Sufis were amongst the worst Hadith narrators

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

There are many Hadith fabrications in Sufi books. However, this is not unique to them. There are many fabrications in other works too. However, it is surprising that a tradition that is supposed to be based upon caution and scrupulousness is possibly the worst culprit when it comes to being reckless and possibly deceptive regarding Hadith of the blessed Prophet ﷺ.

Explanation

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: كَفَى بِالْمَرْءِ كَذِبًا أَنْ يُحَدِّثَ بِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعَ

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: It is enough of a lie for a person to narrate everything that he hears. (Sahih Muslim, Chapter 3, Prohibition Upon Narrating Everything One Hears).

 

وحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَتَّابٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي عَفَّانُ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْقَطَّانِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: لَمْ نَرَ الصَّالِحِينَ فِي شَيْءٍ أَكْذَبَ مِنْهُمْ فِي الْحَدِيثِ. قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي عَتَّابٍ: فَلَقِيتُ أَنَا مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْقَطَّانَ، فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْهُ، فَقَالَ: عَنْ أَبِيهِ: لَمْ تَرَ أَهْلَ الْخَيْرِ فِي شَيْءٍ أَكْذَبَ مِنْهُمْ فِي الْحَدِيثِ. قَالَ مُسْلِمٌ: يَقُولُ: يَجْرِيالْكَذِبُعَلَىلِسَانِهِمْ،وَلَايَتَعَمَّدُونَالْكَذِبَ

Muhammad bin Abi ‘Attab narrated to me, saying: Affan narrated to me, from Muhammad bin Yahya bin Sa‘id al-Qattan, from his father, who said: We have never seen the righteous more prone to lying in anything than in Hadith. Ibn Abi Attab said: I then met Muhammad bin Yahya bin Sa‘id al-Qattan and asked him about this. So, quoting his father he said: You have never seen the people of goodness more prone to lying in anything than in Hadith. Muslim commented: He means that lies flow from their tongues, but they do not intentionally lie. (Imam Muslim bin al-Hajjaj 264H, Sahih Muslim, al-Muqadimah).

Imam Muslim presents one of the main reasons we have so many Hadith fabrications in Sufi books. He explains that people of outward piety did not intentionally lie about Hadith. He also quotes Imam Yahya bin Sa‘id al-Qattan asserting that such people lie most about Hadith. This is shocking since it is amongst the worst of lies. And the people doing it are generally devout worshippers and scrupulous regarding religious matters.     

From the above Nass (text), it is clear that people of outward piety did spread many lies and fabrications against the blessed Prophet ﷺ. It is also the case that Imam Muslim believed this to be unintentional. That is the danger of speaking about religion without knowledge. And practicing without knowledge. Such a person will fall into catastrophic errors regarding the Deen.

Our beautiful Deen is different to other traditions. In Islam there is an absolute insistence on studying. To the extent that seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim. Without knowledge, even those who seem to be devout and religiously cautious will fall into calamitous blunders.

Abundant worship

Islam is different to other religions. We are required to follow divine guidance in every aspect of our life. Piety and truthfulness are most important when it comes to speaking about Allah (Most High) and His blessed Prophets (May peace and bessings be upon them) .

If someone worships abundantly, gives an immense amount of charity and attempts to spread Islam whilst simultaneously being reckless or untruthful in attributing matters to Allah (Most High) and His blessed Prophets then that person is dangerous and falling into deep misguidance.

These are the reasons for an abundance of Hadith fabrications in Sufi books. Not only were many of them reckless but their narrations were accepted due to perceived righteousness. Which is why the Imams of Hadith science had to work hard to highlight their Hadith fabrications. They struggled to convince people that individuals of such abundant worship could narrate fabrications.

