Explanation of the Book of Sunnah, from Sunan Ibn Mājah: Methodology and Belief.
Chapter 1: ‘Following the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam).’ Based on the explanation of the noble Scholar, the Shaikh, ʿAbdul Muhsin al-ʿAbbād (may Allah preserve him), with additional notes from Abu Khadeejah ʿAbdul-Wāhid.
Hadeeth Number 8.
The author, Muhammad Ibn Yazeed Ibn Mājah Al-Qazweeni (d. 273 AH, rahimahullāh) said: Hishām bin ‘Ammār narrated to us, saying that al-Jarrāh bin Maleeh narrated to us, saying that Bakr bin Zur’ah narrated to us, who said, ‘I heard Abu ‘Inabah al-Khawlāni, and he was of those who prayed towards the two qiblas with the Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) say, ‘I heard Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) say:
لاَ يَزَالُ اللَّهُ يَغْرِسُ فِي هَذَا الدِّينِ غَرْسًا يَسْتَعْمِلُهُمْ فِي طَاعَتِه
“Allah shall not cease to plant into this religion people who He will utilise for His obedience.” (Reported by Ibn Mājah, Imām Ahmed and Ibn Hibbān – Shaikh al-Albāni declared it to be hasan in as-Saheehah, no. 2442)
Explanation.
Abu ‘Abdillah ibn Mājah brought this Hadeeth from Abu ‘Inabah al-Khawlāni (radiyallāhu ‘anhu), and this is similar to the Hadeeth which has already passed, ‘There shall not cease to be a group from my ummah who are aided,’ and ‘There shall not cease to be a group from my ummah who are steadfast upon the command of Allah.’
Therefore, this Hadeeth agrees with the previous two in meaning. So, Allah (the Most High) places in every era those who will be established upon this religion and who will make others firm upon it. They will establish themselves upon this religion and invite others to it. They are patient with the harm they receive upon this path, and He (the Most High) guides them and grants them success by way of His planting in the religion those He utilises due to their obedience to Him, and they are firmly obedient to Him.
The saying of the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam), ‘He will utilise them in His obedience,’ means that Allah will guide them and grant them the ability to adhere firmly to the religion and in obedience to Him and His Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam), and He will grant them steadfastness upon this religion in to calling to Him.
This group is Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamā’ah, they are the Saved Sect. When the scholars use the term Ahlus-Sunnah, Ahlul-Hadeeth Ahlul-Athar, al-Firqat an-Nājiyah (the Saved Sect), at-Tā’ifatul al-Mansoorah (the Aided Group), then they are referring to those firmly established upon the religion – they are unharmed by those who oppose them, bearing patiently the harm that comes to them, and they are guided by Allah to His obedience, as occurs in this Hadeeth.
The (New) Men in the Chain of Narration.
Al-Jarrāh bin Maleeh: he is al-Bahrāni, sudooq (truthful) and an-Nasā’i and ibn Mājah narrate from him.
Bakr bin Zur’ah: al-Hāfidh ibn Hajar says about him in ‘at-Taqreeb’ that he is maqbool (accepted), but Ibn Hibbān declared him to be thiqah (trustworthy and reliable), and a group narrate from him. He has not been declared weak, nor has he been criticised. He does not have any Hadeeth in the 6 books except for this one collected by Ibn Mājah. Therefore, his Hadeeth is closer to be called Hasan. Sheikh al-Albāni said he is maqbool according to ibn Hajar and I (Sheikh al-Albāni) say regarding the likes of him that his Hadeeth can be regarded as being Hasan, but it is far-off to declare them to be Saheeh.
Abu ‘Inabah al-Khawlāni: he is a companion (radiyallāhu ‘anhu), and it is said that his name was ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Inabah, and Ibn Mājah reports his Hadeeth. He prayed towards the two qiblas alongside the Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam), meaning he was from the early ones who entered into Islām, and that is because the direction of the qibla was changed one and a half years after the Hijra of Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam).
Before this, the Muslims would pray towards Bayt ul-Maqdis (in Jerusalem), and he (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) continued to pray towards Bayt ul-Maqdis for 1 year and 6 months after going to Madinah, then the verse was revealed changing the qibla to the Ka’bah in Makkah. So, if someone prayed towards the first qibla, this indicates that he was one of the first to embrace Islām – either before the Hijrah or directly after it.
Hadeeth Number 9.
