Welcome to our blog! In this article, we examine and refute the narration attributed to Ibn Abbas, which is used to argue that the Verse of Tatheer (Qur’an 33:33) is exclusive to the wives of the Prophet ﷺ.
Allamah al-Dhabhi mentioned :
حسين بن واقد: عن يزيد النحوي، عن عكرمة، عن ابن عباس: {إنما يريد الله ليذهب عنكم الرجس أهل البيت} [الأحزاب: 33] قال: نزلت في أزواج النبي ﷺ خاصة
Husayn Ibn Waqid narrated on the authority of Yazid al-Nahwi that Ikrimah’ narrated from Ibn Abbas, who said regarding the Ayah {Allah only intends to remove Rijz from you, O Ahl al-Bayt} (Surah al-Ahzab 33), it was revealed specially for the wives of the Prophet ﷺ.
• al-Dhabhi commented : Its Sanad is Sound (إسناده صالح)
~Siyar Alam al-Nubala vol 2:221
Rather, this sanad is weak, as it contradicts the well-known narration attributed to Ibn Abbas, in which he identifies Sayyida al-Zahra, Imam Ali, Imam al-Hasan, and Imam al-Husayn in connection with this verse. Furthermore, the narration through Husayn ibn Waqid is problematic, as he was regarded as a mudallis and was not considered particularly strong in Hadith :
1) ِAbu Bakr al-Marwazi mentioned :
حَدثنَا الْمَيْمُونِيّ ، قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو عبد الله: حُسَيْن بن وَاقد لَهُ أَشْيَاء مَنَاكِير.
al-Maymooni said that Ahmad Ibn Hanbal said : Husayn Ibn Waqid had Manakir in him.
~al-Ilal wa Ma’arifat al-Rijal page 228
وَذكر حُسَيْن بن وَاقد، فَقَالَ: لَيْسَ بِذَاكَ
Husayn Ibn Waqid was mentioned to Abu Bakr al-Marwazi, and he said, ‘He is not that (strong)’
~al-Ilal wa Ma’arifat al-Rijal page 96
2) Aala al-Deen Mughaltai al-Hanafi mentioned :
وروى مطين، عن أحمد: حسين ضعيف.
Mutin narrated from Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, who said Husayn Ibn Waqid is Da’eef.
وقال الساجي: فيه نظر، وهو صدوق يَهِم
al-Sa’aji said : There are some criticisms about him, and he is truthful but has Wahm (mistakes)
~Ikmal Tahdheeb al-Kamaal vol 2:356
3) Abu Abd-Allah Abd al-Salam Ibn Muhammad Allush wrote :
والحسين وإن كان ثقة، فإن له أوهاماً، ثم هو مدلس على ما ذكر سبط ابن العجمي، نقلاً عن أبي يعلى الخليلي، وقد عنعن هنا، فالسند ضعيف. وممن وصفه بالتدليس الدارقطني، كما ذكره الحافظ في التقريب.
Although al-Husayn Ibn Waqid is trustworthy, he had some errors, and he was a mudallis, as mentioned by Sibt Ibn al-Ajami, quoting Abu Ya’ala al-Khalili.
His ʿanʿanah is da’eef. al-Daraqutni described him as a Mudallis, as mentioned by al-Hafidh Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani in al-Taqrib.
~al-Intiha li-Ma’arifat al-Ahadith page 269
• We find that Husayn ibn Waqid narrates this report using ʿanʿanah in his transmission from Yazīd al-Naḥwī.
4) Allamah al-Suyuti mentioned his name in Asma al-Mudaliseen page 41
5) Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali wrote :
ذكر من روى عن ضعيف وسماه باسم يتوهم أنه اسم ثقة , ومنهم: حسين بن واقد: يروي عن أيوب، عن نافع، عن ابن عمر، وعنده عن أيوب السختياني، وعن أيوب بن (خوط) . وأيوب بن خوط ضعيف جداً.
Mention of those who narrated from weak narrators and named them with a name that might be confused with a trustworthy narrator.
Husayn Ibn Waqid would do that; he narrated from Ayub al-Sikhtiyani and also Ayub Ibn Khawt (but would only say Ayub) and the second Ayub is very weak in Hadith.
~Sharh Ilal al-Tirmidhi vol 2:823-824
6) Ibn Hibban wrote :
وَرُبمَا أَخطَأ فِي الرِّوَايَات
He used to make mistakes in narrations.
~al-Thiqat vol 6:209
7) Sa’eed Ibn Abd al-Qadir Bashanfar mentioned Husayn Ibn Waqid in his book ‘Awham al-Muhaditheen al-Thiqat’ vol 10:73-86. In this book, the author mentions thiqah narrators who were inclined towards Wahm, and he mentions four narrations from Husayn Ibn Waqid.
8) Hafidh Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani wrote :
الحسين ابن واقد المروزي ثقة له أوهام
al-Husayn Ibn Waqid al-Marwazi, he was trustworthy and used to have Wahm (errors)
~Taqrib al-Tahdheeb page 152
This demonstrates that although Husayn Ibn Waqid was considered truthful in his narrations, he was a known mudallis and was prone to confusion between reliable (thiqah) narrators and weaker narrators. He also made mistakes in his narrations, which further affect the reliability of reports transmitted through him.
Perhaps Husayn Ibn Waqid confused the mursal narration of ʿIkrimah as the mawquf narration of Ibn Abbas, resulting in the report being incorrectly attributed to Ibn Abbas. Ikrimah was the one who propagated the idea that this ayah was solely for the wives of the Prophet.
Abu Ja’far al-Tabari mentioned :
كان عكرمةُ يُنادِى في السوقِ: {إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا}. قال: نزلت في نساءِ النبيِّ ﷺ خاصَّةً
Ikrimah’ would go out, calling out in the market that the Ayah 33:33 was revealed specially for the wives of the Prophet ﷺ.
~Tafsir al-Tabari vol 19:108
This narration contradicts the Sahih narration from Ibn Abbas as narrated by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal :
حدثنا يحيى بن حماد حدثنا أبو عَوَانة حدثنا أبو بَلْج حدثنا عمرو بن ميمونة قال: إني لجالس إلى ابن عباس: إذْ أتاه تسعةُ رهط، فقالوا: يا أبا عباس، إما أن تقوم معنا وإما أن/ يُخْلونَا هؤلِاء، قال: فقال ابِن عباسٍ: بل أقوم معكم، قال: وهو يومئذ صحيح قبل أن يَعْمَى، قال: فابتَدؤا فتحدَّثوا، فلا ندري ما قالوا، قال: فجاء ينْفُض ثوبه ويقول: أُفْ وتُفْ!، وقعوا في رجل له عَشْرٌ… وأخذ رسول الله ﷺ ثوبه فوضعه على عليّ وفاطمة وحسن وحسين فقال: {إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا}
Yahya Ibn Hammad narrated from Abu Awanah, who narrated from Abu Balj, who narrated from Amr’ Ibn Maymoona, that I was sitting with Ibn Abbas when nine men came to him and said to Ibn Abbas, ‘Either you come with us or ask these people to leave us alone with you.’ Ibn Abbas replied, ‘Rather, I will come with you.’
Then they began to converse, and we did not know what they said. Then Ibn Abbas came back shaking his garment (frustrated) and said, ‘Ugh, they spoke ill of a man who has ten (qualities), and Rasul-Allah ﷺ took his garment and placed it over Ali, Fatimah, Hasan & Husayn and recited {Allah only intends to remove Rijz from you, O Ahl al-Bayt} (Surah al-Ahzab 33)
~Musnad Ahmad vol 3:331-332
• Ahmad Muhammad Shaakir commented : Its Sanad is Sahih (إسناده صحيح)
More Tashih of this Hadith from al-Haakim al-Nishapuri, Allamah al-Dhabhi, Nur al-Deen al-Haythami, and al-Shawkani can be found here :
Hence, it is proved that the Sahih qoul of Ibn Abbas is that this verse was revealed for the Ashab al-Kisa and not the wives of the Prophet ﷺ
And even if, for the sake of argument, we were to accept the narration of Husayn Ibn Waqid attributed to Ibn Abbas as sahih, it would still contradict the Marfoo hadith of Rasul-Allahﷺ. The principle here is straightforward: a Sahih Marfoo’ hadith takes precedence over a mawquf narration
Muslim Ibn al-Hajjaj narrated :
، عَنْ صَفِيَّةَ بِنْتِ شَيْبَةَ، قَالَتْ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ غَدَاةً وَعَلَيْهِ مِرْطٌ مُرَحَّلٌ مِنْ شَعْرٍ أَسْوَدَ فَجَاءَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ فَأَدْخَلَهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَ الْحُسَيْنُ فَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَتْ فَاطِمَةُ فَأَدْخَلَهَا ثُمَّ جَاءَ عَلِيٌّ فَأَدْخَلَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ { إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا}
A’isha narrated that Rasul-Allah ﷺ was wearing a black cloak, and al-Hasan Ibn Ali came, and he ﷺ wrapped Hasan under it; then came al-Husayn, and he wrapped him too, and then came Fatimah and Ali, and he wrapped them too, and recited {Allah only intends to remove Rijz from you, O Ahl al-Bayt} (Surah al-Ahzab 33)
~Sahih Muslim, 2424
https://sunnah.com/muslim:2424
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