scholars consider this hadith problematic, as its apparent meaning is not intended because the right view is that a Muslim is not labelled an unbeliever for committing major sins, such as murder and adultery. When he does not consider the Islamic faith to be false, the same applies to calling his brother an unbeliever. Therefore, several explanations of this hadith are given. The first is that it applies to one who considers this legitimate. Such a person is an unbeliever as a result. This is the meaning of ‘it rebounds on him’, meaning the word ‘unbeliever’ rebounds on him. The second explanation is that what rebounds on him is his abuse of his brother and his sinful action of calling him an unbeliever. The third applies to the Khawarij, who considered other Muslims unbelievers. This explanation is quoted by Qadi [Iyad from Imam Malik ibn Anas, but it is questionable because the correct view agreed by the majority of eminent scholars is that the Khawarij are not unbelievers like the followers of other deviant creeds. The fourth is that his action will eventually lead him to disbelief, as it is said that sins pave the way to disbelief: whoever indulges in them may end up in such a woeful state of disbelief. This is endorsed in a version related by Abu [Awanah al-Isfarayini in his book al-Mukharraj [ala Sahih Muslim: ‘It is either as he said it or he himself gets the rebound of disbelief’. In another report: ‘If one says to one’s brother “You, unbeliever”, disbelief inevitably applies to one of them’. The fifth is that what rebounds on him is his action of calling another believer an unbeliever. In other words, what rebounds is not disbelief itself but the accusation of disbelief levelled at a believer. It is as if he describes himself as an unbeliever by describing someone like himself as such, or because he gave such a description to one who is considered unbeliever only by unbelievers who reject the Islamic faith, but God knows best.
The Prophet says that whoever knowingly claims to belong to other than his own father disbelieves. This is given two interpretations: one is that it applies to a person who considers this lawful. The other is that this is a denial of God’s blessings and his duties towards God and towards his father. It is not meant as the denial that takes a person out of the fold of Islam. On a different occasion the Prophet spoke of women ‘disbelieving’, and he meant that they deny the rights of their own husbands and their duties towards them. The Prophet makes this conditional on the person claiming that someone other than his father is his father, being fully aware of his true father’s identity. This condition is necessary because an action is considered sinful if the one who does it knows that it is a sin.
The Prophet also says: ‘Whoever claims what does not belong to him does not belong to us’. Scholars say that this means such a person does not follow our way. It is just like someone who says to his own son: ‘You do not belong to me’. The Prophet tells such a person to ‘take his position in Hell’. This means that his right place is in Hell and this is where he should be. Alternatively, this is a supplication stated in the imperative, which is the weightier view. It means that this is his punishment, and it may be administered or he may be pardoned. He may, alternatively, be guided to repent his deed, and it would be wiped off. This hadith makes it clear that it is forbidden to claim anything that does not belong to one, whether it belongs to someone else or not. It is even unlawful to take something that is given to one by a judge in court if one knows that it is not one’s own, and God knows best. The Prophet further says: ‘Whoever calls a person an unbeliever, or says [to him]: “You, enemy of God”, when he is not so, it shall rebound on him’. The Prophet makes clear that this applies only when the claim is false.
Transmission
Ibn Buraydah mentioned in the chain of transmission is [Abdullah ibn Buraydah ibn al-Husayb al-Aslami and not his brother, Sulayman. Both are graded as reliable and they belonged to the Tabi[in generation as they were twins born during the reign of [Umar ibn al-Khattab. Both Ibn Buraydah and Yahya ibn Ya[mar were mentioned in the first chain of transmission in the Book of Faith. Abu al-Aswad al-Du’ali was called Zalim ibn [Amr, according to the best known view. But other reports give his name differently, suggesting that he is [Amr ibn Zalim, or [Uthman ibn [Amr, or [Amr ibn Sufyan. He lived in Basrah and was its main judge. He belonged to the Tabi[in and was known to be wise, he also established the academic discipline of Arabic grammar. Thus, this chain of transmission features three Tabi[in reporting from one another: Ibn Buraydah, Yahya and Abu al-Aswad. Abu Dharr was a well known companion of the Prophet, and the best known report gives his name as Jundab ibn Janadah, but another suggestion gives his name as Burayr. His mother was Ramlah bint al-Waqi[ah. He was the fourth or fifth person to embrace Islam.
CHAPTER 28
THE STATUS OF ONE WHO KNOWINGLY DISSOCIATES HIMSELF FROM HIS FATHER
[116–112]. (Dar al-Salam 0118) Zuhayr ibn Harb narrated to me:i [Abd al-Samad ibn [Abd al-Warith narrated; my father narrated; Husayn al-Mu[allim narrated; from Ibn Buraydah; from Yahya ibn Ya[mar; that Abu al-Aswad narrated to him from Abu Dharr that he heard God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) say: ‘Whoever knowingly claims to belong to other than his own father is an unbeliever. Whoever claims what does not belong to him does not belong to us; let such take his position in Hell. Whoever calls a person an unbeliever, or says [to him]: “You, enemy of God”, when he is not so, it shall rebound on him’.
وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْوَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنٌ الْـمُعَلِّمُ، عَنِ ابْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ يَعْمَرَ، أَنَّ أَبَا الأَسْوَدِ، حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «لَيْسَ مِنْ رَجُلٍ ادَّعَى لِغَيْرِ أَبِيهِ وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُهُ إِلاَّ كَفَرَ، وَمَنِ ادَّعَى مَا لَيْسَ لَهُ فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا، وَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ. وَمَنْ دَعَا رَجُلاً بِالْكُفْرِ أَوْ قَالَ عَدُوَّ اللهِ، وَلَيْسَ كَذَلِكَ، إِلاَّ حَارَ عَلَيْهِ» .
[117–113]. (Dar al-Salam 0119) Harun ibn Sa[id al-Ayli narrated to me:i Ibn Wahb narrated; [Amr reported to me; from Ja[far ibn Rabi[ah; from [Irak ibn Malik; that he heard Abu Hurayrah say: ‘God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Do not disclaim your fathers; to disclaim one’s father is disbelief”.’
حَدَّثَنِي هَارُونُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الأَيْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرٌو، عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ، عَنْ عِرَاكِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «لاَ تَرْغَبُوا عَنْ آبَائِكُمْ، فَمَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ فَهُوَ كُفْرٌ».
