‫الر ِح ْي ِم‬ ِ

َّ ‫بِ ْس ِم اهلل‬
َّ ‫الر ْح ٰم ِن‬
Imām Muslim narrated this saying:

‫الر ْحم ِن الدَّ ِارمِ ُّي‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ

َّ ‫وحدَّ ثني ُمح َّمدُ ْب ُن س ْه ِل ْب ِن ع ْسك ٍر التَّميم ُّي حدَّ ثنا ي ْحيى ْب ُن ح َّسان ح وحدَّ ثنا ع ْبدُ اهلل ْب ُن ع ْبد‬
‫ قال ُحذ ْيف ُة ْب ُن‬:‫اوي ُة ي ْعنِي ا ْبن س ََّّل ٍم حدَّ ثنا ز ْيدُ ْب ُن س ََّّل ٍم ع ْن أبِي س ََّّل ٍم قال‬
ِ ‫أ ْخبرنا ي ْحيى و ُهو ا ْب ُن ح َّسان حدَّ ثنا ُمع‬

:‫ ُق ْل ُت‬:‫ان‬ِ ‫ا ْليم‬

And Muḥammad Ibn Sahl Ibn `Askar at-Tamīmī told me: Yaḥyā Ibn Ḥassān told us: Ḥā’: 1 And
`Abdullāh Ibn `Abdir-Raḥmān ad-Dārimī told us: Yaḥyā, and he is Ibn Ḥassān informed us:
Mu`āwiyah, and he is Ibn Sallām, told us: Zayd Ibn Sallām told us: On the authority of Abū
Sallām who said: Ḥuthayfah Ibn al-Yamān said: I said:

‫ "ه ْل وراء‬:‫" ُق ْل ُت‬.‫ "نع ْم‬:‫يه فه ْل مِ ْن ور ِاء هذا ا ْلخيْ ِر ش ٌّر؟" قال‬ ِ ِ‫"يا رسول اهللِ إِنَّا ُكنَّا بِشر فجاء اهلل بِخي ٍر فنحن ف‬
ُ ْ ْ ُ ٍّ ُ
‫ "ي ُكو ُن‬:‫ "ك ْيف؟" قال‬:‫" ُق ْل ُت‬.‫ "نع ْم‬:‫ "فه ْل وراء ذلِك ا ْلخيْ ِر ش ٌّر؟" قال‬:‫" ُق ْل ُت‬.‫ "نع ْم‬:‫الش ِّر خ ْي ٌر؟" قال‬ َّ ‫ذلِك‬
ِ ‫ين فِي ج ْم‬ِ ِ‫الشياي‬ ِ ِ‫ب ْع ِدي أئِ َّم ٌة َل ي ْهتدُ ون بِ ُهداي وَل ي ْستنُّون بِ ُسنَّتِي وسي ُقو ُم ف‬
".ٍٍْ ‫ان إِن‬ ُ ُ ‫يه ْم ِرج ٌال ُق ُلو ُب ُه ْم ُق ُل‬
َّ ‫وب‬
‫يع ل ِ ْْلمِ ِير وإِ ْن ُض ِرب ظ ْه ُرك و ُأ ِخذ ما ُلك‬ِ ِ ُ ‫ "كيف أصنع يا رسول اهللِ إِ ْن أدرك‬:‫ ُق ْل ُت‬:‫قال‬
ُ ‫ "ت ْسم ُع و ُتط‬:‫ْت ذلك؟" قال‬ ْ ُ ُ ْ ْ
".‫اسم ْع وأيِ ْع‬
ْ ‫ف‬
“O Messenger of Allāh, indeed, we were in evil, then Allāh brought us good which we are now
in. Will there be any evil after this good?” He said: “Yes.” I said: “Will there be any good after
that evil?” He said: “Yes.” I said: “Will there be any evil after that good?” He said: “Yes.” I said:
“How?” He said: “There will be leaders who will not be led by my guidance and who will not
follow my Sunnah. There will be among them men who will have the hearts of devils in the
bodies of human beings.” He (i.e. Ḥuthayfah) said: I said: “What should I do, O Messenger of
Allāh, if I reach that?” He said: “You listen to the Amīr and obey him; even if your back is beaten
and your wealth is taken; listen and obey.” 2

And this was weakened by Imām Muslim himself. This is evident when one looks at what he
said in the introduction to his “Ṣaḥīḥ”, and then looks at how he narrated it.

After mentioning the caliber of narrators he would narrate from, Imām Muslim said:
“…without repetition, unless there comes a place that cannot do without repeating a
narration, due to an additional meaning, or a chain of narration that falls beside another chain
because of a weakness therein.”

And Imām Muslim narrated the Ḥadīth in question after narrating the following authentic
version:

1
Ḥā’: Muḥaddithīn place this letter in their chains of transmission when restarting their chain with another of
their Shaykhs from whom they heard the same Ḥadīth
2
“Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim” (#1,847)
ِ‫حدَّ ثنِي محمدُ بن ا ْلم نَّى حدَّ ثنا ا ْلولِيدُ بن مسلِ ٍم حدَّ ثنا عبدُ الرحم ِن بن ي ِزيد ب ِن جابِ ٍر حدَّ ثنِي بسر بن عبي ِد اهلل‬
ْ ُ ُ ْ ُ ُْ ْ ُ ْ ْ َّ ْ ْ ُ ُ ْ ُ ُ ْ َّ ُ
ِ ‫ س ِمع ُت حذيفة بن ا ْليم‬:‫ول‬
ُ ‫ان ي ُق‬
:‫ول‬ ُ ‫ا ْلح ْضرمِي أ َّن ُه س ِمع أبا إِ ْد ِريٍ ا ْلخ ْوَلنِي ي ُق‬
ْ ْ ُ ْ َّ ُّ
Muḥammad Ibn al-Muthannā told me: Al-Walīd Ibn Muslim told us: `Abdur-Raḥmān Ibn Yazīd
Ibn Jābir told us: Busr Ibn `Ubaydillāh al-Ḥaḍramī told me that he heard Abū Idrīs al-Khawlānī
saying: I heard Ḥuthayfah Ibn al-Yamān saying:

‫ "يا‬:‫ ف ُق ْل ُت‬.‫الش ِّر مخافة أ ْن ُيدْ ِركنِي‬ َّ ‫اهلل عليْ ِه وس َّلم ع ِن ا ْلخيْ ِر و ُكن ُْت أ ْسأ ُل ُه ع ِن‬ ِ
ُ ‫َّاس ي ْسأ ُلون ر ُسول اهلل ص َّلى‬ُ ‫كان الن‬
ٍ ِِ ِ ِ
‫ "ه ْل ب ْعد‬:‫" ف ُق ْل ُت‬.‫ "نع ْم‬:‫اهلل بِهذا ا ْلخيْ ِر فه ْل ب ْعد هذا ا ْلخ ْي ِر ش ٌّر؟" قال‬ ُ ‫ر ُسول اهلل إِنَّا ُكنَّا في جاهل َّية وش ٍّر فجاءنا‬
‫ "ق ْو ٌم ي ْستنُّون بِغ ْي ِر ُسنَّتِي وي ْهدُ ون بِغ ْي ِر‬:‫ "وما دخنُ ُه؟" قال‬:‫" ُق ْل ُت‬.‫يه دخ ٌن‬ ِ ِ‫ "نعم وف‬:‫الشر مِن خي ٍر؟" قال‬
ْ ْ ْ ِّ َّ ‫ذلك‬
ِ

‫اب جهنَّم م ْن أجاب ُه ْم‬ ِ ‫ "نع ْم ُدعا ٌة على أبْو‬:‫ "ه ْل ب ْعد ذلِك ا ْلخ ْي ِر مِ ْن ش ٍّر؟" قال‬:‫" ف ُق ْل ُت‬.‫ف مِن ُْه ْم و ُتنْكِ ُر‬ ُ ‫هدْ يِي ت ْع ِر‬
‫ "يا‬:‫" ُق ْل ُت‬.‫ "نع ْم ق ْو ٌم مِ ْن ِج ْلدتِنا ويتك َّل ُمون بِأ ْل ِسنتِنا‬:‫" قال‬.‫ "يا ر ُسول اهللِ ِص ْف ُه ْم لنا‬:‫" ف ُق ْل ُت‬.‫إِل ْيها قذ ُفو ُه فِيها‬
‫ "فإِ ْن ل ْم ت ُك ْن ل ُه ْم جماع ٌة‬:‫" ف ُق ْل ُت‬.‫ "ت ْلز ُم جماعة ا ْل ُم ْسلِ ِمين وإِمام ُه ْم‬:‫ر ُسول اهللِ فما ترى إِ ْن أ ْدركنِي ذلِك؟" قال‬
".‫اعت ِز ْل تِ ْلك ا ْل ِفرق ُك َّلها ول ْو أ ْن تع َّض على أ ْص ِل شجر ٍة حتَّى ُيدْ ِركك ا ْلم ْو ُت وأنْت على ذلِك‬ ْ ‫ "ف‬:‫وَل إِما ٌم؟" قال‬
“People used to ask the Messenger of Allāh, ‫اهلل عل ْي ِه وس َّلم‬
ُ ‫ص َّلى‬, about goodness, but I used to ask
him about evil out of fear it overtake me. I said: ‘O Messenger of Allāh, we were in the midst
of ignorance and evil, and then Allāh brought us this goodness. Is there any evil after this
goodness?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ I asked: ‘Is there any goodness after that evil?’ He said: ‘Yes, but
therein will be a hidden evil.’ I asked: ‘What will be the evil hidden therein?’ He said: ‘A people
who will adopt ways other than my Sunnah and seek guidance other than my guidance. You
will know good points as well as bad points.’ I asked: ‘Will there be any evil after that
goodness?’ He said: ‘Yes; callers at the gates of Hell; whosoever responds to them they will
throw him into it.’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allāh, describe them for us.’ He said: ‘Yes; they are
a people with our skin (colour) and they speak our language.’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allāh,
what do you suggest if that (time) reaches me?’ He said: ‘You should adhere to the main body
of the Muslims and their Imām.’ I said: ‘If they have no main body nor Imām?’ He said:
‘Separate yourself from all those factions, even if you were to bite onto the root of a tree, until
death comes to you and you are in this state.’” 3

It was also weakened by Imām Ad-Dāraquṭnī, as he stated: “And Muslim narrated the Ḥadīth
of Mu’āwiyah Ibn Salām on the authority of Zayd on the authority of Abū Sallām on the
authority of Ḥuthayfah…And this, in my opinion, is Mursal; Abū Sallām did not hear from
Ḥuthayfah, nor from his peers who went to `Irāq. (This is) because Ḥuthayfah passed away
(just) nights after the murder of `Uthmān, ‫اهلل عنْ ُه‬ ِ
ُ ‫رضي‬. And in it, it contains ‘Ḥuthayfah said’, so
this indicates that it is ‘Mursal.’” 4

3
“Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim” (#1,847). Also collected in “Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī” (#3,606 & #7,084) and “Sunan Ibn Mājah”
(#3,979)
4
“Al-Ilzāmāt wat-Tatabbu`”, by Ad-Dāraquṭnī pg. 181-182
In other words, he did not say he heard it from Ḥuthayfah.

And Ibn Ḥajar al-`Asqalānī said about Abū Sallām: “And he narrated in ‘Mursal’ form from
Ḥuthayfah, Abū Tharr and others.” 5

Likewise, An-Nawawī weakened it, saying: “Ad-Dāraquṭnī stated: ‘This, in my opinion, is

‘Mursal.’’ And it is as Ad-Dāraquṭnī said.” 6

And Al-Wādi`ī stated: “In this Ḥadīth of Ḥuthayfah, there is an addition which is not in the
Ḥadīth of Ḥuthayfah which is agreed upon, and it is his statement: ‘And even if your back is
beaten and your wealth is taken.’ So this addition is weak, because it is from this severed
path.” 7

However, if it had been authentic, what is the correct understanding of the Ḥadīth?

Ibn Ḥazm said: “As for his, ‫اهلل عل ْي ِه وس َّلم‬

ُ ‫ص َّلى‬,’s command to be patient with the taking of the
wealth and the beating of the back, then that is only, without doubt, if the Imām is doing so
justly. And there is no doubt that it is obligatory upon us to be patient with it. In fact, if he
refuses that, or even from his neck being struck, if it is obligatory, then he is a fāsiq who is
َ َ
disobeying Allāh, ‫ت َعال‬,

However, if that is done falsely, then, Allāh Forbid, that the Messenger of Allāh, ‫اهلل عل ْي ِه‬
ُ ‫ص َّلى‬
‫وس َّلم‬, would command patience upon that. The proof for this is the Statement of Allāh, ‫عزَّ وج َّل‬:

ِ ‫اْل ْث ِم وا ْلعدْ و‬
‫ان‬ ِ ْ ‫وتعاونُوا على ا ْلبِر والتَّ ْقو ٰى ۖ وَل تعاونُوا على‬
ُ ِّ
And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. 8

And we know that the words of the Messenger of Allāh, ‫اهلل عل ْي ِه وس َّلم‬
ُ ‫ص َّلى‬, do not contradict the
َ َ
Words of his Lord, ‫ت َعال‬. Allāh, ‫عزَّ وج َّل‬, Stated:

‫وما ينطِ ُق ع ِن ا ْلهو ٰى إِ ْن ُهو إِ ََّل و ْح ٌي ُيوح ٰى‬

Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. It is not but a revelation revealed. 9

And He, ‫تعالى‬, Stated:

5
“Tahthīb at-Tahthīb” by Ibn Ḥajar al-`Asqalānī 10/296
6
“Al-Minhāj Sharḥ Sahīh Muslim Ibn al-Ḥajjāj” by An-Nawawī 12/237
7
“Al-Ilzāmāt Wat-Tatabbu`”, pg. 182
8
Sūrat al-Mā’idah, 2
9
Sūrat an-Najm, 3-4
 ‫اختَِّل ًفا ك ِ ًيرا‬ ِ ِ‫ند غي ِر اهللِ لوجدُ وا ف‬
ْ ‫يه‬ ِ ِ ِ
ْ ‫ول ْو كان م ْن ع‬
And if it had been from other than Allāh, they would have found within it much
contradiction. 10

So, it is confirmed that everything that the Messenger of Allāh, ‫اهلل عل ْي ِه وس َّلم‬
ُ ‫ص َّلى‬, said is
Revelation from Allāh, ‫عزَّ وج َّل‬, and that there is no contradiction within it, nor any conflict nor
any clash.

So, if this is how that is, then there is certainty in which there is no doubt, which every Muslim
knows, that taking the wealth of a Muslim or a Thimmī unjustly and beating his back unjustly
is a sin, transgression and forbidden. The Messenger of Allāh, ‫اهلل عل ْي ِه وس َّلم‬
ُ ‫ص َّلى‬, said:

ْ ‫"إِ َّن ِدماءك ُْم وأ ْموال ُك ْم و‬

".‫أعراض ُك ْم حرا ٌم عل ْي ُك ْم‬
‘Indeed, your blood, your wealth and your honour is sacred upon you.’ 11

So, since there is no doubt in this nor any dispute from anyone from amongst the Muslims,
then a Muslim leaving his wealth to be taken unjustly or his back to be beaten unjustly, while
he is able to resist in any way possible, is assisting the one doing him wrong in sin and
transgression, and this is forbidden by the Text of the Qur’ān.” 12

And this understanding; that one does not obey if they are being beaten unjustly or having
their wealth taken unjustly, was demonstrated by `Abdullāh Ibn `Amr Ibn al- `Āṣ, ‫اهلل عن ُْهما‬ ِ
ُ ‫رضي‬,
when `Anbasah Ibn Abī Sufyān, who was the administrator of Aṭ-Ṭā’if under Mu`āwiyah Ibn
Abī Sufyān, wanted to alter some of his property in order to reroute a stream for irrigation.

This has come on the authority of Thābit:

‫اِ إِلى ع ْب ِد‬ ِ ‫أ َّن ُه لما كان ب ْين ع ْب ِد اهللِ ْب ِن عم ٍرو وب ْين عنْبسة ْب ِن أبِي س ْفيان ما كان تيسروا ل ِ ْل ِقت‬
ِ ‫ال فركِب خالِدُ ْب ُن ا ْلع‬ ُ َّ ُ ْ َّ
‫ "م ْن ُقتِل‬:‫اهلل عليْ ِه وس َّلم قال‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
ُ ‫ أما عل ْمت أ َّن ر ُسول اهلل ص َّلى‬:‫اهلل ْب ِن ع ْم ٍرو فوعظ ُه خالدٌ فقال ع ْبدُ اهلل ْب ُن ع ْم ٍرو‬
". ٌ‫ُدون مال ِ ِه ف ُهو ش ِهيد‬
That when what transpired between `Abdullāh Ibn `Amr and `Anbasah Ibn Abī Sufyān
transpired, they readied themselves to fight. So, Khālid Ibn al-`Āṣ rode to `Abdullāh Ibn `Amr
and persuaded him (not to do so). Upon this `Abdullāh Ibn `Amr said: “Are you not aware that
the Messenger of Allāh, ‫اهلل عل ْي ِه وس َّلم‬
ُ ‫ص َّلى‬, had said: ‘Whoever is killed defending his wealth is a
martyr.’” 13

10
Sūrat an-Nisā’, 82
11
“Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah” (#37,162), “Musnad Aḥmad” (#18,966), “Sunan Ibn Mājah” (#3,055), “Jāmi` at-
Tirmithī” (#3,087) and “Sunan an-Nasā’ī al-Kubrā” (#2,159), on the authority of `Amr Ibn al-Aḥwaṣ
12
“Al-Fiṣal Fil-Milali Wal-Ahwā’i Wan-Niḥal” by Ibn Ḥazm 4/133
13
“Musnad Aḥmad” (#6,922) and “Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim” (#141)
As for what some have mentioned; that there is a consensus that defending one’s self and
wealth until death does not apply when it is an authority committing the transgression, then
this is obviously false, as is clear from the fact that a Ṣaḥābī viewed doing so as permissible.

And Allāh Knows Best.

Haytham Āl Sayfaddīn