In his exposition for this hadith...

In his exposition for this hadith, al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar says: This hadith is supported by narration of Muslim on the authority of Ghandar from Shu‘bah by the words: “… he enters into Fire.” Also al-Bukhari reported the same hadith from Anas and Abu Hurayrah, with the word “deliberately” being added to it, beside some other traditions with this addition reported by other than al-Bukhari.

But anyone deliberately meditating, and being in quest of truth into researches, will verily come to know that the correct narrations reported from the leading among whom being three of the Rightly-guided caliphs, indicate the hadith’s being devoid of this word “deliberately.” Besides, to claim that the Prophet uttered such a word should be regarded as improbable to its incongruity with reason and morality that were fully possessed by the Messenger, as to lie is “to announce of something in a way contrary to its true being, whether deliberately or mistakenly.” This word may have crept into this hadith through the means of idraj (gradual inclusion), that is common among the scholars, as a pretext used by those fabricating hadith against the Messenger of Allah to justify their practice as to be favouritism without intention.

This was followed too by righteous believers who used to justify it by saying: “We lie for him not against him”! Or it was adopted by the narrators in regard of that which they would report from others either out of error, or delusion or misunderstanding, so as to avoid falling in trouble, since that who is mistaken can never be considered sinful.

For all this, the narrators laid down their widely-known principle: “That who deliberately lies has to be answerable for his lie.” Decisive Correct Evidences On Reality of the Hadith Who Lied Against Me Hereunder we produce some proofs confirming our claim: Ahmad (ibn Hanbal) reported on the authority of Umar (ibn al-Khattab) as saying: (The Messenger of Allah said:) Whoever lies against me, his fate will verily be in Fire.

Ibn Sa’d in his Tabaqat, and Ibn Asakir from Mahmud ibn Labid, reported on the authority of Ibn Sa’d as saying: I heard Uthman ibn Affan addressing people from the minbar saying: It is imperssible for anyone to report a hadith he never heard of during the reign of Abu Bakr or that of Umar.