Ibn Majah

In his Kitab as-Sunan, Ibn Majah published the following tradition of Abdallah b. Masud through Yazid b. Abi Ziyad, on the authority of Ibrahim, on the authority of ‘Algamah, on the authority of ‘Abdallah, who said:

The hadith transmitters know this tradition as “the tradition of the flags.” Its transmitter is Yazid b. Abi Ziyad.

Shu’bah said regarding Yazid b. Abi Ziyad:

Muhammad b. Fudayl said:

Ahmad b. Hanbal said:

“Yazid b. Abi Ziyad was no hadith expert… He is not such (a good man).”

Yahya b. Main said: “Yazid b. Abi Ziyad is weak.”

Al-‘Ijli said: “His traditions are permissible. At the end, he used to understand things.”

Abu Zur’ah said:

“He is soft. His traditions may be written down, but they cannot be used as evidence.”

Abu Hatim said: “He is not strong.”

Al-Juzajant said: “I heard them declare his traditions weak.”

Abu Dawad said: “I do not know anyone who omitted his traditions, but I like others better than him.” Ibn ‘Adi said= “He belongs to the Shi’ah of al-Kilfah. In spite of his weakness, his traditions may be written down.”

Muslim transmitted traditions of his but only when the same traditions were also transmitted with other chains of transmitters.

In general, the majority considered him weak. Religious leaders have pronounced openly on the weakness of the tradition of the flags that was transmitted by him on the authority of Ibrahim, on the authority of ‘Alqamah, on the authority of ‘Abdallah. Waki’ b. al-Jarrah said regarding it: “It is nothing.”

The same was said by Ahmad b. Hanbal. Abu Qudamah said: “I heard Abu Usamah say, regarding Yazid’s tradition about the flags on the authority of Ibrahim: ‘Were he to swear me fifty oaths, I should not believe him. Is that Ibrahim’s way? Is that ‘Algamah’s way? Is that ‘Abdallah’s way?’ "

Al the Du’afd’ (on weak transmitters). Adh-Dhahabi said: “It is not sound.”

The following tradition of ‘Ali was published by Ibn Majah, as transmitted by Yasin al-‘Ijli, 8 95 on the authority of Ibrahim b. Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyah, 8 96 on the authority of Ibrahim’s father, on the authority of his grandfather (‘Ali), who said:

“The Messenger of God said= ‘The Mahdi is from among us, the people of the House. God will give him success in one night.’ "

Although Ibn Ma’in said, regarding Yasin al-‘Ijli, that there was nothing wrong with him, al-Bukhari said that he was disputed.

In al-Bukhari’s terminology, that is a strong expression for declaring a transmitter weak. The tradition of Yasin was quoted by Ibn ‘Adi in the Kamil and by adhDhahabl in the Mizdn, with disapproval.

Adh-Dhahabi said: “It is known as his (tradition).”

The following tradition of ‘Ali was published by atTabarani in his Medium Mu`jam:

“‘All said to the Messenger of God: ‘Will the Mahdi be from among us or from among other people, O Messenger of God?’ Muhammad replied= ‘Indeed, he will be from among us. Through us, God will bring about the end, as he brought about the beginning. Through us, they shall be saved from polytheism, and through us, God shall unite them after open hostilities, as he united them through us after the hostilities of polytheism. Ali said: ‘Will they be believers or unbelievers?’ Muhammad replied: ‘Rebel(s) and unbeliever(s).’ "

The chain of transmitters of this tradition includes ‘Abdallah b. Lahi’ah.

He is weak, and it is well known what the matter is with him. (The same chain) also includes ‘Amr b. Jabir al-Hadrami.900 He is even weaker than Ibn Lahi’ah. Ahmad b. Hanbal said= “He (‘Amr b. Jabir) transmitted disapproved things on the authorityof Jabir. 901 I have heard that he used to lie.” An-Nasa’i said= “He is not reliable.”

Ibn Lahi’ah said= “He was a stupid, weak-minded shaykh. He used to say= “Ali is in the clouds.’ He was sitting with us, and when he saw a cloud, he would say= ‘There goes ‘Ali passing by in a cloud.’ "

Another tradition of ‘Ali was also published by at-Tabarani:

“The Messenger of God said: ‘At the end of time, there will be a rebellion in which people will be caught as firmly as gold is embedded in the ore. Do not slander the Syrians, but only the bad ones among them, because among them there are (also) saints. Soon a downpour will be sent from heaven upon the Syrians. It will divide them so much that if nothing (stronger) than foxes were going to fight them, they would be defeated. At that time, there will come forth one from among my family and there will be with him 3 flags (regiments), comprising, according to the highest figure given, 15,000 men, or, according to the lowest figure, 12,000. Their order of the day will be: Kill, kill. They will encounter seven flags (regiments), each of which will be commanded by a man who seeks royal authority. But God will kill all of them. He will restore to the Muslims their unity, prosperity, remote (possessions), and judgment.’ "

The chain of transmitters of that tradition includes ‘Abdallah b. Lahi’ah. He is weak, and it is well known what the matter is with him. (The tradition) was transmitted by al-Hakim in his Mustadrak. He said= “It is sound with regard to the chain of transmitters, but (al-Bukhari and Muslim) did not publish it.”

Al-Hakim’s recension has: “. . . Then, there will appear the Hashimite, and God will restore to the people their unity, etc.” (AI-Hakim’s) chain of transmitters does not include Ibn Lahi’ah. It is, as he states, a sound chain.

The following tradition of ‘Ali was published by alHakim in the Mustadrak, as transmitted by Abu t-Tufayl, on the authority of Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyah, who said= “We were with ‘Ali, and someone asked him about the Mahdi. ‘Ali replied= ‘Look here.’

Then he made a 7 with his fingers and said: ‘He is the one who will come forth at the end of time. When someone says (at that time)= God, God! he will be killed.

God will gather for him people who are scattered like stray clouds. He will unite them. They will be neither sad nor glad over anyone who joins them. In number they will be like the fighters at Badr, whom men of former times did not surpass and men of later times fell short of. They will also be like the number of the companions of Saul who crossed the river with him.’ "

Abu t-Tufayl said: “Ibn al-Hanafiyah said= ‘Do you want (to hear) it?’ I said= ‘Yes.’ (So) he continued: ‘He will come forth between these two mountains.’ 905 I said= ‘By God, I shall assuredly not leave them until I die.’ “-And he died in it, that is, Mecca.

Al-Hakim said: “This is a sound tradition according to the conditions (for sound traditions) laid down by (alBukhari and Muslim).” End of the quotation.

However, it is (sound) only according to the conditions laid down by Muslim, for in (the chain of transmitters) there occur the names of ‘Ammar ad-Duhni 906 and Yunus b. Abi Ishaq.907 Al-Bukhari did not publish any traditions of these two men.

It also includes ‘Amr b. Muhammad al-‘Angazi. 908 Al-Bukhari did not publish traditions of his as evidence, though he did publish them to support the reliability of traditions. In addition, there also is the pro-Shl’ah sentiment of ‘Ammar ad-Duhni.

Although Ahmad (b. Hanbal), Ibn Ma’in, Abu Hatim, an-Nasa’i, and others considered him reliable, ‘Ali b. al-Madini 909 said on the authority of Sufyan that Bishr b. Marwan had disqualified him.

“In what respect?” I (Sufyan) asked.

He replied: “In respect to his pro-Shi’ah sentiment.“The following tradition of Anas b. Malik was published by Ibn Majah, as transmitted by Sa’d b. ‘Abd-al-Hamid b. Ja’far, on the authority of ‘Ali b. Ziyad al-Yamami, on the authority of ‘Ikrimah b. ‘Ammar, on the authority of Ishaq b. ‘Abdallah,915 on the authority of Anas, who said: “I heard the Messenger of God say: ‘We, the descendants of ‘Abd-al-Muttalib, are the lords of the inhabitants of Paradise. I, Hamzah, ‘Ali, Jafar, al-Hasan, al-Husayn, and the Mahdi.’ " 916 End of the quotation.