Question

What is the status of the Hadith wherein Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, ‘If Allah did not wish to be disobeyed, he would have not created Iblis’?

Answer

Imam Bazzar and Imam Tabarani (rahimahumallah) have recorded the Hadith in question as part of a longer Hadith.

(Al Mu’jamul Awsat, Hadith: 2669, Musnad Bazzar; Kashful Astar, vol. 3, pg. 25, Hadith: 2153 with slight variation in the wording)

However ‘Allamah Haythami (rahimahullah) has declared a narrator which appears in Al Mu’jamul Awsat extremely weak. Hafiz Ibn Kathir (rahimahullah) quotes his teacher, Hafiz Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) who has declared this Hadith a fabrication.

(Majma’uz Zawaid, vol. 7, pg. 191, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surah Nisa, verse: 78)

Imam Abu Hatim Ar Razi (rahimahullah) has also declared a similar Hadith reported by Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) very weak (munkar)

(Kitabul ‘Ilal, vol. 2, pg. 407, Hadith: 2880)

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar