Question:
What is the status of the following hadith?
- Narrated by Zaid bin Arqam RA, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Indeed, I am leaving you two great inheritance; which are the Book of Allah (al-Quran) and my Ahl al-Bayt (family). If you hold on to them, you will never be led astray. Indeed, both are inseparable until they meet me at the well of al-Haudh.”
- I, myself heard that Abu Dzar RA said at the door of Kaaba: “O people, whoever knows me, indeed, I am known person amongst you and whoever defies me, remember that I am Abu Dzar. I heard the Prophet PBUH said: ‘The comparison of my Ahl al-Bayt is like the Prophet Noah AS’s ark. Whoever rides it will be saved and whoever abandons it will drown.’”
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
For the first hadith, the original text is as the following:
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ، - كُوفِيٌّ - حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ عَطِيَّةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، وَالأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ أَبِي ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَرْقَمَ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالاَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمْ مَا إِنْ تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدِي أَحَدُهُمَا أَعْظَمُ مِنَ الآخَرِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ حَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ وَعِتْرَتِي أَهْلُ بَيْتِي وَلَنْ يَتَفَرَّقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَىَّ الْحَوْضَ فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ تَخْلُفُونِي فِيهِمَا " . قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ .
This hadith is narrated by:
- Al-Imam al-Tirmidhi in his Sunan (3786) and (3788) in the chapter al-Manaqib.
- Al-Imam al-Nasa’ie in his Sunan al-Kubra (8148) and (8464)
- Al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (4711) while saying: This hadith has a sahih sanad according to the conditions of al-Bukhari and Muslim
- Also recorded by al-Imam al-Tabarani in al-Mu’jam al-Kabir (2678), (2679), (2680) and (4980). In Mu’jam al-Awsat (5536).
The commentaries upon this hadith:
Syeikh Nasiruddin al-Albani Rahimahullah evaluates this hadith as sahih in Silsilah al-Hadis al-Sahihah (1750) after evaluating other sanad for the hadith. Wallahua’lam.
For the second hadith, the original text is as follows:
سَمِعْتُ أَبَا ذَرٍّ، يَقُولُ: وَهُوَ آخِذٌ بِبَابِ الْكَعْبَةِ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، مَنْ عَرَفَنِي فَأَنَا مَنْ عَرَفْتُمْ، وَمَنْ أَنْكَرَنِي فَأَنَا أَبُو ذَرٍّ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «مَثَلُ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي مَثَلُ سَفِينَةِ نُوحٍ مَنْ رَكِبَهَا نَجَا، وَمَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا غَرِقَ
This hadith is narrated by:
- Al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (3312) & (4720). Al-Zahabi in Talkhis states that one of the narrators of this hadith is Mufaddhal bin Soleh is weak.
- Al-Imam al-Bazzar in his Musnad (5142) states we do not know of anyone who narrates it except al-Hassan bin Abi Ja’afar and al-Hassan is not someone who is proficient (in the science of hadith) and most scholars state this.
- Al-Imam al-Tabarani in Mu’jam al-Kabir (2636), (2638) & (12388). In Mu’jam al-Awsat (5536) & (5870).
Commentaries upon the hadith:
Syeikh Nasiruddin al-Albani Rahimahullah in Silsilah al-Ahadis al-Dho’ifah wa al-Mawdhu’ah (4503) rules this hadith as dha’if (weak). There are other syawahid narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas, Abdullah bin al-Zubayr, Abi Sai’d al-Khudri and Anas bin Malik R.Anhum. Even though there are other chain of narrators, still, all of the sanad are criticized where all of them are very weak and cannot strengthen one another. Wallahua’lam.