Question
Can this be quoted?
‘Umar ibnul Khattab (radiyallahu ‘anhu) said: “The death of 1000 worshippers is easier to bear than the death of a scholar who has knowledge of what Allah has permitted and forbidden.”
Answer
This narration is recorded in Musnadul Harith with the following words:
Sayyiduna ‘Umar ibnul Khattab (radiyallahu ‘anhu) said: “The death of one thousand worshippers who stand up for tahajjud Salah and fast during the days is less significant than the death of a [scholar], who has understood Allah’s commands, knew what Allah has permitted and forbade, he benefitted from his knowledge and people benefitted from him, even though he does not carry out much more than the obligatory deeds which Allah declared compulsory, and Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) has said something similar.”
(Musnadul Harith; Bughyatul Bahith, Hadith: 842)
However, the Muhaddithun have declared this narration a fabrication. It is therefore not suitable to quote.
(Dhaylul La-Alil Masnu’ah, vol. 1 pg. 57, Tanzihush Shari’ah, vol. 1 pg. 216. Also see: Jami’u Bayanil ‘Ilmi Wa Fadlihi: 126 and Al Matalibul ‘Aliyah: 3309)
Also see here
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar