Question:
What is the status and meaning of this hadith if it is sahih?
إِنَّ سُنَّتَنَا النِّكَاحُ، شِرَارُكُمْ عُزَّابُكُمْ، وَأَرَاذِلُ مَوْتَاكُمْ عُزَّابُكُمْ
“Indeed, among our Sunnah is getting married. The most depraved among you is the singles and the most hideous corpse is the one who is single among you.”
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.
Allah SWT created men and women and sanctioned them both with marriage. This is in accordance with the saying of Allah SWT:
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِّتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed, in that are signs for a people who give thought.
Surah al-Rum (21)
In addition, the original or general rule for marriage is Sunnah because it is closely related to human nature (fitrah) and a need for a human being. [See: al-Muktamad, 16/4]
Hence, this series of Irsyad al-Hadith tries to explain first on the status of this hadith before going further to its meaning:
Pertaining to the source of this hadith, it is part of a lengthy hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal in his Musnad from Abu Zar RA with a long text (matn).
Also, Imam al-Thabarani brought two narrations which part of the matn (text) is narrated by Abu Hurairah RA in al-Mu’jam al-Awsath and the long version is narrated by ‘Ukkaf bin Wada’ah al-Hilaliy RA in al-Mu’jam al-Kabir.
While pertaining to its status, here we try to cite some opinion and evaluation from the scholars and intellectuals in the science of hadith pertaining to this hadith:
- Imam Ibn al-Jawzi (597 H) evaluated the narration from Abu Hurairah RA as not sahih. [See: al-Mawdhu’at, 258/2]
- Imam al-Haithami (807 H) stated that the narration from Abu Zar RA consists of a narrator who is not known while the rest of the narrators are thiqah (trustworthy). [See: Majma’ al-Zawaid, 250/4]. While pertaining to the narration from ‘Ukkaf bin Wada’ah RA, there is a dhaif (weak) narrator in its sanad which is Mu’awiyah bin Yahya al-Sadafiy, while for the narration from Abu Hurairah RA, there is a narrator who is matruk (narrators whose narration is abandoned) in its sanad. [See: Majma’ al-Zawaid, 251/4]
- Imam al-Fattani (986 H) evaluated both sanad of the hadith (narration from Abu Hurairah RA and Abu Zar RA) that there are narrators who are dhaif and matruk. The same is for the claim that whoever encounters this chapter (chapter on being single) will not be free from any claim of it being dhaif and disagreed, but not to the extent of being fabricated. [See: al-Mawdhu’at, 125]
- Sheikh Shu’aib al-Arna’outh (1438 H) evaluated the sanad of this hadith as dhaif because there is a narrator who is not known and clash with other hadith. [See: Musnad Ahmad, 355/35]
After looking on several opinions of the scholars from the above, we are inclined to the opinion which states that the above hadith is dhaif, but not to the level of being fabricated. However, it should be understood better so that there will be no misunderstanding towards the unmarried people and it is best to not say with certainty that this comes from the Prophet PBUH.
The Meaning of Hadith
Among the meaning of this hadith is as mentioned by Imam al-San’ani (1182 H) when commenting on the hadiths in al-Jami’ al-Saghir that a single man means a man without a wife and for woman is the one without a husband. Single people are said as depraved because they open themselves to the possibility of harm (sinful acts) and not being safe from any fitnah even if he is a pious man. This is also mentioned by Imam al-Baihaqi. Besides, they are said as hideous corpse because they are unable to receive many rewards and honour from Allah SWT. [See: al-Tanwir Syarh al-Jami’ al-Saghir, 49/6]
However, we cannot have the perception that single persons are all the worst or most heinous of human. This is because, quite a number of past scholars did not marry including prominent figures in Islam. Besides, Sheikh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah (1417 H) wrote and gathered names of scholars who never marry in a specific book which is “العلماء العزاب” like Imam al-Nawawi (676 H). Hence, what may be understood from this hadith is that a heinous single person is one who has the capability to get married but was still involved or commits prohibited acts like adultery and etc.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the hadith which states on the depravity of being single is a dhaif hadith, but not to the extent of being mawdu’ (fake/fabricated) as what we mentioned above. Besides, our advice is for those who are capable to get married in order to protect himself from getting involved in actions which lead the wrath of Allah. Lastly, may Allah SWT protect us from committing sins as well as makes us from among His servants who are successful in the world and the hereafter. Ameen.
Wallahua’lam.