The Fabricated Hadith...

The Fabricated Hadith: The fabricated hadith is the forged invented one ascribed to the Messenger of Allah (S), falsely and slandrously, whether it be deliberately or mistakenly. And as one of the Imams said, fabricating the hadith and ascribing it to the Messenger of Allah (S) being more dangerous to religion and of severer detriment to Muslims than bigotry of people of the east and of the west.

And separation of Muslims into schisms, communities, schools of thought (madhahib) and cults is but only one of the effects and consequences of fabrication and composition in the Din. In his book Ithar al-haqq, al-Murtada al-Yamani said: Most of the innovations of the heretics among the Muslims, originate from the following two apparently invalid factors: addition to and omission from religion (hadith). One form of addition to religion is verily falsifying and fabricating it.

Al-Nawawi in Sharh Muslim, reports from al-Qadi `Iyad as saying: Liars are of two sorts: one of them a group known of forgery and falsity in the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (may God’s peace and benediction be upon him and his Progeny), who are of several categories: some known of composing traditions that were never uttered by the Messenger of Allah (S) at all, such as the Zanadiqah and their likes who were never observing any commitment to Allah, either out of favouritism as they alleged, and religiosity like the ignorants among worshippers, 196 who fabricated traditions on virtues and recommendable deeds, or out of doing something strange and seeking fame like the debauchees among traditionists.

Or out of bigotry and argumentation like the propagators among the heretics and fanatics to madhahib (schools of thought), or for satisfying the desires of world-seeking people to attain to their goals, and asking for success for their doing. 197 Among them also were those who would not fabricate text of hadith, but would bring in a correct authentic chain of transmission for the weak text.

Some of them would reverse the chains (asanid) or add to them on purpose either for the sake of saying what is stranger than others or to take away ignorance from himself. Some would lie by claiming to have heard what he did not really hear, and meet whom he did not really meet, reporting correct traditions from them. Some others would take the speech of the or others, and maxims of the Arabs and sages, ascribing them to the Prophet (may God’s peace and benediction be upon him and his Progeny).