Question
What is the authenticity of this narration?
Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“The first thing Allah created was the pen after which He commanded it to write. The pen asked its Rabb what it should write. Allah said, ‘Write the decree of all that which is to occur till eternity/Qiyamah'”
Answer
Imams Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ahmad (rahimahumullah) and other Muhaddithun have recorded this narration on the authority of Sayyiduna ‘Ubadah ibn Samit (radiyallahu ‘anhu).
(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 2155 and 3319, Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 4668, Musnad Ahmad, vol. 5 pg. 317)
Imam Tirmidhi (rahimahullah) has declared the Hadith authentic (hasanun sahihun gharib).
(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3319. Also see: Footnotes of Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah on Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Hadith: 37072)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar