Is it valid to analogize the number in the hadith of the seventy thousand to the number in the verse {If you seek forgiveness for them seventy times}?
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Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: Is it said that the number mentioned in the hadith of the seventy thousand is not intended, just as Allah the Exalted said:[At-Tawbah 9:80] for you, where the number here is not intended? Is this analogy correct?
Answer:
If you bring evidence that it is not intended, we accept it. But if you do not bring evidence, we stop at what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said. And my brothers, these forced interpretations have no need, no need, no need, and they are not practical. So stop where the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) stopped, unless you have other evidence that specifies or adds to this number, in which case there is no harm.
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: Is it said that the number mentioned in the hadith of the seventy thousand is not intended, just as Allah the Exalted said:
If you should ask forgiveness for them seventy times - never will Allah forgive
إِن تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً فَلَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُAnswer:
If you bring evidence that it is not intended, we accept it. But if you do not bring evidence, we stop at what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said. And my brothers, these forced interpretations have no need, no need, no need, and they are not practical. So stop where the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) stopped, unless you have other evidence that specifies or adds to this number, in which case there is no harm.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، هل قياس العدد في حديث السبعين ألف على العدد في الآية {إن تستغفر لهم سبعين مرة} صحيح؟ — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.