AsalamuAlaikum,
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http://quran-errors.weebly.com/the-authenticity-of-the-assassination-of-abu-afak-story.htmlThis story is recorded by a number of sources such as Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Sa'd and Al-Waqidi.
In the case of Ibn Ishaq and one version in Ibn Sa'd's work the story has no Isnaad (chain of transmission). One of the five criteria for a hadeeth to be authentic is that it must have a fully connected chain of transmission [1]
Ittisaal as-Sanad (Continuity of the chain of transmitters)
The chain of narrators or transmitters, who are relating the Matn (text), has to be unbroken for the hadeeth to be considered. That is none of the transmitters must be missing from the chain and each narrator, Raawee, has to have met the transmitter directly preceding him as well as the one directly following him. Each Raawee has to be a known individual, otherwise he is classified as majhool (unknown) and the sanad is classified as broken. [2]
In this case we don't have that. So this story can not be regarded as authentic.
In one of Ibn Sa'd's accounts he provides us with the chain of transmission [3] and Al-Waqidi's account provides us with an isnaad [4]. However both these chains contain Al-Waqidi who is well known for being an inauthentic narrator.
1. al-Shafi’i (d. 204 A.H.):All the books of al-Waqidi are lies. In Madinah there were seven men who used to fabricator authorities, one of which was al-Waqidi.[5]
2. Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241 A.H.):He is a liar, makes alternations in the traditions.[6]
3. al-Nasa’i (d. 303 A.H.):The liars known for fabricating the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah are four. They are: Arba’ah b. Abi Yahya in Madinah, al-Waqidi in Baghdad, Muqatil b. Sulayman in Khurasan and Muhammad bin Sa’id in Syria.[7]
4. al-Bukhari (d. 256 A.H.):al-Waqidi has been abandoned in Hadith. He fabricates Hadith.[8]
5. al-Dhahbi (d. 748 A.H.):Consensus has taken place on the weakness of al-Waqidi.[9]
6. Yahya ibn Ma’in (d. 233 A.H.):He is weak. He is nothing. Not reliable![10]
7. Ishaq ibn Rahwiyah (d. 238 A.H.):According to my view, he is one of those who fabricate Hadith.[11]
8. Abu Dawud (d. 275 A.H.):I do not write his Hadith and I do not report (Hadith) on his authority. I have no doubt that he used to make up Hadith.[12]
9. Ibn Abi Hatim al-Razi (d. 277 A.H.):He fabricates Hadith. We have abandoned his Hadith.[13]
10. al-Darqutni (d. 385 A.H.):There is weakness in him (in his reporting).[14]
11. ‘Ali ibn Madyani (d. 241 A.H.):He fabricates Hadith.[15]
12. Ibn ‘Adi (d. 365 A.H.):His traditions are not safe and there is danger from him (in accepting his traditions).[16]
13. Ibn Hajr (d. 852 A.H.):He has been abandoned in spite of vastness of his knowledge.[17]
14. Abu Zar’ah al-Razi (d. 264 A.H.):Abandoned, Weak![18]
15. al-Nawawi (d. 676 A.H.):Their (muhaddithin’) consensus is that al-Waqidi is weak.[19]
16. Al-Albani said: Al-Waqidi is a liar [20]
So this narration is Da'if in all of its versions - whether it be due to having no chain of transmission or because having weak transmitters in its chain of transmission.
This is why we need to authenticate and check hadeeth as Ibn Taymiyyah wrote:
قَدْ نَصَبَ اللَّهُ الْأَدِلَّةَ عَلَى بَيَانِ مَا فِيهَا مِنْ صَحِيحٍ وَغَيْرِهِ وَمَعْلُومٌ أَنَّ الْمَنْقُولَ فِي التَّفْسِيرِ أَكْثَرُهُ كَالْمَنْقُولِ فِي الْمَغَازِي وَالْمَلَاحِمِ وَلِهَذَا قَالَ الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَد ثَلَاثَةُ أُمُورٍ لَيْسَ لَهَا إسْنَادٌ التَّفْسِيرُ وَالْمَلَاحِمُ وَالْمَغَازِي وَيُرْوَى لَيْسَ لَهَا أَصْلٌ أَيْ إسْنَادٌ لِأَنَّ الْغَالِبَ عَلَيْهَا
الْمَرَاسِيلُ مِثْلُ مَا يَذْكُرُهُ عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ وَالشَّعْبِيُّ وَالزُّهْرِيُّ وَمُوسَى بْنُ عُقْبَةَ وَابْنُ إسْحَاقَ
Allah has provided evidence establishing the authenticity or lack thereof for the narrations that are necessary in matters of the religion. It is well-known that most of what is reported in books of exegesis is similar to what is reported in books of history and battles. For this reason, Imam Ahmad said that three matters are not reliable: exegesis, stories of battles, and history. These matters are narrated without a basis or chain of narration from those who omit narrators such as what is mentioned from Urwah ibn Az-Zubair, Ash-Sha’bi, Az-Zuhri, Musa ibn Uqbah, and Ibn Ishaq. [21]
And Allah Knows Best
References:
[1] Bilal Philips, Usool Al-Hadeeth, p.39. Mohammad Hashim Kamali, A Textbook of Hadith Studies, pp.139-143.
[2] Bilal Philips, Usool Al-Hadeeth, p.39.
[3] ibn Sa'd al-Baghdadi. The Book of the Major Classes, Volume 3. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). The Companions of Badr, p. 376. London: Ta-Ha Publishers
[4] Muhammad ibn Umar al-Waqidi. Kitab al-Maghazi. Translated by Faizer, R., Ismail, A., & Tayob, A. K. (2011). The Life of Muhammad, pp. 86-87. London & New York: Routledge
[5] Ibn Abi Hatim, vol.4 pt.1 p.21
[6] al-Dhahbi, Mizan, vol.3 p.110
[7] Ibn Hajr al-‘Asqalani, Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol.9 p.366 No.604, Hyderabad, 1326 A.H.cf. Yusuf ‘Abbas Hashmi, Zaynab bint Jahash, ‘Islamic Culture’ vol.XLI, No.1, Hyderabad (India), 1967
[8] al-Dhahbi, Mizan, vol.3 p.110
[9] Ibid., p.111
[10] Ibid. p.110,
Ibn Abi Hatim, vol.4 pt.1. p.21
[11] Ibn Abi Hatim, p.21
[12] Ibn Hajr, Tahdhib, vol.9, p.366, No.604 cf. Hashmi
[13] Ibid., p.366
Ibn Abi Hatim, p.21
[14] al-Dhahbi, Mizan, p.110
[15] Ibid., p.110
Ibn Hajr, Tahdhib, p.366 cf. Hashmi
[16] al-Dhahbi, Mizan, vol.3, p.110
[17] Ibn Hajr, Taqrib al-Tahdhib, vol.2, p.194, Cairo, 1960
[19] Ibn Abi Hatim, vol.4, pt.1, p.21
[20] Ibn Hajr, Tahdhib, vol.9, p.366 cf. Hashmi
[21] Silsilat Al-Ahadeeth Ad-Da'ifah #6013.
[22] Majmu’ Al-Fatawa 13/346
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