(55). Prophets’ Invocation
[This chapter deals] with the reported fact that all the Prophets before Muhammad were given surety that one of their invocations would be fulfilled. Some of them used the invocation to seek something in this world, which they were granted. Some others invoked Allah to punish their respective ummahs. Their invocations were fulfilled, and the ummahs were annihilated. None of them was kinder to his nation than the Prophet Muhammad who kept his invocation for interceding for his ummah on the Day of Judgment.
1. Muhammad b. ᶜUthmān b. Abī Ṣafwān al-Thaqafī → Sulaymān b. Dāwūd → ᶜAlī b. Hāshim b. al-Barīd → ᶜAbd al-Jabbār b. al-ᶜAbbās al-Shaybāmī → ᶜAwn b. Abī Juḥayfah al-Suwāᵓī → ᶜAbd al-Raḥmān b. ᶜAlqamah al-Thaqafī → ᶜAbd al-Raḥmān b. Abī ᶜAqīl al-Thaqafī:
I went to the Prophet with a delegation of the tribe of Banū Thaqīf. We followed the routes to Madina and reached the door to the house of the Prophet. Until then, none was more detested by us than the person living beyond that door. We entered the house, greeted those inside and pledged allegiance to [the Prophet]. When we left the Prophet, none was dearer to us than the person we had left. [In that meeting], I said to him, “O Messenger of Allāh! Did you ask your Lord to grant you a kingdom like that of Solomon?” He smiled and said, “Possibly your Lord has a better thing to grant me than the rule bestowed upon Solomon. Allah has granted all His Prophets an invocation which is surely granted them. Some of the Prophets asked Allah to grant them the world which they were granted. Some of them prayed against their ummahs, which were subsequently annihilated. Allah has promised me that He would fulfil one of my invocations and I have kept this chance for interceding for my ummah on the Day of Judgement.”
2. Muhammad b. ᶜUthmān → Muhammad b. Ismāᶜīl al-Anṣārī → ᶜAlī b. Hāshim b. al-Barīd → ᶜAbd al-Jabbār b. al-ᶜAbbās al-Shaybānī: using this isnād:
We went to the Prophet as a delegation. We sought his permission to enter. He allowed us to enter. When we entered the house, none was more detestable for us than him. We greeted him and pledged allegiance to him. When we left him, none was dearer to us than him.
The remaining part of the tradition is like the earlier one.
Abū Bakr said: Muhammad b. Ismaᶜīl is the man who is known by the name of Wasāwisī.
(56). Misinterpretation of a Part of the Prophetic Ḥadīth
A part of the ḥadīth which I have narrated in connection with intercession has been misinterpreted by the Muᶜtazilah and the Jahmīs who lack knowledge and do not have proper understanding of the Prophetic traditions. They believe that the words of the Prophet in that tradition negate the view that the Prophet will intercede for every Muslim. The truth of the matter is that it does not entail what these ignorant folk think it does. By the blessing of Allah and with His permission, I will explain that the Prophetic statements in these narratives do not mutually contradict.
1. al-ᶜAbbās b. ᶜAbd al-ᶜAẓīm al-Anbarī and Aḥmad b. Yūsuf al-Sullamī → ᶜAbd al-Razzāq → Maᶜmar → Thābit → Anas → The Prophet:
My intercession will benefit even those who commit sins of the first order.
2. Al-ᶜAbbās → al-Sulaymān b. Ḥarab → Bisṭām b. Ḥurayth → Ashᶜath al-Ḥuddānī → Anas → the Prophet.
My intercession will benefit those who commit sins of the first order.
3. Muhammad b. Yaḥyā → al-Khalīl b. ᶜAmr:
4. Yaḥyā b. Muhammad b. al-Sakan → al-Khalīl b. ᶜAmr → ᶜUmar al-Ashajj (Saᶜīd b. Abī ᶜArūbah) → Qatādah → Anas b. Mālik → the Prophet:
The intercession is for those who commit sins of the first order.
In his version Yaḥyā b. Muhammad said:
My intercession is for those who commit sins of the first order.
5. Muhammad b. Bashshār → Abū Dāwūd → Muhammad b. Thābit al-Bunānī → Jaᶜfar b. Muhammad → his father → Jābir b. ᶜAbd Allāh → the Prophet:
My intercession is for those who commit sins of the first order.
Muhammad (the second last narrator) said:
Jābir told me that he said to the Prophet, “O Muhammad, will the intercession not benefit those who do not commit sins of the first order?”
6. Aḥmad b. Yūsuf al-Sullamī → ᶜAmr b. Abī Salamah → Zuhayr (b. Muhammad) → Jaᶜfar b. Muhammad → his father → Jābir → the Prophet:
My intercession is for those among my ummah who commit sins of the first order.
7. Muhammad b. Rāfiᶜ → Sulaymān b. Dāwūd al-Ṭayālisī → al-Ḥakam b. Khazraj:
8. ᶜAlī b. Muslim → Abū Dāwūd → al-Ḥakam b. Khazraj → Thābit → Anas → the Prophet:
My intercession is for those among my ummah who commit sins of the first order.
Abū Bakr said: We learn that the Prophet has said that he would intercede for all the Muslims, as is clear from the traditions which we have mentioned above in our discussion on the topic. He says, “It is for every Muslim.” By this statement, the Prophet intends to state that he will intercede for all the Muslims in the beginning. It will benefit the Prophets, the martyrs, the pious and all the rest of the Muslims. Through this intercession he will release them from standing waiting for the judgment while this waiting will be hard upon them. The Prophet will ask Allah to judge and decide their status as I have fully discussed earlier in the light of the ḥadīth narratives.
Now we take up his statement, “My intercession is for those who commit sins of the first order.”
It may be the case that he refers to another intercession which he will make after the first one, which would benefit all the Muslims. The second intercession will be for all such believers as will be put in Hell because of their sins which would not have been forgiven by Allah in their worldly life. They will be brought out of Hell by the Prophetic intercession. As for his saying, “My intercession is for those who commit sins of the first order,” it refers to those who commit grave sins and were put in Hell on account of their sins of the first order for Allāh has promised that He will forgive the minor sins of those who avoid committing major sins. Therefore, He will not forgive those committing grave and major sins. This I have already explained in the light of the following verse of the Qurᵓān:
If you but eschew the most heinous of the things which you are forbidden to do (Q 4:31).
The Prophet asked his Creator to let him intercede for those in his ummah who have, for example, murdered others. Allah responded to his request. We know that unjustly shedding the blood of the Muslims is one of the major sins. No sin is graver than ascribing partners to Allah, and the rejection (kufr) is even graver than all these sins.
9. ᶜAlī b. Saᶜīd al-Nisāᵓī → Abū al-Yamān → Shuᶜayb (b. Ḥamzah) → al-Zuhrī → Anas b. Mālik → Ummi Ḥabībah → the Prophet:
I have been made to see what my ummah will do after me. They will shed blood. This has already been preordained by Allah just as Allah’s decree was applied to the earlier nations. I asked Allah to give me the right to intercede for my ummah on the Day of Judgment and He granted me my request.
Abū Bakr said: The narrators have differed over the isnād of this narrative as mentioned by Abū al-Yamān. Some narrators have named the isnād as follows: Abū al-Yamān → Shuayb → ᶜAbd Allāh b. ᶜAbd al-Raḥmān b. Abī Ḥusayn. Some others say that it is from al-Zuhrī instead of ᶜAbd Allāh b. ᶜAbd al-Raḥmān b. Abī Ḥusayn.
(57) “Al-Kabāᵓir” means Grave Sins other than Polytheism
The Prophet has told us that polytheism is the highest sin. So by saying: “for those of my ummah who commit the sins of the first order” he means only those who responded to him and believed in his call, and turned away from polytheism. The word ummah signifies all the people he was sent to. All his potential addressees constitute his ummah. However, those among his addressees who believed in his call and gave up polytheism can also be called his ummah. The word ummah in this sense covers only those who responded to his call positively. Before their acceptance of Islam, they were his ummah in another sense; his potential addressees. The word ummah has been used in this sense in the ḥadīth reported by al-Aᶜmash → Abū Ṣāliḥ → Abū Hurayrah: The Prophet said, “It (my intercession) will benefit those, by the will of Allah, who will die while not ascribing partners to Allah.”
(58) Soundness of My Explanation
My explanation of the intercession made for those who commit grave sins is sound. The intercession will benefit those who will be cast in Hell but not eternally. They will not be the dwellers of Hell originally. This intercession will be for the monotheists who will have committed sins and errors and who will be put in Hell so that they taste its flames.
1. Muhammad b. Bashshār → Muhammad (b. Jaᶜfar) → Shuᶜbah → Abū Salamah (Saᶜīd b. Yazīd) → Abū Naḍrah → Abū Saᶜīd al-Khudrī → the Prophet:
The [permanent] dwellers of Hell are those who will neither die there nor live again. However, some people will also be cast into it on account of their sins and misdeeds until they will be turned into charcoal. Then intercession will be allowed concerning them. Then they will be brought in groups and will be spread on the rivers of Paradise and then it will be said, “O inhabitants of Paradise, pour water over them.” Then they will sprout forth like the sprouting of seed in the silt carried by flood.
2. Abū Mūsā → Muhammad b. Jaᶜfar → Shuᶜbah → Abū Muslimah:
He related the same report. However, he used the following words, “However, Fire will afflict some people.” He also said the following words, “However, [they will sprout out] like the sprouting of seed in the silt carried by flood.”
Abū Bakr said: I have included some versions of this narrative in another chapter which will follow shortly.
3. Muhammad b. Bashshār → Abū Dāwūd → Hishām → Qatādah → Anas b. Mālik → the Prophet:
A people will face a burn of Fire on account of their misdeeds. Then they will be permitted into Paradise. They are also called the dwellers of Hell.
4. Muhammad b. Yaḥyā al-Qutaᶜī and Abū Ḥafṣ ᶜUbayd Allāh b. Yūsuf al-Jubayrī → Muhammad b. Marwān (al-ᶜUqaylī) → Hishām (b. Abī ᶜAbd Allāh al-Dastuwāᵓī:
He narrated a similar narrative using this isnād. He said:
[They will taste] a burn of Fire on account of their sins. Then they will be brought out of it. They are called al-jahanmiyyūn (Dwellers of Fire).
5. Muhammad b. Yaḥyā al-Dhuhlī → Saᶜīd b. ᶜĀmir → Hishām → Abū ᶜAbd Allāh al-Ṣadūq al-Mulsim:
A report similar to that of Bundār which says:
Allāh will put them in Paradise out of His blessings and mercy.
6. Muhammad b. Yaḥyā al-Dhuhlī → Wahb b. Jarīr → Hishām:
This very narrative in which he added: In retribution for their sins.
7. Muhammad b. Yaḥyā al-Dhuhlī → ᶜAbd al-Razzāq → Maᶜmar → Qatādah and Thābit → Anas → the Prophet:
Groups of people will be released from Hell after they will have been scorched by the fire as retribution of their misdeeds. Allah will get them out of it on account of His mercy and they will enter Paradise.
8. Aḥmad b. al-Miqdām → al-Muᶜtamir → his father → Qatādah → Anas b. Mālik → the Prophet:
When the inhabitants of Paradise will see them [i.e., those released from Hell], they will ask, “Who are these people?” It will be said, “These are al-jahanmiyyūn (the dwellers of Hell).”
9. Muhammad b. Bashshār and Muhammad b. al-Walīd → Muhammad → Shuᶜbah → Ḥammād → Ribᶜī b. Ḥirāsh → Ḥudhayfah:
Shuᶜbah said that once Ḥudhayfah ascribed the statement to the Prophet:
Allāh will get out from the fire a group of people who will be rotten after being engulfed by Fire. They will be released because of the intercession of those who intercede. They will enter Paradise and will be called al-Jahanmiyyūn.
10. Muhammad b. Bashshār → Yaḥyā b. Saᶜīd → al-Ḥasan b. Dhakwān → Abū Rajāᵓ al-ᶜUṭāridī → ᶜImrān → the Prophet:
A group of people will surely be got out of Hell through (my) intercession. They will be called al-jahanmiyyūn.
When I visited Bundār a second time, he was asked, “Did Yaḥyā b. Saᶜīd narrate to you the same narrative from al-Ḥasan b. Dhakwān → Abū Rajāᵓ al-ᶜUṭāridī → Ibn ᶜAbbās → the Prophet?”
Bundār replied, “Yes.”
11. Yaḥyā b. Ḥakīm → Abū Dāwūd → Shuᶜbah → Ḥammād → Ribᶜī b. Ḥirāsh → Ḥudhayfah:
Shuᶜbah said that Ḥudhayfah would sometimes ascribe the following statement to the Prophet while on other occasions he would not.
A group of people will be taken out of Hell by intercession. These people will be called al-Jahanmiyyūn.
Abū Bakr said: It was read out to Abū Mūsā while I was listening. It was said, “Did Yaḥyā b. Saᶜīd narrate to you the following through al-Ḥasan b. Dhakwān → Abū Rajāᵓ → ᶜImrān b. Ḥuṣayn → the Prophet?”
A number of people will be brought out of fire, named al-jahanmiyyūn by the intercession of Muhammad.
Abū Mūsā said, “Yes.”
Abū Bakr said: I do not doubt that both these reports are reliable. For Abū Rajāᵓ has cited Ibn ᶜAbbās and ᶜImrān b. Ḥuṣayn both in a single chain in other reports too.
