How strong is the Hadith on mutilation?

The Hadith on mutilation is Qawi (strong) according to Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, as mentioned in his commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari.

عِمْرَانَ بْنَ حُصَيْنٍ فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَحُثُّنَا عَلَى الصَّدَقَةِ وَيَنْهَانَا عَنِ المُثْلَةِ

Imran bin Husayn  said, ‘The Prophet ﷺ used to encourage us to give charity and prohibit us from mutilation.’ (Abu Dawood 2667).

Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani mentioned the Hadith on mutilation (see above) in his commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari and graded it as Qawi, which means it is a strong Hadith.

وَإِسْنَادُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ قَوِيٌّ فَإِنَّ هَيَّاجًا بِتَحْتَانِيَّةٍ ثَقِيلَةٍ وَآخِرُهُ جِيم هُوَ بن عمرَان الْبَصْرِيّ وَثَّقَهُ بن سعد وبن حِبَّانَ وَبَقِيَّةُ رِجَالِهِ مِنْ رِجَالِ الصَّحِيحِ (فتح الباري شرح صحيح البخاري).

The chain for this Hadith is strong (Qawi), because Hayyaj (whose name is spelt with) a Yaa with a Shaddah and ends with a Jeem, is the son of Imran al-Basri who has been considered reliable by Ibn Sa’d and Ibn Hibban, and the narrators (of the Hadith) are the narrators of Sahih. (Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, Fath al-Bari).

It is important to recognise that any person who narrates a Hadith must be prepared to reference it fully and accurately, it is not acceptable to cite a later book or contemporary scholar. Rather he must reference to an original book of Hadith and provide a comment on authenticity.

The onus is upon people narrating Hadith to reference correctly. Some ignorant people respond to questions regarding Hadith they narrate by putting the onus on the questioner to prove that it is not a sound Hadith. This contradicts the way of the Sahabah (May Allah Most High be pleased with them), who used to ask people to prove anything they said about the Deen.

And Allah (Most High) Knows Best.

– Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (28.08.2021)

See also:

Wearing a nose ring in the Hanafi Madhab

What do the different Hadith classification terms mean?

Referencing Hadith Correctly

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