Hadith Fail the Authenticity Test
Last updated
Was this helpful?
Last updated
Was this helpful?
There are two predominant reasons why a devout adherent of the Quran and a follower of the Prophet Muhammad will solely rely on the Quran alone as their only source of religious law and dismiss all other Hadith.
NO AUTHORITY
The primary reason is that the Hadith corpus has no authority in the religion and is condemned by name in the Quran.
[45:6] These are GODâs revelations that we recite to you truthfully. In which Hadith other than GOD and His revelations do they believe?
ŘŞŮŮŮŮŮ ŘĄŮاŮŮŮŮ°ŘŞŮ ŮąŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŘŞŮŮŮŮŮŮا ŘšŮŮŮŮŮŮ٠بŮŮąŮŮŘŮŮŮŮ ŮŮبŮŘŁŮŮŮŮ ŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮŰ Ř¨ŮŘšŮŘŻŮ ŮąŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŘĄŮاŮŮŮŮ°ŘŞŮŮŮŰŚ ŮŮؤŮŮ ŮŮŮŮŮŮ
[77:50] Which Hadith, other than this, do they uphold?
ŮŮبŮŘŁŮŮŮŮ ŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮŰ Ř¨ŮŘšŮŘŻŮŮŮŰĽ ŮŮؤŮŮ ŮŮŮŮŮŮ
[31:6] Among the people, there are those who uphold baseless Hadith, and thus divert others from the path of GOD without knowledge, and take it in vain. These have incurred a shameful retribution.
ŮŮŮ ŮŮŮ ŮąŮŮŮŮاس٠٠ŮŮ ŮŮŘ´ŮŘŞŮŘąŮŮ ŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮąŮŮŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮ ŮŮŮŮŘśŮŮŮŮ ŘšŮŮ ŘłŮبŮŮŮŮ ŮąŮŮŮŮŮ٠بŮŘşŮŮŮع٠ؚŮŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮŮŮŘŞŮŮŘŽŮŘ°ŮŮŮا ŮŮزŮŮŮا ŘŁŮŮŰŮŮŮŮ°ŮŘŚŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŮŮ Ů ŘšŮŘ°Ůاب٠٠ŮŮŮŮŮŮŮ
[6:114] Shall I seek other than GOD as a source of law, when He has revealed to you this book fully detailed? Those who received the scripture recognize that it has been revealed from your Lord, truthfully. You shall not harbor any doubt.
ŘŁŮŮŮŘşŮŮŮع٠ٹŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŘŁŮبŮŘŞŮŘşŮŮ ŘŮŮŮŮ Ůا ŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮąŮŮŮŘ°ŮŮŮ ŘŁŮŮزŮŮŮ ŘĽŮŮŮŮŮŮŮŮ Ů ŮąŮŮŮŮŘŞŮŮٰب٠٠ŮŮŮŘľŮŮŮŮا ŮŮŮąŮŮŮŘ°ŮŮŮŮ ŘĄŮاتŮŮŮŮŮŮŮ°ŮŮŮ Ů ŮąŮŮŮŮŘŞŮŮٰب٠ŮŮŘšŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŮ ŘŁŮŮŮŮŮŮŰĽ Ů ŮŮŮزŮŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮŮ ŘąŮŮبŮŮŮ٠بŮŮąŮŮŘŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŮا ŘŞŮŮŮŮŮŮŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮŮ ŮąŮŮŮ ŮŮ ŮŘŞŮŘąŮŮŮŮ
[6:115] The word of your Lord is complete, in truth and justice. Nothing shall abrogate His words. He is the Hearer, the Omniscient.
ŮŮŘŞŮŮ ŮŮŘŞŮ ŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŘŞŮ ŘąŮبŮŮŮŮ ŘľŮŘŻŮŮŮا ŮŮŘšŮŘŻŮŮŮا ŮŮŮا Ů ŮبŮŘŻŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŮ°ŘŞŮŮŮŰŚ ŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮąŮŘłŮŮŮ ŮŮؚ٠ٹŮŮŘšŮŮŮŮŮ Ů
LACK OF AUTHENTICITY
The secondary reason is that Hadith are highly inauthentic, making the entire corpus incredibly unreliable. Hadith by their very nature are conjecture (zann / ظŮŮŮŮŮ ) and lacks any level of certainty.
