What is the status of the following Hadith?
احذروا الدنيا فإنها أسحر من هاروت وماروت
Answer
Imams Abu Bakr ibn Abid Dunya and Bayhaqi (rahimahumallah) have recorded this Hadith. Imam Hakim Tirmidhi (rahimahullah) has recorded the narration with slight variation in the wording.
(Dhammud Dunya: 132, Shu’abul Iman, Hadith: 10022, Nawadirul Usul, Hadith: 105)
However, ‘Allamah Dhahabi (rahimahullah) has declared the text of the Hadith unreliable (منكر لا اصل له).
(Mizanul I’tidal, vol. 5 pg. 239, number: 9547, Lisanul Mizan, vol. 9 pg. 65, Al Mughni ‘An Hamlil Asfar: 3207, Faydul Qadir, Hadith: 245)
Hafiz Khatib Baghdadi and Imam Ibn ‘Asakir (rahimahumallah) have recorded the following narration as the statement of Artat ibnul Mundhir (rahimahullah), a Tab’ut Tabi’i:
احذروا الدنيا لا تسحركم فهي والله أسحر من هاروت وماروت
“Be wary that the world does not bewitch you for it is more bewitching than the [magic of] Harut and Marut.”
(Tarikh Baghdad, vol. 11 pg. 228, Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 8 pg. 14)
The narration is not suitable to quote as a Hadith of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). It should rather be quoted as the statement of Artat ibnul Mundhir (rahimahullah).
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar