Based on articles from: “Sharaf Ashaab ul-hadeeth” of Al-Hafidh Khateeb al-Baghdaadee

The Virtues of Hadith:

From ‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Umar Ibnul-‘Aas who said that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “Relate from me even if it is one aayah and report from the Children of Israa’eel and there is no problem. And whoever lies upon me, then let him take his seat in the Fire.” [2]

‘Abdullaah Ibnul Mubaarak said: “The isnaad (chain of narrators for Hadith) is from the Religion.” Through another chain of narrators he reported to have said: “According to me, the isnaad is from the Religion. If it were not for the isnaad, whoever wished could have said whatever he said.”

He also said: “The example of the one who studies his Religion without an isnaad is like the one who attempts to ascend a roof without a ladder.” [3]

Sufyaan ath-Thawree said: “The isnaad is the weapon of the Believer. So if he does not have a weapon with him, what will he fight with?”[4]

Sahl Ibn ‘Abdullaah az-Zaahid said: “Whoever wants the worldly life and the Hereafter, then let him write the Hadith.” [5]

‘Abdullaah Ibn Daawood said: “The Hadith is honour. Whoever wants the world for it will get the world and whoever wants the Hereafter by it will get the Hereafter.” [6]

Hasan Ibn Mansoor al-Jassaas said: “I said to Ahmad Ibn Hanbal: To what point should a man write Hadith? He said: Until he dies.”

Abu ‘Abdullaah Ahmad Ibn Hanbal said: “I shall study Hadith until I enter the grave.” [7]

Abu Zayd al-Faqeeh recited the following verses of poetry:

“Every speech after the Qur`aan is heresy,
Except for the Hadith and except for understanding (fiqh) in the Religion.
And knowledge emanates from “It was narrated to us.” (haddathanaa)
And everything other than this is a whispering from the devils.” [8]

Sufyaan ath-Thawree said: “I do not know of any action upon the face of the earth more noble than the study of Hadith for whoever wishes to seek the Face of Allah by it.” [9]

Wakee‘ Ibnul Jarraah said: “If the Hadith were not more noble to me than tasbeeh (glorifying Allah), I would not have narrated.” [10]

Wakee‘ Ibnul Jarraah said: “Allah has not been worshipped by something more noble than the Hadith.” [11]

Baqiyah said: Al-Awzaa‘ee said to me: O Abaa Yuhmad! What do you say about a people who hate the Hadith? I said: They are an evil people.
He said: There is not a person of innovation upon whom a Hadith of the Messenger of Allah is narrated which opposes his innovation, except that he hates the Hadith.” [12]

Abu Mansoor Ibn Sallaam al-Faqeeh said: “There is nothing heavier upon the people of heresy and more hated by them than listening to the Hadith and its narration with its isnaad.” [13]

Sufyaan ath-Thawree said: “The Religion is only based upon narrations, not upon opinion. The Religion is only based upon narrations, not upon opinion. The Religion is only based upon narrations, not upon opinion.” [14]

From Mu‘aawiyah Ibn Qurah, from his father, from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) who said: “A group from my Ummah will always remain victorious. Those who abandon them will not be able to harm them, until the Hour is established.” [15]

From Mu’aadth Ibn Jabal, from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) who said: “This knowledge will be carried by the trustworthy ones of every generation. They will remove from it the distortions of the transgressors and the attributions of the fabricators and the explanations of the ignorant.” [16]

Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Daawood said: “Ahmad Ibn Sinaan informed us from a man who mentioned that he saw the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in a dream and the Prophet was standing in the mosque between to circles. In the first of them was Ahmad Ibn Hanbal and in the other was Ibn Abi Du’aad. [17] The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was reciting:
“So when these people disbelieved in it…”
And he pointed to Ibn Abi Du’aad and his companions. [Then he recited:]
“So indeed we entrusted it to a people who are not disbelievers in it.” [Sooratul An‘aam 6:89]
And the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) pointed to Ahmad Ibn Hanbal and his companions.” [18]

From Anas that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “The Children of Israa’eel divided into seventy-one sects and the Christians divided into seventy-two sects. And my Ummah shall divide into seventy-three sects, all of them being in the Fire except one sect.” [19]

Ahmad Ibn Hanbal mentioned the Hadith of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم): “The Ummah will divide into more than seventy sects…” So he said: “If they are not the people of Hadith, then I do not know who they are!” [20]

Abul-Hasan Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdullaah Ibn Bishr said: “I saw the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in a dream so I said: Who is the Saved Sect from the seventy-three sects? He said: You, O people of Hadith.” [21]

From Sa‘eed Ibn Ya‘qoob at-Taaliqaanee or other than him said: “Ibnul Mubaarak mentioned the Hadith of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم): “There shall remain a group from my Ummah…” Then he said: “According to me, they are the people of Hadith.” [22]

From Fudhayl Ibn Ziyaad who said: “I asked Ahmad Ibn Hanbal – and he was mentioning the Hadith: “There shall remain a group from my Ummah…” – so he said: “If they are not the people of Hadith, then I do not who they are!” [23]

Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Mahboob said: “Abu ‘Eesaa at-Tirmidthee informed us while he was mentioning the Hadith of Mu‘aawiyah Ibn Qurah from his father who said that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “A group from my Ummah shall remain victorious. Those who forsake them will not be able to harm them…” Abu ‘Eesaa said: Muhammad Ibn Ismaa‘eel [Bukhari] said: Ali Ibnul Madeenee said: They are the people of Hadith.” [24]

Ishaaq Ibn Ahmad said: “Muhammad Ibn Ismaa‘eel Bukhari informed us – and he was mentioning the Hadith of Moosaa Ibn ‘Uqbah from Abi az-Zubayr from Jubayr from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم): “There shall remain a group from my Ummah…” So Bukhari said: It means the people of Hadith.” [25]

From Abi Hurayrah (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) who said that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “Verily Islam began as something strange and it will return to being something strange. So Toobaa is for the strangers.” [26]

‘Abdaan[27] said: “They are the early people of Hadith.” [28]

Abi Haatim ar-Raazee said: “There has not been in any nation from amongst the nations since Allah created Aadam (‘alayhis-salaam), trustworthy ones memorizing the narrations of the Messengers except in this Ummah.”
So a man said: ‘O Abaa Haatim, perhaps they may relate a Hadith which has no basis, nor is it authentic.’ So he said:”Their scholars know the authentic from the weak, so they relate that with knowledge in order to explain to those who come after them that they distinguished the narrations and memorized them.” Then the man said: ‘May Allah have mercy upon Abu Zur‘ah. He – by Allah – used to exert himself in the memorization of narrations from the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وسلم).’ [29]

Sufyaan ath-Thawree said: “The Angels are the guardians of the sky and the people of Hadith are the guardians of the earth.” [30]

Imam ash-Shaafi‘ee said: “If I were to see a man from the people of Hadith, it would be as if I had seen the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) living.” [31]

From Sa‘eed Ibnul-‘Abbaas who said: “Ibraaheem Ibn Moosaa was asked: ‘Who are the people who enjoin the good and forbid the evil?’ He said: ‘We are they. We say: ‘The Messenger of Allah said: Do such and such…’ and ‘The Messenger of Allah said do not do such and such..’ [32]

From Abi Bakr al-Maroozee that Abaa ‘Abdullaah – meaning Ahmad Ibn Hanbal – said: “According to me, there are not a people better than the people of Hadith. They do not know anything except the Hadith.” [33]

Khaleel Ibn Ahmad said: “If the people of the Qur’an and the Hadith are not the awliyaa (close allies) of Allah, then Allah does not have a walee (close ally) upon the earth.” [34]

Haaroon ar-Rasheed said: “I searched for four, so I found them in four. I searched for disbelief (kufr), so I found it in the Jahmiyyah. I searched for kalaam (rhetoric) and controversy (shaghab), so I found it in the Mu‘tazilah. I searched for the lie, so I found it with the Raafidhah. I searched for the truth, so I found it with the people of Hadith.” [35]

Abu Ja‘far an-Nufaylee said: “If there is anyone upon the face of the earth who is saved, then it is these who study the Hadith.” [36]

Ja‘far Ibn Muhammad said: al-Hasan al-Qaadee said: I heard Qutaybah Ibn Sa‘eed saying: “If you see a man loving the people of Hadith like Yahyaa Ibn Sa‘eed al-Qattaan and ‘Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Mahdee and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal and Ishaaq Ibn Raahawayh – and he mentioned some people – then he is upon the Sunnah, and whoever opposes this, then know that he is an innovator.” [37]

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Footnotes

[1] The article is a series of excerpts from the book, ‘Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith’ by al-Haafidh Khateeb al-Baghdaadee.
[2] Related by Bukhari (6/496/3461). See Saheehut Tirmidthee (no. 1250) and Saheehul Jaami‘ (no. 2834).
[3] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (1/15)
[4] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (1/15)
[5] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (2/26)
[6] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (2/26)
[7] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (2/32)
[8] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (2/37)
[9] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (2/39)
[10] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (2/40)
[11] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (2/39)
[12] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (2/36)
[13] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (2/36)
[14] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (p. 38)
[15] Related by Muslim (no. 1920-1925), by Ibn Hibbaan in al-Majrooheen (1/88-89)
[16] Related by Ibnul Wazeer al-Yamaanee in ar-Rawdhun Naas (1/21-23). It was authenticated

[17] He is Abu ‘Abdullaah Ibn Ahmad Ibn Farj Ibn Hareez al-’Iyaadee al-Basree, then al-Baghdaadee – the Jahmee. He was the enemy of Imaamus-Sunnah Ahmad Ibn Hanbal. He called to the creation of the Qur’an. He died in the year 240H. See Siyar A‘laamun Nubalaa (11/169-171).

[18] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (p. 44)

[19] Related by al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak with the Talkhees of adh-Dhahabee (1/128), it is related in Majmoo‘ul Fataawaa (3/340) and (16/491) of Ibn Taymiyyah and ash-Shaatibee in al-I‘tisaam (2/189-191) and by al-‘Iraaqee in Takhreejul Ihyaa (3/230) and Ibn Hajar in Takhreej Ahaadeethul Kashaaf (p. 63). It was authenticated

[20] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (1/7)
[21] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (1/7)
[22] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (1/8)
[23] Sharaf Ashaabul Hadith (1/8)
[24] Ibid.
[25] Ibid.
[26] Related by Muslim (no. 45).

[27] He is ‘Abdaan al-Qaadee, a narrator of Hadith Abi Bakr Ibn Abi Shaybah as is found in the chain of narrators of the author. Refer to the checking of Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmaan Mahmood of Sharaf Ashaabul-Hadith (p. 53).

[28] Sharaf Ashaabul-Hadith (1/6).
[29] Sharaf Ashaabul-Hadith (1/16)
[30] Sharaf Ashaabul-Hadith (1/17)
[31] Sharaf Ashaabul-Hadith (1/18)
[32] Sharaf Ashaabul-Hadith (1/19)
[33] Sharaf Ashaabul-Hadith (1/20)
[34] Sharaf Ashaabul-Hadith (1/21)
[35] Sharaf Ashaabul-Hadith (2/23)
[36] Sharaf Ashaabul-Hadith (2/24)
[37] Sharaf Ashaabul-Hadith (2/35)