Question
What is the reference for the below mentioned Hadith?
أخبرنا أبو علي الروذباري، أنا محمد بن بكر، نا أبو داود، نا ابن المصفى، نا بقية، وأبو المغيرة، قالا: نا صفوان، حدثني راشد بن سعد، وعبد الرحمن بن جبير، عن أنس بن مالك، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: لما عرج بي عز وجل مررت بقوم لهم أظفار من نحاس يخمشون وجوههم وصدورهم، فقلت: من هؤلاء يا جبريل؟ قال: هؤلاء الذين يأكلون لحوم الناس ويقعون في أعراضهم
Answer
This version of the narration is recorded in Shu’abul Iman of Imam Bayhaqi (rahimahullah) with his chain that goes through Imam Abu Dawud (rahimahullah).
Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reported that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “When [Allah] ‘Azza Wa Jalla ascended me [on Mi’raj], I passed by a group of people who had nails of copper with which they were scratching their faces and chests. I said, ‘Who are these people O Jibril?’ He replied, ‘They are those who eat the flesh of people [i.e. they would backbite] and asperse the honour of people.”
(Shu’abul Iman, Hadith: 6290)
See further references and the authenticity here.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar