International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume III, Issue IX, September 2019|ISSN 2454-6186

Intellectual Dialogue Between: Renewed

"Muhaddith" Al-Imam Ibn Shihab Al-Zuhuri (124
A.H ) and Prominent "Orientalist": Goldziher Ignas
(1339 A.H)
Abdulmalik Sani
Postgraduate Student, Department of Fiqh Al-Sunnah (Sunnah Jurisprudence), Faculty of Hadith and Islamic Studies, Islamic
Universitym Madina, Saudi Arabia

Abstract:- Verily, science of hadith is one of the noblest scholars of the time among them are: Sa'ed bn Musayeb,
profession comprehended by few among large number of Nafi'u maula ibn Umar, Sinan bn Abi Sinan and prominent
Islamic scholars, however, Imam Al-zuhuri was not just one of woman scholar: Amrah bint Abdurrahman.
those professionals but a famous one, he was one the sixth
Hadith narrators whom most chains of Hadith passed through Gradual time with change, Imam Al-zuhuri succeeded
them. He devoid and exterminate his life in learning and his scholars, his travelling hobbies never stop students from
spreading the authentic Sunnah as well as analyzing the following him all around to learn from him, one of his student
fabricated, weaks Hadiths and criticizing their narrators. Imam Ziyad bn sa'ad said to him:
Al-zuhri was not just a mere scholar, but one of the renewed
philanthropic personage who spends a lot on his Hadith students. "I admired your hadith but I do not have means to keep
His trustiness, sureness cast him high reputation which make on travelling with you around ! he said: just follow me, and I
hadith narrators from different part of the world troops to will take your responsibilities".
narrate hadith from him. Imam Al-zuhri was a scholar blessed
with vigorous memory and same time enjoyed marvelous respect Among his prominence student are: Ayyub
and good relationship with the calipers of Umayyad emperor, Assakhteyani, Sufyan bn uwainah, Imam Malik bn Anas, Al-
this paved him more opportunities to easily spread the layth bn sa'ad e.t.c.
knowledge he's blessed with. On other hand, Goldziher Ignas -
one of the famous orientalist of his days- raised some issues and Imam Alzuhuri enjoyed sound Islamic creed, and none
indictments against this scholar which can lead to overturning among Islamic historians attributed any repulsive view to him,
and dawn falling the respected status enjoyed by Imam Al- he follows the foot-step of his pious predecessors in their
zuhuri. The factual stand point of Goldziher's argument was not creeds, he was recommended by great jurist, leaders and
only the personality of Imam Al-zuhri, rather, the large number above all his co-professionals in Hadith.
of hadith he had preserved and narrated for the Ummah;
because trustiness and sound moralities are pre-requisite for A pious Caliph, umar bn Abdulazees said (to his
hadith of any narrator to be accepted. Here comes the companions): "do you go to ibn shihab ? they said yes we do.
significance of this paper which is made-up of two parts: first He said: "go to him, as no one left with the knowledge of
briefly discussed life history of Imam Al-zuhri and Goldziher Sunnah like him".
while other part aimed at analyzing the accusations linked to Al-
zuhuri and finally came-up with sound epilogue that can either Imam Ahmad said: ''Al-zuhuri has the best Hadith
Exculpate or prove Imam Al-zuhuri culprit of the allegations. among people (scholars) and his chains of narrations are
perfect ones".
I. BRIEF LIFE HISTORY OF IMAM AL-ZUHURI AND
GOLDZIHER After this blessed life of devotions, learning and
teachings, Imam Muhammad bn Shihab Al-zuhuri answered
Imam Al-Zhuri:
the call of his Lord in the noble month of Ramadan on 124
He is Muhammd bn Muslim bn Ubaidillah bn Abdullahi A.H leaving behind bulky legacy of knowledge specifically
bn Shihab Al-zuhuri Alqurashy Almadani, Abubakar was his in the Sunnah and its narrations.
epithet but mostly known as Imam ibn shihab Al-zuhuri.
Orientalist Goldziher:
Imam Al-zuhuri was opportune to borne and grown in
He is Goldziher Ignas, borne on twelve of June 1850,
medina; city of scholars, arose as poor orphan, he learned how
from jewish family in echtolagisenberg, Hungary. He started
to read and write, and committed noble Qur'an with his
his studies in Budapest, then he migrated to Berlin in 1864
memory within eighty (80) days, Then, he started seeking
from where he moved to the university of lestik to meet with
knowledge of Hadith and Islamic jurisdiction from famous
his first orientalist scholar Fletcher who was his PhD

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International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume III, Issue IX, September 2019|ISSN 2454-6186

supervisor, his thesis was on one the Torah scholar First Allegation
commentary of the middle ages called Tankhum aurshelmi.
Authorising and Attributing of Narrations Not Heard From
Then he was appointed as an assistance lecturer at Him
Budapest university in the year 1872, and after some years of
Goldziher accused Al-imam Al-zuhuri of permitting
teaching experience and learning he was awarded with
Hadiths not heard from him to be narrated from him, this was
scholarship by the Hungary ministry of education to travel
one of such dangerous accusations that if found to be true can
abroad to further his education.
leads to annulling all narrations made through him as some or
With this opportunity, he was able to travel to some most of them are not heard from him.
eastern countries, he stays sometimes at Egypt, Syrian and
To affirmed this, Goldziher claimed that Ibrahim bn
Palestine. It was during his staying at Egypt, he was
Waleed Al-umawe came with a paper that contained some
opportune to visit Al-azhar university to gain more Arabic
Hadiths and asked Al-zuhuri to permit him narrate those
knowledge, and he continue to further his Arabic studies after
hadith from him and Imam Al-zuhuri immediately afforded
he went back to Budapest and appointed as one of the head of
him with the permissions.
a department of same university in the year 1907.
But when this accusation analyzed, it was base on the
Since then, he stays at home and only travel to deliver
lack of knowledge of the different hadith narration systems,
public lectures and conferences related to orientalism. It was
this type is termed as "Al-ARD" as expatiated by many
from his home town, Budapest Goldziher spend about a
scholars of the profession like Ibn Salah and many others.
quarter of century sending his orientalist researches till his
death on 1921 in Budapest. It happen when a student came with the hadiths narrated
by his scholar written in a book and gave it to the scholar to
Goldziher published many book and wrote researches
review the content and gave him permission to narrate them
related to orientalism, first was translation of some stories
from him. this type of narration is accepted in the science of
from Turkish language to Hungary language when he was
hadith.
sixteen years old and followed by many researches and
publications on Islamic related matters, it was reported that However, the case with Ibrahim and his master Imam
Goldziher wrote more than five hundred books and Al-zuhuri was not just mere "ARD" but a clear narration of
publications. the first order because Ibrahim was one of the students of
Imam Al-zuhuri as profess by Imam ibn Asakir. also, Imam
It is apparent from the life history of Goldziher, that, he
Ma'amar bn Rashid said:
is man of focused and never taken away by politics rather
focused on eastern studies and their knowledge, this make him "I heard Ibrahim bn Waleed Al-Umawe asking Imam Al-
differs from many orientalist of his days and present times zuhuri while reading to him a book, and he said: should I
which in turned make him famous of the all. narrate this from you, oh Abubakar ? and he said, yes. Who
else other than i can teach you this".
II. ANALYSING THE ALLEGATION AGAINST AL-
IMAM AL-ZUHURI This shows that, Ibrahim seek permissions to narrate the
knowledge he acquired and preserved in a book from his
Anybody who reads through the history of Imam Al-
master to others, not that he only seek permission to narrate
zuhuri will found it full of praises and recommendations, and
what he never heard from Imam Al-zuhuri.
none among the scholars, leaders and historians of his days
and after him accused him of any moral misconduct. The words of Imam Al-zuhuri: "Who else other than i
can teach you this"
This continue to be read throughout the centuries until
the days of orientalism, when a famous of such thoughts means that nobody have such chains through which
called Goldziher Ignas threw some bunch of allegations those hadiths are narrated other than him, as such He alone
against this great scholar and with this Goldziher became the can give such permissions.
source and referee of anybody with such thoughts after him.
With the above analysis and explanations, Imam Al-
The aim of such allegations was to tarnish the image of zuhuri is free of this allegation and totally exculpated and
Imam Al-zuhuri leading to annulment of all the knowledge he vindicated of this gross accusation.
narrated for the Ummah, and also to paint him black as well
Second Accusation
as downgrading him to a political client of Umayyad emperor
and not a pious and God fearing scholar as others. Fabrications to Vindicte and Streathen Policies of Ummayad
The following chapters will bring such accusations and Caliphs
analyzed them thoroughly to ensure that justice is served to Goldziher accused Imam Al-zuhuri of being a tool in
whom it due. vindicating any political stand of Umayyad emperor and ever
ready to fabricate Hadith that suit them, citing an example of

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International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume III, Issue IX, September 2019|ISSN 2454-6186

a case with caliph Abdulmalik bn Marwan, when he build zuhur spread the hadith, why Sa'eed didn't reject or criticize
"dome of the rock" (Qubattu Al-sakhra) in Jerusalem to divert Al-zuhuri if he lies against him !
the attention of Iraqis and Syrians from observing Hajj rituals
From the far-gone arguments and proofs, it's clear that
at Makah. and when he asked Imam Al-zuhuri for support, he
Imam Al-zuhuri never concocted any hadith to please the
(Al-zuhuri) immediately attributed to Abu Huraira (R.A) that
leaders of Umayyad emperor and linking such to him was
the messenger of Allah said: "Do not undertake a religious
mere un-rotted allegation and fallacy aimed at tarnishing his
journey except to three mosques: this mosque of mine (in
image and his heard achieved status.
medina), the sacred mosque of mecca and the farthest
mosque in Jerusalem". Third Allegation
This serious charge and accusations can be intellectually Accepting an Appointed To Be A Judge In The Ummayd
discussed in some ways as follows: Emperor
Careful reading through the history of Imam Al-zuhuri Once again, Goldziher threw at Imam Al-zuhuri another
recorded in many books of scholars biography, he was allegation, that, He accepted an appointment to be a judge in
described as trustworthy scholar with sound moral behaviors the Umayyad emperor, while other scholars of the time such
and no where at a time he was accused of lying to common as Imam Al-sha'abi rejected such appointment due to their
people talk less of relating concocted Hadith to the messenger piousness and he considered such from Imam Al-zuhuri as
of Allah. lack of asceticism and piousness.
In addition to that, Imam Ibn Al-asakeer narrated the It is apparent that this allegation attacks the morality and
origin of the relationship between Umayyads' and Imam Al- devout of this great scholar, and can be analyze as follows:
zuhuri, he was first introduced to caliph officially on serious
Verily, Imam Al-zuhuri accepted such appointment in
dilemma issue that caliph asked scholars but only got the
the days of caliph Yazid bn Abdulmalik, but, this accusation
knowledge with Imam Al-zuhuri, hence forth, he drew him
is intellectually a strange one, as there's nothing wrong for a
close, So, Imam Al-zuhuri was a religious associate not a
political client. due scholar to be appointed as a judge, who else -other than
scholars- should be nominated to such critical positions!
Also Imam Al-zuhuri was not so cheap person inclined impact, rejecting such positions by all scholars of a time stand
with wealth, he was a great philanthropic and generous who condemnable as this leads the whole ummah to astray.
spent his wealth on his students and not a materialist. One of
In a real reviews, this should be counted among his great
his student called Am'r bn dinarr said:
contributions not to be considered among his weak points !
"I have not seen anybody who dinar and dirham
(wealth) are devalued to him as Al-Zuhuri". Fortunately, Imam Al-zuhuri was not the only one
among scholars of the time accepted the job, a renewed pious
As for the example cited by Goldziher, that Caliphate scholar sulaiman bn habib almuharibi was a judge same time
Abdulmalik bn Marwan build "dome of the rock" (kubattu with Imam Al-zuhur, why the blame only fall on zuhuri ?
Al-sakhra) in Jerusalem to divert the attention of people from
Also, the messenger of Allah appointed some pious
Hajj and Imam Alzuhuri concocted hadith for him to covered
his crime. among his great companions such position, such as Ali bn Abi
Talib, Mua'dhz bn Jabal and many others. And such was not
This accusations brought by Goldziher cannot stand considered as a treat to their piousness or as lack of
research analysis as it have contradicted historical fact and asceticism.
realities, great Islamic historian such as Imam Adhbari, ibn
furthermore, from the life history of Imam Al-zuhuri as
Asakeer, ibn Atheer, and many others stated that "dome of the
professed in the first part of this paper, we can derived that his
rock" (kubattu Al-sakhra) in Jerusalem was built by Waleed
bin Abdulmalik not Abdulmalik bn Marwan as alleged by appointment was part-time which covers a portion of his life
Goldziher, and he (Waleed) never build it to divert people not full-timed one as he was a man with traveling hobbies
who keep moving from one place to another spreading the
from Hajj.
knowledge he was blessed with.
Furthermore, the Hadith claimed to be narrated and
As for Imam Al-sha'abi, who was cited as an exemplary
fabricated by Imam Al-zuhuri was widely known Hadith and
scholar who did not accept such appointment, this cannot
was not only narrated from Abu-huraira through Imam Al-
zuhuri, other scholars narrated the hadith apart from Imam Al- stand because he too accepted such appointed later in the days
zuhuri such as Imam Al-jarir and Imam Ibn Wahab. This of yazeed bn Abdulmalik. Why blaming Imam Al-zuhuri
alone.
vindicated Imam Al-zuhuri from fabrication linked to him.
Generally, appointing a scholar to such a position is not
However, Imam Al-zuhuri narrated the said Hadith from
in any way an offensive act as Goldziher, the accuser of this
his scholar Sa'eed bn Musa'yib who in turn narrated the hadith
from Abu Huraira (R.A), and Sa'eed was alive when Imam Al- great scholar intend to hint on.

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Forth Allegation: hadiths, and allowed them to write.

He Was Isolated and Force to Write (Fabricate) Some And immediately after that he came out he called his
Hadiths student and said to them: "I have banned you from writing
hadith, but Those leaders forced us to write Hadith, so come-
In another effort to nail down and underrate Imam Al-
on write, and he dictate to them the same four hundred
zuhuri, Goldziher claimed that, Umayyad caliph forced Imam
hadiths he dictate to the sons of the caliph".
Al-zuhuri to write down some Hadiths for their sake, backing
this accusation with what was reported from Imam Ma'amar This is the full version of the story, he was not forced to
(one of imam Al-zuhuri famous student), he said: Imam Al- fabricate new hadiths but was asked and pressured to let some
zuhuri said: "Those leaders forced us to write Hadith". This write and he has narrated to others same hadiths and let them
showed that he was forced and succumbed to their need in write as he let others.
fabrications of some hadiths.
But Goldziher cut the long story and only quoted his
This is also another serious accusation against this great saying that: "Those leaders forced us to write Hadith" thereby
scholar aimed at tarnishing his image, once again this can be giving the story new dimension and bad impression that Imam
discussed as follows: Al-zuhuri was forced to fabricate some hadiths for the leaders
of the Umayyad emperor.
The sound moral and piousness bestowed on Imam Al-
zuhuri will never allowed him to succumbed to any kind of Once again, this allegation was dissolve and void as all
intimidation that can led to relating concocted hadith to the the above ones.
messenger of Allah let alone fabricating one himself.
III. CONCLUSIONS
Moreover, he was not such a coward scholar that fears
After this long round of arguments and discussions of
leaders to such level. Imam ibn Asakeer narrated that: Imam
the evidences and proofs of the parties in the dialogue, the
Suleiman Ibn yasar once entered to caliph Hisham, and he
following epilogue can be derived from the far-gone:
(Hisham) asked him: "Suleiman who publishes and share the
falsehood accusation (against Aisha: R.A)", he (Imam 1. That Goldziher Ignas, -a famous orientalist of his
Suleiman) answered: "it is Abdullahi bn Abi Salul (the head days- was borne of Jewish family in Hungary and
of the hypocrite), he (Hisham) said: "you lied, it is Ali bn Abi learned Arabic language and later sponsored to some
dalib (R.A)'', then Suleiman replied: "Caliph knows better on eastern countries to strengthen his skills in Arabic
what he said" later Imam Al-zuhuri came in and Calipha language and to further widen his knowledge on
Hisham asked him: Al-zuhuri who publishes and share the Islamic knowledge.
falsehood accusation (against Aisha: R.A), he answered: "it is 2. Despite wide knowledge on some Islamic aspect
Abdullahi bn Abi Salul (the head of the hypocrite), he enjoyed by Goldziher but he lacks some background
(Hisham) said: "you lied, it is Ali bn Abi dalib (R.A)'' then elementary on such fields that will make him
imam Al-zuhuri replied: "how dared you ! I lied !, I swear by comprehend some terminologies in such fields, and
Allah's name, even if somebody should announce from the this him condemn many thing that are commendable
heaven that Allah has permitted lying I will never lie, then he in such fields.
said: Urwa bn Al-zubair, Sa'ed bn Al-musayyib, Ubaidullah 3. It is apparent and clear that Goldziher was never
bn Abdullah and Alqamah bn Al-waqas all narrated to me neutral and impartial in his researches and argument,
from Aisha (R.A) that the one who publishes and shares the he usually rush to un-accurate conclusions on many
falsehood accusation against her was Abdullahi bn Abi Salul issues, and found to be un-trusted in some of his
(the head of the hypocrite)". quotations as he distorted some of them without any
slight indications to that. And, this manners and
How such heroic and fearless scholar that tells the whole
maneuvers gives non-confidence vote in any
caliph at his face the bitter truth in a matter related to Aisha
intellectual researches of any field of learning.
will he be forced to fabricate against the great messenger of
4. That, Imam AL-zuhuri was one of the prominent
Allah !
Hadith scholars ever lived, and he was commended
The truth of the matter was that, the words of Imam Al- and praised by respected personalities of different
zuhuri used by Goldziher in establishing this allegation were professions and was never accused of any moral
badly distorted. misconduct till when goldziher raised some un-rotted
allegations on him.
The true and undistorted story was narrated by Imam
5. That, Imam Al-zuhuri was never used as political
Ibn Asakeer through one of the student of Imam Al-zhuri that,
tools by Umayyad rulers, rather he was a scholar
the methodology adapted by Imam Al-zuhuri in narrating
who guides his leaders to doing right and urges them
hadith was to narrate them off-hand and so he train his
to abstain from evil doings.
students. but he was later asked and pressured by Caliph
6. Imam Al-zuhuri was a renewed scholar and
Hisham bn Abdulmalik to dictate some hadiths to his sons and
philanthropist who keep moving from one place to
let them write, so, he dictate to them about four hundred

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International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume III, Issue IX, September 2019|ISSN 2454-6186

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