WASEELA - NARRATION OF MAYMUNA WHERE PROPHET (PBUH) SAID LABBAYK & NUSIRTU

In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Gracious.
Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon our Master Muhammad, his family and companions.

In Sha'allah this article is a continuation of our series on the topic of Waseela, Tawassul and Istigatha. We will look in detail and assess the validity of the various narrations that support intercession through the Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) and the Righteous. Each article will begin with the evidence as narrated in the books of Hadith and Tafsir by the widely recognised Scholars of Islam and also have a section on Answering the Objections raised by the misguided Khawarij (modern day Salafi/Wahabis).

You can read the first completed article which discussed in detail the Narration of Utbi here.

Narration of Maymuna

حدثتني ميمونة بنت الحارث زوج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بات عندها ليلتها فقام يتوضأ للصلاة فسمعته يقول في متوضئه لبيك لبيك ثلاثا نصرت نصرت ثلاثا فلما خرج قلت يا رسول الله سمعتك تقول في متوضئك لبيك لبيك ثلاثا نصرت نصرت ثلاثا كأنك تكلم إنسانا فهل كان معك أحد فقال هذا راجز بني كعب يستصرخني ويزعم أن قريشا أعانت عليهم بني بكر

1) Translation from the book of Imam Tabarani: Maymuna bint Harith, the blessed wife of the Prophet (Peace & blessings be upon him) narrates: The Prophet (Peace & blessings 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 No. 968]

What actually happened was that the Quraish wanted to kill Hazrat Umar bin Saalim Raajiz (radi Allahu anhu) as he was on the road leading to Madinatul Munawwarah. He called out: Prophet (Peace be upon hijm): Help me or else the enemies will kill me!" Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) responded to his call from home and saved him from death.

2) Imam Tabarani also narrated this hadith in his book al-Mu'jam al-Kabir

Narrated Maymuna the Mother of the believers said: “The Messenger of Allah - Muhammad (upon him blessings and peace), was sleeping with me one night and he got up to make ablution and pray. I heard him say during his ablution in the dead of night: [(Labbayka Labbayka Labbayka) – [like this,] three times – then: (Nusirta Nusirta Nusirta) [like this,] three times. When he came out, I asked him, “Messenger of Allah, I heard you say, during your ablution, ‘In your service!’ three times, and ‘To your defense!’ three times, as if you were addressing someone. Was there someone with you?” He replied: “This was the poetry champion (Raajiz) of the Banu Kaab" – one of the sub-tribes of the Khuzaa – “invoking my aid (yastas rikhunî) and asserting that the Quraysh had helped the Banu Bakr against them...." [Imam Tabarani, al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, Volume 023, Page 433-4, Hadith Number 1052]

See Scan 01 at the bottom of this page

3) Imam Al-Qastallani has also included this narration in his famous book Al-Muwahib al-Ladunniyah, Page 401.

See Scan 02 at the bottom of this page

This incident has also been narrated by Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Najdi who the modern day Salafies admire and consider an Authority in matters of Islam.

4) Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab writes:

“One night, the Prophet of Allah, (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), was in his house and was heard to proclaim ‘I am here!’ three times and ‘You have been granted help’ also three times. Umm al-Mu’minin, Maymunah, may Allah be well pleased with her, asked the Prophet, (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), whom he had been talking to since there was no one present. He, (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), replied, ‘I was talking to a person called Rajiz from the tribe of Bani Ka’ab. He asked for help from me against the Quraysh.’ Umm al-Mu’minin, Maymunah, may Allah be well pleased with her, said that when she finished reading the fajr prayer the next morning, she heard Rajiz calling out the following in the streets of Madina: “Ya Rasul Allah! Help us and call the servants of Allah to help us.” [Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab, Mukhtasar Sirat ar-Rasul, chapter on the Conquest of Makka]

Now if the Wahabi / Salafies have a problem with this narration then they would have to first give fatwa of Shirk & Biddah to their own Authority Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab (Najdi)!

This narration shows that the Sahaba would seek help from the Messenger of Allah from afar and He, (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), would answer their calls for help. When the Sahabi Rajiz (Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet the following morning for help, the Messenger of Allah, (May Allah bless him and grant him peace), did not stop him from asking for this help. The Messenger of Allah was at some distance, yet he still assisted.

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Objections and the Answers

Objection 1 - Against Imam Tabarani (rah)

The Wahabis claim "The chain of the hadith is not Authentic because Hafidh Tabrani himself said:

وفي ذلك يرغبون لم يروه عن جعفر إلا محمد بن نضلة تفرد به يحيى بن سليمان ولا يروى عن ميمونة إلا بهذا الإسناد

"..No one has narrated this from Ja`far except Muhammad ibn Nadlah Yahyaa ibn Sulaimaan was (also) alone in narrating it, and it is not narrated from Maimoonah (Allah be pleased with her) except with this Chain.""

Answer to Objection 1 - Against Imam Tabarani (rah)

First of all where in the statement of Imam Tabarani (Allah have mercy on him) does he say "The chain of the hadith is not authentic? We have provided the Arabic above and also translated it but we cannot find such a statement. Imam Tabarani (rah) is merely commenting that this is a singular chain of narration. But a Singular Narration NEVER NEVER ever means it is weak and neither has Imam Tabarani here stated it is weak! There are many singular narrations and these are often described as Ghareeb غريب . A narration which is narrated by only one chain of narration is called Ghareeb but this classfication has nothing to do with the Authenticity of a Hadith. A Hadith Can be Ghareeb and Sahih at the same time. There are several examples of it in Bukhari and Muslim. E.g. the first Hadith of Sahih Bukhari which is also recorded by Muslim and many other Scholars that “The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions” is Ghareeb. It is only narrated by one chain but still remains Sahih. This hadith is one of the most famous one. Imam Tirmidhi has extensively used this term Sahih Ghareeb, Hasan Ghareeb etc in his books.

Objection 2 - Hadith should be Mutwaatir for creed

The wahabis say "People who are trying to Authenticate this Athar say that the hadeeth should be Mutwatir for creed but here we can see they are taking Khabar al Wahid."

Answer to Objection 2 - Hadith should be Mutwaatir for creed

Mutwaatir is of two types:
1. Lafzan
2. Maanan (with respect to its meaning)

So, here we are discussing Waseela! And Waseela Is Proven by Mutwaatir Ahadith - in particular Mutwaatir e Maani. For exampleProphet Muhammad (peace & blessings be upon him) raised his hands in Dua is not proven from Mutwaatir Lafzi but rather it is Mutwaatir e Maani. Furthermore Imam Suyuti (rah) collected different narrations of different events when the Holy Prophet (peace & blessings be upon him) raised his hands for dua and proved it Mutwaatir. So once again the wobbler Self Made Logic Failed here!

But more importantly, those objecting need to make up their mind. At one point you are falsely accusing this narration of being unauthentic and then at another accepting this narration to be Khabar-e-Wahid. In Answer to Objection 1 above we have already discussed singular narrations (Ghareeb) and it should be known that Ghareeb is a sub-category of Khabar-e-Wahid and as already proven there are many authentic and Sahih narrations in Bukhari and Muslim that are Khabar-e-Wahid (Ghareeb). Oh Najdi why not just accept that this indeed is a an authentic narration.

Now if the Wahabi / Salafies have a problem with this narration then they would have to first give fatwa of Shirk & Biddah to their own Authority Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab (Najdi) for narrating this incident in his book Mukhtasar Sirat ar-Rasul.

Objection 3 - Against Imam Haythami (rah) and Ibn e Hibban (rah)

The Wahabis quote: Imaam Haythami in Majma al Zawaid in Hadith No: 10232 Vol 6 Page 160
رواه الطبراني في الصغير والكبير وفيه يحي بن سليمان بن نضلة وهو ضعيف

"Narrated by Tabrani in Sagheer and Al Kabeer, It has Yahyaa ibn Sulaimaan ibn Nadlah who is a weak"

The Wahabis also quote "Ibn e Hibban said (Yahyaa ibn Sulaimaan ibn Nadlah) makes mistake and Iham." [Thiqqat, Vol9, Pg 269]

Answer to Objection 3 - Against Imam Haythami (rah) and Ibn e Hibban (rah)

So once again we ask the Najdi to show where in the narration of Imam Haythami (Allah have mercy on him) does he state this narration of Hadhrat Maymuna (Allah be pleased with her) is unauthentic?!?! Instead what we have is a statement regarding one of the narrators Yahyaa ibn Sulaimaan ibn Nadlah being described as weak.

This Jarh is not Clear - What is the reason that he is weak?? So lets assess this in more detail and lets look for the answer from within the Thiqqat of Ibn e Hibban given that this is where the objection is being raised from.

Imam Ibn e Hibban mentioned him in his Thiqaat and said:
يخطىء ويهم
Translation: "He used to make some mistakes."

So does this mean mean we will reject all his Hadith??

Lets see:

There is a narrator of Sahih Bukhari called أيمن بن نابل Ayman bin Nabeul.

Imam Ibn e Hibban said about Ayman bin Nabeul

يخطىء ويتفرد

Translation: "He used to make mistakes and narrate singular narrations !!"

So lets do justice, does this mean you will reject the Hadith of Bukhari? If you are rejecting the narration of Waseela of Hadrat Maymuna (Allah be pleased with her) based on the fact there is a narrator who made some mistakes in hadith transmission then you will also need to reject hadiths in Bukhari which also have some narrators that made mistakes - So why the double standards! The reality is that according to Usul of Hadith of Ibn e Hibban this hadith is Hasan!

But to ensure we satisfy our Najdi counterparts lets assess did Yahyaa ibn Sulaimaan really make a mistake in transmitting this hadtih?

We know there are two chains:

1) Imam Tabarani's chain (Sanad) we find that Yahya bin Sulaiman narrated the hadith to Muhamamd Bin Abdullah Qurmuti.
and
2) In another chain (Sanad) we find that Yahya bin Sulaiman narrated the hadith to Yahya Bin Muhammad.

Now in both of these instances, the same message has been transmitted by Yahyaa ibn Sulaimaan. Now the wahabis are accusing Yahyaa ibn Sulaimaan of making mistakes in narrating hadith but where is the mistake here - in both cases the transmission of the hadith is identical. This further highlights that this hadith is Hasan.

Objection 4 - Against Ibn Adi (rah)

The Wahabis say that Ibn Adi has said (7:255 no: 2156) "He (Yahyaa ibn Sulaimaan ibn Nadlah) narrated reports from Mâlik and the Madinans, most of which are valid."

Answer to Objection 4 - Against Ibn Adi (rah)

Well this statement is actually in favour of proving the hadith is authentic. We learn here that 1) Yahyaa ibn Sulaimaan ibn Nadlah is a Madani; 2) And He is narrating this narration from His Uncle; 3) Who is Also Madani; 4) And he is narrating it From Imam Ja'far Sadiq (Allah be pleased with him) who is Also Madani.!! So According to Usul of Ibn e Adi, this hadith is completely Valid and Hasan!

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Front Cover, Imam Tabarani, al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, Volume 023