Is this Hadith reliable?
هبط عليّ جبريل عليه السلام فقال يا محمد إن الله عز وجل يقرأ عليك السلام ويقول: حبيبي أني كسوت حسن يوسف من نور الكرسي وكسوت حسن وجهك من نور عرشي وما خلقت خلقا أحسن منك يا محمد
Answer:
This narration is recorded in Tarikh Baghdad and Tarikh Dimashq.
(Tarikh Baghdad, vol. 3 pg. 456/457, Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 3 pg. 299 and vol. 53 pg. 325)
However, the Muhaddithun have declared the Hadith a fabrication. It is therefore not suitable to quote. There are other authentic Hadiths which describe the beauty of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). These should be quoted instead.
(Lisanul Mizan, vol. 7 pg. 249, number: 7012, Tanzihush Shari’ah, vol. 1 pg. 325)
Translation
Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Jibril (‘alayhis salam) descended and told me ‘O Muhammad, Allah ‘Azza Wa Jalla conveys his greetings to you and says, ‘O My beloved, I [fashioned] the beauty of Yusuf from the nur of the Kursi and your beauty from My ‘Arsh. I have not created a better creation than you O Muhammad.’”
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar