Destruction of an idol
GF Haddad
"I went out with the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him - until we reached
the Ka`ba whereupon he said to me: 'Sit.' He then climbed on my shoulders
and I tried to stand but he noticed some weakness in me. He climbed down and
sat for me telling me, 'Climb on my shoulders.' I climbed on his shoulders
then he stood and I felt as if I could touch the top of the sky if I wanted.
Then I climbed on top of the House and there was a yellow copper statue
which I began to budge right and left, front and back until I dislodged it.
The Messenger of Allah (saws) then said to me: 'Throw it down.' I threw it
down and it broke into pieces exactly like a glass vessel. I climbed down
then I and the Messenger of Allah (saws) ran away in between the houses lest
anyone see us."
Narrated with a chain of trustworthy narrators as per al-Haythami (6:23)
except for Nu`aym ibn Hakim al-Mada'ini whose narrations are only fair
("saduq hasan al-hadith" in Tahrir al-Taqrib):
- by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad and his son in Dhayl al-Musnad (al-Arna'ut ed.
2:73-74 #644 and 2:430 #1302; Shakir ed. 1:443-444 #644 and 2:138 #1301)
- al-Tabari in Tahdhib al-Athar (p. 236-237)
- Ibn Abi Shayba (14:488-489)
- al-Bazzar (#769)
- Abu Ya`la in his Musnad (#292), and
- al-Hakim through two chains (2:366-367).
- al-Nasa'i in Khasa'is `Ali (p. 22).
- al-Muhibb al-Tabari in al-Riyad al-Nadira.
Note: al-Arna'ut declared its chain weak, Shakir declared it sound, while
al-Dhahabi declared it impeccable and its content condemned (munkar). And
Allah knows best.
Blessings and peace on the Prophet, his Family, and his Companions.
Hajj Gibril
GF Haddad
Qas...@cyberia.net.lb
Omar Mirza
>al-Dhahabi declared it impeccable and its content condemned (munkar).
Why would its contents be condemned(munkar)? Does it present anything
unbecoming to a prophet or one of his companions? Perhaps running away after
the destruction of the idol?
A further question:
I've seen a hadith from Ali (R) relating the story of how the Prophet (SWAS)
first announced his mission to his family. The hadith contains the report of
how food and drink were miraculously multiplied on that occasion. Is this
hadith sahih? I've been unable to find out for myself.
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GF Haddad
news:9ada4v$pcb$1...@samba.rahul.net...
> Why would its contents be condemned(munkar)? Does it present anything
> unbecoming to a prophet or one of his companions? Perhaps running away
after
> the destruction of the idol?
Or the expression attributed to `Ali that he could touch the sky? I have no
idea. However, it is not munkar to Imam Ahmad, otherwise he would not have
retained it. His method in the Musnad is to retain well-known narrations
even if they are weak, but not what is generally considered unacceptable. So
it is safe to confine this judgment to al-Dhahabi - although his judgments
on hadith carry huge weight - until we see it confirmed elsewhere, for
example by Ibn Hajar.
Concerning the multiplication of the food it is authentic from Abu Bakr, but
I will look for the version with `Ali and let you know insha Allah.
Was-Salam
Hajj Gibril
Omar Mirza
That would be extremely strange, but he seems only to have said he felt like
he could do that -- an altered state of consciousness due to the nearby
presence and assistance of angelic powers? That was my instinctive,
speculative reaction, and Allah knows best.
Thanks for the translation of this fascinating report which otherwise would
never have reached the vast majority of us.
>Concerning the multiplication of the food it is authentic from Abu Bakr, but
>I will look for the version with `Ali and let you know insha Allah.
The version with Ali is one I found in Tabari's history (Watt's
translation).
Martin Lings has the story in his book on the sira, and has the reference
"Tab.1171". The general outline of the narration in Lings, on p.50, is (and
this may be conflating two or more narrations, I don't know):
The Prophet(swas) orders Ali to prepare a leg of mutton and a cup of milk
and
to invite the Banu Abdul Muttalib in order to fulfill the order to "Warn thy
family who are thy nearest of kin" (26:214)--Ali does so and about forty men
turn up--everyone eats till they can't eat any more, although, Ali says, the
amount of food put down could easily have been eaten by one man-- the
Prophet(swas) gets up to address them, but Abu Lahab says "your host has
bewitched you."-- the men disperse, but the same invitation is given the
next
day-- the Prophet(swas)now addresses them and tells them about his mission,
asking "Who will be my helper in this?" or words to that effect-- only Ali
responds, and the other men laugh.
Salam Alaykum,
Omar Mirza
GF Haddad
> >Or the expression attributed to `Ali that he could touch the sky?
>
> That would be extremely strange, but he seems only to have said he felt
like
> he could do that -- an altered state of consciousness due to the nearby
> presence and assistance of angelic powers? That was my instinctive,
> speculative reaction, and Allah knows best.
Nearby was something greater than the entire heavenly host. He was being
hoisted on the shoulders of the Prophet (saws), on whose heart descended
what even mountains could not bear.
> >Concerning the multiplication of the food it is authentic from Abu Bakr,
but
> >I will look for the version with `Ali and let you know insha Allah.
>
>
> The version with Ali is one I found in Tabari's history (Watt's
> translation).
I found it in vol. 1 p. 542.
Its chain contains `Abd al-Ghaffar ibn `Amr, an "untrustworthy Rafidi"
according to Ibn Hajar in al-Taqrib.
Al-Nabahani did not include it among `Ali's miraculous gifts in his Jami`
Karamat al-Awliya'.
And Allah knows best.
Hajj Gibril