Will Isa (AS) descend from the Heaven? | Min as-Samaa in Al-Bazzar
Introduction
To prove that Isa (AS) is alive, Anti-Ahmadis dig far and wide. In the previous article, we showed how they did a blasphemous Tahrif (editing) in the manuscript of a hadith book to add the word, min as-Sama (from the heaven).
In this article, we will show how they finally managed to get a narration from Musnad al-Bazzar (Arabic: مسند البزار):
٩٦٤٢- حَدَّثَنا علي بن المنذر , حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّد بن فضيل , عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ كُلَيْبٍ , عَنْ أَبِيهِ , عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ , قال: سمعت من أبي القاسم الصادق المصدوق يقول يخرج الأعور الدجال مسيح الضلالة قبل المشرق في زمن اختلاف من الناس وفرقة فيبلغ ما شاء الله أن يبلغ من الأرض في أربعين يوما الله أعلم ما مقدارها؟ فيلقى المؤمنون شدة شديدة، ثم ينزل عيسى بن مريم صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ من السماء فيقوم الناس فإذا رفع رأسه من ركعته قال: سمع الله لمن حمده قتل الله الدجال وظهر المؤمنون فأحلف أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أبا القاسم الصادق المصدوق صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قال: إنه لحق وأما قريب فكل ما هو آت قريب.
9642 – Ali ibn al-Mundhir narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Fudayl narrated to us, from ‘Asim ibn Kulayb, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
“I heard from Abu al-Qasim, the Truthful, the Confirmed [Prophet Muhammad ﷺ], saying: ‘The one-eyed Dajjal (Antichrist), the messiah of misguidance, will emerge from the East during a time of disagreement and division among people. He will reach whatever Allah wills him to reach of the earth in forty days – Allah knows best their duration. The believers will face severe hardship. Then Jesus, son of Mary, peace be upon him, will descend from the heaven. When people stand [for prayer] and he raises his head from his bow (ruku’), he will say: “Allah hears those who praise Him,” [and then] Allah will kill the Dajjal and the believers will prevail.’
I swear that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Abu al-Qasim, the Truthful, the Confirmed ﷺ, said: ‘Indeed, this is the truth. As for [it being] near, everything that is coming is near.'”
[Musnad al-Bazzar 9642]
Refutation
Addition of Narrator
When we examine hadith literature about the descent (nuzul) of Isa (AS), we find numerous narrations mentioning his “descent” but none of the versions have the words “from the heavens” (min as-samaa) – until we encounter this particular narration in Musnad al-Bazzar.
Interestingly, this same version of the hadith with very similar chain and exact wording is found in many ahadith book like Sahih Ibn Hibban but DOES NOT have the words “from the heavens” (min as-samaa).
Sahih Ibn Hibban
أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو يَعْلَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا صَالِحُ بْنُ عُمَرَ* قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَاصِمُ بْنُ كُلَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَقُولُ أُحَدِّثُكُمْ مَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ الصَّادِقِ الْمَصْدُوقِ حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ الصَّادِقُ الْمَصْدُوقُ «إِنَّ الْأَعْوَرَ الدَّجَّالَ مَسِيحَ الضَّلَالَةِ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمَشْرِقِ فِي زَمَانِ اخْتِلَافٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَفُرْقَةٍ فَيَبْلُغُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ فِي أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ مَا مِقْدَارُهَا اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ مَا مِقْدَارُهَا مَرَّتَيْنِ وَيُنَزِّلُ اللَّهُ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ فَيَؤُمُّهُمْ فَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرَّكْعَةِ قَالَ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ قَتَلَ اللَّهُ الدَّجَّالَ وَأَظْهَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ»
Asim ibn Kulayb, on the authority of his father, who said, I heard Abu Hurayrah say, I narrate to you what I heard from the Messenger of Allah, the Truthful, the Believed.
The Messenger of Allah, the Truthful, the Believed said: “The one-eyed Dajjal, the false messiah, will emerge from the direction of the east during a time of difference and division among the people. He will reach whatever point on earth Allah wills in forty days—Allah knows best their length—Allah knows best their length—twice. And Allah will send down Isa, son of Mary, and he will lead them in prayer. When he raises his head from the bowing position [in prayer], he will say, ‘Allah has heard the one who praises Him. Allah has killed the Dajjal and given victory to the believers.’”
[Sahih Ibn Hibban 6812]
It proves that these words are an addition of the 1 or 2 different narrators in Musnad al-Bazzar. Here are the chains for both narration to easily visualize.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
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Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه)
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Kulayb
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Asim ibn Kulayb
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┌─────────┴──────────┐
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[Musnad al-Bazzar] [Ibn Hibban]
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Muhammad ibn Fudayl Diff narrator
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Ali ibn al-Mundhir Diff narrator
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✅ Has Heaven ❌ NO HeavenAs you can notice, there are 2 different narrators after Asim bin Kulayb. If the words ‘from the heavens’ were said by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), then either Abu Huraira (RA), Kulaib, or Asim bin Kulayb would have mentioned it.
Since they did not, it is assumed that the words are an addition of either of the 2 narrators, or an addition by al-Bazzar while writing.
Musnad Ishaq ibn Rahwayh
This narration is also found in another hadith collection from very early Islam. Abu Yaqub Ishaq ibn Ibrahim ibn Mukhallad ibn Ibrahim al-Hanthali al-Marwazi, known as Ibn Rahawayh (d. 238 AH) collected this narration in his Musnad and does not contain the words ‘Samaa’ either.