The author, Muhammad Ibn Yazeed Ibn Mājah Al-Qazweeni (d. 273 AH, rahimahullāh) said: Ya’qoob bin Humayd bin Kāsib narrated to us, who said that al-Qāsim bin Nāfi’ narrated to us, saying that al-Hajjāj bin Artāt narrated to us, from ‘Amr bin Shu’ayb, from his father, who said: Mu’āwiyyah stood and gave a sermon and he said, ‘Where are your scholars? Where are your scholars? I heard the Messenger of Allah (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) saying:
لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ إِلاَّ وَطَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي ظَاهِرُونَ عَلَى النَّاسِ لاَ يُبَالُونَ مَنْ خَذَلَهُمْ وَلاَ مَنْ نَصَرَهُمْ
“The hour shall not be established except that there will be a group from my ummah who are manifest over the people – they will not care who abandons them or who helps them.” (Reported by Bukhāri, Muslim, Imām Ahmad and Ibn Mājah)
Explanation.
Ibn Mājah brings this hadeeth from Mu’āwiyyah ibn Abi Sufyān (radiyallahu ‘anhumā), when he stood up to deliver a sermon saying, ‘Where are your scholars, where are your scholars?’ The intent behind this question could be:
1. The people should explain and make apparent what they possess of knowledge, which confirms and agrees with that which was with him.
2. They take from him what he is about to say and then convey it to the people. This is because the scholars are the reference point for the people, as they refer to the scholars and return the affairs to them.
His (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) saying, ‘The Hour will not be established except that there will be a group from my ummah who prevail (or are manifest) over the people’ means that there will be scholars who are steadfast, firm and strong, and will have dominance in the religion.
It is well known that this is present in some of the lands due to which they are upon clarity and manifesting the Truth – and they are Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamā’ah.
His (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) saying, ‘They do not care who forsakes/betrays them, nor who helps them,’ means that they do not care whether they are opposed or agreed with, because whoever agrees with them, agrees with them upon the Truth, and whoever opposes them has opposed the Truth. They do not care if they are opposed in the Truth because they are established steadfastly upon the Religion – and they are patient upon it and upon the harm that comes to them. As for those who aid and support them and are with them, then they are just like them (upon the Truth).
Those who are their enemies from amongst the disbelievers, and whoever forsakes them from the people of bid’ah [whose bid’ah has not reached the level of kufr], their betrayal does not harm them because the intent of the People of Truth is not to please the people – rather their intent is Allah and establishing the Truth that He has revealed.
This Hadeeth is also reported in the two Saheehs (Bukhāri and Muslim) – and its wording in both books consists of 3 sentences where Mu’āwiyyah (radiAllahu ‘anhumā) said, ‘I heard Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) say:
“(1) Whoever Allah wants good for He gives him understanding of the religion, (2) Indeed I am only the one who distributes, but the giver is Allah, (3) and this ummah shall not cease to be firmly established upon the command of Allah, they are not harmed by those who oppose them until the command of Allah comes.”
To be from this group means we must adhere to the principles that are mentioned in these ahadeeth – and not caring whether you are abandoned or not, not caring about numbers or who support you, because your reliance is upon Allah the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth.
The Men in the Chain of Narration.
Ya’qoob bin Humayd bin Kāsib: he is sudooq (truthful) and would sometimes be mistaken. Bukhāri narrates from him in ‘Khalq Af’āl ul Ibād’, and Ibn Mājah also narrates from him.
Al-Qāsim bin Nāfi’: he is mastoor (majhool al-hāl), i.e., his condition is unknown, and Ibn Mājah narrates from him.
Al-Hajjāj bin Artāt: he is sudooq (truthful) but made many mistakes and he was known for tadlees – i.e., he would narrate from someone who was under suspicion, but because he trusted him, he would make out that he narrated from someone else who is not suspected – thereby, giving the impression that he narrated from someone other than who he actually narrated from. Al-Bukhāri narrates from him in ‘al-Adab al-Mufrad’ as does Muslim and the rest of the companions of the Sunan.
‘Amr bin Shu’ayb: he is sudooq (truthful), Al-Bukhāri narrates from him in ‘al-Juzz ul-Qirā’ah Khalf al-Imām’ as do the collectors of the Sunan.
His father, Shu’ayb bin Muhammad bin ‘Abdillah bin ‘Amr ibn al-ʿAas: was the grandson of the great companion ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-’Aas (radiyallahu ‘anhumā). He is sudooq (truthful), Al-Bukhāri narrates from him in ‘al-Adab al-Mufrad’ and in ‘al-Juzz ul-Qirā’ah’ as do the collectors of the Sunan.
