Aqeedah and Manhaj

Al-Imaam Adh-Dhahabi's Defence of Ibn Hibbaan on Heresy Allegation

Sunday 17-Sep-2023, 3:02PM / 1146


Al-Imaam Shamsudeen Adh-Dhahabi (673-748AH), in his Siyar, defended Al-Imaam Aboo Haatim at-Tameemi al-Busti (270-354AH) popularly known as Ibn Hibban, when the latter was accused of a supposed heretical statement upon which some people deserted him.

Al-Imaam Ibn Hibban - rahimahullah - was reported to have said:

النبوة: العلم والعمل
'Prophethood is by knowledge and actions'

To imply that one can become a Prophet in Islam merely by knowledge and actions not necessarily by Allaah's decision.

For that Ibn Hibban was declared a Zindeeq (an heretic), he was boycotted and was reported to the Khalifah for execution.

Al-Imaam Adh-Dhahabi - rahimahullah - however defended him thus:

هذه حكاية غريبة ، وابن حبان فمن كبار الأئمة ، ولسنا ندعي فيه العصمة من الخطأ ، لكن هذه الكلمة التي أطلقها قد يطلقها المسلم ، ويطلقها الزنديق الفيلسوف ، فإطلاق المسلم لها لا ينبغي ، لكن يعتذر عنه ، فنقول : لم يرد حصر المبتدأ في الخبر ، ونظير ذلك قوله - عليه الصلاة والسلام - : الحج عرفة ومعلوم أن الحاج لا يصير بمجرد الوقوف بعرفة حاجا ، بل بقي عليه فروض وواجبات ، وإنما ذكر مهم الحج . وكذا هذا ذكر مهم النبوة ، إذ من أكمل صفات النبي كمال العلم والعمل ، فلا يكون أحد نبيا إلا بوجودهما ، وليس كل من برز فيهما نبيا ؛ لأن النبوة موهبة من الحق تعالى ، لا حيلة للعبد في اكتسابها ، بل بها يتولد العلم اللدني والعمل الصالح

'This report is strange (nevertheless) Ibn Hibban was from the major scholars, we don't however say he is infallible, but this statement (allegedly) uttered by him is something any Muslim could (mistakenly) have uttered in the general sense, heretical philosophers  (for their own primordial reasons) could utter it too. It is not proper for a Muslim to utter it absolutely but if a Muslim were to say it he should be given an excuse. We would say he does not intend to limit the effect of the subject-word to its predicate. A similar construction to that is the statement of the Messenger of Allaah - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam:

الحج عرفة 
'Hajj is Arafah.'

(Saheeh: See Irwaa al-Ghaleel, 1064)

It is known that hajj is not limited to standing at Arafah alone, there are many other compulsory rites, (so it would be construed) that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) only meant to say the most essential part of the Hajj rites. 

Therefore it is from the complete aspects of Prophethood to have complete knowledge followed by actions, so a person cannot become a Prophet without both yet not everyone that has both becomes a Prophet; Prophethood is a Gift from the Allaah - the Truth, not something any slave can earn by striving. In fact the Blessed Knowledge and Righteous Deeds flow from it.' End of quote. 

See Siyar Alaam An-Nubalaa: 16/93

Extracted by Aboo Aamir