[6:116] If you obey the majority of people on earth, they will divert you from the path of GOD. They follow only conjecture (l-áşana); they only guess.
ŮŮŘĽŮŮ ŘŞŮءŮؚ٠أŮŮŮŘŤŮع٠٠ŮŮ ŮŮŮ ŮąŮŮŘŁŮŘąŮ؜٠ŮŮŘśŮŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŘšŮŮ ŘłŮبŮŮŮŮ ŮąŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŘĽŮŮ ŮŮŘŞŮŮبŮŘšŮŮŮŮ ŘĽŮŮŮŮا ŮąŮظŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŘĽŮŮŮ ŮŮŮ Ů ŘĽŮŮŮŮا ŮŮŘŽŮŘąŮŘľŮŮŮŮ
[6:148] The idol worshipers say, âHad GOD willed, we would not practice idolatry, nor would our parents, nor would we prohibit anything.â Thus did those before them disbelieve, until they incurred our retribution. Say, âDo you have any proven knowledge that you can show us? You follow nothing but conjecture (zann); you only guess.â
ŘłŮŮŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮąŮŮŮŘ°ŮŮŮŮ ŘŁŮŘ´ŮŘąŮŮŮŮŘ§Ű ŮŮŮŮ Ř´Ůآإ٠ٹŮŮŮŮŮŮ Ů Ůآ ŘŁŮŘ´ŮŘąŮŮŮŮŮا ŮŮŮŮآ ŘĄŮابŮآؤŮŮŮا ŮŮŮŮا ŘŮŘąŮŮŮ ŮŮŮا Ů ŮŮ Ř´ŮŮŮŘĄŮ ŮŮŘ°ŮŮ°ŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŘ°ŮŮب٠ٹŮŮŮŘ°ŮŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮ ŮŮبŮŮŮŮŮŮ Ů ŘŮŘŞŮŮŮŮ° Ř°ŮاŮŮŮŘ§Ű Ř¨ŮŘŁŮŘłŮŮŮا ŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŮ ŘšŮŮŘŻŮŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮŮŮ ŘšŮŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮŘŞŮŘŽŮŘąŮŘŹŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŮآ ŘĽŮŮ ŘŞŮŘŞŮŮبŮŘšŮŮŮŮ ŘĽŮŮŮŮا ŮąŮظŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŘĽŮŮŮ ŘŁŮŮŘŞŮŮ Ů ŘĽŮŮŮŮا ŘŞŮŘŽŮŘąŮŘľŮŮŮŮ
[10:36] Most of them follow nothing but conjecture (zann), and conjecture is no substitute for the truth. GOD is fully aware of everything they do.
ŮŮŮ Ůا ŮŮŘŞŮŮبŮؚ٠أŮŮŮŘŤŮŘąŮŮŮŮ Ů ŘĽŮŮŮŮا ظŮŮŮŮا ŘĽŮŮŮŮ ŮąŮظŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮا ŮŮŘşŮŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮŮ ŮąŮŮŘŮŮŮŮ Ř´ŮŮŮŮŮŮا ŘĽŮŮŮŮ ŮąŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŘšŮŮŮŮŮ Ůۢ بŮŮ Ůا ŮŮŮŮŘšŮŮŮŮŮŮ
For example, there are numerous contradicting reports regarding the most basic facts about the prophet and the religion.
What was the first revelation?
What was the last revelation?
How old was the prophet when he died?
How many years was the prophet in Mecca and Medina?
How many wives did the prophet have?
How many battles did the prophet participate in?
Traditionalists often accuse individuals who reject the authenticity of Hadith besides the Quran of cherry-picking Hadith and rejecting the authenticity of the entire corpus based on some fringe Hadith. To refute such a claim, letâs gauge the reliability of Hadith based on what should be considered the most reputable Hadith found in their entire Hadith corpus.
For this analysis, we will use three of the most cut-and-dry examples:
The most mass-transmitted Hadith
The most oft-repeated statement supposedly made by the prophet
The most widely witnessed Hadith ever stated in the prophetâs whole life
We will demonstrate that the Hadith corpus is still highly unreliable even among these three most notable cases.
EXAMPLE # 1: THE MOST WIDELY TRANSMITTED HADITH
Besides the Quran, one Hadith is considered the most widely transmitted Hadith in all the Hadith corpus. This Hadith has more narrators than any other Hadith and consists of only a single sentence. Yet, there is a dispute regarding the exact wording of this Hadith. In addition to minor differences in the various narrations, there also exists a major point of contention that has implications on the entire Hadith corpus based on which narration is accepted.
The Hadith has the basic structure that claims the prophet said, âWhoever lies about me should take their seat in the Hellfire.â This Hadith is supposedly transmitted by some seventy different companions and is considered the most widely propagated Hadith in the entire Hadith corpus.
As ibn al-Salah (d. 643/1245), the most famous scholar of hadith criticism in the later period, explained, at most one hadith [âWhoever lies about me, let him prepare for himself a seat in the Hellfire.â] would meet the requirements for mutawatir.
Hadith Muhammadâs Legacy in Medieval and Modern World p. 109 Ibn al-Salah, Muqaddima p. 454
While this Hadith contains many subtle variations in syntax that are inconsequential to the overall meaning, there are two flavors of this Hadith that, depending on which one a person chooses to follow, will have significant implications for the overall validity of the entire Sunni corpus.
This is because some of the narrations claim the lie must be deliberate ( Ů ŮŘŞŮŘšŮŮ ŮŮŘŻŮا ), while others have no indication that this is limited to deliberate lies.
For reference, here are several without the word deliberate:
WITHOUT THE WORD DELIBERATE
Narrated: âŚRabâiy ibn HirÄsh, that he heard AlÄŤ, may Allah be pleased with him, giving a Khutbah and he said that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah upon him, said: âDo not lie upon me; indeed whoever lies upon me will enter the Fireâ.
ŮŮŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮŮŮا ŘŁŮبŮ٠بŮŮŮع٠بŮŮŮ ŘŁŮبŮŮ Ř´ŮŮŮبŮŘŠŮŘ ŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮŮŮا ŘşŮŮŮŘŻŮŘąŮŘ ŘšŮŮŮ Ř´ŮŘšŮبŮŘŠŮŘ Ř ŮŮŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮŮŮا Ů ŮŘŮŮ ŮŮد٠بŮŮ٠اŮŮŮ ŮŘŤŮŮŮŮŮŘ ŮŮابŮŮŮŘ Ř¨ŮŘ´ŮŮاع٠ŮŮاŮا٠ŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮŮŮا Ů ŮŘŮŮ ŮŮد٠بŮŮŮ ŘŹŮŘšŮŮŮŘąŮŘ ŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮŮŮا Ř´ŮŘšŮبŮŘŠŮŘ ŘšŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮŮŘľŮŮŘąŮŘ ŘšŮŮŮ ŘąŮبŮŘšŮŮŮ٠بŮŮŮ ŘŮŘąŮاشŮŘ ŘŁŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŘłŮŮ Ůؚ٠ؚŮŮŮŮŮŮŘ§Ř â ع؜٠اŮŮŮ ŘšŮŮ â ŮŮŘŽŮءŮب٠ŮŮاŮŮ ŮŮاŮŮ ŘąŮŘłŮŮŮ٠اŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŘľŮ٠اŮŮŮ ŘšŮŮŮ ŮŘłŮŮ â ââ Ůا٠تŮŮŮŘ°ŮبŮŮا ŘšŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŘĽŮŮŮŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŮŘ°Ůب٠ؚŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŮ؏٠اŮŮŮŮاع٠âââ â.â
Sahih Muslim 1 https://sunnah.com/muslim:1
Narrated `Ali: The Prophet () said, âDo not tell a lie against me for whoever tells a lie against me then he will surely enter the Hell-fire.â
ŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮŮŮا ŘšŮŮŮŮŮ٠بŮŮ٠اŮŮŘŹŮŘšŮŘŻŮŘ ŮŮاŮŮ ŘŁŮŘŽŮبŮŘąŮŮŮا Ř´ŮŘšŮبŮŘŠŮŘ ŮŮاŮŮ ŘŁŮŘŽŮبŮŘąŮŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮŮŘľŮŮŘąŮŘ ŮŮاŮŮ ŘłŮŮ ŮŘšŮŘŞŮ ŘąŮبŮŘšŮŮŮ٠بŮŮŮ ŘŮŘąŮاشŮŘ ŮŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŘłŮŮ ŮŘšŮŘŞŮ ŘšŮŮŮŮŮŮŘ§Ř ŮŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮاŮ٠اŮŮŮŮبŮŮŮŮ ŘľŮ٠اŮŮŮ ŘšŮŮŮ ŮŘłŮŮ â ââ Ůا٠تŮŮŮŘ°ŮبŮŮا ŘšŮŮŮŮŮŮŘ ŮŮŘĽŮŮŮŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮŮ ŮŮŘ°Ůب٠ؚŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŮŮŮŮŮ؏٠اŮŮŮŮاع٠ââââ.â
Sahih al-Bukhari 106 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:106
Narrated `Abdullah bin Az-Zubair: I said to my father, âI do not hear from you any narration (Hadith) of Allahâs Apostle as I hear (his narration) from so and so?â Az-Zubair replied. l was always with him (the Prophet), and I heard him saying, âWhoever tells a lie against me then let him occupy his seat in Hellfire.
ŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮŮŮا ŘŁŮبŮ٠اŮŮŮŮŮŮŮŘŻŮŘ ŮŮاŮŮ ŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮŮŮا Ř´ŮŘšŮبŮŘŠŮŘ ŘšŮŮŮ ŘŹŮا٠Ůؚ٠بŮŮŮ Ř´ŮŘŻŮŮادŮŘ ŘšŮŮŮ ŘšŮا٠Ůع٠بŮŮŮ ŘšŮبŮد٠اŮŮŮŮŮ٠بŮŮ٠اŮزŮŮبŮŮŮŘąŮŘ ŘšŮŮŮ ŘŁŮبŮŮŮŮŘ ŮŮاŮŮ ŮŮŮŮŘŞŮ ŮŮŮزŮŮبŮŮŮع٠ؼŮŮŮŮŮ Ůا٠أŮŘłŮŮ ŮŘšŮŮŮ ŘŞŮŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮ ŘšŮŮŮ ŘąŮŘłŮŮŮ٠اŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŘľŮ٠اŮŮŮ ŘšŮŮŮ ŮŘłŮŮ ŮŮŮ Ůا ŮŮŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮ ŮŮŮاŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŮŮاŮŮŮâ.â ŮŮاŮŮ ŘŁŮŮ Ůا ŘĽŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŮ Ů ŘŁŮŮŮاعŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŘłŮŮ ŮŘšŮŘŞŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŮŮŮŮ â ââ Ů ŮŮŮ ŮŮŘ°Ůب٠ؚŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŮŮŮŘŞŮبŮŮŮŮŘŁŮ Ů ŮŮŮŘšŮŘŻŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮ٠اŮŮŮŮاع٠ââââ.â
Sahih al-Bukhari 107 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:107
Here are others with the word deliberate:
Narrated Anas: The fact which stops me from narrating a great number of Hadiths to you is that the Prophet () said: âWhoever deliberatly lies against me, then let him occupy his seat in Hell-fire.â
ŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮŮŮا ŘŁŮبŮŮ Ů ŮŘšŮŮ ŮŘąŮŘ ŮŮاŮŮ ŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮŮŮا ŘšŮبŮد٠اŮŮŮŮاعŮŘŤŮŘ ŘšŮŮŮ ŘšŮبŮد٠اŮŮŘšŮزŮŮزŮŘ ŮŮاŮŮ ŘŁŮŮŮس٠ؼŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŘšŮŮŮŮ ŘŁŮŮŮ ŘŁŮŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮŮŮŮ Ů ŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮا ŮŮŘŤŮŮŘąŮا ŘŁŮŮŮ٠اŮŮŮŮبŮŮŮŮ ŘľŮ٠اŮŮŮ ŘšŮŮŮ ŮŘłŮŮ ŮŮاŮŮ â ââ Ů ŮŮŮ ŘŞŮŘšŮŮ ŮŮŘŻŮ ŘšŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŘ°ŮبŮا ŮŮŮŮŮŮŘŞŮبŮŮŮŮŘŁŮ Ů ŮŮŮŘšŮŘŻŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮ٠اŮŮŮŮاع٠ââââ.â
Sahih al-Bukhari 108 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:108
Muhammad bin Ubayd il-GhubarÄŤ narrated to us, AbĹŤ AwÄnah narrated to us, on authority of AbÄŤ HasÄŤn, on authority of AbÄŤ SÄlih, on authority of AbĹŤ Hurayrah, he said, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah upon him, said: âWhoever lies upon me intentionally, then let him take his seat in the Fireâ.
ŮŮŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮŮŮا Ů ŮŘŮŮ ŮŮد٠بŮŮŮ ŘšŮبŮŮŮد٠اŮŮŘşŮبŮŘąŮŮŮŮŘ ŘŮŘŻŮŮŘŤŮŮŮا ŘŁŮبŮŮ ŘšŮŮŮاŮŮŘŠŮŘ ŘšŮŮŮ ŘŁŮبŮŮ ŘŮŘľŮŮŮŮŘ ŘšŮŮŮ ŘŁŮبŮŮ ŘľŮاŮŮŘŮŘ ŘšŮŮŮ ŘŁŮبŮŮ ŮŮŘąŮŮŮŘąŮŘŠŮŘ ŮŮاŮŮ ŮŮاŮŮ ŘąŮŘłŮŮŮ٠اŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŘľŮ٠اŮŮŮ ŘšŮŮŮ ŮŘłŮŮ â ââ Ů ŮŮŮ ŮŮŘ°Ůب٠ؚŮŮŮŮŮŮ Ů ŮŘŞŮŘšŮŮ ŮŮŘŻŮا ŮŮŮŮŮŮŘŞŮبŮŮŮŮŘŁŮ Ů ŮŮŮŘšŮŘŻŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮ٠اŮŮŮŮاع٠âââ â.â
Sahih Muslim 3 https://sunnah.com/muslim:3
This is not a subtle difference because if someone is to take the more conservative approach, then even if someone unintentionally lies about the prophet, attributing something to him that he did not say, they would be securing their seat in the Hellfire. Therefore, anyone who mistakenly attributes any inaccurate statement to the prophet would be condemning themselves to Hell. The reason this would be so highly problematic for all Hadith is that no scholar claims that the Hadith are verbatim statements from the prophet. This is perfectly encompassed in the following statement attributed to the most famous successor Hasan al-Basri:
The Companion Wathila b. Asqaâ had admitted that sometimes the early Muslims even confused the exact wording of the Quran, which was universally well-known and well-preserved. So how, he asked, could one expect any less in the case of a report that the Prophet had said just once? Al-Hasan al-Basri is reported to have said, If we only narrated to you what we could repeat word for word, we would only narrate two hadiths.
Hadith Muhammad s Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World p. 24
This shows that the most widely transmitted Hadith in the entire corpus is not only not a verbatim speech of the prophet, but even the exact meaning is uncertain. Therefore, if the most highly transmitted statement in the entire corpus, which consists of only a single sentence, is unreliable, how less reliable are all other Hadith?
For a complete analysis of this Hadith and its variations, you can check out the following article.
EXAMPLE #2: THE MOST OFT-REPEATED HADITH
The Tashahhud ( ŘŞŮŘ´ŮŮŮŮŘŻ ) is the testimony of faith which is to be recited during Salat while in the sitting position. It is derived from the shahadah ( ŮąŮŘ´ŮŮŮŮادŮŘŠŮ ), which occurs in various forms throughout the Quran approximately thirty-plus times.
[3:18] GOD bears witness that there is no god except He, and so do the angels and those who possess knowledge. Truthfully and equitably, He is the absolute god; there is no god but He, the Almighty, Most Wise.
Ř´ŮŮŮد٠اŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŘŁŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮا ŘĽŮŮŮŮ°ŮŮ ŘĽŮŮŮŮا ŮŮŮŮ ŮŮاŮŮŮ ŮŮŮا،ŮŮŮŘŠŮ ŮŮŘŁŮŮŮŮ٠اŮŮŘšŮŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮا،ŮŮ Ůا بŮاŮŮŮŮŘłŮء٠ŮŮا ŘĽŮŮŮŮ°ŮŮ ŘĽŮŮŮŮا ŮŮŮ٠اŮŮŘšŮزŮŮز٠اŮŮŘŮŮŮŮŮ Ů
[Sura 47 âMuhammadâ:19] You shall know that: âThere is no other god beside GOD,â and ask forgiveness of your sins and the sins of all believing men and women. GOD is fully aware of your decisions and your ultimate destiny.
