Muallaq Ahadith in Bukhari

Introduction

Many ignorant Sunnis allege that the Muallaq narrations in Sahih Bukhari are weak which is a false claim. In this article, we show the references of Muhaddthin and Sunni scholars agreeing that Muallaq narrations are indeed authentic if in affirmative or definitive form like qala (said) or rawā (narrated). This is the case with the narration of Ibn Abbas (R.A) in Sahih Bukhari as it says “Qala Ibn Abbas”:

وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: {مُتَوَفِّيكَ} مُمِيتُكَ

Ibn Abbas (R.A) said, “Mutawaffika (مُتَوَفِّيكَ) means death.”

[Sahih al-Bukhari p.634]

Below is the list of sources that clearly tells us that the above narration is Sahih.

1) Umadat Al-Qari

أكثر البخاري من أحاديث وأقوال الصحابة وغيرهم بغير إسناد فإن كان بصيغة جزم كقال وروى ونحوهما فهو حكم منه بصحته

Most of Al-Bukhari’s hadiths and sayings of the Companions and others without chain of narrators. If it is in the form of assertiveness, such as what Qala (he said), Rawa (he narrated), and the like, then it is a judgment of it, is sahih.

[Umdat al-Qari, Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari by Imam Al Ayni (d. 855), pg 32]

2) Muqaddimah Fi Usool Al-Hadith

“Muallaq ahadith in Sahih Al-Bukhari fall into two categories:

1) Those that he narrated with a definitive form, for example: when he says so-and-so said such-and-such or mentioned such-and-such. This method of narrating Mu’allaq Hadeeths is considered a judgment by Al-Bukhari that these Hadeeths are authentically attributed to the person they are attributed to: it is therefore considered an authentic narration (this is because he would never have definitively attributed something to a certain narrator unless he had verified the authenticity of that attribution to that narrator).

2) Those with a less definitive form and in passive tense: for example, when he says, it was said or it was narrated on the authority of so and so, indicate that there is a doubt concerning its authenticity.”

[MUQADDIMAH Fi Usool Al-Hadith, A PRIMER TO USOOL AL-HADITH BY SHEIKH ABDUL HAQ MOHADITH DAHELVI p 17-18]

3) An Introduction to the science of hadith

There is doubt about some of the “suspended” hadith (musallaq); that is, the hadith with an isnad from the beginning of which one transmitter or more is omitted. The majority of these are in the book of Bukhari; there are very few in the book of Muslim.

We should say: These and similar hadith which contain an expression decisively and conclusively indicating their ascription to the person from whom they are “suspended” – for example, “The Messenger of God (Peace be upon him) said (qala) such and such,” “Ibn ‘Abbas said such and such,” “Mujahid” said such and such,” “Affan” said such and such,” “Qa’nabi” said such and such,” “Abu Hurayra” related (rawa) such and such,” and similar expressions – are judged to be established as actually coming from that person.

On the basis of all of these expressions, it is determined that the person to whom Bukhari ascribed the hadith spoke and related [the text that follows]. Bukhari would not have deemed it permissible to state this [that is, to use these unequivocal expressions] without qualification unless it was established in his view that the hadith came from the person to whom it à ascribed. If the transmitter from whom the hadith is suspended is not a Companion, the judgment regarding the soundness of the hadith depends on the cohesiveness of the isnäd between that person and the Companion.

[An Introduction to the science of hadith by Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ al-Shahrazūrī, pg 13]

4) Ibn Hajar’s Hadi al Sari

As for the mawqüfs, he uses the form [implying] certainty with those which are valid in his mind, although they may not meet his formal requirements of validity. He uses the form limplying uncertainty, however, with reports in whose Isnăd there is weakness or interruption, except in those places where the report’s weakness is strengthened by its existence by way of a different route or because of its fame from the one who transmit ted it. He cites the legal opinions of the Companions and the Followers, as well as their opinions in many matters of exegesis of Qur’anic verses, for the purpose of gaining comfort in them, and to strengthen his preferred opinion on those questions in which there are differences among the Imams.

