Question
A Hadith was read in our daily Ta’lim in our Masjid from Fadail Sadaqat (part 1, pg: 290, Hadith: 9) regarding a women wearing a gold necklace will have a similar necklace of fire on the day of Qiyamah.
A brother from an Arabic speaking background says he doubts this is correct. He doubts it can be in Abu Dawud. It is probably extremely weak he says and in his opinion it is fabricated.
He is self taught. He has read Bukhari and Muslim and his also learns via google. What have the Muhaddithun of early times said about this Hadith?
Answer
Firstly, as a rule, before objecting on any statement especially a statement of an authority like the author of Fadail Sadaqat, and others like him- one should first check the references provided.
It has become a common [lazy] trend for people to “assume” things as questionable, without ever actually referring to the references provided. After all, why else was the reference given by the writer?!
Secondly, one should not be affected by ignorant, self educated individuals and their shenanigans, of which the world has -unfortunately- no shortage.
People like this are misled, and take others with along the way too.
May Allah Ta’ala guide us all as well as these individuals.
As far as the Hadith in question is concerned, just as the esteemed author, Shaykh Muhammad Zakariyya Kandehlawi (rahimahullah) has pointed out: is found in Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 4235 and Sunan Nasai, Hadith: 5139
Shaykh Zakariyya (rahimahullah) also quoted the ruling of ‘Allamah Mundhiri (rahimahullah) -Demise: 656 A.H.- as: it’s chain is good (jayyid) (See Targhib, vol. 1, pg. 557).
Furthermore, this is not the only Hadith of this nature. See the above reference for more.
In light of the above, for this individual to ignorantly go on to dismiss this Hadith as very weak or fabricated is an injustice towards the noble Hadith of our Master (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) !!
Such audacity has unfortunately become commonplace with people like this individual. Click here for a detailed article on the need for a tutor in the field of Islamic knowledge.
Lastly, the apparent reason for this individual to have objected on this Hadith is because of its apparent meaning of discouraging even females from wearing gold jewellery.
Shaykh Zakariyya (rahimahullah) has sufficiently explained this in the commentary that follows this Hadith to be a warning for those women who wear gold but do not pay the Zakah for it. This is one of the explanations that other senior earlier authorities have given too.
(See Ma’alimus Sunan of Khattabi rahimahullah, vol. 4, pg. 216)
The scholars have offered up to four different interpretations for this Hadith and the many others of this kind. (Targhib, vol. 1, pg. 557-558)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,
Answered by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar