A Fundamental Distinction Between the Narrations of Hadith & Sirat — Seal of the Prophets Vol. 1

Introduction

In this discourse from The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 1), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) details the historical events and scholarly insights surrounding A Fundamental Distinction Between the Narrations of Hadith & Sirat.

Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 1)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra)
Section: I-Early Sources of Sirat & Islamic History
Pages: Book pp. 28–31 (PDF pp. 52–55)
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: [Narrations Committed to Writing] | Next: [Books on the Principles of Hadith] »

Historical Account

the analysis of Aḥādīth which comprise of religious tenants or moral conduct. However, in the case of Sīrat and history, such stiff standards have not been employed. ‘Allāmah ‘Alī bin Burhān-ud-Dīn Ḥalabīrh writes in his biography of the Holy Prophetsa:

َلَا یَخْ فیٰ اَنَّ السِّ یَرَ تَجْ مَعُ الصَّ حِ یْحَ وَالضَّ عِیْفَ وَالْمُرْسَ لَ وَالْمُنْقَطِع

“The matter is not hidden from anyone that narrations of Sīrat are composed of Ṣaḥīḥ1, Ḍa‘īf, Mursal, Munqaṭi‘ 4 – all types of narrations.”

[A type of Ḥadīth categorized according to the attributes of its narrators (Publishers)]

[A type of Ḥadīth categorized according to the links in chain of narration (Publishers)]

[As-Sīratul-Ḥalbiyyah, By ‘Allāmah Abul-Faraj Nūr-ud-Dīn ‘Alī bin Ibrāhīm, Volume 1, Muqaddamah, p. 5, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2002)]

Then, he has mentioned the verbal narration of Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbalrh and other A’immah-e-Ḥadīth, as an elaboration in this regard:

اِذَا رَوَیْنَا فِی الْحَ لَالِ وَالْحَ رَامِ شَ دَدْنَا وَاِذَا رَوَیْنَا فِی الْفَضَ ائِلِ وَنَحْ وَھَا تَسَ اھَلْنَا

“Our custom is that when we present a narration in regards to lawful and unlawful issues, we investigate it with great scrutiny. But in the matters of Faḍā’il and Sīrat, we soften our requirements.”

[Matters of secondary importance (Publishers)]

[As-Sīratul-Ḥalbiyyah, By ‘Allāmah Abul-Faraj Nūr-ud-Dīn ‘Alī bin Ibrāhīm, Volume 1, Muqaddamah, pp. 5-6, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2002)]

Furthermore, he presents an elucidation in the following words:

ِاَلَّذِیْ ذَھَبَ اِلَیْهِ كَثِیْرٌ مِنْ اَھَلِ الْعِلْمِ التَّرَخُّ صُ فِیْ الرَّقَائِقِ وَمَالَا حُ كْ مُ فِیْهِ مِنْ اَخْ بَار

الْمَغَازِیْ وَمَا یَجْ رِیْ مَجْ رٰی ذَالِكَ وَاِنَّهُ یُقْبَلُ فِی الْحَ لَالِ والْحَ رَامِ لِعَدْمِ تَعَلُّقِ الْاَحْ كَ امِ

بِھَا

“In most instances, the custom of scholars has been to keep their standard soft in matters not related to jurisprudence or religious injunctions, such as Sīrat or Maghāzī, etc. This is because in these issues, we can accept things

which cannot be necessarily accepted in the case of jurisprudence or religious injunctions.”

[As-Sīratul-Ḥalbiyyah, By ‘Allāmah Abul-Faraj Nūr-ud-Dīn ‘Alī bin Ibrāhīm, Volume 1, Muqaddamah, p. 6, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2002)]

In elaboration of this principle, Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbalrh has also mentioned a fine example. He states:

ُاِبْنُ اِسْ حٰ قَ رَجُ لٌ نَكْ تُبُ عَنْهُ ھٰذِہِ الْاَحَ ادِیْثَ یَعْنِی الْمَغَازِیْ وَنَحْ وَھَا وَاِذَا جَ اءَ الْحَ لَال

وَالْحَ رَامُ اَرَدْنَا قَوْمًا ھٰكَ ذَا وَقَبِضَ اَصَ ابِعَ یَدَیْهِ الْاَرْبَعِ

“Ibni Isḥāq (Sīrat and Maghāzī), without a doubt, is a man of such calibre that we should take narrations of Sīrat and history from him without hesitation. However, when the question arises of lawful and unlawful issues, we require such men (at this he joined the four fingers of his hand together). This means that in the field of Aḥādīth, such narrators are required in regards to which no weakness can be found.”

[Fatḥul-Mughīth Sharḥul-Fiyyatil-Ḥadīth, by Shams-ud-Dīn Muḥammad bin ‘Abdur-Raḥmān As- Sakhāwī, Volume 1, p. 288, Bābun fī Ma‘rifati man Tuqabbalu Riwāyatuhū wa man Turaddu, Beirut, Edition (1403 A.H.)]

In short, whilst establishing standards for the narrations of Aḥādīth and Sīrat a fundamental distinction has always been kept in view, and rightfully so. This is because the narrations of Ḥadīth were to become the foundation of religion. As such, an inflexibly rigid standard was naturally required so that no weak narration could find its way into this compilation of Aḥādīth, thus causing disorder in religion. However, in Sīrat and history, this aspect was not nearly as threatening. As a matter of fact, in Sīrat and history, the fact most deserving of attention, was that fundamental material be gathered initially and at a later time, be investigated according to an established standard. It is for this reason that the overall rank of narrations found in Islāmic books of Ḥadīth greatly surpasses that of Sīrat, Maghāzī and others. However, this is not a defect, rather, it was the best course of action, because on one hand, religion was being protected from inner-mischief and divergence, and on the other hand, history was being preserved wholly and fully. If one reflects upon this, it is evident that for the collection of history, this policy was most appropriate. Except in the instance that a narration is originally incorrect and completely

false at its source, it should be accepted, so that in the future, for the purpose of investigative research, a fundamental store-house is developed and preserved. However, for Aḥādīth, this policy would surely prove arduously detrimental. It was necessary to uphold a stringent standard, so that even if a sound narration is left out, at least the ones which were selected are all solid and fully reliable. However, this does not imply that collections of Ḥadīth in their entirety are all free from error or that the collections of Sīrat and history are completely based on weak narrations. Instead, the purpose is to indicate that the standard of the narrations of Aḥādīth is generally far superior as compared to that of Sīrat and history. It is for this reason that Muslim historians of more investigative nature whilst compiling the historical accounts of Sīrat and history have given preference to those narrations found in books of Ḥadīth especially under the category of religious injunctions. Moreover, the author of this book has also observed the same practice in this literary work.

Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 1)
Section: I-Early Sources of Sirat & Islamic History | Navigation: « Previous: [Narrations Committed to Writing] | Next: [Books on the Principles of Hadith] »