Therefore, it should be said that everything which is cited in the book is either that for which titles were written, or that by which titles were written” The purpose of this work, essentially, is the valid hathths which are musnad, and this is that for which be wrote titles. As for mawqüfs, ta’liqs, and, yes, verses from the Qur’an, these are mentioned only secondarily. Thus, all of these are used to write the titles. When they are considered together, however, and when they are also considered in relation to the hadiths, they explain one another, some explaining (mufassir) and others being ex plained (mufassar). Thus, under this consideration, some of these are also that for which he wrote titles. His primary purpose, however, is fadith, so understand that, for it is a proper explanation by which many objections to the author’s citation of this type terial can be explained, and God grants success.

[Ibn Hajar’s Hady al-Sari: A Medieval Interpretation of the Structure of Bukhari’s al-Jami’ al-Sahih: Introduction and Translation]

5) Usool Al-Hadeeth: The Methodology of Hadith

“Such hadeeths are generally considered authentic if the hadeeth is narrated using verbs in the active voice, like rawaa (he narrated); qaala (he said);  thakara (he mentioned). On the other hand, if they are narrated using the passive voice, like ruwiya (it was narrated);  qeela (it was said); thukira (it was mentioned), their status is uncertain. Some of them may be  saheeh, others hasan and yet others da‘eef.  However, the weak narrations are not excessively weak due to their presence in these books in which the authors sought to compile only authentic hadeeths.”

[Usool Al-Hadeeth: The Methodology of Hadith Evaluation by Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips]

6) Shaykh Uthaymeen (Salafi/Wahhabi) scholar:

However, whatever al-Bukhari recorded as mu’allaq and he was certain about it, it is considered as sahih according to him even if it was not according to his conditions. And we say that it is sabib according to al-Bukhári because he recorded it as mu’allaq and used it as a valid evidence to infer the rulings. Evidently it is not possible that he would conclude any of Allah’s rulings except by deriving from the sound narration rations he possessed. However the narration did not meet al-Bukhari’s criteria, and if it had, he would have mentioned its sanad so that it is known, with the fact that he reported the badith as mu’allaq in a chapter but muttasil in another.

[A Commentary on the Poem al-Bayquniyyah Paperback by Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen, p117-118]

7) A Textbook of Hadith Studies Authenticity, Compilation, Classification, and Criticism

“According to the rules that the ulama’ of hadith have generally upheld, the Mu’allaq aḥadīth of al-Bukhārī are considered as Sahih if the suspension is made in decisive words, such as qala (said), fa’ala (did), amara (commanded), nahā (prohibited), dhakara (mentioned), rawā (narrated) and so on. Suspension (ta liq) would not convey validity and soundness (şihha) if it occurs in a defective form or expression (sighat al-tamrid) such as “it is narrated from so and so” (yurma an kadha wa kadha), “it is said of him” (yuqalu ‘anhu), “it is mentioned, or narrated” (yudhkaru, yuḥkā) and the like, which are in any case usually not employed in the typical cases of ta’liq.”

[A Textbook of Hadith Studies Authenticity, Compilation, Classification and Criticism of Hadith by Mohammad Hashim Kamali, p163]

8) Science of Hadith by Qari Fazl Ullah

“Otherwise, Imam Bukhari relates Muallaq as well, but all his Muallaq are saheeh. Regarding a Muallaq we are bound to find its sanad and then its status could be determined. Imam Bukhari has quoted Muallaq, but he has related the same as muttasil in another chapter except for 160 Hadith. Hafiz Ibn Hajar has written a book “At Taufeeq” where he has related all these Ahadith as muttasil, and Imam Muslim has brought very few Muallaq in his book. Sometimes, Imam Bukhari relates the same with a word ascertains that this is saheeh, meaning he used for the narration an active form of verb but he did not mention its sanad either to make it brief or for the topic concerned he has another saheeh Hadith, or he has not taken it from his teacher, or he has a little doubt in the taking of this Hadith, or it was quoted in a talk. So this type we call it as attached to the condition of Bukhari, or that is saheeh according to others.”

