Is there a hadith, "Whoever prays forty prayers in this mosque of mine will be written for him two safeties...," which is weak in its chains, that is strengthened by its multiple routes?
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The questioner : You mentioned in your discussion of the weakness of the hadith regarding forty prayers in Madinah that the defect of this hadith is that it revolves around Nuwayyit ibn 'Umar?
The Shaykh : 'Umar?
The questioner : Nuwayyit.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And regarding Nuwayyit, you mentioned that he is unknown, and that Ibn Hibban included him in accordance with his habit of authenticating unknown narrators?
The Shaykh : Yes, welcome.
The questioner : So what is the basis for the statement of some contemporary scholars that the hadith has routes that strengthen it? Is its weakness such that it is remedied by the multiplication of routes, or is it severely weak and it has no routes that strengthen it?
The Shaykh : No, it is not severely weak; it is weak.
Another questioner: Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. However, despite its weakness, it is a denounced narration because it contradicts numerous hadiths in which the virtue is mentioned in absolute terms, not restricted to the Prophet's Mosque, but rather for whoever catches the first takbir with the imam. The ignorance of this man, added to the denunciation of the text which contradicts the other routes, is the reason that leads the researcher to be certain of the weakness of that hadith. But I was surprised by your statement that some contemporary scholars mentioned other routes for it. In truth, up to this hour, I do not know of these routes except that they increase the weakness of the hadith's text upon its weakness. So who are the ones you mentioned who cited those routes that strengthen the hadith?
The questioner : I heard from some of the professors who teach in the College of Principles of Jurisprudence at our Imam University that they mentioned in general terms that the hadith has routes that strengthen it?
The Shaykh : This is incorrect, this is absolutely incorrect. Rather, the routes that strengthen it are for the text that contradicts this text, and the famous text is this one which contains that unknown man, and the hadith, as I recall, is from the narration of Anas.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The hadith came from another route from Anas, and from other than Anas as well, with the other wording, which is it did not mention the Prophet's Mosque . So this text contradicts that text, and this is much more authentic than that, because this one has routes that strengthen it, and that one is a singular report with nothing to strengthen it. And this is question number two.
The questioner : Yes, and in this same case, the fact that it came as a marfu' report from one route and a mawquf report from another route, is this not something that strengthens its weakness?
The Shaykh : No, because the hadith, and upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Another questioner: Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Perhaps you are aware and have mentioned that if a hadith comes as mawquf upon a Companion and it is of the kind that is not said by opinion, then the scholars' view is that it is in the ruling of marfu', even if it did not come as marfu' in absolute terms. The fact that it is not said by opinion is the greatest proof that that mawquf hadith was only received by the Companion from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who is the only one who can inform about matters of the unseen by the notification of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to him. So it is even more fitting and more likely that the hadith that came as mawquf is in the ruling of marfu' if it came as marfu' in one route or other routes. And beware.
The questioner : The third question.
The Shaykh : Please proceed.
The questioner : Of course, it is well known that the stronger position.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.
The Shaykh : 'Umar?
The questioner : Nuwayyit.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And regarding Nuwayyit, you mentioned that he is unknown, and that Ibn Hibban included him in accordance with his habit of authenticating unknown narrators?
The Shaykh : Yes, welcome.
The questioner : So what is the basis for the statement of some contemporary scholars that the hadith has routes that strengthen it? Is its weakness such that it is remedied by the multiplication of routes, or is it severely weak and it has no routes that strengthen it?
The Shaykh : No, it is not severely weak; it is weak.
Another questioner: Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. However, despite its weakness, it is a denounced narration because it contradicts numerous hadiths in which the virtue is mentioned in absolute terms, not restricted to the Prophet's Mosque, but rather for whoever catches the first takbir with the imam. The ignorance of this man, added to the denunciation of the text which contradicts the other routes, is the reason that leads the researcher to be certain of the weakness of that hadith. But I was surprised by your statement that some contemporary scholars mentioned other routes for it. In truth, up to this hour, I do not know of these routes except that they increase the weakness of the hadith's text upon its weakness. So who are the ones you mentioned who cited those routes that strengthen the hadith?
The questioner : I heard from some of the professors who teach in the College of Principles of Jurisprudence at our Imam University that they mentioned in general terms that the hadith has routes that strengthen it?
The Shaykh : This is incorrect, this is absolutely incorrect. Rather, the routes that strengthen it are for the text that contradicts this text, and the famous text is
That whoever prays forty prayers in this mosque of mine will be written for him a safety from the Fire and a safety from hypocrisy
أن من صلى في مسجدي هذا أربعين صلاة كتبت له براءة من النار وبراءة من النفاقThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The hadith came from another route from Anas, and from other than Anas as well, with the other wording, which is
Whoever prays forty prayers
من صلى أربعين صلاةHe does not miss the first takbir, Allah will write for him a safety from hypocrisy and a safety from the Fire
لا تفوته التكبيرة الأولى كتب الله له براءة من النفاق وبراءة من النارThe questioner : Yes, and in this same case, the fact that it came as a marfu' report from one route and a mawquf report from another route, is this not something that strengthens its weakness?
The Shaykh : No, because the hadith, and upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Another questioner: Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Perhaps you are aware and have mentioned that if a hadith comes as mawquf upon a Companion and it is of the kind that is not said by opinion, then the scholars' view is that it is in the ruling of marfu', even if it did not come as marfu' in absolute terms. The fact that it is not said by opinion is the greatest proof that that mawquf hadith was only received by the Companion from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who is the only one who can inform about matters of the unseen by the notification of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to him. So it is even more fitting and more likely that the hadith that came as mawquf is in the ruling of marfu' if it came as marfu' in one route or other routes. And beware.
The questioner : The third question.
The Shaykh : Please proceed.
The questioner : Of course, it is well known that the stronger position.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.