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In Defense of Abu Huraira (RA) - A Reply to some erroneous claims
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(2) It should be noted that pertaining to most of the objections raised against Aboo Hurayrah, there
exists a definitive defense written by the Iraqi Muslim Brotherhood scholar, 'Abdul-Mun'im Saalih al-
'Alee al-'Izzee, entitled Dif'a 'an Abee Hurayrah (Baghdad: 1393/1973). In this work, al-'Izzi
reviewed, page by page, over 110 classical works (most of which are in a number of volumes,
extending thousands of pages) with the aim of collecting everything related to Aboo Hurayrah.
With regards to the three specific objections raised against Aboo Hurayrah in the post, the response
is as follows:
(3) 'Umar never beated Aboo Hurayrah during the lifetime of the Prophet - - for lying
against the Prophet.
However, both 'Abdul-Husayn al-'Amalee (p. 268) and Abu Rayya (pp. 163, 171) report that 'Umar
struck Aboo Hurayrah with a shield for relating too many hadeeth upon the Prophet - sallallahu
'alaihi wa sallam - and accused him of lying. The source of this incident is not Saheeh Muslim, but
rather a Shee'ee text, Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, by the Shiite Mu'tazilite Ibn Abi al-Hadid who quotes
Abu Ja'far al-Iskafi. Abu Ja'far al-Iskafi is a third century, Shiite Mu'tazalite. Al-Iskafi relates this
incident with no chain or authorities (sanad). And thus this is an unverified historical incident that
appears centuries after the deaths of 'Umar and Aboo Hurayrah. And moreover it is found in the
works of those who harbor religious animosities against Aboo Hurayrah and adverse theological
positions toward the Sunna. (See: al-Mu'allamee, al-Anwaer al-Kaashifah, pp. 152-153, al-Khateeb,
al-Sunnah Qabl al-Tadween, p. 457, al-'Izzee, Difaa' 'an Abee Hurayrah, p. 123)
Historically, the Jahmee, Bishr al-Mareesee was perhaps the first to claim that 'Umar said that "the
greatest liar among the narrators of hadeeth is Aboo Hurayrah." To this fabrication, Imam al-
Darimee responded, "How could 'Umar accuse him of lying against the Messenger of Allah -
- and [at the same time] place his in charge of important posts. Had [Aboo Hurayrah] been
thought of by 'Umar - radiyallahu 'anhu - as [al-Mareesee] claimed, 'Umar would not have
entrusted [Aboo Hurayrah] with the affairs of the Muslims, placing him in charge, time and
time again."
Also, ad-Darimee rhetorically asks al-Mareesee, "If you were truthful in your claim, then expose
[to us] who narrated such. You will not be able to expose a trustworthy narrator." (See al-
Darimi, Radd al-Imaam al-Darimee 'Uthmaan ibn Sa'eed 'alaa Bishr al-Mareesee al-'Aneed, pp.
132-135.)
Interestingly, al-'Izzee shows that a number of grandsons of 'Umar related hadeeth from Aboo
Hurayrah from the Prophet - . Among whom: (a) Salim ibn 'Abd Allah ibn 'Umar, who in Saheeh
al-Bukhaaree alone relates three hadeeth; (b) and Hafs ibn 'Asim ibn 'Umar, who in Saheeh al-
Bukhaaree alone relates eleven hadeeth. al-'Izzi comments (p. 123), "Did they not hear from their
fathers that their grandfather considered Aboo Hurayrah a liar"
(4) ‘Aa’ishah - radiyallahu 'anha- never accused Aboo Hurayrah of lying. However, there do exist a
number of incidents where she corrected Aboo Hurayrah for erring in the hadeeth he transmitted.
This was not unique for Aboo Hurayrah, but rather ‘Aa’ishah corrected a number of the
Companions. Imaam al-Zarkashee (794 A.H.) has gathered and commented upon all the statements
wherein which ‘Aa’ishah corrected another of the Prophet's companions in his al-Ijaba li Irad ma
Istadraakahu ‘Aa’ishah 'ala -Sahaabah.
Of these criticisms by ‘Aa’ishah, there exists one in Saheeh Muslim (Cairo: Vol. 3, p. 137).
Specifically that Aboo Hurayrah related that the individual who at dawn (fajr) is in a state of sexual
defilement, he is not permitted fast. When ‘Aa’ishah and Umm Salamah were questioned regarding
this they informed that the Prophet - - during the month of Ramadan would awake at dawn in a
state of sexual defilement not due to a dream (i.e., due to having sexual relations) and fast. When
Aboo Hurayrah was later questioned as to his source, he informed that he heard that from al-Fadl
ibn 'Abbas and not the Prophet - sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam - directly.
Az-Zarkashee (Cairo: p. 57) informs that the ruling delivered by Aboo Hurayrah was initially the
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1/28/2005