Mu’āwiyyah ibn Abi Sufyān (radiAllahu ‘anhumā), Ameer ul-Mu’mineen: a noble and great companion, there is no question regarding his or any of the companions’ trustworthiness, and all of the 6 books of Hadeeth narrated from him.
The Grading of the Hadeeth.
Even though there are comments about some of the narrators of this Hadeeth, it is still established from Mu’āwiyyah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) through other chains of transmission in Bukhāri, Muslim and others, therefore it is Saheeh due to:
- Follow-up narrations with different chains, and
- Supporting witnesses in other Hadeeth.
This is because there are many similar Hadeeth from companions other than Mu’āwiyyah, such as from Abu ‘Inabah (the previous Hadeeth), Abu Hurairah (the Hadeeth before that of Abu ‘Inabah) and Qurrah bin Iyās.
Hadeeth Number 10.
The author, Muhammad Ibn Yazeed Ibn Mājah Al-Qazweeni (d. 273 AH, rahimahullāh) said: Hishām bin ‘Ammār narrated to us, saying that Muhammad bin Shu’ayb narrated to us, saying that Sa’eed bin Basheer narrated to us, from Qatādah from Abu Qilābah from Abu Asmā from Thawbān (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said:
لاَ يَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عَلَى الْحَقِّ مَنْصُورِينَ لاَ يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
“There shall not cease to remain a group from my ummah upon the Truth, aided. They are not harmed by those who oppose them until the command of Allah comes, the Mighty and Majestic.” (Reported by Muslim in his Saheeh, Abu Dāwud, at-Tirmidhi, Imām Ahmad and ibn Mājah)
Explanation.
This Hadeeth of Thawbān (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) contains the statement, ‘Until the command of Allah comes,’ – meaning that there shall appear a breeze or a cool wind that will take the soul of every believer, man and woman, as occurs in some Hadeeth. So, this is when the aided group will come to an end, when the cool breeze is sent by Allah and only the most wicked of people will remain, who will openly copulate like the copulation of donkeys.
There occurs in another version from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr in Saheeh Muslim:
“Then Allah will send a cold wind from the direction of Shām. There will not remain on the face of the earth any person who had in his heart even a speck of goodness of Eemān, except that death will come to him, such that even if one of you was to enter the inner depths of a mountain, the cold wind would reach it and bring him death.
There will remain the most wicked of people, and they will be careless like the carelessness of birds and the behaviour of beasts.
They will not enjoin what is good, and they will not forbid that which is evil. Then the Shaytān will appear to them in the form of a human being and say to them, ‘Will you not respond to me?’ They will say, ‘What do you command us with?’ So, he will command them to worship idols.
They will have abundant provision and be given comfortable lives, and then the trumpet shall be blown.”
So, this hadeeth is similar to the ahadeeth that were mentioned previously, and all of them explain who will manifest the Sunnah and follow it, and be patient and steadfast upon it, and not care about those who oppose them. All of these ahadeeth prove that this Aided and Victorious Group will continue and that the earth will not be absent it.
The Men in the Chain of Narration.
Muhammad bin Shu’ayb: He is sudooq (truthful), and all 4 of the books of Sunan report from him.
Sa’eed bin Basheer: he is da’eef (weak) – the 4 books of Sunan narrate from him.
Qatādah: he is ibn Da’āmah as-Sadoosi, he is thiqah (trustworthy and reliable) – the six books narrate from him.
Abu Qilābah: he is ‘Abdullah bin Zaid al-Jarmi, he is thiqah (trustworthy and reliable) – all the six books narrate from him.
Abu Asmā ar-Rahabi: he is thiqah (trustworthy and reliable). Bukhāri reports from him in ‘al-Adab al-Mufrad’ as do Muslim and the books of Sunan.
Thawbān (radiyallahu ‘anhu): the freed slave of the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam). Al-Bukhāri narrates his Hadeeth in ‘al-Adab al-Mufrad’ as do Muslim and the books of Sunan.
This Hadeeth is not affected by the one weak narrator in its chain (Sa’eed bin Basheer) because it is in Saheeh Muslim, also reported by Thawbān (radiyallahu ‘anhu) and also due to its numerous supporting narrations.
End.
والحمد لله رب العالمين وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين
سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت، أستغفرك وأتوب إليك
Abu Khadeejah Abdul-Wāhid.
Copyright 2025.
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