HADITH NUMBER 10: O Slaves of Allah!
HADITH NUMBER 10: O Slaves of Allah!
إذا انفلتت دابة أحدكم بأرض فلاة فليناد يا عباد الله احبسوا علي ، فإن لله في الأرض حاضراً سيحبسه عليكم
When one loses his means of transport in a (deserted) land, he should call: “O slaves of Allah! Help me recover (my transport)” for there are many of Allah’s attendants on this earth. They will help you recover it.
At-Tabarani said in Mu’jamul Kabir (10/267):
Ibrahim Ibn Naila Al-Asbahani narrated to us from Al-Hasan Ibn Umar Ibn Shaqiq from Ma’ruf Ibn Hasan As-Samarqandi from Sa’id Ibn Abi Arubah from Qatadah from Abdullah Ibn Buraydah from Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud that he said:
‘The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
10367:
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بن نَائِلَةَ الأَصْبَهَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بن عُمَرَ بن شَقِيقٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْرُوفُ بن حَسَّانَ السَّمَرْقَنْدِيُّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بن أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بن بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بن مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:إِذَا انْفَلَتَتْ دَابَّةُ أَحَدِكُمْ بِأَرْضِ فَلاةٍ فَلْيُنَادِ: يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ، احْبِسُوا عَلَيَّ، يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ احْبِسُوا عَلَيَّ، فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ فِي الأَرْضِ حَاضِرًا سَيَحْبِسُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ
‘When one loses his means of transport in a (deserted) land,he should call: “O slaves of Allah! Help me recover (my transport)” for there are many of Allah’s attendants on this earth. They will help you recover it.’
Abu Ya’la has narrated it like this in his Musnad (9/177) as well as Ibn As-Sunni in Amalul Yawmi wal Laylah (page 162).
حدثنا الحسن بن عمر بن شقيق حدثنا معروف بن حسان عن سعيد عن قتادة عن بن بريدة عن عبد الله بن مسعود أنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا انفلتت دابة أحدكم بأرض فلاة فليناد يا عباد الله احبسوا يا عباد الله احبسوا فإن لله حاضرا في الأرض سيحبسه
[Abu Ya’la in meshkat Musnad, volume 9, number 5269:]
وقال أبو يعلى الموصلي: ثنا الحسن بن عمر، ثنا معروف بن حسان، عن سعيد، عن قتادة، عن ابن بريدة، عن عبد الله قال: قال رسول اللّه - صلى الله عليه وسلم -: "إذا انفلتت دابة أحدكم بأرض فلاة فليناد: يا عباد اللّه احبسوا، يا عباد اللّه احبسوا؟ فإن اللّه- عز وجل- في الأرض حاضراً سيحبسونها".هذا إسناد ضعيف لضعف معروف بن حسا
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar said in Takhrij Al-Adhkar (Sharh Ibn Allan, 5/150) after ascribing it to Ibn As-Sunni and At-Tabrani: There is inqita’ (discontinuation) in the chain between Ibn Buraydah and Ibn Mas’ud.
Nonetheless, the hadith has supporting routes which transform it from a weak hadith to a hasan (fair) one which is acceptable and actable on:
Firstly:
A different Chain
What At-Tabrani transmitted in his Mu’jamul Kabir (17/117)through the route of Abdur Rahman Ibn Sharik whos said his father related from Abu Abdullah Ibn Isa from Yazid Ibn Ali from Utbah Ibn Ghazwan from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that he said:
حدثنا الْحُسَيْنُ بن إِسْحَاقَ التُّسْتَرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بن يَحْيَى الصُّوفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بن سَهْلٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بن عِيسَى، عَنْ زَيْدِ بن عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ عُتْبَةَ بن غَزْوَانَ، عَنْ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ:"إِذَا أَضَلَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَيْئًا أَوْ أَرَادَ أَحَدُكُمْ عَوْنًا وَهُوَ بِأَرْضٍ لَيْسَ بِهَا أَنِيسٌ، فَلْيَقُلْ:"يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ أَغِيثُونِي، يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ أَغِيثُونِي، فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ عِبَادًا لا نَرَاهُمْ"، وَقَدْ جَرَّبَ ذَلِكَ
‘When one of you loses something or desires assistance while in a land where no person of assistance (is available) he should say “O slaves of Allah! Assist me; help me” for indeed Allah has many slaves who we do not see’ [At-Tabarani added:] and this has been acted upon.
[meshkat Mu’jamul Kabir, number 13737]
Al-Hafiz Al-Haythami said in Al-Majma’uz Zawaid (10/132):‘At-Tabrani narrated it and its narrators have been declared reliable ........ [Majma'uz Zawaid (17103)]
Al-Hafiz (Ibn Hajar) restricted (his comments) on it defects to (pointing out) the inqita’ (and not mentioning the weakness of the narrators) in Takhrij Al-Adhkar saying ‘At-Tabrani transmitted it with a munqati’ (discontinued) chain from Utbah Ibn Ghazwan, as a marfu’ (traceable i.e. to the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم) narration’
Secondly:
When Ibn Abi Shaybah related in al-Musannaf (10/424, 425): Yazid Ibn Harun related to us saying: Muhammad Ibn Ishaq reported to us from Aban Ibn Salih that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
( 132 ) مَا يَقُولُ الرَّجُلُ إذَا نَدَّتْ بِهِ دَابَّتُهُ أَوْ بَعِيرُهُ فِي سَفَرٍ ( 1 ) حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ أَبَانَ بْنِ صَالِحٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ : { إذَا نَفَرَتْ دَابَّةُ أَحَدِكُمْ أَوْ بَعِيرُهُ بِفَلَاةٍ مِنْ الْأَرْضِ لَا يَرَى بِهَا أَحَدًا فَلْيَقُلْ : أَعِينُونِي عِبَادَ اللَّهِ ، فَإِنَّهُ سَيُعَانُ
‘When one of your means of transport or camel flees in a (deserted) land, where none can be seen, he should say “Assist me O slaves of Allah” for he shall be assisted’
This hadith is mursal (the Tabi’i drops the Sahabi and narrates directly from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم). If it weren’t for the ananah (i.e. instead of saying “he narrated to me”, it is said “from him” which creates the possibility of an unknown narrator in between) of Muhammad Ibn Ishaq, the chain would have been hasan. Al-Albani claimed it had the defect of being mu’dal (where two consecutive narrators are dropped and not just one as would be the case with a mursal hadith) in his Da’eefah (2/109) [8] but this is incorrect because Aban Ibn Salih was from the younger Tabi’in. And Allah knows best.
Thirdly:
What al-Bazzar transmitted in his Musnad (Kashf al-Astar, 4/33-34): Musa Ibn Ishaq related to us from Manjab Ibn Al-Harith, Hatim Ibn Isma’il related to us from Usamah Ibn Zayd from Aban Ibn Salih from Mujahid from Ibn Abbas that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
- وعن ابن عباس أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال:
"إن لله ملائكة في الأرض سوى الحفظة يكتبون ما يسقط من ورق الشجر، فإذا أصاب أحدكم عرجة بأرض فلاة فليناد: أعينوا عباد الله".
رواه البزار ورجاله ثقات.
‘Indeed Allah possesses Angels besides the Hafazah (the Angels of Protection) who write (of even) the leaf which falls from a tree so when one of you suffers a limp in a deserted land he should call “Assist (me) O slaves of Allah”’
Al-Haythami said in Al-Majma’uz Zawaid (10/132): ‘Al-Bazzar related it and its narrators are reliable’ [ Majma'uz Zawaid (17104)]
Al-Hafiz said in the Takhrij Al-Adhkar (Sharh ibn Allan, 5/151): “The chain is hasan and gharib jiddan (very rare)”; Al-Hafiz, restricting himself to saying it is hasan, shows he considered Usamah Ibn Zayd reliable for there is difference of opinion over him.
Al-Bayhaqi transmitted it in Shu’bul Iman on the authority of Ibn Abbas also, but in a mawquf (untraceable) form through Ja’far Ibn Awn from Usamah Ibn Zayd from Aba Ibn Salih from Mujahid from Ibn Abbas in Shu’bul Iman, volume 1, page 50, number 167:
Arabic is down
أخبرنا علي بن أحمد بن عبدان ثنا أحمد بن عبيد الصفار ثنا عبيد بن شريك ثنا بن أبي مريم ثنا عبد الله بن فروخ أخبرني أسامة بن زيد حدثني أبان بن صالح عن مجاهد عن بن عباس قال إن لله عز وجل ملائكة سوى الحفظة يكتبون ما سقط من ورق الشجر فإذا أصاب أحدكم عرجة بأرض فلاة فليناد أعينوا عباد الله يرحمكم الله تعالى
This is incorrect from two angles:
1. It is the convention in the science of hadith that when there is a contradiction of whether a hadith is raised back (to al-Nabi, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) or halted, the raised back is given preference in judgement. Al-Imam
An-Nawawi said in the muqaddamah (introduction) to Sharh Sahih Muslim (1/32):
‘When some of the accurate and reliable narrators narrate (a hadith as) muttasil (connected) and others (narrate it as) mursal; or some (narrate it as) mawquf and other (narrate it as) marfu’; or it is (narrated) mawsul (continuous) once and then marfu’ another time and as a mursal or mawquf another time, then the correct approach is as the muhaqqiqun (verifiers) from the muhaddithun (scholars of hadith), and it is the saying of the fuqaha (jurists) and scholars of usul (Islamic jurisprudence) have said and Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi regarded it correct: That the ruling (of the status of the hadith) is from the one who narrated it as mawsul or marfu’ whether the opposing narrations are from more reliable narrators or from more numerous narrators or from narrators with better memory because this is an addition from a reliable narrator and it is acceptable (ziyada thiqa wa-hiya maqbula).
Ibn Al-Hadi has clarified this in Al-Tanqih (1/350) as printed in Egypt.
2. Hatim Ibn Isma’il is not alone in narrating the hadith in marfu’ form; rather Muhammad Ibn Ishaq has also done so as has been previously discussed as in the case of the supporting narration of Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud as mentioned first.
What should have been said is that Aban Ibn Salih would narrate it marfu’ some times and at other times he did not feel it necessary to narrate it marfu’ as it is seen similarly very often. And Allah knows best.
Therefore the claim of this hadith being defective by Al-Albani because the mawquf would replace the marfu’ holds no weight; he only did so to repel the meaning of the hadith and to dispose of it with whatever means even if it meant going against the principles of hadith; may Allah forgive.
From what has preceded, it has been acknowledged that the hadith is jayyid (good) and maqbul (acceptable) and that the third supporting narration has a hasan chain itself,
Benefit
Usool of Hadith
When a hadith is mentioned with a da’if chain it becomes acceptable, either sahih or hasan, when the Ummah has accepted it; as for when some of the scholars have practised it like the hadith at hand their action strengthens the report also if two or three chains report the hadith it becomes "HASAN" itself.
Al-Hafiz Al-Bayhaqi said in As-Sunan Al-Kubra (3/52) after narrating the hadith on Salat al-Tasbih: ‘Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubarak would do it and it has been passed down by the pious and this strengthens the marfu’ hadith.’
A similar statement was made by his shaykh Al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak (1/320).
The hadith has been acted upon and practiced by the scholars:
o In Al-Masail and Shu’bul Iman of Al-Bayhaqi, Abdullah Ibn Imam Ahmad said
7697:
مكرر أخبرنا أبو عبد الله الحافظ أنا أحمد بن سلمان الفقيه ببغداد نا عبد الله بن أحمد بن حنبل قال سمعت أبي يقول حججت خمس حجج اثنتين راكب وثلاث ماشي أو ثلاث راكب واثنتين ماشي فضللت الطريق في حجة وكنت ماشيا فجعلت أقول يا عباد الله دلوني على الطريق قال فلم أزل أقول ذلك حتى وقفت على الطريق أو كما قال أبي
‘I heard my father say:
‘I did five Hajjs; two on camel and three on foot, or two on foot and three on camel and when I lost my way when walking I would say “O slaves of Allah! Guide us towards the (correct) route” and then I continued a little before I found myself back on the (correct) route’ or as it was said by my father. [meshkat Shu’bul Iman, volume 6, page 52, number 7697:]
After Abul Qasim At-Tabarani transmitted it in his Mu'jam al Kabir (17/117) he said “this has been acted upon” [13]
Imam An-Nawawi said in Al-Adhkar (p.133) after mentioning this hadith
‘One of our major (kibar) scholars in knowledge related to me that he lost his means of transport, which I presume was a mule, and he was aware of this hadith and said (the du’a) so Allah brought to him his animal immediately.
‘I was once with a group of people and my animal fled and the people failed (to find it) and I said (the du’a) and I found the animal immediately without any means but this statement
اذا انفلتت دابة احد كم بارض فلاة فليناد يا عباد الله احبسوا
Translation: If the animal of someone runs loose in jungle, then he should say: O Allah’s servants stop it
He writes under “Ibaad Allah”
المراد بهم الملىكة او المسلمون من الجن او رجال الغيب المستمون بابدال
Translation: It means the angels, Muslims, jinn or men of unseen i.e. Abdaal
Then he writes:
هزا حديث حسن يحتاج اليه المسافرون وانه مجرب
Translation: This hadith is "Hassan" and the travelers are in urgent need of it and this has been acted upon [Sharah Hisn ul Hasin, Al-Hirz al-Thamin, page 378]
Hadith # 5
Translation: Maymuna bint Harith, the blessed wife of Prophet (Peace be upon her) narrates: The Prophet (Peace be upon him) was doing Wudhu for Tahajjud Salaah at the home of Hazrat Maimuna (radi Allahu anha). He suddenly called out three times, "Labbaik, Labbaik, Labbaik!" (Here I am) and "Nusirtu, Nusirtu, Nusirtu!" (I helped you). Hadhrat Maimuna (Radhi Allaho anha) further asked him why he had called out those words". He replied: "Raajiz (a sahabi from far) was calling me because Quraish wanted to kill him"[Imam Tabarani in Mu’jam as-Sagheer, Volume No.2, Hadith # 968]
The upshot is one who is researching can take two paths in strengthening this hadith:
1. Using the supporting evidences, so this hadith becomes hasan and there is no doubt in this as it is transferred from more than two chains.
2. It is strengthened due to the practice of the Ummah and classical scholars according to Usool of Hadith .
One of these paths (the latter) is stronger than the other (the first).
إذا انفلتت دابة أحدكم بأرض فلاة فليناد يا عباد الله احبسوا علي ، فإن لله في الأرض حاضراً سيحبسه عليكم
When one loses his means of transport in a (deserted) land, he should call: “O slaves of Allah! Help me recover (my transport)” for there are many of Allah’s attendants on this earth. They will help you recover it.
At-Tabarani said in Mu’jamul Kabir (10/267):
Ibrahim Ibn Naila Al-Asbahani narrated to us from Al-Hasan Ibn Umar Ibn Shaqiq from Ma’ruf Ibn Hasan As-Samarqandi from Sa’id Ibn Abi Arubah from Qatadah from Abdullah Ibn Buraydah from Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud that he said:
‘The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
10367:
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بن نَائِلَةَ الأَصْبَهَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بن عُمَرَ بن شَقِيقٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْرُوفُ بن حَسَّانَ السَّمَرْقَنْدِيُّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بن أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بن بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بن مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:إِذَا انْفَلَتَتْ دَابَّةُ أَحَدِكُمْ بِأَرْضِ فَلاةٍ فَلْيُنَادِ: يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ، احْبِسُوا عَلَيَّ، يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ احْبِسُوا عَلَيَّ، فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ فِي الأَرْضِ حَاضِرًا سَيَحْبِسُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ
‘When one loses his means of transport in a (deserted) land,he should call: “O slaves of Allah! Help me recover (my transport)” for there are many of Allah’s attendants on this earth. They will help you recover it.’
Abu Ya’la has narrated it like this in his Musnad (9/177) as well as Ibn As-Sunni in Amalul Yawmi wal Laylah (page 162).
حدثنا الحسن بن عمر بن شقيق حدثنا معروف بن حسان عن سعيد عن قتادة عن بن بريدة عن عبد الله بن مسعود أنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا انفلتت دابة أحدكم بأرض فلاة فليناد يا عباد الله احبسوا يا عباد الله احبسوا فإن لله حاضرا في الأرض سيحبسه
[Abu Ya’la in meshkat Musnad, volume 9, number 5269:]
وقال أبو يعلى الموصلي: ثنا الحسن بن عمر، ثنا معروف بن حسان، عن سعيد، عن قتادة، عن ابن بريدة، عن عبد الله قال: قال رسول اللّه - صلى الله عليه وسلم -: "إذا انفلتت دابة أحدكم بأرض فلاة فليناد: يا عباد اللّه احبسوا، يا عباد اللّه احبسوا؟ فإن اللّه- عز وجل- في الأرض حاضراً سيحبسونها".هذا إسناد ضعيف لضعف معروف بن حسا
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar said in Takhrij Al-Adhkar (Sharh Ibn Allan, 5/150) after ascribing it to Ibn As-Sunni and At-Tabrani: There is inqita’ (discontinuation) in the chain between Ibn Buraydah and Ibn Mas’ud.
Nonetheless, the hadith has supporting routes which transform it from a weak hadith to a hasan (fair) one which is acceptable and actable on:
Firstly:
A different Chain
What At-Tabrani transmitted in his Mu’jamul Kabir (17/117)through the route of Abdur Rahman Ibn Sharik whos said his father related from Abu Abdullah Ibn Isa from Yazid Ibn Ali from Utbah Ibn Ghazwan from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that he said:
حدثنا الْحُسَيْنُ بن إِسْحَاقَ التُّسْتَرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بن يَحْيَى الصُّوفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بن سَهْلٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بن عِيسَى، عَنْ زَيْدِ بن عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ عُتْبَةَ بن غَزْوَانَ، عَنْ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ:"إِذَا أَضَلَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَيْئًا أَوْ أَرَادَ أَحَدُكُمْ عَوْنًا وَهُوَ بِأَرْضٍ لَيْسَ بِهَا أَنِيسٌ، فَلْيَقُلْ:"يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ أَغِيثُونِي، يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ أَغِيثُونِي، فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ عِبَادًا لا نَرَاهُمْ"، وَقَدْ جَرَّبَ ذَلِكَ
‘When one of you loses something or desires assistance while in a land where no person of assistance (is available) he should say “O slaves of Allah! Assist me; help me” for indeed Allah has many slaves who we do not see’ [At-Tabarani added:] and this has been acted upon.
[meshkat Mu’jamul Kabir, number 13737]
Al-Hafiz Al-Haythami said in Al-Majma’uz Zawaid (10/132):‘At-Tabrani narrated it and its narrators have been declared reliable ........ [Majma'uz Zawaid (17103)]
Al-Hafiz (Ibn Hajar) restricted (his comments) on it defects to (pointing out) the inqita’ (and not mentioning the weakness of the narrators) in Takhrij Al-Adhkar saying ‘At-Tabrani transmitted it with a munqati’ (discontinued) chain from Utbah Ibn Ghazwan, as a marfu’ (traceable i.e. to the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم) narration’
Secondly:
When Ibn Abi Shaybah related in al-Musannaf (10/424, 425): Yazid Ibn Harun related to us saying: Muhammad Ibn Ishaq reported to us from Aban Ibn Salih that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
( 132 ) مَا يَقُولُ الرَّجُلُ إذَا نَدَّتْ بِهِ دَابَّتُهُ أَوْ بَعِيرُهُ فِي سَفَرٍ ( 1 ) حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ أَبَانَ بْنِ صَالِحٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ : { إذَا نَفَرَتْ دَابَّةُ أَحَدِكُمْ أَوْ بَعِيرُهُ بِفَلَاةٍ مِنْ الْأَرْضِ لَا يَرَى بِهَا أَحَدًا فَلْيَقُلْ : أَعِينُونِي عِبَادَ اللَّهِ ، فَإِنَّهُ سَيُعَانُ
‘When one of your means of transport or camel flees in a (deserted) land, where none can be seen, he should say “Assist me O slaves of Allah” for he shall be assisted’
This hadith is mursal (the Tabi’i drops the Sahabi and narrates directly from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم). If it weren’t for the ananah (i.e. instead of saying “he narrated to me”, it is said “from him” which creates the possibility of an unknown narrator in between) of Muhammad Ibn Ishaq, the chain would have been hasan. Al-Albani claimed it had the defect of being mu’dal (where two consecutive narrators are dropped and not just one as would be the case with a mursal hadith) in his Da’eefah (2/109) [8] but this is incorrect because Aban Ibn Salih was from the younger Tabi’in. And Allah knows best.
Thirdly:
What al-Bazzar transmitted in his Musnad (Kashf al-Astar, 4/33-34): Musa Ibn Ishaq related to us from Manjab Ibn Al-Harith, Hatim Ibn Isma’il related to us from Usamah Ibn Zayd from Aban Ibn Salih from Mujahid from Ibn Abbas that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
- وعن ابن عباس أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال:
"إن لله ملائكة في الأرض سوى الحفظة يكتبون ما يسقط من ورق الشجر، فإذا أصاب أحدكم عرجة بأرض فلاة فليناد: أعينوا عباد الله".
رواه البزار ورجاله ثقات.
‘Indeed Allah possesses Angels besides the Hafazah (the Angels of Protection) who write (of even) the leaf which falls from a tree so when one of you suffers a limp in a deserted land he should call “Assist (me) O slaves of Allah”’
Al-Haythami said in Al-Majma’uz Zawaid (10/132): ‘Al-Bazzar related it and its narrators are reliable’ [ Majma'uz Zawaid (17104)]
Al-Hafiz said in the Takhrij Al-Adhkar (Sharh ibn Allan, 5/151): “The chain is hasan and gharib jiddan (very rare)”; Al-Hafiz, restricting himself to saying it is hasan, shows he considered Usamah Ibn Zayd reliable for there is difference of opinion over him.
Al-Bayhaqi transmitted it in Shu’bul Iman on the authority of Ibn Abbas also, but in a mawquf (untraceable) form through Ja’far Ibn Awn from Usamah Ibn Zayd from Aba Ibn Salih from Mujahid from Ibn Abbas in Shu’bul Iman, volume 1, page 50, number 167:
Arabic is down
أخبرنا علي بن أحمد بن عبدان ثنا أحمد بن عبيد الصفار ثنا عبيد بن شريك ثنا بن أبي مريم ثنا عبد الله بن فروخ أخبرني أسامة بن زيد حدثني أبان بن صالح عن مجاهد عن بن عباس قال إن لله عز وجل ملائكة سوى الحفظة يكتبون ما سقط من ورق الشجر فإذا أصاب أحدكم عرجة بأرض فلاة فليناد أعينوا عباد الله يرحمكم الله تعالى
Quote:
| Al-Albani claimed in his Da'eefa (2/112) the marfu’ route had a defect because of the mawquf route since Ja’far Ibn Awn (who narrated the mawquf route) is more reliable than Hatim Ibn Isma’il (who narrated the marfu’ route) so the hadith becomes defective due to the discrepancy while the preferred view is that it is mawquf [meshkat Silsilatul Ahadith Ad-Da’eefah, volume 2, page 161-162:] |
This is incorrect from two angles:
1. It is the convention in the science of hadith that when there is a contradiction of whether a hadith is raised back (to al-Nabi, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) or halted, the raised back is given preference in judgement. Al-Imam
An-Nawawi said in the muqaddamah (introduction) to Sharh Sahih Muslim (1/32):
‘When some of the accurate and reliable narrators narrate (a hadith as) muttasil (connected) and others (narrate it as) mursal; or some (narrate it as) mawquf and other (narrate it as) marfu’; or it is (narrated) mawsul (continuous) once and then marfu’ another time and as a mursal or mawquf another time, then the correct approach is as the muhaqqiqun (verifiers) from the muhaddithun (scholars of hadith), and it is the saying of the fuqaha (jurists) and scholars of usul (Islamic jurisprudence) have said and Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi regarded it correct: That the ruling (of the status of the hadith) is from the one who narrated it as mawsul or marfu’ whether the opposing narrations are from more reliable narrators or from more numerous narrators or from narrators with better memory because this is an addition from a reliable narrator and it is acceptable (ziyada thiqa wa-hiya maqbula).
Ibn Al-Hadi has clarified this in Al-Tanqih (1/350) as printed in Egypt.
2. Hatim Ibn Isma’il is not alone in narrating the hadith in marfu’ form; rather Muhammad Ibn Ishaq has also done so as has been previously discussed as in the case of the supporting narration of Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud as mentioned first.
What should have been said is that Aban Ibn Salih would narrate it marfu’ some times and at other times he did not feel it necessary to narrate it marfu’ as it is seen similarly very often. And Allah knows best.
Therefore the claim of this hadith being defective by Al-Albani because the mawquf would replace the marfu’ holds no weight; he only did so to repel the meaning of the hadith and to dispose of it with whatever means even if it meant going against the principles of hadith; may Allah forgive.
From what has preceded, it has been acknowledged that the hadith is jayyid (good) and maqbul (acceptable) and that the third supporting narration has a hasan chain itself,
Benefit
Usool of Hadith
When a hadith is mentioned with a da’if chain it becomes acceptable, either sahih or hasan, when the Ummah has accepted it; as for when some of the scholars have practised it like the hadith at hand their action strengthens the report also if two or three chains report the hadith it becomes "HASAN" itself.
Al-Hafiz Al-Bayhaqi said in As-Sunan Al-Kubra (3/52) after narrating the hadith on Salat al-Tasbih: ‘Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubarak would do it and it has been passed down by the pious and this strengthens the marfu’ hadith.’
A similar statement was made by his shaykh Al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak (1/320).
The hadith has been acted upon and practiced by the scholars:
o In Al-Masail and Shu’bul Iman of Al-Bayhaqi, Abdullah Ibn Imam Ahmad said
7697:
مكرر أخبرنا أبو عبد الله الحافظ أنا أحمد بن سلمان الفقيه ببغداد نا عبد الله بن أحمد بن حنبل قال سمعت أبي يقول حججت خمس حجج اثنتين راكب وثلاث ماشي أو ثلاث راكب واثنتين ماشي فضللت الطريق في حجة وكنت ماشيا فجعلت أقول يا عباد الله دلوني على الطريق قال فلم أزل أقول ذلك حتى وقفت على الطريق أو كما قال أبي
‘I heard my father say:
‘I did five Hajjs; two on camel and three on foot, or two on foot and three on camel and when I lost my way when walking I would say “O slaves of Allah! Guide us towards the (correct) route” and then I continued a little before I found myself back on the (correct) route’ or as it was said by my father. [meshkat Shu’bul Iman, volume 6, page 52, number 7697:]
After Abul Qasim At-Tabarani transmitted it in his Mu'jam al Kabir (17/117) he said “this has been acted upon” [13]
Imam An-Nawawi said in Al-Adhkar (p.133) after mentioning this hadith
‘One of our major (kibar) scholars in knowledge related to me that he lost his means of transport, which I presume was a mule, and he was aware of this hadith and said (the du’a) so Allah brought to him his animal immediately.
‘I was once with a group of people and my animal fled and the people failed (to find it) and I said (the du’a) and I found the animal immediately without any means but this statement
Imam Mullah Ali Qari (Rahimuhullah) also in Sharah of Hinsul Hasin writes that our Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that:
اذا انفلتت دابة احد كم بارض فلاة فليناد يا عباد الله احبسوا
Translation: If the animal of someone runs loose in jungle, then he should say: O Allah’s servants stop it
He writes under “Ibaad Allah”
المراد بهم الملىكة او المسلمون من الجن او رجال الغيب المستمون بابدال
Translation: It means the angels, Muslims, jinn or men of unseen i.e. Abdaal
Then he writes:
هزا حديث حسن يحتاج اليه المسافرون وانه مجرب
Translation: This hadith is "Hassan" and the travelers are in urgent need of it and this has been acted upon [Sharah Hisn ul Hasin, Al-Hirz al-Thamin, page 378]
Hadith # 5
Translation: Maymuna bint Harith, the blessed wife of Prophet (Peace be upon her) narrates: The Prophet (Peace be upon him) was doing Wudhu for Tahajjud Salaah at the home of Hazrat Maimuna (radi Allahu anha). He suddenly called out three times, "Labbaik, Labbaik, Labbaik!" (Here I am) and "Nusirtu, Nusirtu, Nusirtu!" (I helped you). Hadhrat Maimuna (Radhi Allaho anha) further asked him why he had called out those words". He replied: "Raajiz (a sahabi from far) was calling me because Quraish wanted to kill him"[Imam Tabarani in Mu’jam as-Sagheer, Volume No.2, Hadith # 968]
The upshot is one who is researching can take two paths in strengthening this hadith:
1. Using the supporting evidences, so this hadith becomes hasan and there is no doubt in this as it is transferred from more than two chains.
2. It is strengthened due to the practice of the Ummah and classical scholars according to Usool of Hadith .
One of these paths (the latter) is stronger than the other (the first).