Blindspot!
From Issue: 665 [Read full issue]
Hadith Forgery
[continued from previous issue]
History and Context
1. Personality Cults
Forgery in hadith is believed to have begun in the context of personality cults which aimed to credit or discredit leading political figures with exaggerated claims. An example of this is the following statement attributed to the Prophet: "Whoever wishes to behold Adam for his knowledge, Noah for his piety, Abraham for his gentleness, Moses for his commanding presence and Jesus for his devotion to worship - let him behold Ali.
2. Political Differences
Political differences between Ali and Abu Bakr, Ali and Muawiya, Ali and Aisha, between Abdullah bin Zubayr and Abd al-Malik bin Marwan, and generally between the Umayyads and Abbasids were among the causes of hadith forgery. Numerous fabricated hadith have thus been recorded in condemnation of Muawiya including, for example, the one in which the Prophet is quoted to have ordered the Muslims "When you see Muawiya on my pulpit, kill him." The fanatical supporters of Muwayia and the Umayyad dynasty are, on the other hand, known to have fabricated hadith such as "The trusted ones are three: I, Gabriel and Muawiya." Political motives also seem to be behind the so-called hadith, for example, that "When the caliphate reaches bani al-Abbas, it will not leave them until they surrender it to Jesus the Son of Mary."
[to be continued ...]
Compiled From:
"A Texbook of Hadith Studies" - Mohammad Hashim Kamali, pp. 67, 68