Al-Maathuuraat and Hisnul Muslim: Which is more authentic?

No, it is not a comparison. We just have to face the reality of some matters in our environment. This has been a long aged question people do ask me about which of the Adhkar books they should be reading morning and evening.

While some people do ask this question to steer arguments and preach unnecessary rancor, some do ask sincerely with the intention to know which is more reliable and authentic, as they have been hearing Hisnu Muslim is more authentic than Al-Maathuuraat or vice versa. The sincere questioner wants to know which is free from da’eef (weak) narrations and which truly captured the prophetic daily Adhkar.

The author of these two books have gone to meet their lords, we hope they are in the mercy of their lords and we hope they didn’t gather these Adhkar in their respective books except for a good intention.

Imam Hassan al-Banaa compiled the famous Adhkar book “Al Maathuuraat”; definitely, there will be uproar over what he compiled because his name is sensitive in the Islamic society, being the founder of the movement Ikhwanul Muslimoon (The Muslim Brotherhood). And that alone is enough an excuse for some people to criticize and beam their light of picking faults from any of his achievements or Islamic contributions. Sheikh Sa’eed Ali Al-Qahtaani of Saudi Arabia wrote the Adhkar book “Hisnul Muslim” and being a Saudi is enough an excuse for some set of people to accept or criticize the book without any further question. This undoubtedly defines partisanship and sectarianism.

Many a time some Muslims have criticized some laudable acts because of ignorance and arrogance to see the truth from their assumed religious adversaries.

To set the record straight, there is no particular hadith whereby the morning and evening Adhkar of the Prophet have been reported. Different Sahabah reported what they knew, heard or saw of the prophet’s morning and evening Adhkar in different occasions.

Then the same prophet never made it a compulsion on his Sahabah to say exactly the same Adhkar as he did say. So far the goal of these Adhkar is to move closer to Allah by glorifying him and seeking his protection and prayers. And if there’s any particular hadith whereby the prophet made some set of morning and evening Adhkar a compulsion on his sahaabah, kindly show it to us.

There is no problem in saying any meaningful Adhkar and Dua so far its wordings does not negate Taoheed (Islamic faith in Allah). If such Adhkar and Dua does not contain Shirk or unqualified praises, its ruling remains halal. The prophet solla Allahu alayhi wa sallam has established this fact in many of his sayings. E.g:

ليتخير أحدكم من الدعاء أعجبه إليه فليدع الله عز وجل. رواه البخاري والنسائي.
Imam Bukhari and Nasaa’i reported that the Prophet said “any of you should select any dua he likes and prefers from his own and seek Allah’s prayers with it..”

The prophet has also been reported to have said:
“و اجتهدوا في الدعاء”
“and make exertion in Dua”. See page 561 of the book الشفاء of Imam Qaadiy Iyyad. He as well cited alot of invented Adhkar and dua by the Sahabah during and after the life of the Prophet. See the chapter he titled
“فصل في كيفية الصلاة عليه و التسليم”
In the same book الشفاء.

As well denoting on saying Adhkar and Dua other than the Ma’thuur (narrated ones from the prophet) is the actions of the Sahabah and Salaf who invented their own invocation wordings, aside what is known in the Qur’an or reported in the hadith.

A clear example during the lifetime of the Prophet is the famous hadith in Saheeh Bukhari. The hadith of Rufaa’ah bn Raafi’, he said: “we were praying solat behind the prophet, when the prophet raised his head from rukuu’ by saying sami’a Allahu liman hamidahu, a man behind the prophet then said rabbanaa wa lakal hamdu, hamdan katheeran toyyiban mubaarakan fiihi, when the prophet finished the Solaat, he said: who said such Adhkar (Rabanaa wa lakal hamdu…), the sahabiy who said so replied he was the one, then the prophet said: I saw some thirty (30) angels competing among themselves who to write down the (reward of the) Adhkar.

Ibn Hajar and many scholars asserted that this hadith is an evidence that permits inventing Adhkar and Dua (even in solaat) apart from what is directly related from the prophet (al-Ma’thuur) so far the meaning doesn’t negate the Shari’ah.

A person may argue that the issue is not in inventing meaningful Adhkar and dua but subjecting a specific invented dua/Adhkar to a specific period of time. Thus asking, what is the evidence that the Prophet himself would recite Suratu Zilzalah in the morning and evening (as in Al-Maathuuraat of Hassan al-Banaa)?

The answer to this query is simple. So far the person has fully understood that the Prophet himself gave permission to inventing Adhkar and Dua that are meaningful, how did the Sahabah and Salaf understand and practice this permission? The Sahabah as well would say their invented dua that is other than the sanctioned ones by the prophet (al-Ma’thuur) during specific period of time.

Aa’ishah radiya Allahu anhaa would always say during the time of bed every night:
“اللهم إني أسألك رؤية صالحة نافعة غير كاذبة صادقة غير ضارة”
As well as Aliyy bn Abee Taalib, Ibn Abbas, Hasan al-Basri, Abu Haneefah, Imam Shaafi’i and many others have their preferred invented Adhkar they did say at specific period of time.

There’s a reported consensus that the Ma’thur (sanctioned by the prophet) Adhkar and Dua are no doubt the best, either in solaat or out of solaat. As well is the consensus of scholars on the permissibility of inventing meaningful Adhkar in the solaat or out of solaat. As there’s also a consensus that making a ziyaadah (increase) on the Ma’thuur dua and Adhkar in and out of solaat is permissible. Citing the incidence whereby Umar bn Khattab (radiya Allahu anhu) increased (from his own choice) on the talbiyyah (labaika Allahumma labaik…) of the Prophet while the prophet was alive – as reported by his son Ibn Umar.
Umar bn Khattab increased the talbiyyah by adding:
لبيك اللهم لبيك، لبيك وسعديك، والخير في يديك، لبيك والرغباء إليك والعمل.

If inventing meaningful Adhkar and dua is to he haram, then Dua in any other language will automatically be Haram since the prophet only spoke Arabic. Nay! The issue isn’t so.

Certainly, no specific authentic hadith from the prophet suggested Suratu Zilzalah and Nasr to be recited morning and evening, but there are ahaadeeth talking about the virtues and benefits of reciting these Surahs. Upon this is what Imam Hassan al-Banaa based his ijtihaad. And he isn’t lone in this; alot of Salaf had done the same in their respective Adhkar collection books.

The compilation of the Adhkar books by Imam Hassan al-Banaa is an act of ijtihaad that do not necessarily mean it MUST be followed strictly and whoever does not follow it is not upright; likewise is the Hisnul Muslim of Sheikh Al-Qahtaani, the Al-Adhkar of Imam Nawawi and other famous ones. A Muslim should choose the one s/he is convinced in its authentication but shouldn’t go extreme by condemning others that are well okay.

Interestingly, even the famous book of Imam an-Nawawi “Al-Adhkar” that have been sanctioned by alot of Muslim scholars is not free from weak narrations. Yes, I mean in the chapter of the morning and evening Adhkar in the book. Likewise, Hisnul Muslim is not free of weak narrations.

To be explicit:

A: The hadith of Umu Salamah, reported in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad and sunan Ibn Majah that says the prophet would say after solatu subh
“اللهم إني أسألك علما نافعاً و عملا متقبلا و رزقا طيبا”
Allahumma inni as-aluka ilman naafi’an wa amalan mutaqabalan wa rizqan toyyiban.

This hadith is a da’eef (weak) hadith. Extracted by Tabraaniy in الدعاء pg 669, as well as Imam Ahmad considered it weak.

And this hadith can be found in page 79 of the book “Al-Adhkar” by Imam Nawawi.

B: The hadith of Abdullah bn Ghannam, reported in Sunan Ibn Majah, he said the prophet said: whoever says when he wakes up
“اللهم ما أصبح بي من نعمة فمنك وحدك لا شريك لك، لك الحمد و لك الشكر،….”
Allahumma maa asbah bi min ni’matin faminka wahdak la shareeka laka, laka l hamdu wa laka shukru..

This hadith is well da’eef and can be found in page 84 of Al-Adhkar Imam Nawawi.

C: The hadith of Ibn Abbas reported in Sunan Ibn Majah that says the prophet said:
“Whoever recites when he wakes up and during the evening
فَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ حِينَ تُمْسُونَ وَحِينَ تُصْبِحُون….وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَعَشِيًّا وَحِينَ تُظْهِرُونَ…..يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ وَيُحْيِي الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَكَذَٰلِكَ تُخْرَجُونَ..
Suratu Room verse 17-19

Abu Daawud 5076, Tabraaniy 323. The chain of this hadith is weak. Mentioned in page 85 of Al-Adhkar of Imam Nawawi.

D: The hadith of Ma’qal bn Yasaar that the Prophet said whoever wakes and recites 3 verses of Suratu Hashr,….

Reported by Tirmidhi 2922, Ahmad, Tabraaniy 305.. They all ruled its chain of transmission as da’eef. This is in page 87 of Al-Adhkar of Imam Nawawi.

E: The hadith of Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said whoever recites the verses 1-3 of Suratu Ghaafir and ayatal Kursiyy in the morning and evening….

Reported by Tirmidhi 2879 and the hadith is da’eef. See page 89 of Al-Adhkar Imam Nawawi.

And a lot more….

The important point to be noted here is that, hadith authentication is subjected to differences among the scholars of Hadith base upon known principles. And sometimes, a narrative (riwaayah) maybe da’eef while another riwaayah with the same wordings of the da’eef hadith proves authentic. A certain hadith may have shawaahid/mutaaba’ah (backups) by another hadith narrated by another narrator strengthening the earlier declared da’eef hadith. This is a basic knowledge in the field of the sciences of Hadith.

That being rightly said, we should also note that weak ahadith with good meanings in the aspect of Fiqh and dua (not in Aqeedah by the way; we don’t establish Aqeedah with weak ahadith) are generally acceptable. With the condition that the hadith is not extremely weak or fabricated, its meaning is correct and does not contradict the known fundamental of Islam (taoheed).

Ibn Taemiyyah in his Majmoo’ Vol 1 pg 250 recorded that Imam Ahmad and other scholars regarded it is permissible to act upon weak ahaadeeth on righteous deeds. Imam an-Nawawi also established this in the introduction of his book “Al-Adhkar”.

The goal of daily Adhkar is to reflect a constant connection and loving bond with Allah. It is a means of seeking forgiveness, protection and blessings from Allah and being purified of our sins. In any of the ibaadaat we engage in, we shouldn’t forget the sincerity of our soul determines its acceptability from Allah. May Allah grant us sincerity and overlook the shortcomings in our ibaadaat.