alSayyidina asan al-Basrs Narrating From Sayyidina Al 1

Hafi Ibn ajar al-Haytam al-Makk

Translated by Sidi Abu Hasan
Released by www.marifah.net 1428 H

Hafi Ibn ajar al-Haytam was asked may Allh make us benefit from his knowledge did asan al-Basr hear the speech of Al karramAllhu wajhuh directly? [Does he narrate from him?] Because [most of] the Sufi masters elevate their wearing of the cloak [khirqah] to him and also various litanies [dhikr] are reported from him [ asan] who reports from Al karramAllhu wajhuh. He replied: There is a difference of opinion in this issue, most of them deny it [ asan reporting from Al] and a group of scholars affirmed it. Hafi Suy said that [the affirmation] was preferred by him just like Hafi iyuddn al-Maqdis did in his al-Mukhtrah and Shaykh al-Islm Ibn ajar [al-Asqaln ] did in A rf al-Mukhtra. There are a few reasons for this: First: Any affirmation takes precedence upon negation [in matters of reportage]. Second: asan was born two years before the Caliphate of Umar ended. He was a discerning lad by seven and began the obligatory prayer by seven. He would attend the alt in congregation [jamah] and pray behind Uthmn until he was assassinated. Obviously, until then, Al would also attend the congregation for every obligatory prayer [far ] since he was in Medina at that time. He did not leave Medina until after Sayyidun Uthmn was martyred; and asans age at that time was fourteen years. How can anyone deny that he heard [and hence reports from] Al? Even though he saw
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Ibn

ajar al-Haytam, Fatw al- adthiyya, pg.176.

him [and they were present together] during every prayer five times a day for seven years? Yet, Al ibn al-Madn said: asan saw Al and he was only a boy Additionally, Al would visit the Mothers of Believers [ummuht al-muminn) blessed wives of the Prophet ]. Among them was Umm Salmah and asan was in her home because at that time, his mother Khayrah was her maid. Umm Salmah used to present the little child [ asan] to the companions [ a bah who came to visit her] who prayed for barakah for the child. She presented [the child] to Umar who prayed in these words: O Allh, give him the understanding of the religion, give him knowledge and make him beloved amongst the people. This was mentioned by al-Mizz and al-Askar reported its chain [asnadahu]. Mizz also reports in his Tahdhb from Ab Nuaym: asan was asked, How do you say RaslAllh said.. even though you never saw him? He said: Everything that I say is reported from Al, except that in our times I am unable to mention the name of Al. That is, the time of ajjj. And the afi mentioned a number of adth thereafter that he had found narrated by asan from Al karramAllhu wajhuh. In one such report and all the narrators in that chain are trustworthy ones [thiqt] I have heard Al say: RaslAllh said: My 2 followers [ummat] are like raindrops

The completion of the Hadth is one does not know whether the first drops are better or the last ones. Reported by Tirmidh in Kitb al-Amthl [The book of Similes] and he said it was a fair report [ asan] but uncommon [gharb].