PROBLEM IN “SAHI” HADIS
(I checked some references and found OK– readers are requested to check the references – Hasan Mahmud)
Many Muslims believe that sahih hadith are reliable and in line with Quranic teachings. However, there are many sahih hadith which contradict the Quran.
Racist insult
The following hadith shows Prophet Muhammad making an insulting comparison about an Ethiopian man.
BUKHARI HADITH: Volume 9, Book 89, Number 256:
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
Allah’s Apostle said, “You should listen to and obey, your ruler even if he was an Ethiopian (black) slave whose head looks like a raisin.”
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/10/91
Violation of religious right to worship
The following hadith shows Prophet Muhammad limited a woman’s freedom to worship.
BUKHARI HADITH: Volume 7, Book 62, Number 120:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, “A woman should not fast (optional fasts) except with her husband’s permission if he is at home (staying with her).”
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/67/126
Knowledge of the future
The following hadith described God forgiving a prostitute just because she gave a thirsty dog some water.
BUKHARI HADITH: Volume 4, Book 54, Number 538:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Apostle said, “A prostitute was forgiven by Allah because, passing by a panting dog near a well and seeing that the dog was about to die of thirst, she took off her shoe, and tying it with her head-cover she drew out some water for it. So, Allah forgave her because of that.
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/59/127
This hadith suggests that Muhammad was able to know whether someone would be forgiven or not. However, the Quran clearly proves that Muhammad had no ability to know what was going to happen to him nor anyone else.
قُلْ مَا كُنتُ بِدْعًا مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ وَمَا أَدْرِي مَا يُفْعَلُ بِي وَلَا بِكُمْ ۖ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ وَمَا أَنَا إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌSay (O’ Muhammad), “I am not something original among the messengers, nor do I know what will be done with me or with you. I only follow what is revealed to me, and I am not but a clear warner.” (46:9)
Best Muslim has most wives
The following hadith shows Prophet Muhammad saying that the best Muslim is one who has the most wives. It’s pretty clear that this statement (hadith) is non-sensical, contradicts the Quran, and sounds more like a joke than anything else.
BUKHARI HADITH: Volume 7, Book 62, Number 7:
Narrated Said bin Jubair:
Ibn ‘Abbas asked me, “Are you married?” I replied, “No.” He said, “Marry, for the best person of this (Muslim) nation (i.e., Muhammad) of all other Muslims, had the largest number of wives.
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/67/7
Temporary contract marriage (Nikah Mut’ah)
The following hadith describes Prophet Muhammad allowing nikah mut’ah (temporary contract marriage) which clearly contradicts the Quran.
BUKHARI HADITH: Volume 7, Book 62, Number 52:
Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah and Salama bin Al-Akwa:
While we were in an army, Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) came to us and said, “You have been allowed to do the Mut’a (marriage), so do it.”
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/67/54
Forbidding Maghrib prayer
The following hadith describes Prophet Muhammad forbidding the offering of prayers at the time of sunrise and sunset which clearly contradicts the Quran.
BUKHARI HADITH: Volume 2, Book 26, Number 1629:
Narrated `Abdullah:
I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) forbidding the offering of prayers at the time of sunrise and sunset.
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/25/113
Transfer of sin
The Quran states that no one will bear the sins of another which the following hadith contradicts.
SAHIH MUSLIM HADITH: Book 50, Number 60:
There would come people amongst the Muslims on the Day of Resurrection with as heavy sins as a mountain, and Allah would forgive them and He would place in their stead the Jews and the Christians. (As far as I think), Abu Raub said: I do not know as to who is in doubt. Abu Burda said: I narrated it to ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-’Aziz, whereupon he said: Was it your father who narrated it to you from Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ)? I said: Yes.
https://sunnah.com/muslim/50/60
Stone to death
The Quran in verse 24:2 states that the punishment for adultery is 100 lashes only whereas the following hadith adds stoning to death.
SAHIH MUSLIM HADITH: Book 29, Number 19:
Ubada b. as-Samit reported:
Take from me. Verily Allah has ordained a way for them (the women who commit fornication),: (When) a married man (commits adultery) with a married woman, and an unmarried male with an unmarried woman, then in case of married (persons) there is (a punishment) of one hundred lashes and then stoning (to death). And in case of unmarried persons, (the punishment) is one hundred lashes and exile for one year.
https://sunnah.com/muslim/29/19
The prophet’s nightly activities
According to Sahih Bukhari, prophet Muhammad used to spend his nights sleeping with each one of his 9 wives one by one at night.
BUKHARI HADITH 5068 Book 67, Hadith 6
Narrated Anas:
The Prophet (ﷺ) used to go round (have sexual relations with) all his wives in one night, and he had nine wives.
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/67/6
This is reiterated in another Sahih Bukhari which goes further and says that Muhammad had the sexual strength of 30 men.
BUKHARI HADITH 268 Book 5, Hadith 21
Narrated Qatada:
Anas bin Malik said, “The Prophet (ﷺ) used to visit all his wives in a round, during the day and night and they were eleven in number.” I asked Anas, “Had the Prophet (ﷺ) the strength for it?” Anas replied, “We used to say that the Prophet (ﷺ) was given the strength of thirty (men).” And Sa`id said on the authority of Qatada that Anas had told him about nine wives only (not eleven).
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/5/21
On the contrary, the Quran describes a very different picture of what Muhammad did at night. According to verses 73:1–5, Muhammad was instructed by God to spend his nights praying and reciting the Quran, which he must have tried to do.
يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُO you who wraps himself [in clothing] (i.e. Muhammad), (73:1)قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًاArise [to pray] the night, except for a little — (73:2)نِّصْفَهُ أَوِ انقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلًاHalf of it — or subtract from it a little (73:3)أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًاOr add to it, and recite the Qur’an with measured recitation. (73:4)إِنَّا سَنُلْقِي عَلَيْكَ قَوْلًا ثَقِيلًاIndeed, We will cast upon you a heavy word. (73:5)
However, being the leader of the Muslims, he must have been busy. His friends also tried meditating with Muhammad at night but, as you can imagine, not everyone could do it all night long. Hence, God revealed verse 73:20 to ease their burden and forgive them if they were ill.
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدْنَىٰ مِن ثُلُثَيِ اللَّيْلِ وَنِصْفَهُ وَثُلُثَهُ وَطَائِفَةٌ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ مَعَكَ ۚ وَاللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ ۚ عَلِمَ أَن لَّن تُحْصُوهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ۚ عَلِمَ أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُم مَّرْضَىٰ ۙ وَآخَرُونَ يَضْرِبُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَبْتَغُونَ مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ ۙ وَآخَرُونَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ ۚ وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًا ۚ وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌIndeed, your Lord knows, [O Muhammad], that you stand [in prayer] almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you. And Allah determines [the extent of] the night and the day. He has known that you [Muslims] will not be able to do it and has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur’an. He has known that there will be among you those who are ill and others traveling throughout the land seeking [something] of the bounty of Allah and others fighting for the cause of Allah . So recite what is easy from it and establish prayer and give zakah and loan Allah a goodly loan. And whatever good you put forward for yourselves — you will find it with Allah . It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah . Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. (73:20)
Verse 73:20 proves that Muhammad spent much of his nights praying and, more importantly, it proves that the two Sahih Bukhari hadith above are complete lies about Muhammad, which should also make you wonder about the authenticity of other Sahih hadith.
Conclusion
It is proven above that sahih hadith can contradict the Quran. If the example sahih hadith above contradict the Quran, that proves that they are unreliable and therefore other sahih hadith could also be unreliable, even though they are labeled as “sahih”. Is it really wise to follow sahih hadith knowing they are likely to be unreliable?
BUKHARI VoL 4 # 256:
Narrated As-Sab bin Jaththama: The Prophet passed by me at a place called Al-Abwa or Waddan, and was asked whether it was permissible to attack the pagan warriors at night with the probability of exposing their women and children to danger. The Prophet replied, "They (i.e. women and children) are from them (i.e. pagans)." I also heard the Prophet saying, "The institution of Hima is invalid except for Allah and His Apostle."
Do some “sahih” hadith contradict each other?
https://medium.com/uncorrupted-islam/problematic-hadith-29bff645812c
Many Muslims believe that sahih hadith are reliable and consistent with each other. However, there are many sahih hadith which contradict each other as shown below.
Number of times to wash during ablution
BUKHARI HADITH: Volume 1, Book 4, Number 159:
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas:
The Prophet performed ablution by washing the body parts only once.BUKHARI HADITH: Volume 1, Book 4, Number 160:
Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Zaid:
The Prophet performed ablution by washing the body parts twice.BUKHARI HADITH: Volume 1, Book 4, Number 196:
Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Zaid:
Once Allah’s Apostle came to us and we brought out water for him in a brass pot. He performed ablution thus: He washed his face thrice, and his forearms to the elbows twice, then passed his wet hands lightly over the head from front to rear and brought them to front again and washed his feet (up to the ankles).
The sahih hadith above clearly contradict each other. How are we supposed to know which one to follow? Should we just pick whichever one we like and ignore the others? If we were to do so, we’d be guilty of what God warns us of in verse 68:36–38.
مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَابٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَWhat is [the matter] with you? How do you judge? Or do you have a book / scripture in which you learn that indeed for you in it is whatever you choose? (68:36–38)
Many Muslims consider the hadith to be revelations from God via Prophet Muhammad. However, this can easily be proven false. Verse 4:82 indicates that if a book contains contradictions in it, then it could not be from God.
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ ۚ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًاThen do they not think deeply about / understand / reflect upon the Qur’an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction. (4:82)
Since the three hadith above contradict each other in the number of times to wash when performing ablution (wudhu), then according to verse 4:82, the hadith could not be from God.
Dogs drinking and urinating
The following two hadith contradict each other.
USC-MSA web (English) reference: Book 2, Hadith 36
Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu’z-Zinad from al-Araj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If a dog drinks from your vessel, wash it seven times.”
http://sunnah.com/urn/400660SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 4, Hadith 40:
And narrated Hamza bin ‘Abdullah:
My father said. “During the lifetime of Allah’s Apostle, the dogs used to urinate, and pass through the mosques (come and go), nevertheless they never used to sprinkle water on it (urine of the dog.)”
http://sunnah.com/bukhari/4/40
Conclusion
It is proven above that sahih hadith can be self-contradictory. If the three sahih hadith above contradict each other, that proves that they are unreliable and therefore other sahih hadith could also be unreliable, even though they are labeled as “sahih”. Is it really wise to follow sahih hadith knowing that they are likely to be unreliable?
Are all “sahih” hadith acceptable?
Many Muslims believe that sahih hadith are reliable and acceptable to follow as Islamic guidance. However, there are many sahih hadith which are blatantly unacceptable and questionable as shown below.
Curse on women for refusing to sleep with their husband
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 67, Number 127:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, “If a man invites his wife to sleep with him and she refuses to come to him, then the angels send their curses on her till morning.”
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/67/127
Angels don’t like dogs and pictures
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 77, Number 165:
Narrated Abu Talha:
The Prophet said, “Angels do not enter a house which has either a dog or a picture in it.
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/77/165
Fight people walking in front of you
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 59, Number 83:
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:
The Prophet said, “If while you are praying, somebody intends to pass in front of you, prevent him; and should he insist, prevent him again; and if he insists again, fight with him (i.e. prevent him violently e.g. pushing him violently), because such a person is (like) a devil.”
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/59/83
I wonder what would happen in the Masjid Al Haram if everyone followed this hadith.
Because of Eve, wives betray their husbands
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 60, Number 5:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, “But for the Israelis, meat would not decay and but for Eve, wives would never betray their husbands.
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/60/5
Marriage during ihram
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 67, Number 51:
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas:
The Prophet got married while he was in the state of Ihram.
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/67/51
Satan in the nose
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 59, Number 104:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, “If anyone of you rouses from sleep and performs the ablution, he should wash his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out thrice, because Satan has stayed in the upper part of his nose all the night.”
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/59/104
Fevers are from hell fire
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 59, Number 74:
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar:
The Prophet said, “Fever is from the heat of the (Hell) Fire; so abate fever with water.”
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/59/74
Moses argued with Adam
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 82, Number 20:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, “Adam and Moses argued with each other. Moses said to Adam. ‘O Adam! You are our father who disappointed us and turned us out of Paradise.’ Then Adam said to him, ‘O Moses! Allah favored you with His talk (talked to you directly) and He wrote (the Torah) for you with His Own Hand. Do you blame me for action which Allah had written in my fate forty years before my creation?’ So Adam confuted Moses, Adam confuted Moses,” the Prophet added, repeating the Statement three times.
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/82/20
Women (and horses and houses) are inherently evil
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 67, Number 31:
Narrated Abdullah binUmar:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Evil omen is in the women, the house and the horse.'
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/67/31
Best women are camel riders
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 67, Number 20:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The best women are the riders of the camels and the righteous among the women of Quraish. They are the kindest women to their children in their childhood and the more careful women of the property of their husbands.”
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/67/20
The origin of Tayammum (dry ablution)
In the following hadith, it is claimed that God revealed the verse of Tayammum (dry ablution) just because the prophet’s companions were busy looking for Aisha’s (Prophet Muhammad’s) necklace when the time of prayer came upon them. Clearly non-sensical!
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 62, Hadith 120:
Narrated `Aisha:
That she borrowed a necklace from Asma’ and it was lost. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) sent some of his companions to look for it. During their journey the time of prayer was due and they prayed without ablution. When they returned to the Prophet (ﷺ) they complained about it. So the Divine Verse of Tayammum was revealed. Usaid bin Hudair said (to `Aisha), “May Allah reward you handsomely. By Allah, whenever you have a difficulty, Allah took you out of it and brought with it, a Blessing for the Muslims.”
http://sunnah.com/bukhari/62/120
Drinking camel urine and gouging one’s eyes out
NASA’I HADITH: Book 37, Hadith 62:
Narrated Anas:
“A group of men from ‘Ukl, or ‘Uraynah, came to the Prophet [SAW], and when the climate of Al-Madinah did not suit them, he told them to go to some camels and drink their milk and urine. Then they killed the herdsman and stole the camels. He sent (men) after them, and had their hands and feet cut off, and their eyes gouged out.”
http://sunnah.com/nasai/37/62
Child abuse
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 67, Hadith 69:
Narrated Aisha:
that the Prophet (ﷺ) married her when she was six years old and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old, and then she remained with him for nine years (i.e., till his death).
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/67/69
Women are crooked
TIRMIDHI HADITH: Book 13, Hadith 15:
Narrated Abu Hurairah:
The Messenger of Allah said: “Indeed the woman is like a rib, if you try to straighten her you will break her, and if you leave her, what you enjoy from her will be with the crookedness.”
https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi/13/15
Drinking while standing is forbidden
SAHIH MUSLIM HADITH: Book 36, Hadith 153:
Narrated Abu Hurairah:
None of you should drink while standing; and if anyone forgets, he must vomit.
https://sunnah.com/muslim/36/153
Urinate while standing
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 46, Hadith 32:
Narrated Hudhaifa:
I saw Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) coming (or the Prophet (ﷺ) came) to the dumps of some people and urinated there while standing.
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/46/32
Majority of women in Hell
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 67, Hadith 132:
Narrated `Imran:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “I looked at Paradise and saw that the majority of its residents were the poor; and I looked at the (Hell) Fire and saw that the majority of its residents were women.”
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/67/132
Eat with left hand
SAHIH MUSLIM HADITH: Book 38, Hadith 138:
Jabir b. ‘Abdullah reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) having said:
Do not eat with your left hand, for the Satan eats with his left hand.
https://sunnah.com/muslim/36/138
Dip house fly
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 59, Hadith 126:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said “If a house fly falls in the drink of anyone of you, he should dip it (in the drink) and take it out, for one of its wings has a disease and the other has the cure for the disease.”
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/59/126
Black magic
Following is one more so-called “sahih” Bukhari hadith which can be tested for authenticity. According to this hadith, if one eats seven Ajwa dates every morning, they will not be affected by black magic and toxins / poisin throughout the day.
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Volume 7, Book 71, Number 671:
Narrated Sa`d:
I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying, “Whoever takes seven ‘Ajwa dates in the morning will not be effected by magic or poison on that day.”
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/76/91
It’s unfortunate that so many people today are affected by black magic. Many are so desperate to get help and many have spent much money paying spiritual healers for help. If eating 7 dates every morning is good enough to block you from the effects of black magic, then why don’t people do it? Is it because they’ve tried and it doesn’t work? Or is it because the hadith was mislabeled as a sahih one? Could it be that the hadith was spread by someone who had something to gain from the sale of Ajwa dates?
Fondling menstruating wives
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 6, Hadith 7:
Narrated `Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Aswad:
(on the authority of his father) `Aisha said: “Whenever Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) wanted to fondle anyone of us during her periods (menses), he used to order her to put on an Izar and start fondling her.” `Aisha added, “None of you could control his sexual desires as the Prophet (ﷺ) could.” http://sunnah.com/bukhari/6/7
This hadith suggests that the prophet used to have sexual intercourse with his wives which clearly is a violation of verse 2:222 which forbids sexual intercourse while one’s wife is menstruating.
Reciting Quran on lap of menstruating wife
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 6, Hadith 4:
Narrated `Aisha:
The Prophet (ﷺ) used to lean on my lap and recite Qur’an while I was in menses. http://sunnah.com/bukhari/6/4
Of all the places the prophet could recite the Quran, why in the world would he do it while leaning on his wife’s lap when she was menstruating?
Sleeping with strangers
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 79, Hadith 55:
Narrated Thumama:
Anas said, “Um Sulaim used to spread a leather sheet for the Prophet (ﷺ) and he used to take a midday nap on that leather sheet at her home.” Anas added, “When the Prophet (ﷺ) had slept, she would take some of his sweat and hair and collect it (the sweat) in a bottle and then mix it with Suk (a kind of perfume) while he was still sleeping. “When the death of Anas bin Malik approached, he advised that some of that Suk be mixed with his Hanut (perfume for embalming the dead body), and it was mixed with his Hanut. http://sunnah.com/bukhari/79/55
This hadith claims that the prophet would go sleep at other women’s homes and allow them to collect the sweat off of his body and put it in a bottle.
Conclusion
It is proven above that sahih hadith can be utterly unacceptable and without a doubt questionable. If the example sahih hadith above are unacceptable and questionable, that proves that they are unreliable and therefore other sahih hadith could also be unreliable, even though they are labeled as “sahih”. Is it really wise to follow sahih hadith knowing that they are likely to be unreliable?
Hadith Qudsi and Abu Hurairah
As mentioned earlier, Hadith Qudsi (divine / sacred sayings) are considered to be revelations from God outside the Quran. Traditionally, there are 40 hadith that are classified as qudsi. You can read all 40 at https://sunnah.com/qudsi40. What many people don’t realize is that 25 of the 40 hadith qudsi are from the same reporter, namely Abu Hurairah. Considering how many companions of the prophet existing during Muhammad’s lifetime, one should be suspicious as to why more than half of the hadith qudsi came from the same person. Furthermore, Abu Hurairah has reported many other hadith that are considered “saheeh” yet contain sayings that are clearly blasphemous. Why would anyone believe anything a blasphemer says, let alone statements claiming to be from God? According to Abu Hurairah’s Wikipedia page, he is credited with over 5000 hadith yet he wasn’t a particularly close companion of the prophet.
Although credited with over 5000 hadith, Al-Bukhari’s biography of the Prophet Muhammad noted that Abu Hurairah was a minor companion and a late convert to Islam who only spent approximately 3 years in the company of the Prophet. In contrast to Hurairah, Prophet Muhammad’s closest companions are credited with far less hadith; Abu Bakr is credited with 142 hadith, Uthman ibn Affan with 146, Umar ibn Khattab with 537, and Ali ibn Abi Talib with no more than 586 hadith. This discrepancy between attributed hadith and Abu Hurairah’s minor role and limited time with the Prophet has been called into question by a number of scholars who argue that Abu Hurairah’s accounts are unreliable sources of hadith. Scholar Abdullah Saeed on this occasion points out that Umar bin Khattab, during his tenure as a caliph, threatened Abu Hurairah on a number of occasions with banishment due to his frequent misquoting of the Prophet’s words. During his lifetime, Abu Hurairah was noted as a blatant self-as promoter who often made up hadith based on his limited interaction with the prophet. However, later jurists had often taken Abu Hurairah’s word seriously and frequently used them uncritically in later rulings.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Hurairah
Following are some of Abu Hurairah’s “saheeh” hadith that should make you wonder whether the hadith qudsi, or any hadith at all, can be accepted as authentic.
Mocking Prophets Adam and Moses
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 82, Hadith 20:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Adam and Moses argued with each other. Moses said to Adam. ‘O Adam! You are our father who disappointed us and turned us out of Paradise.’ Then Adam said to him, ‘O Moses! Allah favored you with His talk (talked to you directly) and He wrote (the Torah) for you with His Own Hand. Do you blame me for action which Allah had written in my fate forty years before my creation?’ So Adam confuted Moses, Adam confuted Moses,” the Prophet (ﷺ) added, repeating the Statement three times.
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/82/20
This hadith mocks prophets Adam and Moses by claiming that they argued with each other.
Cut Off One’s Testicles
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 67, Hadith 14:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
I said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! I am a young man and I am afraid that I may commit illegal sexual intercourse and I cannot afford to marry.” He kept silent, and then repeated my question once again, but he kept silent. I said the same (for the third time) and he remained silent. Then repeated my question (for the fourth time), and only then the Prophet said, “O Abu Huraira! The pen has dried after writing what you are going to confront. So (it does not matter whether you) get yourself castrated or not.”
http://sunnah.com/bukhari/67/14
This hadith mocks prophet Muhammad by claiming that he told Abu Hurairah to cut off his testicles.
Woman’s Silence to be Taken as Marriage Acceptance
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 67, Hadith 72:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “A matron should not be given in marriage except after consulting her; and a virgin should not be given in marriage except after her permission.” The people asked, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! How can we know her permission?” He said, “Her silence (indicates her permission).
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/67/72
This hadith mocks prophet Muhammad by claiming that he said that women who remain silent are actually accepting a marriage offer.
Prophet Moses Slaps the Angel of Death
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 60, Hadith 80:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Angel of Death was sent to Moses when he came to Moses, Moses slapped him on the eye. The angel returned to his Lord and said, “You have sent me to a Slave who does not want to die.” Allah said, “Return to him and tell him to put his hand on the back of an ox and for every hair that will come under it, he will be granted one year of life.” Moses said, “O Lord! What will happen after that?” Allah replied, “Then death.” Moses said, “Let it come now.” Moses then requested Allah to let him die close to the Sacred Land so much so that he would be at a distance of a stone’s throw from it.” Abu Huraira added, “Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, ‘If I were there, I would show you his grave below the red sand hill on the side of the road.”
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/60/80
How can anyone ward off the angel of death once decreed by God? How can a mortal ‘slap’ an invisible and intangible angel? How can the will of a prophet be greater than God’s will? Not only is this hadith utterly non-sensical, it also contradicts Quran verse 6:61 where God states that the messengers of death never fail in their duty.
وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ ۖ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُمْ حَفَظَةً حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لَا يُفَرِّطُونَAnd He is the subjugator over His servants, and He sends over you guardian-angels until, when death comes to one of you, Our messengers take him, and they do not fail [in their duties]. (6:61)
Prophet Muhammad Ordered to Burn People Alive
SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH: Book 56, Hadith 225:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) sent us in a mission (i.e., an army-unit) and said, “If you find so-and-so and so-and-so, burn both of them with fire.” When we intended to depart, Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “I have ordered you to burn so-and-so and so-and-so, and it is none but Allah Who punishes with fire, so, if you find them, kill them.
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/56/225
This hadith mocks prophet Muhammad by claiming that he ordered to kill by burning people alive.