Give Bayah to Mahdi even if you have to crawl through snow – Did Albani call this hadith munkar?

Introduction

When Anti-Ahmadis cannot prove their beliefs from the Quran or the Ahadith, they go on their usual strategy i.e to waste the time of Ahmadis without coming to the core issues. One such allegation they make is that Albani, a well-known Muhaddith, called the following hadith to be Munkar (basically weak).

When you see him, pledge allegiance to him, even if you have to crawl on snow, for verily he is the khalifah of Allah, the Mahdi.

They claim that since Ahmadis sometime use this hadith to show the importance of accepting Imam Mahdi (AS), they are using weak ahadith for their beliefs.

Refutation

Firstly, Albani believes that this hadith is actually “Sahih in meaning”, except for the part that says “He is Khalifa of Allah” because it is something extra added later.

لكن الحديث صحيح المعنى؛ دون قوله : «فإن فيها خليفة الله المهدي

[Silsilah Ahaadeeth ad Da’ifah wal-Mawdu’ah, vol.1, pg. 197]

Secondly, quoting one scholar out of many, to prove that a certain hadith is weak is an immature argument. Such people should take a few classes in their Islamic schools before they do this.

Thirdly, even non-Ahmadi Muslims believe that rejecting Imam Mahdi (AS) amounts to Kufr and is one of the core beliefs in Islam. Thus, by rejecting the hadith, the Anti-Ahmadis are indirectly claiming that accepting or rejecting the Mahdi is a trivial matter.

Fourthly, this hadith is authentic as per numerous verses in the Quran and many ahadith. Even many Muhaditheen have declared this hadith to be Sahih like Ibn Kathir, Imam Hakim, Imam Qurtubi e.t.c. This is what the famous “Sunni”/Salafi website, IslamQA states:

“Three will fight one another for your treasure, each one of them the son of a caliph, but none of them will gain it. Then the black banners will come from the east, and they will kill you in an unprecedented manner.” Then he mentioned something that I do not remember, then he said: “When you see him, then pledge your allegiance to him even if you have to crawl over the snow, for that is the caliph of Allah, the Mahdi.”

Narrated by Ibn Maajah in as-Sunan (no. 4084); al-Bazzaar in al-Musnad (2/120); ar-Rooyaani (no. 619); al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak (4/510) – and via him by al-Bayhaqi in Dalaa’il an-Nubuwwah (6/515).

They narrated it via Sufyaan ath-Thawri, from Khaalid al-Hadhdha’, from Abu Qilaabah, from Abu Asma’, from Thawbaan, in a marfoo‘ report. 

It was also narrated by al-Haakim and al-Bayhaqi – after the version quoted above – via ‘Abd al-Wahhaab ibn ‘Ata’, from Khaalid al-Hadhdha’, from Abu Qilaabah, from Abu Asma’, from Thawbaan, in a mawqoof report that stops at Thawbaan.

The scholars differed as to the verdict on this hadith; there are two views:

The first view is that the hadith is to be classed as saheeh (sound).

Al-Bazzaar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Something similar to this hadith was narrated with this wording via a different isnaad, and we only know this wording in this hadith, although most of the meaning of this hadith has been narrated (in other reports). We selected this hadith because it is saheeh and because Thawbaan is a man of dignity, and its isnaad is a saheeh isnaad. End quote. 

Al-Haakim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

This is a saheeh hadith according to the conditions of al-Bukhaari and Muslim. End quote. Adh-Dhahabi did not comment on it in his Talkhees. 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

This is a saheeh, qawiy isnaad. End quote. 

An-Nihaayah fi’l-Fitan wa’l-Malaahim (p. 17). 

Ibn Katheer had a different view of the hadith; in al-Bidaayah wa’n-Nihaayah he thought it most likely to be mawqoof, as we shall see below. 

It was classed as saheeh by al-Qurtubi in at-Tadhkirah (p. 1201), and by al-Boosayri in Misbaah az-Zujaajah (3/263). 

It was classed as saheeh by Shaykh Hammood at-Tuwaijri (may Allah have mercy on him) in It-haaf al-Jamaa‘ah bima jaa’a fi’l-Fitan wa’l-Malaahim wa Ashraat as-Saa‘ah (2/187). 

[IslamQA]

Conclusion

In summary, Albani considers the hadith to be Sahih in meaning which is completely contradictory to the point that the Anti-Ahmadis are trying to make i.e the hadith is weak and can’t be taken as evidence for the importance of accepting Mahdi (AS). May Allah guide these people to the true Islam.