The Authenticity and Interpretation of the Hadith of al-Jassasah

Hafiz Ibn al-Athir al-Jazari stated in Usd al-Ghabah that “the Prophet (peace be upon him) narrated the story of al-Jassasah from Tamim al-Dari.” He further described this narration as “authentic.” Hafiz Abu Nu’aym al-Isfahani said that it is a “proven and agreed-upon hadith.” Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim remarked, “Despite the length and strangeness of this hadith, no one has criticized Fatimah’s narration,” indicating that no Imam has rejected it as unreliable. Hafiz Ibn Hajar noted, “Imam Muslim included Tamim al-Dari’s story from Fatimah bint Qays, and its chain of transmission is sound.”

I, the writer, add that Imam Muslim is not the only one who reported this hadith; Imam Ahmad, the authors of the Sunan, and other scholars of hadith have also transmitted it, as mentioned above.

1. It is incorrect to assume that only Fatimah bint Qays (may Allah be pleased with her) transmitted this hadith. Other companions also narrated it. Hafiz Ibn Hajar said, “Some mistakenly thought this hadith was unique to Fatimah; however, it is not. Abu Hurayrah, Aisha, and Jabir (may Allah be pleased with them) also narrated it.” He further mentioned, “Some companions heard this sermon exactly as Fatimah did, yet they continued to believe that Ibn Sayyad was the Dajjal.” Hafiz Ibn Hajar clarified that Fatimah was not the only one who heard and transmitted the hadith; it was also narrated by other companions, even if those narrations did not reach us.

Regarding the claim that “Fatimah narrated this story to Imam ‘Amir al-Sha’bi when she was elderly,” this point has never been criticized by scholars. In fact, Imam al-Sha’bi consistently defended her, and he is not the only one who narrated it from her. The prominent tabi’i Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Awf also reported it from Fatimah. Imam al-Daraqutni considered Abu Salamah’s narration stronger, and Imam al-Tirmidhi reported in Al-‘Ilal al-Kabir that when he asked Imam Bukhari about the hadith, Bukhari confirmed its authenticity. Hafiz Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr stated that the narrations from both al-Sha’bi and Abu Salamah were strong and reliable.

2. Why did Tamim al-Dari (may Allah be pleased with him) not narrate this hadith to others? This reflects his profound wisdom. Having narrated it to the Prophet (peace be upon him) was sufficient. It was wise of him to entrust this knowledge to the Prophet, ensuring that it would not be spread recklessly due to the story’s unusual nature. Imam Muslim warned against spreading strange hadiths among the general public, and other hadith scholars have also advised caution.

3. Those who denied the hadith did so because of certain strange details, particularly the idea that the Dajjal was chained on an island, which seems to conflict with other narrations and the “hundred years” hadith. They misunderstood the Prophet’s recounting of Tamim’s story as a confirmation of every detail within it. In fact, there is no evidence that the Prophet endorsed each detail.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) recognized that elements of the Dajjal’s story were also known in other communities, likely passed down from previous prophets. He shared Tamim al-Dari’s story so that his companions would realize that knowledge of the Dajjal was present among other nations as well, thereby strengthening their faith.

The hadith of Umm Zar’ in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim is a similar case; it contains unusual details, yet it is not an endorsement of every element. When ‘Aisha narrated it, or the Prophet himself recounted it to her, it was simply a story, not an affirmation of all its details.

Similarly, the recounting of Tamim’s story does not mean the Prophet (peace be upon him) affirmed each aspect; rather, he highlighted that knowledge of the Dajjal existed among other communities, and this aligns with what he had already taught his companions. Source: <a href=”https://t.me/DrAkramNadwi/5553″ target=”_blank”>https://t.me/DrAkramNadwi/5553
Disclaimer: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors. Please refer to the original text for accuracy.

By: Dr. Mohammad Akram Nadwi
Oxford

“A question for the distinguished Muhaddith Dr. Akram Nadwi: Peace be upon you. What is your research on the Hadith of al-Jassasah? Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen and Allama Rashid Rida of Egypt have raised questions about it.”

Answer:
The Hadith of al-Jassasah is a lengthy narration that describes the story of a noble companion, Tamim al-Dari, who embarked on a sea journey with thirty men from the tribes of Lakhm and Judham. Their ship drifted at sea for a month before they reached an island where they encountered a strange creature called “al-Jassasah.” This creature told them that there was someone on the island who wanted to meet them. They then had a long conversation with this person, who finally revealed himself as the Messiah (Dajjal). Tamim al-Dari narrated this incident to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who then shared the entire story with his companions. There were many men and women present in the gathering, including Fatimah bint Qays, who later narrated the story.

Fatimah bint Qays (may Allah be pleased with her), a prominent figure from the Quraysh tribe of Banu Fihr, was highly respected in the fields of hadith and fiqh. I have documented her scholarly contributions in detail in my book Al-Wafa bi Asma’ al-Nisa.

The Hadith of al-Jassasah has been transmitted through various chains in Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawud, Sunan Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Mu’jam al-Kabir of Tabarani, Sunan al-Bayhaqi, and others.

Some scholars (such as Allama Rashid Rida and Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen) have questioned the authenticity of this hadith. Their objections generally fall into three main points:

1. This narration was only transmitted by Fatimah bint Qays (may Allah be pleased with her). It seems implausible that the Prophet (peace be upon him) would gather the companions, address them from the pulpit, and yet only one woman would transmit this hadith. Furthermore, it is claimed that Fatimah narrated this story to the Imam ‘Amir al-Sha’bi when she was elderly.

2. Tamim al-Dari (may Allah be pleased with him) did not narrate this hadith to his own students, despite having related this story to the Prophet (peace be upon him). Many hadiths have been transmitted from Tamim al-Dari, yet this hadith is not among them.

3. The text of this hadith contains unusual elements, and some details about the Dajjal contradict other authentic narrations about him. Additionally, how could someone (like the Dajjal) live from the Prophet’s time until the Day of Judgment, considering that it is authentically reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “After one hundred years, there will not remain anyone on the face of the earth who is alive today”? The phrase “no one will remain” is a general statement, while this hadith indicates that the Dajjal was present during the Prophet’s time. Is there any evidence to exempt the hadith of al-Jassasah from the generality of the aforementioned hadith?

I have discussed these objections in my commentary on Sahih Muslim and provided responses, which I will summarize here. For further detail, refer to the commentary.

Authenticity of the Hadith:
The Hadith of al-Jassasah is authentic. As mentioned, Imam Muslim and other compilers have included it in their collections.