Oct 17 • General discussion
Need for Explanation/Refutation: David Wood's Hateful Speech on the Al-Zutt Hadith
Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters,
I'm seeking scholarly insight and refutations regarding the Al-Zutt hadith, which is a frequent target of criticism by Christian apologists, who use it to spread hateful and defamatory narratives about the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).
Specifically, the hadith in question is often cited from Musnad Ahmad(though sometimes other compilations like Jami’ at-Tirmidhi) and details an incident where the Prophet (ﷺ) met with a group of Jinn. The part being maliciously distorted is the Arabic phrase, "fa-ja’alu yarkabuˉna Rasuˉl Allaˉh (ﷺ)," which literally relates to the Jinn "riding" or "mounting" the Prophet (ﷺ).
I would appreciate explanations or refutations on the following points:
- Authenticity (Sahih/Da’if): What is the consensus among Hadith scholars (muhaddithuˉn) regarding the authenticity (ṣiḥḥah) of this particular narration's chain ( isnaˉd)? Is it considered Sahih (authentic), Ḥasan (good), Da’ıˉf (weak), or Mawḍuˉ’ (fabricated)? I'm particularly interested in the ratings by scholars like Shaykh Aḥmad Shaˉkir or Shu’ayb al-Arna’uˉṭ.
- Linguistic Meaning and Context: What is the correct, established linguistic interpretation of the phrase "fa-ja’alu yarkabuˉna" in classical Arabic or in the context of Ḥadıˉth? Scholars often explain this as an idiom meaning the Jinn were crowding around the Prophet (ﷺ) with intense eagerness to listen to the Quran, and that it is further supported by a verse in the Qur’an (Surah Al-Jinn 72:19). Can someone provide a detailed linguistic or Tafsıˉr (exegesis) based explanation?
- Refuting the Defamation: How can a Muslim clearly and effectively address the perverse and baseless claims being propagated by critics like David Wood using this hadith?
Understanding the scholarly position—both on the classification of the hadith and the correct linguistic and contextual interpretation—is vital for refuting this type of hateful and misleading rhetoric.
Jazakum Allahu khayran for your help.
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Need for Explanation/Refutation: David Wood's Hateful Speech on the Al-Zutt Hadith
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