Post by StudentOfTheDeen on Sept 20, 2015 20:35:49 GMT
Authenticity of the Narration
"Whosoever of My Nation Memorises Forty Hadith..."
By Shaykh Muhammad Wa'il al-Hanbali
Translated by Abu Dawud Mahbub ibn 'Abd al-Karim
The narration:
"Whosoever of my nation memorises forty hadith..."
is rejected (munkar), severely weak and can not be used as proof.
The statement of Imam al-Nawawi regarding it -
"It is weak despite its numerous routes"
- is succinct, it means: It is severely weak. This is because the weak narration is strengthened by multiplicity of routes, but as for this narration then it is not! Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar notes this as a principle in his Nukat 'ala ibn al-Salah:
"As an example of the severely weak hadith, is that which is not strengthened by its coming via numerous routes."
Indeed I have inferred this in my edition of al-Arba'un al-'Ajluniyya and I have mentioned its status and the first narrations of those who included it in their Arba'un works[1]. However, it is well known that the number forty frequently occurs in the Qur'an and Sunna and it has a sacred significance.
Written by Shaykh Muhammad Wa'il al-Hanbali[2]
Translator's Footnotes
[1] Arba'un works are collections of forty hadith. The compilation of forty hadith by scholars is something very common and there are many such collections.
[2] Hanbali is his family name. With regards to his madhab, Shaykh Wa'il al-Hanbali is a Hanafi.
See original Arabic HERE
