Hadith of M`aqil ibn Yasar: “Marry the one who is loving and fertile for I will be proud of your large numbers before the nations on the Day of Resurrection.” (*)

This was reported by Abu Dawud (1), An-Nasa’i (2), Ibn Hibban (3), At-Tabarani (4), Al Hakim(5), Abu Nu`aym (6) and Al Bayhaqi (7), all of them have narrated it from the way of Yazid ibn Harun, on the authority of Mustalim ibn Sa`id, from Mansur ibn Zadhan, Mu`awiyah ibn Qarrah who said: “A person came to the Prophet (may  the peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: “I have found a woman who is of good lineage and beautiful, but she cannot have children, Should I marry her?” He answered: “No.” Then he came to him a second time, but he forbade. Then he came to him thrice whereupon he said: “Marry the one who is loving ...”

Al Hakim said: "This Hadith has authentic chain but was not reported by Al Bukhari and Muslim with the above mentioned background and Adh-Dhahabi agreed with Al Hakim.

Its all narrators are trustworthy except Mustalim ibn Sa`id who was authentic but sometimes he used to make mistakes in narration. (8)

Nevertheless, Al Bukhari and Muslim did not report it neither with this background nor with anything else.

Anyway, this Hadith has some supporting “Witnesses” that upgrade it to the grade of “Sahih li Ghayrihi” (Authentic by virtue of another Hadith). The witnesses include the following:

1 - The Hadith of Anas ibn Malik who said: “The Messenger of Allah (may the peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him) used to order us for marriage and forbade from celibacy in emphasized manner and he used to say: “Marry the one who is loving and fertile, for I will be proud of your large numbers before the Prophets on the Day of Resurrection.”

Reported by Sa`id ibn Mansur (9), Ahmad (10), Ibn Hibban (11), Al Bayhaqi (12), Al Qudha`i (13), all of them from the way of Khalaf ibn Khalifah on the authority of Hafs nephew of Anas. And Hafs was authentic (14), but his father’s name is disputed. (15)  Khalaf was an authentic narrator but his memory became confused during the last years of his age, (16) whilst I do not find any of his disciples in this Hadith who clarify whether their hearing from him was before his confusion or after. (17)

This narration has follow up (Mutab`ah), as it was reported by Abu Nu`aym (18) on the authority of `Abdullah ibn Al Kharash, from Al `Awam ibn Hawshab, from Ibrahim At-Taymi, from Anas. But `Abdullah ibn Al Kharash was weak, he was accused of lying by ibn `Ammar as well. (19)

2 - Hadith of `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud that was reported by Ibn `Adi (20), from two ways: One of them was narrated on the authority of Hassan Al Azraq, from `Aasim ibn Bahdalah, from Zirr, from `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud, the second chain is similar to this, nevertheless, the text of the first narration includes strange words. 

Ibn `Adi said: "No one has narrated this from `Aasim except Hassan ibn Siy’ah."

`Aasim ibn Bahdalah was an authentic narrator but used to make mistakes. His narration was mentioned in Sahih of Al Bukhari and Muslim as a support of other similar narration not independently. (21)

Hassan Al Azraq is ibn Siy’ah who was weakened by Ad-Daraqutni, Ibn Hibban and Abu Nu`aym while they disputed in his narration from Thabit, from Hamid, from Anas. (22)

Ibn `Adi also said- after quoting him a number of Hadith- including this one- :"He has other narrations except what I have mentioned here, but in general, they have no follow-up also weakness is clear on his narrations." End of quote.

Adh-Dhahabi said: "Ibn `Adi has mentioned eighteen Hadith on his authority, all of them are Munkar (denounced) except for this due to its witnesses." (23) End of quote.

3 – Hadith of Ibn `Umar that was reported by Al Khatib who (24) said:" Hasan ibn Abu Talib informed me on the authority of Abu Muhammad `Obaydullah ibn Ahmad ibn M`aruf  Al Qadhi, from Fadhl ibn Ahmad ibn Mansur Az-Zubaydi – who dictated it from his memory -, from Ziyad  ibn Ayyub, from Isma`il ibn `Aliyyah, from Ayyub, from Nafi`, from Ibn `Umar, like the above mentioned narration.

Al Hasan ibn Abi Talib is Al Hasan ibn Muhammad Al Khallal.

All narrators of this chain are trustworthy except `Obaydullah ibn Ahmad ibn M`aruf who was the Sheikh of Mu`atazilah sect, and he was authenticated by Al Khatib(25) whilst was rejected by Adh-Dhahbi in his book “As-Siyar” as he said: "He was authenticated by Al Khatib unknowingly who exaggerated in his appreciation." (26) But he did not mention this word in his book Al Mizan, where he merely commented in brief by saying: "He was authenticated by Al Khatib nevertheless, he was a Mu`atazili."(27) And Al Hafiz ibn Hajar remained silent about him. (28)

4 - The Hadith of `Abdullah ibn `Amr that was reported by Ahmad (29) on the authority of Ibn Lahi`ah, from Huyey ibn `Abdullah, from Abu `Abdur- Rahman Al Huboli, from `Abdullah ibn `Amr. This is similar to the previous narration.

Anyway, this chain includes Huyey ibn `Abdullah Al M`aafiri who was an authentic narrator but used to make mistakes. (30) And Ibn Lahi`ah is also an authentic narrator, but became confused after his books were burnt ...) (31).

Anyhow, the Hadith is authentic with the support of its witnesses.

________________

(*) Journey of faith in the human body, (p. 32).

(1) Sunan Abu Dawud - Book of Marriage – Chapter: Prohibition of marrying to those women who do not give birth, (2/542 Hadith No. 2050). (2) Sunan An-Nasa’i - Book of Marriage – Chapter: Undesirability of marriage to sterile (6/65, 66 Hadith No. 3227)

(3) Al Ihsan (6/143,144 Hadith No. 4044, 4045)

(4) Al Mo`ajam Al Kabir (20/219 508).

(5) Al Mustadrak (2/162).

(6) Al Hilyah (3/62).

(7) Sunan Al Kubra (7/81).

(8) Taqrib At-Tahdhib (527).

(9) Sunan Sa`id ibn Mansur (1/139 Hadith No.490).

(10) Al Musnad (3/158 245).

(11) Al Ihsan (6/134 Hadith No. 4017).

(12) Sunan Al Kubra (7/81).

(13) Musnad Ash- Shihab (1/394 Hadith No. 675).

(14) Taqrib At-Tahdhib (p. 174).

(15) Taqrib At-Tahdhib (p. 174), where the compiler said: "Ibn Hibban concludes that he is Hafs ibn `Abdullah ibn Abu Talha, thus he was son of half brother of Anas whilst others said that he is Ibn `Umar ibn `Abdullah ibn Abu Talha, therefore, he was son of Anas’s full brother." End of quote.

While Ahmad once said that he is Ibn `Umar, the same was mentioned in Muwadhdhih Awham Al Jam`a Wat-Tafriq (2/46, 47), but Musnad Sa`id ibn Mansur contains Ibn `Amr, and the reviewer of the book said: "Like this is in the original copy.”

(16) Taqrib At-Tahdhib (p. 194).

(17) Al Kawakib An-Nayyirat (p. 155-161).

(18) Al Hilyah(4/219).

(19) Taqrib At-Tahdhib (p. 301).

(20) Al Kamil (2/372).

(21) Taqrib At-Tahdhib (p. 285).

(22) Lisan Al Mizan (2/187,188).

(23) Al Mizan (1/479).

(24) Tarikh Baghdad (12/377).

(25) Tarikh Baghdad (10/365).

(26) Siyar A`alam An-Nubala’(16/427).

(27) Mizan Al Ea`tedal (3/3).

(28) Al Lisan (4/96).

(29) Al Musnad (2/171,172).

(30) Taqrib At-Tahdhib (p. 185).

(31) Taqrib At-Tahdhib (p. 319).

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