أَخْبَرَنَا الْمَخْزُومِيُّ، نا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، نا عَاصِمُ بْنُ كُلَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي قَالَ،: كُنْتُ جَالِسًا مَعَ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فِي مَسْجِدِ الْكُوفَةِ: فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ: أَأَنْتَ الْقَائِلُ تُصَلِّي مَعَ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ، قَالَ: يَا أَهْلَ الْعِرَاقِ إِنِّي قَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنْ سَيُكَذِّبُونِي وَلَا يَمْنَعُنِي ذَلِكَ أَنْ أُحَدِّثَ بِمَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الصَّادِقُ الْمَصْدُوقُ أَنَّ الدَّجَّالَ يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ فِي حِينِ فُرْقَةٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَيَبْلُغُ كُلَّ مَبْلَغٍ فِي أَرْبَعَينَ يَوْمًا فَيُزِلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْهُ أَزَلًا شَدِيدًا، وَتَأْخُذُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِيهِ شِدَّةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ، فَينْزِلُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ فَيُصَلِّي بِهِمْ فَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ أَهْلَكَ اللَّهُ الدَّجَّالَ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ، فَأَمَّا قَوْلِي إِنَّهُ حَقٌّ، قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: وَهُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَمَّا قَوْلِي: إِنِّي أَطْمَعُ أَنْ أُدْرِكَ ذَلِكَ فَلَعَلِّي أَنْ أُدْرِكَهُ عَلَى مَا يُرَى مِنْ بَيَاضِ شَعْرِي وَرِقَّةِ جِلْدِي وَقَدْحِ مَوْلِدِي فَيَرْحَمُنِي اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فَأُدْرِكُهُ فَأُصَلِّي مَعَهُ، ارْجِعْ إِلَى أَهْلِكَ فَأَخْبِرَهُمْ بِمَا أَخْبَرَكَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ: أَيْنَ يَكُونَ ذَلِكَ؟ قَالَ: فَأَخَذَ حَصًى مِنْ مَسْجِدٍ، فَقَالَ: مِنْ هَاهُنَا وَأَعَادَ الرَّجُلُ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: أَتُرِيدُ أَنْ أَقُولَ مِنْ مَسْجِدِ الْكُوفَةِ، هُوَ يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُبَدَّلَ، يَجْعَلُهُ اللَّهُ حَيْثُ شَاءَ
Al-Makhzumi informed us, Abd al-Wahid ibn Ziyad narrated to us, Asim ibn Kulayb narrated to us, my father told me, he said: I was sitting with Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in the mosque of Kufa when a man came to him and said: “Are you the one who claims you will pray with Jesus son of Mary?”
He said: “O people of Iraq, I know that you will deny me, but that will not prevent me from narrating what I heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the truthful and trustworthy, told us that the Dajjal will emerge from the East during a time of division among people, and he will reach every place in forty days. The believers will be greatly disturbed by him, and severe hardship will befall the believers because of him. Then Jesus son of Mary will descend and lead them in prayer. When he raises his head from bowing, Allah will destroy the Dajjal and those with him.
As for my saying that this is true – the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said it, and it is the truth. As for my saying that I hope to witness this – perhaps I will witness it despite what you see of the whiteness of my hair, the thinness of my skin, and my advanced age, so Allah may have mercy on me and I will witness it and pray with him. Go back to your family and tell them what Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) has told you.”
The man said: “Where will this happen?” He took some pebbles from the mosque and said: “From here.” The man repeated his question to him, so he said: “Do you want me to say from the mosque of Kufa? He will emerge from the earth before it is transformed – Allah will place him wherever He wills.”
[Musnad Ishaq ibn Rahwayh 262]
Addition of publishers
Another possibility is that these words were not part of the manuscripts of the Musnad al-Bazzar but were added during the official publication of this book. Here is the description of the book by the famous Shamela.ws website and as you can see, it was published very recently; a 100 years after the death of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani (AS).
الكتاب: مسند البزار المنشور باسم البحر الزخار
المؤلف: أبو بكر أحمد بن عمرو بن عبد الخالق بن خلاد بن عبيد الله العتكي المعروف بالبزار (ت ٢٩٢ هـ)
المحقق: محفوظ الرحمن زين الله (جـ ١ – ٩)، عادل بن سعد (جـ ١٠ – ١٧)، صبري عبد الخالق الشافعي (جـ ١٨)
الناشر: مكتبة العلوم والحكم – المدينة المنورة
الطبعة: الأولى، (بدأت ١٩٨٨ م، وانتهت ٢٠٠٩ م)
عدد الأجزاء: ١٨
تنبيه: ترقيم أحاديث الجزء (١٨) غير متسلسل مع بقية الكتاب، وإنما جعل له المحقق ترقيما مستقلا
[ترقيم الكتاب موافق للمطبوع]Book: Musnad al-Bazzar, published as al-Bahr al-Zakhkhar
Author: Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Amr ibn Abd al-Khaliq ibn Khallad ibn Ubayd Allah al-Utaki, known as al-Bazzar (d. 292 AH)
Editor: Mahfuz al-Rahman Zayn Allah (volumes 1-9), Adil ibn Sa’d (volumes 10-17), Sabri Abd al-Khaliq al-Shafi’i (volume 18)
Publisher: Maktabat al-Ulum wa al-Hikam – Madinah al-Munawwarah
Edition: First (began 1988 CE, completed 2009 CE)
Number of volumes: 18
Note: The hadith numbering in volume 18 is not sequential with the rest of the book; rather, the editor gave it independent numbering. [The book numbering corresponds to the printed edition]
Conclusion
In conclusion, the words ‘samaa’ are an addition of a narrator or a mistake during publication of the book. As multiple ahadith books with similar Isnad (chain of narrators) do not contain these words.
Moreover, some of the scholars who quote al-Bazzar’s narration, do not always quote the words ‘samaa’ in it.
Finally, it is extremely entertaining to watch these guys scour through ahadith books to find 1 anomaly that aren’t even the words of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW).