Question
What is status of following narration?
عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما، قال: أوحى الله إلى نبيكم صلى الله عليه وسلم أني قتلت بيحيى بن زكريا سبعين ألفا، وإني قاتل بابن ابنتك سبعين ألفا وسبعين ألفا
Answer
This Hadith has been recorded with a few chains, with varied degrees of weakness.
Certain Muhaddithun like Imam Ibn Hibban and Hafiz Dhahabi (rahimahumallah) were of the view that the Hadith is unreliable. In fact, Hafiz Dhahabi has declared the text of the Hadith ‘munkarun jiddan.’ [extremely unreliable]
(Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 2 pg. 290-291, Tanzihush Shari’ah, vol. 1 pg. 416)
However, Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al ‘Asqalani (rahimahullah) was of the view that the Hadith does have some basis due to the number of chains.
(Refer: Al Maqasidul Hasanah, Hadith: 756. Also see: Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 3 pg. 178)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar