al-Fitan li Hanbal ibn Ishaq

Kitab al-Fitan (The Book of Tribulations) is a ninth-century collection of hadith and eschatological traditions compiled by the Baghdadi scholar and narrator Hanbal ibn Ishaq (d. 273 AH / 886 CE) al-Alam lil-Zirikli+1. The work gathers prophetic reports and narrations from early authorities on upheavals, civil strife, and portents of the Day of Judgment al-Takhreej al-Sagheer wa…+1.

Subject Matter and Scope

The surviving text focuses heavily on end-times prophecies, the appearance of false prophets, and eschatological battles al-Takhreej al-Sagheer wa…+1. Prominent subjects within the work include:

• The Antichrist (al-Dajjal), including descriptions of his physical characteristics, his parents, his emergence from the region of Khurasan, his followers, and the warning that women will constitute a large share of those drawn to him al-Takhreej al-Sagheer wa…+1.
• The descent of Jesus ('Isa ibn Maryam) at the white minaret east of Damascus and his pursuit of the Antichrist Sifat Rabb al-Alamin+1.
• The destruction of the Antichrist at 'Aqabat Afiq and at the Gate of Ludd (Bab Ludd) al-Takhreej al-Sagheer wa…+1.

Hanbal recorded these reports via chains of transmission from teachers such as Qabisah ibn 'Uqbah and Hajjaj ibn Minhal, tracing through early traditionists such as Hammad ibn Salamah Majallat al-Buhuth al-Isl…+1.

Transmission and Reception

The work was transmitted by Hanbal's student Abu 'Amr 'Uthman ibn Ahmad ibn al-Sammak (d. 344 AH) Majallat al-Buhuth al-Isl…+1. In later centuries, scholars frequently accessed and quoted its fourth part (al-Juz' al-Rabi'). Al-Dhahabi documented having obtained and heard the fourth part of al-Fitan alongside other transmissions of Hanbal Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1.

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani cataloged his chain of transmission for the fourth part of the work, tracing it through scholars such as Zaynab bint al-Kamal back to Ibn al-Sammak and Hanbal, recording that it was also known as the tenth part of the hadiths of Ibn al-Sammak al-Mujam al-Mufahras = Ta…. The transmission is similarly documented in the scholarship of Taj al-Din al-Subki and cited by later traditionists such as Ibn al-Mubarrad Mujam al-Shuyukh lil-Subk…+1.

Editions

The extant portion of the work was edited by 'Amir Hasan Sabri and published in Beirut by Dar al-Basha'ir al-Islamiyyah in 1419 AH / 1998 CE, printed together with Juz' Hanbal ibn Ishaq al-Jami li Ulum al-Imam A…+1.