Hadith-e-Ghadeer: Albaani vs Ibne Taymiyyah

Nasir al-Deen Albaani is counted among the prominent Salafi scholars of the present era. He has authored numerous books. He was deeply concerned with the prevalence of weak and unreliable traditions. To filter the unreliable narrations, he compiled an encyclopedia of traditions called ‘Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth al-Saheehah’. According to him, all traditions mentioned therein are reliable.

One comes across another work along with Albaani’s research, which illustrates thus:

‘Regarding the narration of Ghadeer — this Hadeeth is among the reliable (Saheeh) traditions narrated by several companions (Sahaaba).[1]

Albaani has recorded in Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth al-Saheehah:

Hadeeth of Ghadeer has been narrated by Zaid Ibn Arqam, Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqaas, Buraydah Ibn Hasib, Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.), Abu Ayyub Ansari, Buraa Ibn Aazib, Abdullah Ibn Abbas, Anas Ibn Maalik, Abu Saeed Khudri and Abu Hurayrah.

Commentary:

1. Hadeeth-e-Ghadeer has been narrated by five distinct chains of narrators ending in Zaid Ibn Arqam. Each chain is considered reliable by scholars of Rejaal.

1. Abu al-Tufayl (has narrated) from Zaid Ibn Arqam
2. Maimoon Abu Abdillah from Zaid Ibn Arqam
3. Abu Sulaiman Muazzin from Zaid Ibn Arqam
4. Yahya Ibn Zodah from Zaid Ibn Arqam
5. Atiyyah Aufi from Zaid Ibn Arqam

1. This tradition has been narrated from Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqaas in three distinct chains; again each chain is considered reliable.

1. Abdul Rahman Ibn Baasit from Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqaas
2. Abul Waahid Ibn Aiman from Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqaas
3. Khaithama Ibn Abd al-Rahman from Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqaas

1. The tradition of Ghadeer has reached us from Buraydah Ibn Hasib in three chains, all reliable.

1. Ibn Abbas from Buraydah Ibn Hasib
2. Ibn Buraydah from Buraydah Ibn Hasib
3. Taoos from Buraydah Ibn Hasib

1. The Ghadeer tradition has been narrated by Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) vide nine chains of narrators, all of whom are reliable.

1. Amr Ibn Saeed from Imam Ali (a.s.)
2. Zaadaan Ibn Umar from Imam Ali (a.s.)
3. Saeed Ibn Wahb from Imam Ali (a.s.)
4. Zaid Ibn Yasha from Imam Ali (a.s.)
5. Shaarik from Imam Ali (a.s.)
6. Abd al-Rahman Ibn Abi Yalaa from Imam Ali (a.s.)
7. Abu Maryam from Imam Ali (a.s.)
8. From one of the companions of Imam Ali (a.s.)
9. Talha Ibn Masraf from Imam Ali (a.s.)

In addition to the above:

1. Riyah Ibn Haaris has narrated from Abu Ayyub Ansari and the entire chain of narrators is trustworthy.
2. Adi Ibn Saabit has narrated from Buraa Ibn Aazib. All the narrators in the chain are reliable.
3. Ibn Abbas has been quoted by Amr Ibn Maimoon and the entire chain of narrators is reliable.
4. Ghumairah Ibn Sa’d has narrated from all three viz. Anas Ibn Malik, Abu Saeed and Abu Hurayrah. The entire chain of narrators is trustworthy.

The comment of Nasir al-Deen Albaani, after noting the various chains of the Hadeeth-e-Ghadeer and accepting it as trustworthy, is both profound and introspective.

He asserts:

‘It should be noted that the purpose behind the in-depth discussion of the Ghadeer tradition and providing the proofs of its reliability is my observation of Shaikh al-Islam Ibne Taymiyyah’s view regarding the Hadeeth of Ghadeer. He (Ibne Taymiyyah) states: The first part of the Ghadeer narration is weak (i.e. unreliable) and the remaining part is null and void…and in my opinion the comment of Shaikh al- Islam is superficial. In an inordinate haste to arrive at a conclusion about the weakness of the hadith of Ghadeer, he ignored taking into consideration the reliability of its chains of narrators.[2]

NOTE:

The confession of Sheikh Nasir al-Deen Albaani with regards to the reliable nature of the Hadeeth of Ghadeer underscores the fact that there is no deceit or error in the transmission of the tradition of Ghadeer. His comment on Shaikh al-Islam Ibne Taymiyyah’s view on the Hadeeth i.e. ‘the first part of the Ghadeer narration is weak (unreliable) and the remaining part is null and void…’ is that Shaikh al-Islam has made an inaccurate conclusion and bent on disguising truth as falsehood.  Clearly, his intent is to mislead generations of Muslims and ruin their hereafter.

[1] Al- Sunnah of Ibn Abi Aasim baa Tehqeeq al-Albaani, v. 2, p. 566

[2] Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth al-Saheehah, H. No.1750