How strong are the Hadith narrations negating Aqiqah?
Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
Classification: Hasan
There are a number of Hadith narrations that support the Hanafi position of Aqeeqah being abrogated, many are weak narrations although some are stronger.
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا شَرِيكٌ، وَأَبُو النَّضْرِ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا شَرِيكٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَقِيلٍ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حُسَيْنٍ
عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ قَالَ: لَمَّا وَلَدَتْ فَاطِمَةُ حَسَنًا قَالَتْ: أَلَا أَعُقُّ عَنْ ابْنِي بِدَمٍ؟ قَالَ: ” لَا، وَلَكِنْ احْلِقِي رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ َتَصَدَّقِي بِوَزْنِ شَعْرِهِ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ عَلَى الْمَسَاكِينِ أَوِ الْأَوْفَاضِ ” (مسند أحمد)
Abu Rafi narrated, when (Sayidah) Fatimah gave birth to (Sayidina) Hasan she said, ‘Should I not perform Aqeeqah for my son?’ He (The Prophet) ﷺ said, ‘No, rather shave his head, then give silver to charity according to its weight. Give it to the poor or the Awfaad (the people of Sufah).’ (Musnad Ahmad 27183, Hasan).
This Hadith has been considered Hasan (sound) according to some Hadith scholars, amongst them Imam al-Haythami who narrated it in Majma and then commented on its strength:
رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ، وَالطَّبَرَانِيُّ فِي الْكَبِيرِ، وَهُوَ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ. (مجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد)
Narrated by Ahmad and Tabarani in al-Kabeer, it is a Hasan Hadith. (Imam Noorud-deen al-Haythami, Majma al-Zawaid).
As well as the above Hasan narration, there are many weak narrations that further strengthen the Hadith.
أَبُو رَافِعٍ مَوْلىَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَنَّ حَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ الْأَكْبَرَ حِينَ وُلِدَ، أَرَادَتْ أُمُّهُ فَاطِمَةُ أَنْ تَعُقَّ بِكَبْشَيْنِ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” لَا تَعُقِّي عَنْهُ، وَلَكِنِ احْلِقِي شَعْرَ رَأْسِهِ، ثُمَّ تَصَدَّقِي بِوَزْنِ رَأْسِهِ مِنَ الْوَرِقِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ “، ثُمَّ وُلِدَ حُسَيْنٌ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ، فَصَنَعَتْ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ
Abu Rafi narrated that when Hasan son of Ali was born his mother (Sayidah) Fatimah wanted to perform Aqeeqah for him with two rams. The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Do not perform Aqeeqah for him, rather shave his head, then give silver as charity in the path of Allah (Most High) according to the weight of (the hair from) his head. Then Hussain was born and she done the same thing.’ (Musnad Ahmad 23877, Weak).
There are similar Hadith narrated in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad (27196), Musanaf Abd al-Razzaq (24235), Tabarani in al-Kabeer (918, 2577) and many others. As seen above, some of these narrations are considered Hasan in themselves, although some of the others may be considered weak by some Hadith scholars, they will strengthen each other.
And Allah Most High Knows Best.
– Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen (25.01.2021)
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