Weak Hadeeth of Ibn Abi Layla from Ibn Umar on Rafa Yadain

Bismillahir Rahmaahir Raheem.

Rafa Yadain (raising the hands) before Rukoo and after Rukoo is the Sunnah of Rasool Allah s.a.w which he did all his (s.a.w) life
https://systemoflife.com/fiqh/salah/265-rafayadain-in-rukoo-and-after-rukoo

The above article contains authentic references from Abdullah Ibn Umar doing Rafa Yadain but i would just like to quote one authentic hadeeth so we can know how Strict Abdullah Ibn Umar was with Rafa Yadain.

Nafi said Abdullah bin Umar used to hit small stones to those who were not practicing rafayadain in ruku and after ruku [Juzz Rafayadain al Bukhari no:15, Imam an-Nawawi said chain is authentic Majmoo Sharah Mudhab 3/405]

Ibn Al Qayyim (RH) said: “Look at the practice at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and the Sahaabah after him. They used to raise their hands in prayer when doing rukoo’, and when standing up again. And in the time of the Sahaabah, if ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar saw someone not raising his hands in prayer, he would throw a stone at him”. [I’laam al-Muwaqqi’een, 2/376].

 

Now some people present the following hadeeth in order to oppose Rafa yadain before Rukoo and After Rukoo

 

“عن ابن ابی لیلیٰ عن نافع عن ابن عمر: ترفع الایدی فی سبعۃ مواطن: عند افتتاح الصلاۃ، واستقبال البیت والصفا والمروۃ والوقفین والجمرتین”
(Nasb ur-Rayaa 391/1)

“Rafa Yadain should be done in seven places: when commencing Salaat, when entering Musjidul Haraam and seeing the Baitullah, when standing on Safa and Marwah, when making Wuqoof with the people in Arafaat, at Muzdalifah, at Maqaamain, when pelting the Jamrah.”

 

The following answer is taken from one of the most famous Books on Rafa Yadain in Urdu “Noor ul Aynain Fee Mas’ala Rafa Al Yadain” written by Shaikh Zubair Ali Zai and this answer is translated by Brother Raza Hasan. May Allah reward him abundantly for his efforts, Ameen.

 

The answer to this is as follows:

 

This narration is Weak, because its narrator “Muhammad bin Abdur-Rehman bin Abi Laila”, according to the Jumhoor of Muhadditheen, is Weak.

 

Introduction to Muhammad bin Abdur-Rehman bin Abi Laila in the field of Jarha and ta’deel:

 

Jarha (Criticism):

1: Shu’bah bin Al-Hajjajsaid:

ما رأيت أحدا أسوأ حفظا منه، I never saw any person weak in memorization more than him

And said:
ومرة: أفادني أحاديث فإذا هي مقلوبة

[Al-Jarah wal-Ta’deel 322/7]

 

2: Zaidah said:

“ترك حديثه” Leave his narrations

[Ref: Same as above]

3: Yahya bin Sa’eed al-Qattan said:

“سيئ الحفظ جدا” Very weak in memorization

[Ref: Same as above]

4: Ahmed bin Hanbal said:

“سيئ الحفظ مضطرب الحديث Weak in memorization, Mudtarib ul-Hadith

[ref:Same book, Pg 323]

5: Yahya bin Ma’een said:

ضعيف الحديث,/ ليس بذاك He is nohing/ Weak in Hadith

[Al-Majroheen 245/2]

6: Abu Haatim ar-Raazi said:

محله الصدق كان سيئ الحفظ،إنما ينكر عليه كثرة الخطأ Muhalla al-Sidq, He is weak in Hifz, He is abandoned due to making a lot mistakes

[Al-Jarah wal Ta’deel]

7: Abu Zu’rah said:

“صالح ليس بأقوي ما يكون” Saalih (Pious), (but) not the strongest

[Same book]

8: Al-Juzjanisaid:

“سيئ الحفظ” Weak from the memory

[Ahwaal-Al-rijaal: 86]

9: Al-Nisai said:

“يس بالقوي في الحديث” He is not strong in Hadith

[Al-Du’fa by Al-Nisai: 525]

10: Ibn Adi said:

“مع سوء حفظه يكتب حديثه” With his poor memory, write his narrations

[Al-Kaamil 2195/6]

11: Salma bin Kuhailsaid:

یکذب علیLied upon

[Al-Du’fa by Al-Ukaili]

12: Al-Daraqutnisaid:

ثقة، في حفظه شيء، ومرة: ليس بحافظ، ومرة : ضعيف الحديث سيئ الحفظ رديء الحفظ كثير الوهم

Thiqqah, fi Hifza Shai, And said: He is not a Haafidh, also said: He is Weak in Hadith, Weak in memorization. Poor in memorization, Has many illusions

[Al-Sunan 124/1, 241/1, 263/2…]

13: Ibn HIbban said:

رديء الحفظ كثير الوهم فاحش الخطأ فاستحق الترک

Poor in memorization, Has many illusions, Grossly mistaken, Deserves to be abandoned

[Al-Majroheen 244/2]

14: Al-Baihaqi said:

كثير الوهم ضعیف فی الروایہ، لسوء حفظه وكثرة خطأه

Has a lot of illusions, Weak in narrating, Weak in memorization, Makes many Mistakes

[Al-Sunan al-Kubra 24/1, 334/5]

15: Zailai Hanafi said:

“ضعیف” Weak
[Nasb ur-Rayaa 318/1]

16: Muhammad bin Tahir al-Maqdasi said:

“اجمعوا علیٰ ضعفہ” There is consensus on his weakness

[Tadhkiratul-Mawdo’at: 90, 24]

17: Al-Dhahabi said:

“صدوق سيئ الحفظ” Truthful, Weak in memorization

[Diwaan al-Du’fa 279]

18: Ibn Hajr said:

“ضعیف” Weak

[Fathul-Bari 214/4]

19: Tahawi said:

“مضطرب الحفظ جداً” Very Confused in memorization

[Mushkil al-Athaar: 226/3]

20: Al-Haithami said:

“ضعیف” Weak

[Majma al-Zawaid 78/1]

21: Muhammad bin Ishaaq al-Sa’di said:

یستحق ان یترک حدیثہ His ahadith deserve to be abandoned

[Al-Majroheen 246/2]

22: Al-Sajisaid:

“سيئ الحفظ” Weak in Memorization

[Tahdheeb (without any sanad)]

23: Ibn Jareer al-Tabari said:

لا یھتج بہ He is not a Hujja

[Same]

24: Ibn Khuzaimah said:

“ليس بحافظ” He is not a Hafidh

[Same]

25: Abu Ahmed al-Hakim said:

“عامۃ احادیثہ مقلوبۃ”

[Same]

26: Ibn al-Madini said:

سيئ الحفظ واھی الحدیث

[Same]

27: Ibn al-Qatan said:

سيئ الحفظ Weak in memorization

[Nasb ur-Rayaa 182/2]

28: Al-Nadwi said:

“ضعیف” Weak

[Nasb ur-Rayaa 84/4]

29: Ibn Al-Jawzi said:

“ف کلھم ضعا” They all weakned him

[Nasb ur-Rayaa 107/4]

30: Al-Mundhiri said:

ثقہ ردئ الحفظ کثیراٰ کذا قال الجمھور فیہ

[Al-Targheeb 525/5]

31: Ibn Hazam said:

“سيئ الحفظ” Weak in Memorization

[Al-Muhalla 123/7]

32: Al-Sakhawi said:

“سيئ الحفظ” Weak in Memorization
[Al-Qaul al-Badee’ 167,168]

 

 

Ta’deel (Praise):

 

1. Al-Ijli said:

“صدوق ثقہ” Truthful, Siqqah

[Ma’rifat al-Thiqqat 244,243/2]

2. Ya’qoob bin Sufyan said:

“ثقة عدل” Siqqah, Just

[Tahdheeb] (without any sanad)

3. Zaidah said:

“كان أفقه أهل الدنيا” He is the jurist of the people of earth

[Al-Jarah 322/7]

4. Tirmidhi:

“صحح لہ” Authenticated him

[Derwi 165]

5. Al-Dhahabi said:

“ھدیثہ فی وزن الحسن”

[Tadhkirat al-Huffaz 171/1]

6. Ibn al-Qayyim, and al-Haithami said:

ھدیثہ حسن ان شاء اللہ

[Derwi, Pg 165, 166]

 

From the above sayings of Imams and Muhadditheen, we came to know that a huge amount of scolars have declared Muhammad bin Abi Laila to be Da’eef, Sai ul-Hifz, and Kathir ul-Wahem. According to Baihaqi, he was Kathirul-Khata (one who makes a lot of mistakes); therefore the authentication of just a few scholars is rejected. Some scholars declaring him to be a Faqeeh (Jurist), is not an evidence of his authentication.

Zaidah declared him to be Faqeeh, but still he rejected his ahadith.

The sayings of Dhahabi and Haithami are contradictory, therefore they are neutral. The scholars who have praised him, they have done so, only on his personality, he was a truthful person, but was weak in Hadith due to his weak memory, and making a lot of mistakes.

 

 

Muhammad bin Abi Laila and Ahnaaf (Hanafis):

 

Hanafi and non-Ahle-Hadith people have also declared Ibn abi Laila to be Da’eef

Tahawi Hanafi said: He is confused (Mudtarib) in memorizarion. [Mushkil al-Athaar 226/3]Zaylai said: Da’eef [Nasb ur-Rayaa 318/1]Ibn al-Turkamani Hanafi said: Ibn Abi Laila is criticized. [Al-Jawahir al-Naqi 347/7]Al-Naimwi said: He is not strong. [Athaar al-Sunan: H 32]Khalil Ahmed Sahanpuri Deobandi said: Kathirul-Wahem (Making a lot of Illusions). [Bazl al-Majhood Vol 3, Pg 37]Anwar Shah Kashmiri deobandi said: “..he is weak according to me, and this is also the saying of Jumhoor”. [Faiz ul-Bari 168/3]Muhammad Yunuf Binnori Deobandi has also declared Ibn Abi Laila to be weak in accordance to the Jumhoor. [Ma’ariful Sunan 290/5].

1) Tahawi Hanafi said: He is confused (Mudtarib) in memorizarion. [Mushkil al-Athaar 226/3] 2) Zaylai said: Da’eef [Nasb ur-Rayaa 318/1] 3) Ibn al-Turkamani Hanafi said: Ibn Abi Laila is criticized. [Al-Jawahir al-Naqi 347/7] 4) Al-Naimwi said: He is not strong. [Athaar al-Sunan: H 32] 5) Khalil Ahmed Sahanpuri Deobandi said: Kathirul-Wahem (Making a lot of Illusions). [Bazl al-Majhood Vol 3, Pg 37] 6) Anwar Shah Kashmiri deobandi said: “..he is weak according to me, and this is also the saying of Jumhoor”. [Faiz ul-Bari 168/3] 7) Muhammad Yunuf Binnori Deobandi has also declared Ibn Abi Laila to be weak in accordance to the Jumhoor. [Ma’ariful Sunan 290/5].

 

 

Second Sanad of the narration of Muhammad bin Abdur-Rehman bin Abi Laila:

 

 

Ibn Abbas
|
Maqsim
|
Al-Hakam (Mudallis)
|
(Muhammad bin Abdur-Rehman) Ibn Abi Laila [Da’eef] |
Imraan (binMuhammad bin Abdur-Rehman) bin Abi Laila
|
Muhammad bin Imran bin Abi Laila
|
Muhammad bin Uthman bin Abi Shaibah
|
Al-Tabarani in Al-Kabeer (385/11)

 

 

Muhammad bin Fudail bin Gharwan has narrated it from Muhammad bin Abdur-Rehman bin Abi Laila (Da’eef) as a Mawqoof narration. [Musannaf ibn Abi Shaibah, Vol 4, Pg 96, H. 15747]

Some narrators have narrated the words of “Tarfa’ al-Aidi” (Leaving the hands). The summary is that whether this hadith is narrated as a Marfoo’ or Mawqoof, with rafa yadain or without rafa yadain, all words are Da’eef.

 

 

Discussion on the Text of this Hadith:

If rafa yadain should only be done in these seven places, then why do the opposers of rafa yadain do it in the Qunoot, in the prayers of Eidain, and in Duaa? If the exception of these places is proven from the other ahadith, then the exception of doing rafa yadain before and after ruku’ is also proven in Sahihain etc with Mutawaatir narrations.

Rafa yadain is proven from Abdullah bin Umar himself from Mutawaatir narrations, therefore some people’s taking evidence from this Baatil hadith is also Baatil.

Note: The prohibition, Abrogation, or abadoning of rafa yadain of before and after ruku is not proven from a single Sahih Hadith. And the ahadith of the opposers of rafa yadain are all Da’eef.

sura_alimran

And Allah knows best.