409. (12) Ḥafṣ b. ᶜAmr al-Rubālī → Abū Baḥr → ᶜAwf → Abū Naḍrah → Abū Saᶜīd al-Khudrī → the Prophet:
A group of people will be brought out of fire after being turned into charcoal. [He said:] It will be said, “Put them into Paradise and pour water over them.” Then they will sprout forth like the sprouting of seed in the silt carried by flood.
A person among the believers said, “It seems as if you lived in the steppe, O Prophet of Allāh.”
13. Muhammad b. Bashshār → ᶜUthmān b. ᶜUmar → Khārijah b. MusᶜAb → his father → ᶜAbd Allāh b. ᶜAmr → the Prophet:
A people will come out of Hell. They will be called al-jahanmiyyūn. He (MusᶜAb) said that he said to ᶜAbd Allāh b. ᶜUmar, “Did you hear it from the Prophet?” He replied, “Yes.”
14. Aḥmad b. ᶜAbdah → ᶜUthmān b. ᶜAmr → Khārijah b. Muṣᶜab al-Khurāsānī → his father → ᶜAbd Allāh b. ᶜAmr → the Prophet:
A number of people will be brought out of Hell after being burnt by Fire and they will be admitted into Paradise.
The narrator says that he asked [Abdullāh b. ᶜAmr], “Did you hear it from the Prophet?” He said, “Yes.”
15. Aḥmad b. ᶜAbdah → Ḥammād b. Zayd:
I asked ᶜAmr b. Dīnār, “Did you hear Jābir b. ᶜAbd Allāh reporting from the Prophet that Allāh will get a people out of Hell through intercession [by the Prophet]?” He said, “Yes.”
16. ᶜAbd al-Jabbār b. al-ᶜAlā says that people came to ᶜAmr to question him. I have heard him as many times as Allah willed say, “I heard Jābir b. ᶜAbd Allāh saying, “I heard with my own ears the Prophet say that some people would enter Hell. Then they would be got out of it and sent to Paradise.””
17. Saᶜīd b. ᶜAbd al-Raḥmān al-Makhzūmī and Muhammad b. al-Walīd → Sufyān → ᶜAmr → Jābir b. ᶜAbd Allāh:
I bear witness that I heard the Prophet with these two ears of mine saying, “Allāh will take a number of people out of Hell on the Day of Judgment, and they will be admitted into Paradise.”
Muhammad b. al-Walīd claimed that Jābir b. ᶜAbd Allāh heard him (the Prophet).
18. Yūnus b. ᶜAbd al-Aᶜlā → ᶜAbd Allāh b. Wahb → ᶜAmr b. al-Ḥārith → ᶜAmr b. Dīnār → Jābir b. ᶜAbd Allāh:
I heard the Prophet with two ears of mine saying, “Some people will be brought out of Hell.”
19. Abū Hāshim Ziyād b. Ayyūb → ᶜĀṣim (b. ᶜAlī) → Hammām b. Yaḥyā → Qatādah → Anas → the Prophet:
Many people will be brought out of Hell after being burnt in it. They will be permitted into Paradise. The inhabitants of Paradise will call them al-jahanmiyyūn.
20. Muhammad b. ᶜAbd al-Aᶜlā → Bishr b. al-Mufaḍḍal → Yazīd b. Ibn Abī Ḥabīb → Anas → the Prophet:
Many people will be put in Hell. When they will become like charcoal, they will be brought out of it and then will be admitted into Paradise. The inhabitants of Paradise will ask, “Who are they?” It will be said, “These are the al-jahanmiyyūn.”
Abū Bakr said: Bishr b. al-Mufaḍḍal narrates ḥadīths from this Shaykh (Yazīd b. Ibn Abī Ḥabīb). However, I do not know if he has been declared reliable or unreliable.
21. ᶜAbd al-Wārith b. ᶜAbd al-Ṣamad → his father → al-Naḍr (Abū Muhammad, the Imām of the Mosque of Abū ᶜImrān al-Jawnī) → Abū ᶜImrān:
I was travelling in a vessel when I saw a man of captivating beauty. The people said, “This is the son of Abū Saᶜīd al-Khudrī.” I asked him, saying, “A ḥadīth has been reported to us on the authority of your father.” He said, “What is it?” I said, “It has been reported to us that he heard the Prophet saying, “Allāh will take some people out of Hell after casting them into it.”” He said, “Yes. That is true. I too heard it from him not only once, twice, or thrice, but many times more than that.”
The above passage is translated from Kitāb al-Tawḥīd by Imām Abū Bakr Ibn Khuzaymah (d. 311 AH). English translation by Dr Tariq Mahmood Hashmi.
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