The following is a response to Guided’s article, entitled: “How Ibn Umar exposed Abu Huraira.” The article, on Wilayat.net, was published on the 17th of May, 2010, and can be found here.
Guided argues:
Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar:
Allah’s Apostle said, “If someone keeps a dog neither for guarding livestock, nor for hunting, his good deeds will decrease (in reward) by two Qirats a day.’
Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 67, Number 391
This hadith allows people to keep dogs only for TWO purposes:
1. Guarding livestock
2. Hunting
The problem however was that Abu Huraira had a field and he was guarding it with dogs. Was he losing rewards? No way! He thus added a new phrase. Muslim records:
Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who kept a dog except one meant for watching the herd, or for hunting or for watching the fields. he lost two qirat of reward every day. Zuhri said: The words of Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) were conveyed to Ibn Umar who said: May Allah have mercy upon Abu Huraira; HE OWNED A FIELD.
Sahih Muslim, Book 10, Number 3823
When Ibn Umar heard about Abu Huraira’s addition, he attributed it to his owning a field?! Thus, he was accusing Abu Huraira of having fabricated the exception for personal reasons!!!
Does this not make Abu Huraira a liar?!
Guided’s points fall short due to the fact that Ibn Omar himself ended up adopting the addition mentioned by Abu Huraira. See Saheeh Muslim #2946. This suggests that Ibn Omar was not accusing Abu Huraira, but rather suggesting that Abu Huraira remembered this addition since he was an owner of a field, so it was natural for him to remember this.
It should also be noted that Sufyan bin Abi Zuhair also narrated that he heard the Prophet (salalahu alaihi wa salam) say that a dog for the fields is one of the exceptions. See Saheeh Muslim #2951.
Assalamou alaykum
I read That the prophet Mohamed did not want That the hadith were written down.
And That he told his sahaba to burn the ones wich were written down.
They give as proof for this hadith That the Quran is enough as the ultimate proof.
Can yu advise me?
Thank yu so much
Salam,
He didn’t allow it in the early days it seems so they wouldn’t confuse Sunnah with Qur’an. Some individuals were later permitted to write.