Nafi’ al-Hamadani al-Kufi...
Nafi’ al-Hamadani al-Kufi: He narrated from ‘Ali, Abu Dharr and Hudhayfah, and Abu Ishaq al-Hamadani narrated from him. I heard this from my father.[^4] Imam Ibn Hibban (d. 354 H) has also included him in his book of thiqah (trustworthy) narrators: زيد بن يثيع الهمداني كوفي يروى عن علي روى عنه أبو إسحاق السبيعي Zayd b. Yathi’ al-Hamadani: A Kufan, he narrated from ‘Ali, and Abu Ishaq al-Sabi’i narrated from him.[^5] In addition to al-‘Ijli and Ibn Hibban, Imam al-Hakim (d.
403 H) too considers Zayd b. Yathi’ to be thiqah (trustworthy). He mentions this chain in his book: حدثنا أبو العباس محمد بن يعقوب ثنا الحسن بن علي بن عفان وأخبرني محمد بن عبد الله الجوهري ثنا محمد بن إسحاق بن خزيمة ثنا الحسن بن علي بن عفان العامري ثنا فضيل بن مرزوق الرواسي ثنا أبو إسحاق عن زيد بن يثيع عن علي رضي الله عنه Abu al-‘Abbas Muhammad b. Ya’qub – al-Hasan b. ‘Ali b. ‘Affan – Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Jawhari – Muhammad b. Ishaq b. Khuzaymah – al-Hasan b. ‘Ali b.
‘Affan al-‘Amiri – Fudhayl b. Marzuq al-Ruwasi – Abu Ishaq – Zayd b. Yathi’ – ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him.[^6] Commenting on the sanad , al-Hakim says: هذا حديث صحيح الإسناد This hadith has a sahih chain. ^7 It is noteworthy that NONE of the classical Sunni muhadithun ever accused Zayd b. Yathi’ of anything – whether lying, fabrication or al-rafdh . Rather, three of them called him thiqah (trustworthy). This reveals yet another disturbing foul play by our dear Shaykh, Ibn Taymiyyah.
What about the rijal scholars after Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 H)? Al-Hakim further records this chain in his al-Mustadrak : أخبرنا أبو عبد الله الصفار ثنا محمد بن إبراهيم الأصفهاني ثنا الحسين بن حفص عن سفيان عن أبي إسحاق عن زيد بن يثيع عن حذيفة رضي الله عنه Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Saffar – Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-Isfahani – al-Husayn b. Hafs – Sufyan – Abu Ishaq – Zayd b.
Yathi’ – Hudhayfah, may Allah be pleased with him.[^8] Al-Hakim says: هذا حديث صحيح على شرط الشيخين This hadith is sahih upon the standard of the two Shaykhs. ^9 Imam al-Dhahabi (d. 748 H) confirms: على شرط البخاري ومسلم ( Sahih ) upon the standard of al-Bukhari and Muslim. ^10 We do not know on what ground both al-Hakim and al-Dhahabi have placed Zayd on the standard of the two Shaykhs, since neither of them has relied upon him in his Sahih .
However, their main message – that he is thiqah (trustworthy) is unmistakable from their respective verdicts. Elsewhere, the same al-Dhahabi also says: زيد بن يثيع عن أبي بكر وأبي ذر وعنه أبو إسحاق فقط وثق Zayd b.