Hadith No. 4

The Ummah is never without one who is upon the truth.

رَوَى أَبُو دَاوُدَ الطَّيَالِسِيُّ [ت204هـ] فِي «مُسْنَدِهِ»[1]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ الْعَدَوِيِّ، قَالَ: لَقِينَا عُمَرَ، فَقُلْنَا لَهُ: إِنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو حَدَّثَنَا بِكَذَا وَكَذَا، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: «عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُ»، قَالَهَا ثَلَاثًا، ثُمَّ نُودِيَ بِالصَّلَاةِ جَامِعَةٌ، فَاجْتَمَعَ إِلَيْهِ النَّاسُ فَخَطَبَهُمْ عُمَرُ، فَقَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ:

لَا تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عَلَى الْحَقِّ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.

Translation:

Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi [d. 204 AH] has narrated in his Musnad, (in this manner that) he has said: Hammam narrated to us, from Qatadah, from Abdullah ibn Buraidah, from Sulayman ibn Rabi‘ al-Adawi, who said: We met Umar. Then we said to him that Abdullah ibn Amr told us such and such. So Umar said: “Abdullah ibn Amr knows better what he says.” He said this three times. Then the call to prayer was made, and people gathered around him. Umar delivered a sermon to them and then said: I heard the Messenger of Allah say:

A group from my Ummah will always be upon the truth until the command of Allah, Exalted and Majestic, comes.

Consideration

قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ حَفِظَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: لَعَلَّ هَذَا كَانَ الْحَدِيثَ، حَتَّى ظَهَرَ أَهْلُ الشَّامِ فَزَادُوا عَلَيْهِ: «ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى مَنْ نَاوَأَهُمْ»، أَوْ «ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى النَّاسِ»، وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ لَكَانَ مَعْنَاهُ مَا قُلْنَا مِنْ ظُهُورِهِمْ بِالْحُجَّةِ، وَأَمَّا حَدِيثُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو فَقَدْ حَذَفَهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ اخْتِصَارًا، وَذَكَرَهُ غَيْرُهُ:

Translation:

Mansoor said: Perhaps the Hadith was this until the people of Sham gained dominance. Then they added to it: “They will prevail over those who oppose them,” or “They will prevail over people.” And if this had been part of the Hadith, its meaning would still be what we said—that their dominance is through proof. As for the statement of Abdullah ibn Amr, Abu Dawud has omitted it for brevity, and others have mentioned it:

Attestation No. 1

رَوَى الْبَيْهَقِيُّ [ت458هـ] فِي «الْبَعْثِ وَالنُّشُورِ»[2]، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْحَسَنِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمُقْرِئُ، أَخْبَرَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، حَدَّثَنَا يُوسُفُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ مَرْزُوقٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا هَمَّامٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ الْعَدَوِيِّ، قَالَ: خَرَجْتُ مِنَ الْبَصْرَةِ فِي رِجَالٍ نُسَّاكٍ، فَقَدِمْنَا مَكَّةَ، فَلَقِينَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو، فَقَالَ: «يُوشِكُ بَنُو قَنْطُورَاءَ بْنِ كَرْكَرَ أَنْ يَسُوقُوا أَهْلَ خُرَاسَانَ وَأَهْلَ سَجِسْتَانَ سَوْقًا عَنِيفًا، ثُمَّ يَرْبِطُوا خُيُولَهُمْ بِنَخْلِ شَطِّ دِجْلَةَ»، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «كَمْ بُعْدُ الْأُبُلَّةِ مِنَ الْبَصْرَةِ؟» قُلْنَا: أَرْبَعُ فَرَاسِخَ، قَالَ: «فَيَجِيئُونَ فَيَنْزِلُونَ بِهَا، ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُونَ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ: إِمَّا أَنْ تُخْلُوا لَنَا أَرْضَكُمْ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ نَسِيرَ إِلَيْكُمْ، فَيَتَفَرَّقُونَ عَلَى ثَلَاثِ فِرَقٍ: فَأَمَّا فِرْقَةٌ فَيَلْحَقُونَ بِالْبَادِيَةِ، وَأَمَّا فِرْقَةٌ فَيَلْحَقُونَ بِالْكُوفَةِ، وَأَمَّا فِرْقَةٌ فَيَلْحَقُونَ بِهِمْ»، قَالَ: «ثُمَّ يَمْكُثُونَ سَنَةً، فَيَبْعَثُونَ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ: إِمَّا أَنْ تُخْلُوا لَنَا أَرْضَكُمْ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ نَسِيرَ إِلَيْكُمْ»، قَالَ: «فَيَتَفَرَّقُونَ عَلَى ثَلَاثِ فِرَقٍ: فَتَلْحَقُ فِرْقَةٌ بِالشَّامِ، وَفِرْقَةٌ تَلْحَقُ بِالْبَادِيَةِ، وَفِرْقَةٌ تَلْحَقُ بِهِمْ». قَالَ: فَقَدِمْنَا عَلَى عُمَرَ، فَحَدَّثْنَاهُ بِمَا سَمِعْنَا مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، فَقَالَ: «عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُ»، ثُمَّ نُودِيَ فِي النَّاسِ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ جَامِعَةٌ، قَالَ: فَخَطَبَ عُمَرُ النَّاسَ، فَقَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «لَا تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عَلَى الْحَقِّ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ»، قَالَ: قُلْنَا: هَذَا خِلَافُ حَدِيثِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ: فَلَقِينَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو فَحَدَّثْنَاهُ بِمَا قَالَ عُمَرُ، فَقَالَ: «نَعَمْ، إِذَا جَاءَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ جَاءَ مَا حَدَّثْتُكُمْ بِهِ»، قَالَ: فَقُلْنَا: مَا نَرَاكَ إِلَّا قَدْ صَدَقْتَ.

Translation:

Al-Bayhaqi [d. 458 AH] has narrated in the book al-Ba‘th Wa al-Nushur and said: Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad al-Muqri’ informed us, (he said:) Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Ishaq informed us, (he said:) Yusuf ibn Ya‘qub narrated to us, (he said:) Umar ibn Marzuq narrated to us, (he said:) Hammam informed us, from Qatadah, from Abdullah ibn Buraidah, from Sulayman ibn Rabi‘ al-Adawi, who said: We set out from Basra with men who were going for Hajj. We reached Mecca and then met Abdullah ibn Amr. He said to us: “Soon, Banu Qantura’ ibn Karkar (meaning the Mongols) will violently drive out the people of Khorasan and the people of Sajistan. Then they will tie their horses to the palm trees along the Tigris riverbank.” Then he said: “How far is it from Ubullah to Basra?” We said: “Four farsakhs.” He said: “They will come and encamp there. Then they will send a message to the people of Basra: ‘Either you vacate your city for us, or we will come for you.’ So they (meaning the people of Basra) will be divided into three groups: one group will go to the desert, one group to Kufa, and one group will join them (meaning the Mongols). Then (the Mongols) will wait for one year, and after that, they will send a message to the people of Kufa: ‘Either you vacate your city for us, or we will come for you.’ So they (meaning the people of Kufa) will be divided into three groups: one group will go to Sham, one group to the desert, and one group will join them (meaning the Mongols).” (Sulayman ibn Rabi‘) said: Then we went to Umar and told him what we had heard from Abdullah ibn Amr. So he said: “Abdullah ibn Amr knows better what he says.” Then the call for prayer was made among people. Umar delivered a sermon to people and then said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah say: ‘A group from my Ummah will always be upon the truth until the command of Allah comes.’” We said: “This is contrary to the Hadith of Abdullah ibn Amr.” So we went to see Abdullah ibn Amr and told him what Umar had said to us. So he said: “Yes. When the command of Allah comes, what I told you will happen.” So we said: “We can think of nothing other than that you have told the truth.”

Consideration

قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ حَفِظَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: قَتَادَةُ مُدَلِّسٌ وَقَدْ عَنْعَنَ، لَكِنَّهُ صَرَّحَ بِالسَّمَاعِ فِي رِوَايَةِ ابْنِ حَمَّادٍ، قَالَ: «قَالَ ابْنُ عَيَّاشٍ: حَدَّثَنَا نَافِعٌ، وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ مِنْ نُسَّاكِ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ»[3]، كَذَلِكَ سَمَّاهُ، وَتَابَعَهُ حُسَيْنُ بْنُ ذَكْوَانَ الْمُعَلِّمُ قَالَ: «حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ بُرَيْدَةَ الْأَسْلَمِيُّ أَنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ رَبِيعَةَ الْعَنَزِيَّ حَدَّثَهُ»[4]، كَذَلِكَ سَمَّاهُ، وَسُلَيْمَانُ هَذَا لَمْ يَرْوِ عَنْهُ إِلَّا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ بُرَيْدَةَ، وَلَكِنْ يَظْهَرُ مِنْ قَوْلِ الْبُخَارِيِّ وَأَبِي حَاتَمٍ أَنَّهُ كَانَ مَعْرُوفًا، فَقَدْ قَالَا: «يُقَالُ: سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ، وَحُجَيْرُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ، وَحُرَيْثُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ إِخْوَةٌ»[5]، وَقَالَ ابْنُ حِبَّانَ: «هُمْ إِخْوَةٌ أَرْبَعَةٌ: حُجَيْرٌ وَحُرَيْثٌ وَيَعْقُوبُ وَسُلَيْمَانُ بَنُو الرَّبِيعِ»[6]، وَذَكَرَهُ فِي الثِّقَاتِ[7]، وَلَمْ يَنْفَرِدْ بِهَذِهِ الرِّوَايَةِ، بَلْ تَابَعَهُ أَبُو الْأَسْوَدِ الدِّيلِيِّ:

Translation:

Mansoor said: Qatadah is known for concealing defects, and (here) he has used “An, An” (meaning he has narrated with the word “from,” which does not explicitly indicate hearing the Hadith). However, in the narration of ibn Hammad, he has explicitly indicated hearing. (Ibn Hammad) has said: “Ibn Ayyash has said: Nafi‘ and Sa‘id ibn Abi Arubah both narrated to us from Qatadah, who said: Abdullah ibn Buraidah narrated to us, from Sulayman ibn Rabi‘ah, one of the pilgrims from Basra.” He has mentioned him in this manner, and Husain ibn Dhakwan al-Mu‘allim has corroborated him and said: “Ubaidullah ibn Buraidah al-Aslami narrated to us that Sulayman ibn Rabi‘ah al-Anazi narrated to him.” He has mentioned him in this manner, and only Abdullah ibn Buraidah has narrated from this Sulayman. However, it becomes clear from the statements of al-Bukhari and Abu Hatim that he was a well-known figure; because they have said: “They say: Sulayman ibn Rabi‘, Hujair ibn Rabi‘, and Huraith ibn Rabi‘ were brothers.” And ibn Hibban has said: “They were four brothers: Hujair, Huraith, Ya‘qub, and Sulayman, the sons of Rabi‘,” and he has mentioned him among trustworthy individuals. And (yet) he is not alone in narrating this Hadith; rather, Abu al-Aswad al-Du’ali has corroborated him:

Attestation No. 2

رَوَى الطَّبَرِيُّ [ت310هـ] فِي «تَهْذِيبِ الْآثَارِ»[8]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، وَقَتَادَةُ بْنُ سَعْدِ بْنِ قَتَادَةَ السَّدُوسِيُّ، قَالَا: حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الْأَسْوَدِ الدِّيلِيِّ، قَالَ: انْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَزُرْعَةُ بْنُ ضَمْرَةَ مَعَ الْأَشْعَرِيِّ إِلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ، فَلَقِينَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو، فَجَلَسْتُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَجَلَسَ زُرْعَةُ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ، فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو: «يُوشِكُ أَلَّا يَبْقَى فِي أَرْضِ الْعَجَمِ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ إِلَّا قَتِيلٌ أَوْ أَسِيرٌ يُحْكَمُ فِي دَمِهِ»، فَقَالَ لَهُ زُرْعَةُ بْنُ ضَمْرَةَ: «أَيَظْهَرُ الْمُشْرِكُونَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْإِسْلَامِ؟!» قَالَ: «مَنْ أَنْتَ؟» قَالَ: «أَنَا مِنْ بَنِي عَامِرِ بْنِ صَعْصَعَةَ»، قَالَ: «لَا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَتَدَافَعَ مَنَاكِبُ نِسَاءِ بَنِي عَامِرِ بْنِ صَعْصَعَةَ عَلَى ذِي الْخَلَصَةِ، وَثَنٍ كَانَ يُسَمَّى فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ». فَذَكَرْنَا لِعُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ قَوْلَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ ثَلَاثَ مِرَارٍ: «عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُ»، قَالَ: فَخَطَبَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ يَوْمَ جُمُعَةٍ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَقُولُ: «لَا تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عَلَى الْحَقِّ مَنْصُورَةً حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ». قَالَ: فَذَكَرْنَا لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَوْلَ عُمَرَ، فَقَالَ: «صَدَقَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ، إِذَا جَاءَ ذَاكَ كَانَ الَّذِي قُلْتُ».

Translation:

Al-Tabari [d. 310 AH] has narrated in the book Tahdhib al-Athar and said: Muhammad ibn Bashshar and Qatadah ibn Sa‘d ibn Qatadah al-Sadusi narrated to us, they said: Mu‘adh ibn Hisham narrated to us, (he said:) My father narrated to me, from Qatadah, from Abu al-Aswad al-Du’ali, who said: Zur‘ah ibn Damrah and I, along with al-Ash‘ari, went to Umar ibn al-Khattab. We then encountered Abdullah ibn Amr. I sat on his right side, and Zur‘ah sat on his left side. Then Abdullah ibn Amr said: “Soon, in the land of the non-Arabs, no Arab will remain except one who is killed or one who is taken captive, with his fate being decided.” Then Zur‘ah ibn Damrah said to him: “Does this mean that polytheists will dominate the people of Islam?!” He said: “Who are you?” He said: “I am from Banu Amir ibn Sa‘sa‘ah.” He said: “The Day of Judgment will not rise until the women of Banu Amir ibn Sa‘sa‘ah shove each other by the shoulders near Dhu al-Khalasah—an idol that existed in the pre-Islamic era.” Then we told Umar ibn al-Khattab what Abdullah ibn Amr had said. So Umar ibn al-Khattab said three times: “Abdullah knows better what he says.” Then, on Friday, Umar ibn al-Khattab delivered a sermon and said: “Indeed, the Prophet of Allah said: ‘A group from my Ummah will always stand victoriously upon the truth until the command of Allah comes.’” Then we told Abdullah ibn Amr what Umar said. So he said: “The Messenger of Allah has spoken the truth. When that comes, what I told you will happen.”

Consideration

قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ حَفِظَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: كَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مَا لَمْ يَسْمَعْهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَالْمَقْصُودُ مِنْ «أَمْرِ اللَّهِ» فِي الْحَدِيثِ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَالْمُسْتَفَادُ مِنْ رِوَايَةِ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ الْعَدَوِيِّ أَنَّهُ أَيْضًا كَانَ مَعَ أَبِي الْأَسْوَدِ الدِّيلِيِّ وَزُرْعَةِ بْنِ ضَمْرَةَ وَالْأَشْعَرِيِّ حِينَ لَقَوْا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو، فَلَمْ يَذْكُرْهُ أَبُو الْأَسْوَدِ لِنِسْيَانٍ أَوْ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ، إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنِ الْأَشْعَرِيُّ تَصْحِيفًا لِاسْمِهِ، كَمَا قَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ: «خَرَجْتُ مِنَ الْبَصْرَةِ فِي رِجَالٍ نُسَّاكٍ»، وَكَانَ أَبُو الْأَسْوَدِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ.

Translation:

Mansoor said: Abdullah ibn Amr narrated things from the Children of Israel that he had not heard from the Messenger of Allah . And the intended meaning of “the command of Allah” in the Hadith is the Day of Judgment. And from the narration of Sulayman ibn Rabi‘ al-Adawi, it is understood that he was also with Abu al-Aswad al-Du’ali, Zur‘ah ibn Damrah, and al-Ash‘ari when they met Abdullah ibn Amr. So Abu Al-Aswad has not mentioned him due to forgetfulness or some other reason if al-Ash‘ari has not been a scribal error for his name; as Sulayman has said: “We set out from Basra with men who were going for Hajj,” and Abu al-Aswad was also from Basra[9].