ŮŮاؚŮŮŮŮ Ů ŘŁŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮا ŘĽŮŮŮŮ°ŮŮ ŘĽŮŮŮŮا اŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮاسŮŘŞŮŘşŮŮŮع٠ŮŮŘ°ŮŮŮبŮŮŮ ŮŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮؤŮŮ ŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮاŮŮŮ ŮؤŮŮ ŮŮŮات٠ŮŮاŮŮŮŮŮŮ ŮŮŘšŮŮŮŮ Ů Ů ŮŘŞŮŮŮŮŮŮبŮŮŮŮ Ů ŮŮŮ ŮŘŤŮŮŮاŮŮŮ Ů
Letâs consider that the prophet made this statement multiple times daily and was heard repeatedly by hundreds if not thousands of companions throughout his prophethood. We can comfortably say that this is single-handedly one of the most oft-repeated statements of the prophet during his whole life. Therefore, we would expect that there should be an absolute consensus among all the companions regarding the exact wording for this most prolific statement from the prophet, yet when we search the Hadith corpus, we see this is not the case.
What else is interesting is that many of these narrations state that âThe Messenger of Allah () used to teach us tashahhud just as he used to teach us a Surah of the Qurâan.â If this were true, one would expect to see every narration regarding how to state the tashahhud to be identical, as this is what we find in the Quran. However, this is not the case, as there are numerous variations of this statement. Below are some of the multiple narrations of the supposed tashahhud of the prophet:
Again, if this most oft-repeated statement made by the prophet, which was supposedly taught to his companions no different than the verses of the Quran, is unreliable, how less reliable are all other Hadith?
For a more in-depth look into these various narrations, check out the following article.
EXAMPLE #3: THE SINGLE MOST WIDELY HEARD HADITH DURING THE PROPHETâS LIFE
Despite there not existing a single sermon from the prophet that is transcribed from start to finish in the entire Hadith corpus, the most widely heard sermon that he gave in his whole life would be the one he supposedly gave during what is known as the Farewell Pilgrimage, Ḥijjatu Al-WadÄĘż ( ŘŮŘŹŮŮŘŠ ŮąŮŮŮŮŘŻŮاؚ ), in the Islamic year 10 AH, following the Conquest of Mecca.
It is believed that there were between 4 to 10,000 people in the audience for this sermon. This would make this the most widely heard statement from the prophet in his entire life. Yet not only did not a single person fully document what was said, but the Hadith is even unsure regarding the exact location of the sermon, with some narrations claiming Mina while others Arafat.
Instead, what we find regarding the sermon in the Hadith corpus, on top of the confusion regarding the exact location, are various narrations that conflict with one another regarding what was stated in this sermon. The critical difference between these narrations lies with what the prophet supposedly claimed to have left for the believers to keep them from being misguided. Depending on the narration, there are one of four options.
âI left for you what if you hold up to, you will never be misguided, the book of God.â
Al-Jahiz in the KitÄb al-BayÄn wa-al-TabyÄŤn
Musnad of Imam Ahmad (hadith no.19774)
âI left for you what if you hold up to, you will never be misguided, the book of God and my Family, the people of the house.â
âI left for you what if you hold up to, you will never be misguided, the book of God and my Sunnah.â
Ibn Ishaq, as quoted in Ibn Hishamâs Sirah an-Nabawiyah (with no isnad)
âI enjoin you to fear Allah, and to hear and obey (your leaders) even if it be an Abyssinian (Ethiopian) slave, for those of you who live after me will see great disagreement. You must then follow my Sunnah and that of the rightly-guided caliphs.â
As seen above, these are not minor differences but have significant implications based on which statement the prophet said, if any. The fact that there is no consensus regarding what the prophet stated regarding the single most widely heard sermon of his entire life again reinforces that Hadith are highly unreliable. If the Hadith is not reliable to inform us what the prophet said when potentially thousands supposedly witnessed such a sermon, how less reliable are all the other Hadith when it was heard by one or even a handful of companions?
For an analysis of these four variations, check out the following article.
CONCLUSION
This shows that individuals who claim that the Hadith are unreliable are not doing this because they are cherry-picking questionable Hadith. Even among the most prominent examples where one should expect that if there is any authenticity to the Hadith, it should be visible in these examples, the Hadith literature repeatedly fails. It fails to determine the exact wording and meaning of the single sentence that is considered the most mass-transmitted statement in the entire corpus. It fails to provide the exact wording for the tashahhud which should be the most oft-repeated statement made by the prophet throughout his whole life. And it fails to give a consistent account regarding what the prophet supposedly stated during the most widely heard sermon of his life. So if the Hadith fails again and again on what should be its most ironclad narrations, how less reliable should one consider Hadith for all other matters?
