Question

What is the grade of the following narration?

Sayyidatuna Ummu Salamah (radiyallahu ‘anha) narrates that she said to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam),

“O Rasulullah, are the women of this world superior or the hurs?’

He replied, ‘The women of this world will have superiority over the hurs just as the outer lining of a garment has superiority over the inner lining.’

Ummu Salamah (radiyallahu ‘anha) then asked, ‘O Rasulullah, what is the reason for this?’

He answered, ‘Because they performed Salah, fasted, and worshipped [Allah]. Allah will put light on their faces and silk on their bodies.’

[The human women] will be fair in complexion and will wear green clothing and yellow jewelry. Their incense-burners will be made of pearls and their combs will be of gold. They will say, ‘We are the women who will stay forever and we will never die. We are the women who will always remain in comfort and we will never undergo difficulty. We are the women who will stay and we will never leave. Listen, we are happy women and we will never become sad. Glad tidings to those men for whom we are and who are for us.'”

 

Answer

Imam Tabarani (rahimahullah) has recorded the Hadith in question as part of a lengthier narration.

(Al Mu’jamul Kabir, Hadith: 869, volume: 23, and Al Mu’jamul Awsat, Hadith: 3165)

Hafiz Haythami (rahimahullah) has declared a narrator of the Hadith as weak. ‘Allamah Mundhiri (rahimahullah) has indicated towards the weakness of this narration too.

(Majma’uz Zawaid, vol. 10, pg. 417/8, Targhib, vol. 4, pg. 536)

Despite the weakness, this Hadith is suitable to quote.

 

And Allah Ta’ala knows best.

Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar