Fatwa #1434319 June 2006United Kingdom
Are all of the hadeeths that can be found in Bukhaari and Muslim, saheeh?
Question
I read a hadeeth from Saheeh Muslim, narrated by Abu Huraira(ra) concerning the period of creation ( What was created on sat, mon, tue, wed, thu, fri. ). This same hadeeth can be found in the collection of Imaam Nasaa'i (As-Sunan-Ul-Kubra), which had a long chain narraters. However it was the same hadeeth except that it states that the Hated was created on Tuesday while the hadeeth in Muslim states that the Hated was created on Monday. So i would like to know is the hadeeth found in Muslim, Saheeh or not? Finally can you give me a authentic hadeeth that explains the creation and its days?
A brother told me that in Tafsiir Ibn Katheer(rah), Book Vol 1 page 70 stated that, Ibn Katheer(rah) found that hadeeth found in Muslim "weird" and that it was criticized by Bukhaari and Ali Bin Al-madeeni and other authorities... So id like to know your response regarding this Issue..
Finally there can be found a hadeeth in Bukhaari and Abu Dawuud that states that all the children of Adam(as) were created with 360 Joints.. i would like to know your response to this issue, and finally if this hadeeth is saheeh and what is its science behind it.... Id like to also know wether 'modern' day biology agrees that humans have 360 joints...
Answer
The rulings on a Hadith are the fruits of application of independent judgment. According to Imaam Bukhari [ra] and Imaam Muslim [ra], only Ahaadith that were regarded as authentic by them were recorded in their respective books. This is also the general consensus of the Ummah although a few reputable scholars held reservations regarding a few specific Ahaadith.
Contrary to your claim, there is no contradiction between the narrations of Muslim and Nasaaie. Both narrations confirm that the ‘Makrooh’ was created on Tuesday. (Hadith6981). You have correctly pointed out that Ali ibn al-Madini, etc. criticised this Hadith. However, we have pointed out earlier, based on a person’s application of his judgment there is scope for variation in the ruling. Many scholars have accepted this Hadith and have claimed no contradiction. The reason for the criticism is that the verse of the Qur’aan declares that the heavens and the earth were created in six days whilst this narration (of Muslim) contradicts this by mentioning 7 days.
Many Ulama have attempted to reconcile this difference by indicating that the verse of the Qur’aan refers to the creation of the earth and heavens itself whilst this Hadith of Muslim refers to the creation of the things in the earth and the heavens and not the earth and the heavens themselves. Another possible reconciliation is that the Hadith refers to the creation in detail whilst the verse of the Qur’aan refers to the basic creation of the heavens and the earth. Finally, the record Hadith mentioned by you is authentic and can be found in numerous books of Hadith including Abu Dawud, Musnad Ahmad, Sahih ibn Hibbaan, Sahih ibn Khuzaymah, etc.
The yardstick for acceptance of a Hadith is not its acceptance in terms of modern day science. Once a Hadith has been authenticated, its purport will be accepted irrespective of the findings of modern day science which is at variance with itself from time to time.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai