Weak Hadith and Fabrications in Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab’s Kitab Al-Tawhid

Pseudo-Salafis are constantly criticising some of the ‘Ulema of Ahl Al-Sunna for narrating weak ahadith in their books for the encouragement of good character and the practice of good deeds.

Yet, we find their books of Islamic ‘Aqida are filled with such weak narrations and even fabrications!

In the next series of posts examples of weak hadith and fabrications in the pseudo-salafi gospel Kitab Al-Tawhid by Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab will be provided insha’Allah.

1- Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab’s shocking interpretation of a weak / fabricated Hadith included in his book whereby he attributes shirk to Adam and Eve! (Kitab At-Tawhid, Chapter: 48):

(( Allah , says: “It is He Who created you from a single being and made from it its mate, in order that he might dwell with her. When he united with her [in intercourse], she bore [i.e. becomes pregnant with] a light burden and she continued to carry it. When she grew heavy, they both prayed to Allah, their Lord: “If You give us a righteous child, good in every respect, we vow we shall be of the grateful ones.” But when He gave them a righteous child, they ascribed to others a share in that which He had given them: But Allah is Exalted High above the partners they ascribe to Him” (Qur’an 7:189-190 )

Allah , Most Glorified, Most High, informs us in these verses that He created mankind from a single human being, Adam (as ) and that He created from him a wife, Hawwa`, in order that they might live together in peace and harmony and that He created in them the desire for sexual intercourse and made it permissible to them, in order that they might enjoy complete stability and repose and that their progeny might continue to multiply. And when she became pregnant, they both called upon Allah , asking Him to give them a healthy, strong, righteous child and swearing that if He did so, they would be eternally be grateful to Him. But when Allah answered their supplications and gave them that which they had requested, they named him `Abdul Harith, thus ascribing others as partners with Allah ; and Allah is far above that which they attributed to Him. ))

On-line Translation Source

(Please note is not advisable to rely on the English translations – for the Arabic version click HERE)

وجاء في الكتاب الأصلي :
قول الله تعالى: ( فلما آتاهما صالحاً جعلا له شركاء فيما آتاهما ) (114) الآية.
قال ابن حزم: اتفقوا على تحريم كل اسم معبَّد لغير الله؛ كعبد عمر، وعبد الكعبة، وما أشبه ذلك، حاشا عبد المطلب.
وعن ابن عباس رضي الله عنه في الآية قال: لما تغشـاها آدم حمـلت، فأتاهما إبليس فقال: إني صاحبكما الذي أخرجتكما من الجنة لتطيعاني أو لأجعلن له قرني أيل، فيخرج من بطنك فيشقه، ولأفعلن ولأفعلن ـ يخوفهما ـ سِّمياه عبد الحارث، فأبيا أن يطيعاه، فخرج ميتاً، ثم حملت، فأتاهما، فقال مثل قوله، فأبيا أن يطيعاه، فخرج ميتاً، ثم حملت، فأتاهما، فذكر لهما فأدركهما حب الولد، فسمياه عبد الحارث فذلك قوله تعالى: ( جعلا له شركاء فيما آتاهما ) (115) رواه ابن أبي حاتم.
وله بسند صحيح عن قتادة قال: شركاء في طاعته، ولم يكن في عبادته. وله بسند صحيح عن مجاهد في قوله: ( لئن آتيتنا صالحاً ) (116) قال: أشفقا ألا يكون إنساناً، وذكر معناه عن الحسن وسعيد وغيرهما.

This narration about Adam and Eve is a weak narration, and many Huffaz have stated that this story is, in fact, a fabrication.

For example:

– Imam Ibn Kathir said in his tafsir (Arabic version 2/287) :
“These narrations were obtained / received from the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) “.
(هذه الآثار متلقاة عن أهل الكتاب)

– Ibn Hazm said in Al-Fisal :

“the story that is attributed to Adam which states that when Allah answered his supplications and gave him that which he had requested and he named his son “Abdul Harith”, this story is a superstitious fabricated lie and does not have a correct sanad. The verse was revealed for the Mushriks and taken upon its apparent meaning”.
(وهذا الذي نسبوه إلى آدم من أنه سمى ابنه عبد الحارث خرافة موضوعة مكذوبة… ولم يصح سندها قط، وإنما نزلت الآية في المشركين على ظاهرها)

– Imam Al Qurtubi said (سورة الأعراف -آية190) :
“this story cannot be relied upon by those with a heart”

(لا يعوِّل عليها من كان له قلب)

– And finally, the Pseudo-Salafis themselves have admitted that the narration is fabricated according to M. Salih Al-Uthaimin!

Leaving aside the shocking interpretation of the fabricated hadith by MIAW (which really has no excuse) one is left perplexed as to why ‘salafis’ protest the inclusion of weak hadith in books encouraging good behaviour when their own aqida books contain such narrations by their own admission?

Many more examples are to follow, insha’Allah.

[Acknowledgement: Othman Muhammad Nabulsi]