0/5.1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 63 — False Claims in Hadith
Unveiling Defects of the Transmitters of Ḥadīth and Relaters of Reports and the Statements of the A’immah Regarding That
Hadith Verification Against False Claims
Sahih Muslim : 63
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 63
حَدَّثَنِي الْفَضْلُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، قَالَ قَدِمَ عَلَيْنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ الأَعْمَى فَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ حَدَّثَنَا الْبَرَاءُ، قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ أَرْقَمَ، . فَذَكَرْنَا ذَلِكَ لِقَتَادَةَ فَقَالَ كَذَبَ مَا سَمِعَ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّمَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ سَائِلاً يَتَكَفَّفُ النَّاسَ زَمَنَ طَاعُونِ الْجَارِفِ .
Hammam Narrated from:
Abū Dāwud al-A’mā came to us and began saying: ‘Al-Barā’ [bin Āzib, the Companion] narrated to us’; he said: ‘Zayd bin Arqam narrated to us’- and he mentioned that [those chains] to Qatādah. [Qatādah] said ‘He lied; he did not hear from them. He would beg the people asking [about Ḥadīth] at the time of the plague’ [circa 67H].
Reference : Sahih Muslim Introduction 63In-book reference : Introduction, Narration 62
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 63
This report is about hadith verification and false claims in narration. Abu Dawud al-A’ma came and claimed that al-Bara’ and Zayd bin Arqam narrated to him. When this was mentioned to Qatadah, he rejected the claim and said he had not heard from them. The report gives a clear lesson: names in a Hadith chain are not accepted just because someone says them. A narrator’s claim must match what is known about his meetings and hearing. For anyone searching for weak narrators in hadith, this narration shows how early scholars checked claims carefully before accepting a report.
What we learn from this hadith
- A narrator’s claim of hearing must be checked.
- Hadith reports should not be accepted only because famous names are mentioned.
- Scholars corrected false claims when they knew the facts.
- Protecting Hadith includes checking whether a narrator actually met or heard from someone.
