Izalat al-Shubha an Hadith al-Turba
- Author died
- 1418 AH
- Editions
- Majallat al-Jami'ah al-Islamiyyah bi-al-Madinah al-Munawwarah
Izalat al-Shubha an Hadith al-Turba (Removing Doubt Regarding the Hadith of the Soil) is a specialized hadith treatise by the Saudi scholar Abd al-Qadir bin Habib Allah al-Sindi (d. 1418 AH / 1997–1998 CE) dedicated to defending and explaining the narration concerning the order of creation recorded in Sahih Muslim .
Background and Composition
The treatise was written while al-Sindi served as a lecturer at the College of Hadith at the Islamic University of Madinah, and it appeared in serial form in the university’s academic journal across issues 49 and 50–51 . Al-Sindi composed the work to counter doubts raised by Mahmud Abu Rayyah in his polemical book Adwa' 'ala al-Sunnah al-Muhammadiyyah (Illuminations on the Muhammadan Sunnah) against the Companion Abu Hurayrah and the authenticity of the hadith of creation . Al-Sindi noted drawing substantial benefit from two earlier refutations printed in 1377 AH (1957–1958 CE) and published by Muhammad Nasif: al-Anwar al-Kashifah by Abd al-Rahman al-Mu'allimi and Zulumat Abi Rayyah by Muhammad Abd al-Razzaq Hamza .
Subject and Arguments
The central focus of the work is the narration transmitted through Ibn Jurayj from Isma'il ibn Umayyah, from Ayyub ibn Khalid, from Abd Allah ibn Rafi', from Abu Hurayrah, wherein the Prophet ﷺ stated: خلق الله التربة يوم السبت، وخلق فيها الجبال يوم الأحد، وخلق الشجر يوم الاثنين، وخلق المكروه يوم الثلاثاء، وخلق النور يوم الأربعاء، وبث فيها الدواب يوم الخميس، وخلق آدم بعد العصر من يوم الجمعة ("Allah created the soil on Saturday, created the mountains therein on Sunday, created the trees on Monday, created adversity on Tuesday, created light on Wednesday, dispersed beasts therein on Thursday, and created Adam after 'Asr on Friday") .
Al-Sindi examines the transmission and interpretation of the text through several key areas:
- Transmission and Isnad Analysis: He reviews the positions of classical authorities who declared the hadith defective—including al-Bukhari in his al-Tarikh al-Kabir, Ali ibn al-Madini, and Ibn al-Qayyim in al-Manar al-Munif—who held that the text was a statement of Ka'b al-Ahbar erroneously elevated (marfu') to the Prophet ﷺ . He also addresses criticisms noted in al-Bayhaqi's al-Asma' wa-al-Sifat regarding suspicions that Isma'il ibn Umayyah received the report via Ibrahim ibn Abi Yahya . Al-Sindi defends the elevated status and authenticity of the chain as retained by Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj .
- The Starting Day of Creation: Al-Sindi analyzes al-Nawawi's chapter heading in his commentary on Sahih Muslim (Bab Ibtida' al-Khalq wa-Khalq Adam), arguing that the creation began on Saturday as stated in the hadith rather than Sunday . He critiques the chains brought by al-Tabari in his history preferring Sunday, relying instead on the critique of al-Tabari presented by Abu al-Qasim al-Suhayli in al-Rawd al-Unuf .
- Harmony with the Quran: He addresses the ostensible contradiction between the seven-day timeline in the hadith and the Quranic verses stating that the heavens and earth were created in six days . He demonstrates that the creation of Adam took place on Friday after the creation of the heavens and the earth, supported by corroborating narrations from Ibn Abbas and others, and engages with explanations from al-Mu'allimi concerning the mention of light and living creatures .
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