said: ‘O AbuAbdurRahman! There have appeared some people in our land who recite the Holy Qur'an and pursue knowledge.’ And then after talking about their affairs, added: ‘They (such people) claim that there is no such thing as Divine Decree and events are not predestined.’ He (Abdullah ibn Umar) said: ‘When you happen to meet such people tell them that I have nothing to do with them and they have nothing to do with me. And verily they are in no way responsible for my (belief).’ Abdullah ibn Umar swore by Him (the Lord) (and said): ‘If any one of them (who does not believe in the Divine Decree) had with him gold equal to the bulk of (the mountain) Uhud and then spend it (in the way of Allah), Allah would not accept it unless he affirmed his faith in Divine Decree.’ He further said: ‘My father, Umar ibn al-Khattab, told me: ‘One day we were sitting in the company of Allah's Messenger (saws) when there appeared before us a man dressed in pure white clothes, his hair extraordinarily black. There were no signs of travel on him. None amongst us recognized him. At last he sat with the Messenger of Allah (saws). He knelt before him, placed his palms on his thighs, and said: ‘O Muhammad, inform me about al-Islam.’ The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘Al-Islam implies that you testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and you establish prayer, pay Zakat, observe the fast of Ramadan, and perform pilgrimage to the (House) if you are solvent enough (to bear the expense of) the journey.’ He (the inquirer) said: ‘You have told the truth.’ He (Umar ibn al-Khattab) said: ‘It amazed us that he would put the question and then he would himself verify the truth.’ He (the inquirer) said: ‘Inform me about Iman (Faith).’ He (the Holy Prophet (sawsa)) replied: ‘That you affirm your faith in Allah, in His Angels, in His Books, in His Prophets, in the Day of Judgment, and you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil.’ He (the inquirer) said: ‘You have told the truth.’ He (the inquirer) again said: ‘Inform me about ‘Al-Ihsan’ (performance of good deeds).’ He (the Holy Prophet (saws)) said: ‘That you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, for though you don't see Him, He, verily, sees you.’ He (the enquirer) again said: ‘Inform me about the Hour.’ He (the Holy Prophet (saws)) remarked: ‘One who is asked knows no more than the one who is inquiring (about it).’ He (the inquirer) said: ‘Tell me some of its indications.’ He (the Holy Prophet (saws)) said: ‘That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and master, that you will find barefooted, destitute goat-herds vying with one another in the construction of magnificent buildings.’ He (the narrator, Umar ibn al-Khattab) said: ‘Then he (the inquirer) went on his way but I stayed with him (the Holy Prophet(saws)) for a long while. He (saws) then, said to me: ‘O Umar, do you know who this inquirer was?’ I replied: ‘Allah and His Messenger (saws) know best.’ He (the Holy Prophet (saws)) remarked: ‘He was Jibrael (a.s.). He came to you in order to instruct you in matters of religion!’

 

A very similar narration with a slight change of sequence of the above quoted narration from Sahih Muslim, popularly known as ‘Hadith Jibrael’, is also found in the collection of Sahih Al-Bukhari narrated by Abu Hurairah, and considered absolutely authentic according to the criteria of both Muslim and Bukhari.

 

Your Question: ……and also tell me is there any thing wrong in this hadith ?
When any hadith has been accepted as authentic according to the criteria of both, Muslim and Bukhari, it is what is termed by the scholars as ‘Muttaffiq-un-alayh’ or ‘unanimously agreed upon’ by two of the most authentic and respected recorders of hadiths, Imam Muslim and Imam Bukhari.

 

To the best of our knowledge, there is absolutely nothing ‘wrong’ with the narration; and Allah Alone Knows Best.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your Brother in Islam,

 

 

Burhan

 


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