[Science of Hadith by Qari Fazl Ullah, p 112]

9) Ibn Bazz (Salafi/Wahhabi) scholar:

“Senior Hadith scholars agree that the Hadiths related by Al-Bukhari as Mu’allaq in affirmative formulae of ascription to the shaykh are authentic to such shaykh. Again, if the Mu allaq Hadith is related as Muttasil (a Hadith with a continuous chain of narration to a Companion of the Prophet or Follower; the generation after the Prophet’s Companions) by some trustworthy narrators, doubt is lifted. That is why I gave due importance and compiled a book on this issue called “Ta’liq Al Ta’liq” …. The knowledgeable scholar Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah be merciful with him) said in Al-Ighatha when he mentioned that Hadith: “This is a sahih Hadith related by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih Book of Hadith where he quoted it as evidence and in the form of affirmative Mu allaq………………Al-Bukhari is far from being accused of Tadlis (misrepresentation resulting from a Hadith narrator who provides misleading information about his shaykh or the chain of narration). Third: he included the Hadith in his Sahih Book of Hadith stressing its authenticity; otherwise, he would never have done that…………..Fourth: he related it as affirmative Mu’allaq without any indication of its weakness, for if he stopped during narration or the Hadith was not according to his condition, he would say: It was related or mentioned that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said …. Yet, if he said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said…, then he confirmed the authenticity of the Hadith and attributed it to the Prophet (peace be upon him).”

[English Translations of Majmoo’al-Fatawa of late Scholar Ibn Bazz (Part No. 21; Page No. 131) p 129-131]

10) TUHFATUD DURAR by Mufti Afzal Hoosen Elias

“The Hukm (law) of a Mu’allaq Hadeeth: If the Muhadditheen who are particular in gathering only Saheeh Ahaadeeth, like Bukhaari and Muslim, narrate a Mu’allaq Hadeeth with a ‘Seegha of Jazm’ (a tense of certainty) e.g. Qaala or Dhakara, then the Riwaayah in question will be said to be Saheeh according to them, but if they narrate with a ‘Seegha of Tamreedh’ (a tense indicating uncertainty) e.g. Qeela or Yudhkaru, then the Riwaayah will not be accepted as is but it will be necessary to make Tahqeeq (research) regarding it. The Mu’allaq Ahaadeeth of those Muhadditheen who gather all types of Ahaadeeth will not be accepted without Tahqeeq.”

[TUHFATU DURAR – Commentary On Nukhbatul Fikr by Mufti Saeed Ahmad Palanpuri (Author), Mufti Afzal Hoosen Elias (Translator) p 41]

11) Islamweb (Sunni/Salafi):

Mu‘allaq Hadeeths in Saheeh Al-Bukhari falls into two categories:

1.     Those that he narrated with a definitive form, for example: when he says so-and-so said such-and-such or mentioned such-and-such… This method of narrating Mu‘allaq Hadeeths is considered a judgment by Al-Bukhari that these Hadeeths are authentically attributed to the person they are attributed to. This is because he would never have definitively attributed something to a certain narrator unless he had verified the authenticity of that attribution to that narrator.

2.     Those with a less definitive form, for example, when he says, it was said or it was narrated on the authority of so and so…  Hadeeths in this form are not necessarily authentic because this form of narration may be also used with Dha‘eef (weak) Hadeeths.

[Islamweb Fatwa (Sunni website)]

12) IslamQA (Sunni/Salafi):

From what the scholars have said about the methodology of Imam al-Bukhaari in narrating mu’allaq reports, we can divide his mu’allaq reports (of which there are one hundred and sixty) into two categories: 

1- Those which were narrated in a decisive form, such as saying “He narrated…” and so on.

The ruling on these mu’allaq reports is that they are saheeh or hasan, because it is not possible for him to state that in a decisive form unless it was saheeh in his view. Rather there are some reports which meet his conditions but he reported them in mu’allaq form. 

The scholars made an exception from this principle in the case of just one hadeeth, which is reported in mu’allaq form in the Book of Zakaah (2/525).

[IslamQA Answer (Sunni Website)]