Hadith No: 8
Muhammad Ali al-Urdubili - Jam'i al-Ruwat
Volume: (1) - Page Number: (324)
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Zurarah ibn A'yun ibn Sansan al-Shaybani, their mawla [Qar] was known by the kunya Abu al-Hasan. He died in the year 150 [Q.Cash]. He was also known by the kunya Abu Ali, and his name was Abd Rabbuh. Zurarah was a title given to him [Sit].
He was trustworthy, narrating from Abu Ja'far and Abu Abdullah (peace be upon them) [Zom], an elder among our companions in his time, a predecessor of theirs. He was a qari, a jurist, a theologian, a poet, and an eloquent scholar, embodying qualities of virtue and religion. He was truthful in what he narrated [Cash, Sah]. Trustworthy [Sah]. The group unanimously agreed on his credibility and obedience to him in jurisprudence among six who were the most knowledgeable of the early companions of Abu Ja'far and Abu Abdullah (peace be upon them). They said: The six were Waqqifiyyun, and Zurarah was one of them.- So said al-Kashi, who mentioned many narrations indicating the elevation of his rank, the greatness of his status, and the grandeur of his worth, too numerous to detail here. Some of them were previously mentioned in Barid, and he opposed this with reports suggesting a blemish against him. A sufficient response and excuse to those is what was narrated
in an authentic report that Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) sent to him, "What I criticize you for is merely my defense of you, for people and the enemy rush to anyone we draw close to and praise in our place to cause harm to those we love and draw near." They may speak ill of them for our love and closeness to them, seeing it as an opportunity to harm or kill them, and they commend anyone we criticize. "So, I only criticize you because you are a man known to us, with an inclination toward us, and in that, you will be condemned among the people. This will deflect their harm from you." Allah, the Almighty, says:
{ As for the ship, it belonged to the poor who worked in the sea. I intended to damage it, but behind them was a king who would seize every ship by force } (Surah al-Kahf 18:79). This decree is from Allah regarding the ship; it is not, by Allah, that it was truly criticized except to protect it from the king. Understand the parable, and may Allah have mercy on you, for, by Allah, you are the most beloved of people to Me and the most cherished of My companions among My living and deceased, for you are the finest ship in that vast sea. And behind you is indeed a tyrannical, unjust king who watches the passage of every righteous ship returning from the Sea of Guidance to seize it and its people. So, may the mercy of Allah be upon you in life, and His mercy and رضوان upon you in death." This is despite the fact that its chain of narration is defective, and its indications of falsehood are mostly laden (Mah).
- Al-Kashi also mentioned a narration indicating the greatness of his status and worthiness, along with mentions of narrations suggesting his condemnation, some of which contain weaknesses. Al-Shahid al-Thani said, "It has become clear that all the reports criticizing him are connected to Muhammad ibn Isa, which is a significant indication of his bias and deviation against Zurarah, in addition to his weakness in himself." Sayyid Jamal al-Din ibn Tawus said, and how well he spoke, "Muhammad ibn Isa has often spoken about Zurarah to the extent that if he were in a position of justice, suspicions might hasten towards him with allegations. How could it be, then, while he is criticized?" Al-Allamah, may his holy soul rest in peace, said in [Sah]: "Al-Kashi mentioned narrations indicating his integrity, and those accounts were met with other reports suggesting a blemish against him. We have outlined in our larger work a way to resolve this, and the man is, in my view, an acceptable narrator."