What is status of following narration?
النظر إلى وجه علي عبادة
“Looking at the face of ‘Ali (radiyallahu ‘anhu) is an act of worship”
Answer
This narration has been recorded with several chains. Most of these chains consist of either fabricators, extremely weak narrators, weak narrators or unknown narrators.
Due to this, many Muhaddithun have declared the Hadith unreliable, although some Muhaddithun have differed with this ruling.
(Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 3 pg. 141/142, Tarikh Baghdad, vol. 2 pg. 385/386, Kitabul Mawdu’at of Ibnul Jawzi, vol. 2 pg. 124-131, Hadith: 671-683, Talkhisu Kitabil Mawdu’at, Hadith: 259, Mizanul I’tidal, vol. 3 pg. 246, number: 5946 and vol. 5 pg. 43, number: 8641. Also see: Majma’uz Zawaid, vol. 9 pg. 119, Tanzihush Shari’ah, vol. 1 pg. 382-383, Tadhkiratul Mawdu’at of ‘Allamah Fatani)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar