Assalamu alaikum Mufti Desai, Would you please comment on the authenticities of the following hadiths and elaborate on if they are abrogating or not: 1. Ali (radhiallahu anhu) relates that the sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is to place one hand over the other below the navel. [Abu Daud, ch. on Wad?ul Yumna, Hadith 756] 2. Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (radhiallahu anhu) said: “Shall I not show you the manner in which Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) performed his salaah?” Thereafter he performed the salaah but he did not raise his hands except at the beginning (of his salaah). [Tirmidhi, Hadith no.257] Jazakumallah khairun
Respected Brother-in-Islam
Assalaamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakaatuhu
1. This Hadith appears only in Ibn al-Arabis’s version of Sunan Abu Dawud.
Imaam Abu Dawud has made some comments regarding the reliability of one of
its narrators, Abdur Rahmaan ibn Ishaaq al-Kufi. Al-Bazzaar and al-Ajali
(RA) have clarified that although he suffered from weak memory, his
narrations are acceptable. This Hadith also appears in Musnad-e-Ahmad
regarding which the likes of Suyyuti and Ibn Hajar Haythami (RA) have
attested to its authenticity. The Hadith of Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu) is
further backed up by the narrations of Abu Hurayra and Anas (Radhiallaahu
Anhuma), thus, the least that can be said regarding its authenticity is that
it is Hasan (a level of authenticity slightly lower than that of Sahih –
highly authentic). (I’laus sunan vol.2 pg.193; Idaratul Qur’aan)
2. Imaam ibn Qattaan, Ibn Hazam al-Andalusi as well as Imaam Daaraqutni have
classified this Hadith as Sahih (high level of authenticity). (al-Arfus
Shaazi with Tirmidhi vol.1 pg.68; HM Saeed). Imaam Tirmidhi has classified
it as Hasan. (Ibid pg.59)
The Sunnah practises established by the above Ahaadith and others similar to
them with slight differences, e.g. placing of hands above or below the
navel, etc. have all reached us by way of Tawaatur of Amal, i.e. the
practise of such a large amount of people in every age that the likelihood
of falsehood is not entertainable, therefore, the claim of abrogation of any
is untenable.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
FATWA DEPT.