The Obligation and Need for the Chains of Narration (al-Ijaazat)

I have posted an article from Shaykh Muhammad Shareef. Some of you are familiar with him and some of you are not. For those of you who are not, he is the founder of the Sankore Institute of Islamic African Studies. He is the transmitter and translator of numerous books by Shaykh Uthman Ibn Fodio better known as Shehu Uthman dan Fodiyo. Within this article Shaykh Muhammad Shareef quotes his sanad (chain)that links directly back to Shaykh Uthman dan Fodio. Shaykh Muhammad Shareef sheds further light in this article by expounding on issues like the importance of the hadeeth within the two well known compilations of hadith Bukhari and Muslim and the importance of isnad (chain of authority) along with different types of Ijaza. In reading this article, the reader will experience the true baraka (blessing) of the Shehu. May Allah ta'ala be pleased with Shaykh Uthman dan Fodio. Ameen. And May Allah ta'ala shower his mercy and preserve Shaykh Muhammad Shareef and assist him in his endeavors, Ameen! SUCCESS IS WITH ALLAH! As Salaamu Alaykum Wa Rahma The Shehu says in the Sawq al-Umma: "I have only cited in this book the traditions of the two authentic collections (as-Sahihayn) : al-Bukhari and Muslim because of the consensus of the Umma regarding their acceptability. However, the expressions from the narrations of al-Bukhari are more prominent in this book than those of Muslim, even though both contribute to what is largely desired in meaning." The Shehu narrates in the Sawq al-Umma a total of 228 prophetic traditions, with 209 coming from the Saheeh of al-Bukhari and 19 cited from Imam Muslim. The consensus of the scholars of Islam agree on the methodology, the veracity and authenticity of the

collections of the prophetic traditions of the Two Shaykhs. The first of the Two Shaykhs was Imam Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Bukhari who lived between the years 810 and 870 hijra. He was the most celebrated of all the compilers of prophetic traditions. His collection, al-Jaam`u as-Saheeh is considered by consensus to be the most reliable of the collections of prophetic traditions. The second was the great Imam Abu'l-Husayn Muslim ibn al-Hajaaj ibn Muslim ibn Wardi al-Qushayri an-Naysaburi, the author of the famous Saheeh Muslim which contained 300 thousand sound prophetic traditions. Their Saheeh collections lie at the foundation of the diverse views of jurisprudence, theology and spiritual purification in Islam. And the reason that these two collections were composed was as source books for jurists in their legal proofs, deductions, legal extractions and independent judgments. The Shehu says: "The reason for this is that al-Bukhari is considered more authentic than Muslim in the view held by the majority of the scholars (al-jamhuur) ." Shaykh Abdullahi ibn Fuduye' said in his excellent versification of the Saheeh of al-Bukhari called Siraaj al-Bukhari: "Its soundness after the veracity of the Qur'an is preferable It is superior to every other book and on it they all take reliance For it is more reliable than the book of Imam Muslim Due to its prerequisites in connection of the narrators, so understand That it is firmly established in encountering the narrators and their veracity

Its men of narration are superior in all respects to the men of narrations And that the consensus upholds its superiority In what it verified as sound has acceptance with the Lord of Truth." The Shehu says: "Another reason is that I have license to transmit al-Bukhari by direct transmission (sama'an), unlike the narrations of Muslim, although I have license (ijaazat) to transmit it." Here, the Shehu gives us two types of transmission, the first one being transmission through direct hearing of the text called (samaa`an), and the other mere license (ijaaza) to transmit the text. Of course the former is superior to the later because in the first the scholar is blessed to be apart of a Golden Chain of transmission where the text is recited to him from a scholar who also heard it from a scholar going back to the author, and from him back to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. While in the later, the scholar merely receives a license from a scholar to transmit a text without having read it or listened to its reading from the scholar. My friend, Dr Abd'l-Ahad al-Kabeeru said: "The system of license (al-ijaaza) has been the custom of the people of Bilad `s-Sudan in their Islamic education since the 7th century hijra. It is a diploma, which is given to the students of education after the completion of particular text. The awarding of an ijaaza was customarily done through verbal pronouncement or written. The scholars designated three degrees in conferring the ijaaza. The first was the diploma received through

listening (shahaadat `s-samaa') where the student meticulously followed the exact wordings of the teacher and memorized them. The second was the contingent diploma (shahaadat `l-`arad) where the student enumerated particular texts and committed them to memory and understood their commentaries. The final one was the complete license (ijaazat `l-kaamila) where the student reached the stage where he could mention the chains of authority (asaaneed) going back to their original starting point." The reason that the Shehu considered transmission of knowledge of prophetic traditions and other sciences through the chains of authorities as necessary was based upon the saying of Ali ibn Abi Talib who said: "When you write down the prophetic traditions write it down with its chain of authority. For if it is true then you become a partner in the reward. If it is false then the responsibility is upon the one you received it from." According to the Asaaneed `l-Faqir, the Shehu said: "This tradition is encouragement to have reliance upon seeking after the chains of authority in the affairs of the deen. It is essential for every religious person to make his reliance upon it because it is the weapon of the believer as related by at-Thawri: "The chain of authority is the weapon of the believer. If he has no weapon then with what can he fight?" Ibn Mubaarik said: "The likeness of one who seeks an issue of his deen without a chain of authority is like the one who desires to climb to the roof without a ladder." He also said: "The chains of authority are from the deen. If there are no chains of authority, then whoever likes can say whatever he likes."

According to the Asaaneed `l-Faqir, the Shehu said: "Realize that preoccupation with preserving the chains of authorities (Salaasil al-isnaad) is among the most important matters of the deen for the scholars as well as the worshippers. The people of the east were enriched by means of this, however it is almost non-existent in these Black lands of ours and very few among the people of the west." It was because of this problem that the Shehu made one of the pillars of his reform movement, the revival of the transmission of the chains of authority (asanaaneed) from his teachers going back to the Prophet himself, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He said that one of the key objectives in doing so was in order to maintain an unbroken line back to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace in all things. According to the Asaaneed `l-Faqir, the Shehu said: "Since I have seen the lack of reliance upon the chains of authorities (Salaasil `l-isnaad) in the lands, yet no two people differed about the urgent need for such. For this reason, I gathered together these chains of authority in order to bring benefit through their reliance to those who have yearning for this affair among my children, my companions and all of the brothers. Realize that the chains of authority are among the special qualities of this Umma. Large numbers of scholars have taken hold of its golden chain throughout the ages." Shaykh Muhammad ibn Umar al-Ghadamaashi said in his commentary upon the questioning of the two Angels named al-Kawaakib ad-Durriya Fi Jami` al-Ahaadeeth al-Muta`alliqa Bi Sharhi al-Ajuuzati as-Suyuutiyya:

"The scholars of the sunna, may Allah be pleased with them have said that the chains of authority is apart of the beloved sunna. Nearness to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace is the desired station. Thus, whoever has missed relationship to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace from the perspective of birth and near relations, thus, it is necessary for him to seek after the people of the high chains of authority (asaaneed al-`aliyya). He should take it from them even with license because parenthood in the deen is a greater rank than parenthood of birth. Likewise the pardon which comes from the parenthood in the deen is greater in importance than that which comes from the parenthood of birth." Regarding that al-Haafidh at-Tirmidhi: "Oh one who is critical of the preoccupation with the prophetic traditions. The people of the prophetic traditions are the successful ones. They have a special relationship with the Chosen One. The people of the prophetic traditions are the people of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Even though their breadths have never mingled with his breadths yet they have attained companionship with him." > Shaykh Abdullahi said in his `Ida `n-Nusuukh: "He, > the > Shehu, learnt the science of prophetic traditions > (al-hadeeth) from our maternal and paternal uncle, > al-Hajj Muhammad ibn Raj ibn Modibo ibn Hamm ibn > `Aal, > reading with him the entire Saheeh of al-Bukhari, > while I listened. Then he gave us license > (al-ijaaza) > to pass on all the narrations that he received from > his shaykh, Abu'l-Hassan Ali al-Madini, whose origin

> was from Sind." > > The majority of the chains of authorities in the > prophetic traditions which the Shehu preserved came > to > him through this paternal uncle, Abu Muhammad > al-Hajj > Muhammad ibn Raj ibn Modibo ibn Hamm ibn `Aal ibn > Muhammad Jubba ibn Muhammad Sanbu ibn Ayyub ibn > Maasiraan ibn Buuba Baaba ibn Musa Jokolli. These > ijaazas and chains of authority included the two > Saheeh collections of al-Bukhari and Muslim, but > also > included the remainder of the six canonical > collections of Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasai', > and > Ibn Maja. > > > Shaykh Abdullahi ibn Fuduye' praised this shaykh in > his Tazyeen al-Waraqaat and highlighted the major > influence that he had upon the transmission of the > science of prophetic traditions in the Central Bilad > as-Sudan; when he said: > "Congratulations for acquiring benefit by turning > aside > To a pilgrim renowned by the name of Ibn Raj > Forbearing, surpassing the scholars in the science > of > Hadeeth > Making it to shine abundantly like a life giving > lamp > Eloquent, staid, upright and gentle > A giver of the pure gold of Hadeeth to anyone who > asks > Its drinking place, because of his sweet water, is > purer > And cleaner than water in rocky pools > It issues from him as an authentic transmission > He imitates in this Sa`d ibn as-Shiraah > And it is most fitting that one who has remained > long > In al-Medina should acquire it with authority > He came to us with the six canonical collections > As an authentic transmission which the light of > tafseer adorns

> More especially in the prophetic traditions of > al-Bukhari > In this he has scope and great breadth > And whatever he aims to teach from them\ > They come submissively to him, as if bringing land > tax > Thanks be to Allah, that He has returned him to us > We will accompany him until the Day of Destruction > And with the praises of the One, on Sunday it is > completed > And our hijra, by allusion, is the year 1209 > (1794)." > > As the date indicates, it was soon after this that > the > Shehu composed the Sawq al-Umma and delineates his > methodology of transmission; which was that he would > teach and transmit at the same time that he received > transmission. This was important because the Shehu > began to develop a cadre of students who grew in > knowledge and spirituality as he himself developed. > > Shaykh Abdullahi gives us the chain of authority of > the Saheeh al-Bukhari as it was received from this > shaykh, in his Tazyeen al-Waraqaat, where he said: > "Abdullahi says, after giving praises to Allah > And sending blessings upon the possessor of glory > Muhammad ibn Raj instructed us > That is, our paternal uncle, the purified, the hajji > In the authentic collection of al-Bukhari > And Shaykh Uthman was the one who read it from him > Which he got from his shaykh at Tayba, Abu'l-Hassan > The scholar from the land of Sind, the one learned > in > the Sunna > Who had it from his shaykh, Muhammad Hayah > Who had it from Ibn Salim, who had it from the > trustworthy one > Muhammad al-Balbili al Misri > Who had it from Salim Abu an-Naja as-Sanhuri > Who had it from his shaykh, al-Qayat, that is > Muhammad > Who had it from the Shaykh of Islam, Zakariya > al-Ansari who passed on > What he had acquired from Ahmad ibn Ali, the rock of > the shaykhs

> Who had it from Ibrahim at-Tanuukhi > Who had it from Ahmad al-Hajjar, who had it from > Zubayd > Who had it from Abd'l-Awwal, who had it from > ad-Dawudi > Who had it from as-Sarakhsi, who had it from > al-Firabri > Who had it from al-Bukhari, of great authority." > > This is the Golden Chain of the transmission of the > Saheeh of al-Bukhari, that the Shehu received from > his > paternal uncle, al-Hajj Muhammad ibn Raj going back > to > the author himself. From Ibn Raj, the Shehu received > two chains of authority in the Saheeh of al-Bukhari > and one in the chain of the authority of the Saheeh > of > Imam Muslim. > > We thank Allah ta`ala for making us apart of this > Golden Chain through the chain of authority which we > received from our teaching shaykh, the jurist Imam > Muhammad al-Amin ibn Adam Kari`angha ibn Muhammad > Tukur ibn Muhammad Sanbu, which he acquired from his > father Shaykh Adam Kari`angha al-Khateeb, which he > received from his teacher, Shaykh Musa al-Muhajir, > which he received from the Imam and Khateeb, Shaykh > Ali ibn Abu Bakr, who received it from the Light of > the Age, Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye', may Allah be > merciful to all of them. > > Other scholars from whom the Shehu received > transmission in the science of prophetic tradition, > but particular through permission to transmit were > his > key teacher, Shaykh Abu'l-Amama Jibril ibn Umar, and > his son, Shaykh Abu't-Tawfiq Umar ibn Jibril. > > Not only did the Shehu receive ijaazas in the chains > of authorities of Saheeh al-Bukhari and Muslim from > them, but he also received many ijaazas in the Path > of > tasawwuf from them as well. > > According to the Asaaneed `l-Faqir, the Shehu

> received > from these two illustrious teachers, seven different > chains of authorities in the Saheeh of al-Bukhari > and > four chains of authority in the Saheeh of Imam > Muslim. > This indicates the important influence that these > two > had on the methodology of reform established by the > Shehu. In fact, according to the Shehu, Shaykh > Jibril, > was one of the most important and influential > teacher > of all his 87 teachers and shaykhs. > > Shehu Uthman Dan Fuduye' said in his Shifaah > `l-Ghaleel Fi Hillu Ma Ashkala Min Kalaam Shaykhina > Jibril: > > "Let the people of our country know this, that some > of > what Allah has favored them with, so that they can > make strenuous efforts in giving thanks to Allah > ta`ala - for the existence of this Shaykh in our > lands. This is so that they can warrant increase. I > say, and success in what I say is from Allah: > > Among his merits, may Allah be pleased with him, is > that he was one of those who upheld the banner of > learning during his time. He was privileged with > being > able to visit the Sacred House of Allah and to visit > the grave of his Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless > him > and grant him peace - at least twice. > > Among his merits, may Allah be pleased with him, is > that he reached the furthest limit in preoccupation > with the Book of Allah and the Sunna. He directed > the > people towards them as well. > > Among his merits, may Allah be pleased with him, is > that he was the first to stand to drive out these > blameworthy customs which prevail in these lands of > ours, the bilad `s-sudan. It was by means of his

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> baraka that this has been completed at our hands. > > Among his merits, may Allah be pleased with him, is > that he attained the furthest limit is sound > worship, > excellent character and jealousy for the religion of > Islam. He was forbearing, soft hearted and kind. He > gave the best speech to those who encountered him. > He > never had hatred for anyone nor ever showed a frown > on > his face. He disclosed the best of speech to all > people with a cheerful face until everyone > considered > himself or herself to be his closest friend. > > Among his merits, may Allah be pleased with him, is > that he was cheerful and good-natured. He was > ennobled > with the attire of dignity. He all his affairs he > demonstrated the most awe-inspiring demeanor. > > Among his merits, may Allah be pleased with him, is > that he reached the highest limit in exalting the > Chosen One, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, > until whenever he would refer to him he would call > him > - "the Best of Creation" (Afdal `l-Khalq). > > The merits of Shaykh Jibril, may Allah be pleased > with > him, are numerous and incalculable. In what we have > mentioned is sufficient for the one who desires to > know them. We, by our relationship with his station, > are like the relationship of the lame to the sturdy; > or like the relationship of the hornet with the > melody > of the Psalms. > > For by Allah! We do not know if Allah would have > guided us to the path of the Sunna and avoiding > blameworthy customs, had this blessed shaykh not > clarified it for us. For everyone who revives the > Sunna and abolishes blameworthy customs in these > lands > of ours, the bilad `s-sudan - is simply a wave from

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> his waves. It is for this reason that I have said > about him in verse: > If what is said about me in good opinion what they > say > Then I am simply a wave from the waves of Jibril." > > Of course one of the first text the Shehu composed > which reflects the vast influence that Shaykh > al-Hajj > Muhammad ibn Raj, Shaykh Jibril and his son, Shaykh > Umar had on him, was the Sawq al-Umma.

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