    

وَلَا مِنْ رَجُلٍ لَهُ فَضْلٌ وَصَلَاحٌ وَعِبَادَةٌ إِذَا كَانَ لَا يَعْرِفُ مَا يُحَدِّثُ ” قَالَ الْحِزَامِيُّ: فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِمُطَرِّفِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ: مَا أَدْرِي مَا تَقُولُ، غَيْرُ أَنِّي أَشْهَدُ لَسَمِعْتُ مَالِكًا يَقُولُ: أَدْرَكْتُ بِبَلَدِنَا هَذَا، يَعْنِي الْمَدِينَةَ، مَشْيَخَةً لَهُمْ فَضْلٌ وَصَلَاحٌ وَعِبَادَةٌ، يُحَدِّثُونَ، فَمَا كَتَبْتُ عَنْ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ حَدِيثًا قَطُّ قُلْتُ: لِمَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: لِأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَعْرِفُونَ مَا يُحَدِّثُونَ. (المحدث الفاصل بين الراوي والواعي)

Nor (can you take Hadith) from a man of virtue, righteousness, and (abundant) worship if he does not understand what he is narrating. Al-Hizami said: I mentioned this to Mutarrif bin Abdillah, and he replied: I do not know exactly what you are saying, but I bear witness that I heard Malik say: In this city of ours, meaning Madinah, I encountered Shaykhs of virtue, righteousness, and worship who used to narrate Hadith; yet, I never wrote down a single Hadith from any of them. I asked: Why, Abu Abdillah. He replied: Because they did not understand what they were narrating. (Imam Abu Muhammad al-Hasan bin Abd al-Rahman al-Ramahurmuzi 360H, Al-Muhaddith al-Fasil bayn al-Rawi wa al-Wa’i). 

Outward piety is insufficient

In the Nass above, Imam Malik explains why he did not take Hadith narrations from many people of virtue, righteousness, and worship. Since, they lacked knowledge in the field of Hadith. Unfortunately, others did not follow the example of Imam Malik and caused fabrications in Sufi books to spread.

أخذ مالك على تسعمائة شيخ منهم ثلاثمائة من التابعين وستمائة من تابعيهم ممن اختاره وارتضى دينه وفقهه وقيامه بحق الرواية وشروطها وخلصت الثقة به وترك الرواية عن أهل دين وصلاح لا يعرفون الرواية. (تهذيب الأسماء واللغات)

Malik narrated from nine hundred Shaykhs, three hundred from the generation of the Successors (al-Tabi’oon) and six hundred from the generation following them. Selecting only those whose religious commitment, jurisprudence, and adherence to the obligations and conditions of narration met his approval and earned his trust. He refrained from narrating from individuals known for piety and righteousness if they were not known for Hadith narration. (Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya bin Sharaf al-Nawawi 676H, Tahdheeb al-Asma’ wa al-Lughaat).

Profound ignorance

Imam al-Nawawi clarified that Imam Malik did not narrate Hadith from people who were not known to b reliable narrators. The problem with many Sufis was that they were so lacking in knowledge regarding Hadith science that they attacked the very fundamentals. It was such deep ignorance that led to an abundance of Hadith fabrications in Sufi books.   

عبد اللَّه بْن أَحْمَد بْن حنبل، قَالَ: جاء أَبُو تراب النخشبي إلى أبي فجعل أبي يقول: فلان ضعيف، فلان ثقة. فقال أَبُو تراب: يا شيخ لا تغتاب العلماء، فالتفت أبي إليه، فقال له: ويحك، هذا نصيحة، ليس هذا غيبة. (تاريخ بغداد)

Abd Allah bin Aḥmad bin Hanbal said: Abū Turāb al-Nakhshabī came to my father, and my father was saying, “So-and-so is weak; so-and-so is trustworthy.” So Abū Turāb said: Sheikh, do not backbite the scholars. My father turned to him and said: Woe to you! This is sincere counsel; not backbiting. (Imam Abū Bakr Aḥmad bin ‘Alī al-Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī 463H, Tārīkh Baghdād).

Major scholars

Imam Ahmad had to explain to Abū Turāb al-Nakhshabī that critiquing Hadith narrators is not backbiting rather an absolute necessity to preserve Hadith narrations of the blessed Prophet ﷺ.

Due to this culture of thorough illiteracy amongst Sufis, even scholars associated with that group were impacted. Which is why we find many fabrications in Sufi books even when they are the works of scholars like Imam al-Ghazali.    

فَتَرَى الْقُصَّاصَ يُورِدُونَ مِنْهَا وَيَزِيدُونَ فِيهَا مَا يُوجِبُ تَحْسِينًا لَهَا. وَمِمَّنْ صَنَّفَ لَهُمْ فِي هَذَا، الْحَارِثُ الْمُحَاسِبِيُّ، وَأَبُو طَالِبٍ الْمَكِّيُّ، وَأَبُو حَامِدٍ الطُّوسِيُّ. فَإِنَّهُمْ أَدْرَجُوا فِي كُتُبِهِمْ أَحَادِيثَ بَاطِلَةً وَلَا يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهَا كذب. (القصاص والمذكرين)

You see storytellers mentioning these narrations and adding to them whatever makes them more appealing. Among those who wrote for them regarding this were al-Harith al-Muhasibi, Abu Talib al-Makki, and Abu Hamid al-Tusi. They included false Hadith narrations in their books without realising that they were lies. (Imam Abd al-Rahman Ibn al-Jowzi 597H, al-Qusas wa al-Mudhakireen).

Knowingly spreading lies

My answer thus far has focussed upon fabrications due to ignorance or recklessness. However, the problem of fabrications in Sufi books was much worse due to some of them knowingly spreading lies. Such that they would fabricate Hadith themselves and disseminate them.

Such behaviour would be absolutely shocking if it came from an ignorant irreligious Muslim. However, to see such behaviour from supposedly devout Sufis is inexplicable. Yet, people deemed them to be righteous and spread their narrations. Leading to many fabrications in Sufi books.

(قال ابن عدي): الصالحون قد وسموا بهذا الاسم أن يرووا أحاديث في فضائل الأعمال، موضوعة بواطيل ويتهم جماعة منهم بوضعها. وهؤلاء المشتغلون بالتعبد الذين يترك حديثهم على قسمين: منهم من شغلته العبادة عن الحفظ، فكثر الوهم في حديثه، فرفع الموقوف، ووصل المرسل، (وهؤلاء) مثل أبان بن أبي عياش ويزيد الرقاشي. وقد كان شعبة يقول في كل واحد منهما: لأن أزني أحب إلي من أن أحدث عنه. ومثل جعفر بن الزبير، ورشدين بن سعد، وعباد بن كثير، وعبد الله بن محرر والحسن بن أبي جعفر الجفري، وغيرهم: ومنهم من كان يتعمد الوضع، كما ذكر عن أحمد بن محمد بن غالب، غلام خليل، وعن زكريا بن يحيى الوقار المصري. (شرح علل الترمذي)

(Ibn ‘Adi said) There are individuals known for their piety who have been associated with narrating Hadith narrations concerning the merits of various deeds. They are fabrications and baseless. A group of them were accused of fabricating them. These individuals, who were busied with worship, whose Hadith narrations were rejected fall into two categories: Those whose preoccupation with worship distracted them from memorisation. Leading to frequent errors in their narrations. Such as attributing Mowquf narrations to the Prophet ﷺ (Marfu) or treating Mursal reports as fully connected (Mawsul). Examples include Aban bin Abi ‘Ayyash and Yazid al-Raqashi. Regarding each of them, Shu‘bah used to say: I would rather commit adultery than narrate a Hadith from him.” Also Ja‘far bin al-Zubayr, Rashdin bin Sa‘d, Abbad bin Kathir, Abd Allah ibn Muharrir, and al-Hasan bin Abi Ja‘far al-Jufari. Others deliberately engaged in fabrication. Such as Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Ghalib, Ghulam Khalil, and Zakariyya bin Yahya al-Waqqar al-Masri. (Imam Zayn al-Deen Abd al-Rahman bin Ahmad bin Rajab al-Hanbali 795H, Sharh ‘Ilal al-Tirmidhi).

The above statement of Imam Shu’bah is also present in the Mowdo’aat of Imam Ibn al-Jowzi. Although it comes across as shocking, it is making a really important point. Spreading lies against the blessed Prophet ﷺ is even worse than committing the heinous crime of adultery or fornication.

The Imam said this regarding Sufis who were careless with narration, not those who fabricated narrations. Undoubtedly their situation is much worse. Ghulam al-Khaleel was one of those who used to lie regarding the blessed Prophet ﷺ intentionally.

 

أحمد بن مُحَمد بن غالب بن مرداس. أبو عَبد اللَّه مولى باهلة بصري، يعرف بغلام الخليل. سمعت أبا عَبد اللَّه النهاوندي بحران في مجلس أبي عَرُوبة يقول: قلت لغلام الخليل: هذه الأحاديث الرقائق التي تحدث بها؟ قال: وضعناها لنرقق بها قلوب العامة. (الكامل في ضعفاء الرجال)

Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Ghalib bin Mirdas, Abu Abd Allah, a Mawla of the Bahilah tribe and a native of Basra, was known as Ghulam al-Khalil. I heard Abu Abd Allah al-Nahawandi say in Harran, in a gathering of Abu Arubah, that he asked Ghulam al-Khalil, “What about these Raqaiq (heart-softening) Hadith narrations you narrate?” Ghulam al-Khalil replied: We fabricated them to soften the hearts of the common people. (Imam Abu Ahmad Ibn Adi al-Jurjani 365H, al-Kamil fi Du’afa’ al-Rijal).

Imam al-Dhahabi narrated his confession of Hadith fabrication in his biography in Mizan al-I’tidal. He also asserted that he was considered to be one of the great ascetics of Baghdad. Thus, he was undoubtedly associated with Sufism.

 

وكان من كبار الزهاد ببغداد. قال ابن عدي: سمعت أبا عبد الله النهاوندي يقول: قلت لغلام خليل. ما هذه الرقائق التي تحدث بها؟ قال: وضعناها لنرقق بها قلوب العامة. وقال أبو داود: أخشى أن يكون دجال بغداد. (ميزان الاعتدال في نقد الرجال)

He was one of the most prominent ascetics of Baghdad. Ibn ‘Adi said: I heard Aba ‘Abd Allah al-Nahawandi say: I asked Ghulam Khalil, ‘What are these heart-softening narrations you recount?’ He replied: We fabricated them to soften the hearts of the common people. Abu Dawud said: I fear he is the Dajjal of Baghdad. (Imam Shams al-Deen al-Dhahabi 748H, Mizan al-I’tidal fi Naqd al-Rijal).

Hype

Despite the clear and catastrophic problems with the narrations of some Sufis, many ignorant people will present them as great and reliable scholars. Even going as far as defending their Hadith fabrications. Some great scholars have fallen prey to such hype and misguidance. Leading to an abundance of fabrications in Sufi books.

 

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ قُهْزَاذَ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا إِسْحَاقَ الطَّالْقَانِيَّ، يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ الْمُبَارَكِ، يَقُولُ: لَوْ خُيِّرْتُ بَيْنَ أَنْ أَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ، وَبَيْنَ أَنْ أَلْقَى عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ مُحَرَّرٍ لاَخْتَرْتُ أَنْ أَلْقَاهُ، ثُمَّ أَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ، فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُهُ كَانَتْ بَعْرَةٌ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِنْهُ. (صحيح مسلم)

Muhammad bin ‘Abd Allah bin Quhzadh narrated to me, saying: I heard Abu Ishaq al-Talqani say: I heard Ibn al-Mubarak say: If I were given the choice between entering Paradise and meeting Abd Allah bin Muharrar, I would have chosen to meet him, and then enter Paradise. But when I saw him, a piece of dung was dearer to me than he was. (Imam Muslim bin al-Hajjaj 261H, Sahih Muslim).

Some people may feel that the above statement by Imam Ibn al-Mubarak is harsh. However, if you consider that Abd Allah bin Muharrar was a very problematic narrator of Hadith then the harshness is more understandable. It is worth considering that he was far from being from the worst narrators of Hadith. Yet he still received such intense rebuke.

عَبد اللهِ بْن مُحَرَّر. عَنْ قَتادة. مُنكَرُ الحديثِ. العامِرِيّ، الجَزَرِيّ. (التاريخ الكبير)

Abd Allah bin Muharrar. Narrated from Qatadah. He is rejected as a narrator. Al-Amiri, Al-Jazari. (Imam Muhammad bin Ismail al-Bukhari 256H, al-Tarikh al-Kabir).

People took from them

One of the biggest problems with people of outward piety fabricating Hadith or spreading such forgeries was that people respected their worship and thus took narrations from them. And when scholars tried to warn against their narrations, people were reluctant to heed such warnings. This is why fabrications in Sufi books became so abundant.

وهؤُلاءِ طَائِفَةٌ مِنَ الكرَّاميَّةِ وغيرِهِم، وهُم مِن أَشَرِّ ما فَعَلَ هذا؛ لِمَا يَحْصُلُ بضَرَرِهِم مِنَ الغَرَرِ على كَثِيرٍ مِمَّنْ يُعْتَقَدُ صَلاحُهُم فيَظُنُّ صِدْقَهُمْ، وهُم شَرٌّ مِن كُلِّ كَذَّابٍ في هذا البابِ. (اختصار علوم الحديث)

A group from the Karramiyyah and others. They are among the worst perpetrators of this practice (of fabricating Hadith). Due to their deception which causes harm to many who deemed them righteous. Therefore, believing them to be truthful. Making them worse than any other liars in this regard. (Imam Abu al-Fida’ Isma’il bin Umar Ibn Kathir 774H, Ikhtisar Ulum al-Hadith).

Extreme delusion

When the Sufis were confronted with their fabrications, they had a terrible defence. They felt such lies were justified because they encouraged good deeds. Their misunderstanding of Islam was absolute. One of the fundamental forms of disbelief Islam came to eradicate is that of lying regarding revelation.

The disbelievers are repeatedly rebuked in the Holy Quran for speaking on behalf of Allah (Most High) without proof. They are further rebuked for corrupting revelation. As Muslims we are blessed to have pure uncorrupted revelation. Yet these deeply misguided individuals were working to undermine and attack this reality.

 

وقد وضع ابن الجوزي، وغيره كتبا طويلة في الموضوعات على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وذكروا أسباب عديدة تبعث الواضعين والكاذبين على الوضع، حتى حكي عن طائفة كثيرة من العباد أنهم كانوا يضعون الأحاديث، في أجور العبادات، ويقولون: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: من صلى كذا فله من الدرجات كذا، ومن القصور كذا، ومن المثوبات السنية كذا، وكذلك يقولون في سائر الأذكار  والأعمال الشرعية التي يتقرب بها، فإذا قيل لهم: إن رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم-: ” من كذب علي عامدا متعمدا فليتبوأ مقعده من النار“. قالوا: نحن ما كذبنا عليه، بل كذبنا له؛ لتكثر الأعمال الصالحة. (نفائس الأصول)

Ibn al-Jawzi and others authored extensive works regarding fabricated narrations attributed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They outlined numerous motives that drove fabricators and liars to engage in falsehood. Such that it is reported regarding a large group of devout worshippers that they used to fabricate Hadith narrations concerning the rewards of acts of worship. They would claim, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever performs such-and-such prayer shall attain such-and-such degrees, such-and-such palaces, and such-and-such sublime rewards. And they would make similar claims regarding forms of Dhikr and religious deeds performed to draw closer (to Allah Most High). When confronted with the words of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, “Whoever deliberately lies about me, let him take his seat in the Fire,” they would reply: We did not lie against him; rather, we lied for him. So that good deeds might increase. (Imam Shihab al-Deen Ahmad bin Idris al-Qarafi 684H, Nafa’is al-Usul).

Conclusion

In the Sunni tradition we have a detailed methodology for authenticating Hadith. Anyone who deviates from this and attributes statements or actions to our beloved Prophet ﷺ will be rejected. Irrespective of how highly regarded such a person might be. This was the way of the Sahabah. They would question fellow Sahabah regarding Hadith authenticity.   

A departure from the methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah regarding Hadith caused an abundance of Hadith fabrications in Sufi books. It is our duty as Muslims and as followers of our beloved Prophet ﷺ to protect the Sunnah from fabrications.

One of the worst hypocrisies of our age is those who claim to love the blessed Prophet ﷺ the most, exhibit the least concern regarding lies and fabrications against the Mubarak Prophet ﷺ.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (06.09.26)