Explanation of the athar of al-Hasan, who said: "They hoped that a fever lasting one night would be an expiation for past sins."
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The Shaykh : As for the one that follows, it is hasan, and it is his saying:
And from him, meaning al-Hasan, it is narrated: "They hoped that a fever lasting one night would be an expiation for past sins". Ibn Abi al-Dunya also narrated it, and its narrators are trustworthy.
This hadith does not explicitly state that it is marfu' (traced to the Prophet) to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), because first, it is narrated by al-Hasan, who is al-Hasan al-Basri. We have learned from our previous lessons that al-Hasan al-Basri was a man of the most distinguished and great scholars of the Tabi'un, their ascetics, and their brave ones. He possessed many qualities rarely found in individuals. However, from the perspective of hadith science, there is something in his narration that prevents a hadith scholar from using his hadith as evidence in some cases. This occurs when a hadith is narrated from a Companion, or from someone below him among the Tabi'un, using the form "an" (from) or "qala" (said), or any other form that does not explicitly state that he heard the hadith from that Companion or other. If he does not explicitly state that he heard it, his hadith is not used as evidence despite his high status and virtue, because he is classified among the mudallis (those who conceal defects in chains) by those knowledgeable in hadith science and its terminology.
In this hadith, we see first that al-Hasan al-Basri did not say here "from a specific Companion," but rather what did he say? "They hoped". From al-Hasan, it is said: "They hoped". First, the Messenger (peace be upon him) was not mentioned at all. Second, here is another hadith point: "They hoped". This plural refers to whom? "They"? The Companions or the Tabi'un? Here is a rule among hadith scholars: If a Companion speaks and says: "They hoped", referring to one of the Companions, then it is a text indicating that those he means are the Companions. But if a Tabi'i says, as here: "They", it is possible that he means the scholars of his time, meaning the Tabi'un, and it is possible that he means these people along with some of the Companions whom he met.
In summary: A hadith like this is not given the ruling of being marfu' (traced to the Prophet) to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), because first, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) is not mentioned in it at all, and second, because the one narrating this report is a Tabi'i and not a Companion. If a Companion were saying this, it would mean that the Companions were hoping.
In any case, the purpose of such research and investigation is that we do not conclude, based on the virtue of what came in this athar from al-Hasan al-Basri, that a fever lasting one night is an expiation for all sins. If it were a hadith marfu' (traced to the Prophet) to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), explicitly attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), we would hold onto it firmly. But it is only a narration from al-Hasan from the scholars of his time, that they hoped that a fever lasting one night that befalls a Muslim would be an expiation for sins.
The hadith that follows has a weak chain of narration.
And from him, meaning al-Hasan, it is narrated: "They hoped that a fever lasting one night would be an expiation for past sins". Ibn Abi al-Dunya also narrated it, and its narrators are trustworthy.
This hadith does not explicitly state that it is marfu' (traced to the Prophet) to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), because first, it is narrated by al-Hasan, who is al-Hasan al-Basri. We have learned from our previous lessons that al-Hasan al-Basri was a man of the most distinguished and great scholars of the Tabi'un, their ascetics, and their brave ones. He possessed many qualities rarely found in individuals. However, from the perspective of hadith science, there is something in his narration that prevents a hadith scholar from using his hadith as evidence in some cases. This occurs when a hadith is narrated from a Companion, or from someone below him among the Tabi'un, using the form "an" (from) or "qala" (said), or any other form that does not explicitly state that he heard the hadith from that Companion or other. If he does not explicitly state that he heard it, his hadith is not used as evidence despite his high status and virtue, because he is classified among the mudallis (those who conceal defects in chains) by those knowledgeable in hadith science and its terminology.
In this hadith, we see first that al-Hasan al-Basri did not say here "from a specific Companion," but rather what did he say? "They hoped". From al-Hasan, it is said: "They hoped". First, the Messenger (peace be upon him) was not mentioned at all. Second, here is another hadith point: "They hoped". This plural refers to whom? "They"? The Companions or the Tabi'un? Here is a rule among hadith scholars: If a Companion speaks and says: "They hoped", referring to one of the Companions, then it is a text indicating that those he means are the Companions. But if a Tabi'i says, as here: "They", it is possible that he means the scholars of his time, meaning the Tabi'un, and it is possible that he means these people along with some of the Companions whom he met.
In summary: A hadith like this is not given the ruling of being marfu' (traced to the Prophet) to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), because first, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) is not mentioned in it at all, and second, because the one narrating this report is a Tabi'i and not a Companion. If a Companion were saying this, it would mean that the Companions were hoping.
In any case, the purpose of such research and investigation is that we do not conclude, based on the virtue of what came in this athar from al-Hasan al-Basri, that a fever lasting one night is an expiation for all sins. If it were a hadith marfu' (traced to the Prophet) to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), explicitly attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), we would hold onto it firmly. But it is only a narration from al-Hasan from the scholars of his time, that they hoped that a fever lasting one night that befalls a Muslim would be an expiation for sins.
The hadith that follows has a weak chain of narration.