Introduction to Hadith StudiesLESSON SIXTypes of HadithsFabricated (MODHOO)

False (Mowdhod) HadithsReasons/factors of fabrication

1 Political Factor: Mo’awiya fabricated false narrations to establish his throne and government/kingdom. The whole idea behind fabricating false narrations by people like Abu Huraira and Amro ibn Aas, was to prevent Imam Ali (as) and the Ahlul-Bayt (as) from ruling the Islamic community.

2 Religious factor: The people of different faiths fabricated such narrations to attack Islam and the pure strong principles that it upholds. Some of these were Jews and others were Christians.

(a) K’ab Al-Ahbaar, a Jew from Yemen.

(b) Wahab ibn Monbeh, the Jewish scholar who penetrated the Israeli narrations with such things as the concept of God having a physical body and using narrations that insulted the prophets (as) including Moses and the Angel of Death. Abu Huraira was a student of K’ab al-Ahbaar who learned superstitious narrations and then narrated them to foolish and weak-minded people.

• Golaat of Shi’a falsifiers: Mogheera ibn Saeed lived in the time of Imam Baqir. Mohammad ibn Miqlaas al-Asadi, Al-Kufi, known as Abi al-khataab, student of Mogheera. From him, a sect was derived by the name of khetabiya. The 12 Imams cursed and denounced him. These people raised the Ahlul-Bayt (as) to the level of God, much in the same way that the Christians did with Jesus (as). All of the Infallibles (s) fought, denied, and cursed such people.

3.Sectarian Factor: These narrations were fabricated to support the theological or jurisprudence opinions, especially the ones which opposed the narrations of the Ahlul-Bayt (as). An example of this type of factor is those who used to call for Qiyas (Analog).

4. Media factor: These people appeared to be pious. If they wanted people to do particular acts, forms of worship or recommended acts, these “pious” people would fabricate some narrations to encourage people to do those particular acts. They used these fabricated Hadiths to make people believe that Allah will be pleased with them if they do the acts they want to encourage. These are arguably the most dangerous of all the fabricators. Some examples of these are:

- Merits of reciting many chapters and verses, such as the ones narrated by the Marzawi, Kamani, and Jowaybari. When one of these individuals was asked why they tell lies, the Prophet (s) said that any one who ascribes lies on him can choose his own place in Hell fire.-Merits of some good deeds and recommended acts

5 Social Factor: To obtain a rank and position close to the ruler/tyrant, people used to fabricate narrations.

6 Economic factor: These narrators were poor and wanted to become rich and wealthy. These narrators strived to please Mo’awiya and tyrants like him in order to improve their economic conditions. These people used to take the stories from the old fabricated scriptures and fabricate them. Then, they would relate these stories to the Prophet (s) and make the stories widespread in an attempt to get money. These people were considered “storytellers”.

7 Personal factors: Ignorant people pretend to be scholars and create narrations to draw people towards them and to impress them. A layman pretends that he is a scholar and fabricates the Hadith with strange and attractive qualities in order to attract people.

Types of fabrication

1 In the text: [a] Fabrication of the whole text: (My companions are like the stars, who ever you follow from them, you will be guided.)[b] Relating a quote of a philosopher or a wise man to one of the Infallibles (as). (The stomach is the house of disease.)

2 In the support[a] Create a chain of narrators who do not exist.[b] Use one of the famous (sanad) narrators or chains of narrators to narrate his words.

Signs of fabrication (cont’d) 1- Related to the narrator

A) The individual personally confesses about his fabrication.B) The narrator becomes famous with one or more of his fabrication(s).C) The narrator might be mentioned in one of the basic books as a fabricator.D) There exists specific evidence or clues that shows/proves the fabrication.

2- Related to the Sanad (Support/chain of narrators)A) It contains unknown narrators/fabricatorsB) The whole sanad is formed of unknown narratorsC) It contains names which are not mentioned in the books of Rajaal.D) The Rajaal (narrators) scholars say that the sanad is false

3- Related to the text (matn)

A) The content of a Hadith is in conflict with a clear verse of the Qur'an, and cannot have a combined meaning, nor can it be a clue (Qareena) to the metaphoric meaning of the ayah.B) Same as above, but in this case, it conflicts with a strong definitive Hadith.C) It conflicts with basic logic and obvious principles (badeehi). Example: The ark of Noah (as) did tawaf around the ka’aba and offered a two rakat Salaat.

D) It conflicts with the natural concept, or expresses disrespect to the Infallible (as), or is controversial to the Islamic theology explained by the Ahlul-Bayt (as) and is accepted by it’s logic. Example: The birth of the Infallible (as) from the thigh.

E) It is one of the Israeli, which has been taken from the old books, modified, and narrated. Example: Allah puts his leg in Hell to cool it.

F) It may contain the theology of extremism (Golva).

• Comparison:The school of companions has many more such false and fabricated narrations in their books than in the school of Ahlul-Bayt. It has been discovered that in the school of companions, there were about 600 narrators who used to fabricate. Again, in the school of Ahlul-Bayt (as), the number of false narrators does not exceed 50.

• The reason behind this could be easily understood. The strict control of Ahlul-Bayt (as) narrations is one of the reasons. The reason for the higher number of fabricators within the school of companions could be the incentive given by the tyrants to fabricators to fabricate Hadiths. There have been several books written in the school of companions regarding the fabricated narrations and the narrators while very few books were written by Imamians.