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