Contradictions in the Hadith

This page deals with contradictions in the Hadith.

Did Muhammad see Allah?

No

Narrated Masruq:

'Aisha said, "If anyone tells you that Muhammad has seen his Lord, he is a liar, for Allah says: 'No vision can grasp Him.' (6.103) And if anyone tells you that Muhammad has seen the Unseen, he is a liar, for Allah says: 'None has the knowledge of the Unseen but Allah.'"

Sahih Bukhari 1:4:159

Yes

It is narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that he (the Holy Prophet) saw (Allah) with, his heart

Sahih Muslim 1:334

Wudhu

You should wash once

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:

The Prophet performed ablution by washing the body parts only once.

Sahih Bukhari 1:4:159

You should wash twice

Narrated 'Abdullah bin Zaid:

The Prophet performed ablution by washing the body parts twice.

Sahih Bukhari 1:4:160

You should wash thrice

Narrated Humran: (the slave of 'Uthman) I saw 'Uthman bin 'Affan asking for a tumbler of water (and when it was brought) he poured water over his hands and washed them thrice and then put his right hand in the water container and rinsed his mouth, washed his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out. then he washed his face and forearrlns up to the elbows thrice, passed his wet hands over his head and washed his feet up to the ankles thrice. Then he said, "Allah's Apostle said 'If anyone Performs ablution like that of mine and offers a two-rak'at prayer during which he does not think of anything else (not related to the present prayer) then his past sins will be forgiven.' " After performing the ablution 'Uthman said, "I am going to tell you a Hadith which I would not have told you, had I not been compelled by a certain Holy Verse (the sub narrator 'Urwa said: This verse is: "Verily, those who conceal the clear signs and the guidance which we have sent down...)" (2:159). I heard the Prophet saying, 'If a man performs ablution perfectly and then offers the compulsory congregational prayer, Allah will forgive his sins committed between that (prayer) and the (next) prayer till he offers it.

Sahih Bukhari 1:4:161

Do evil omens exist?

No.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: There is

no transitive disease, no evil omen, no safar, no hama…

Sahih Muslim 26:5508

Yes

Narrated 'Abdullah bin Umar: Allah's Messenger said, "there is neither 'Adha nor Tiyara,

and an evil omen is only in three: a horse, a woman and a house."

Sahih Bukhari 7:71:666

Who was Dajjal?

A beast

There was a beast with long thick hair (and because of these) they could not distinguish his face from his back

Sahih Muslim 41:7028

A boy

Narrated Muhammad bin Al-Munkadir: I saw Jabir bin 'Abdullah swearing by Allah that Ibn Sayyad was the Dajjal

Sahih Bukhari 9:92:453

Protection from Dajjal

The first ten al-Kahf verses

Abu Darda' reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: If anyone learns by heart the first ten verses of the Surah al-Kahf, he will be protected from the Dajja

Sahih Muslim 4:1766

Or the end al-Kahf?

This hadith has been transmitted by Qatada with the same chain of transmitters. But Shu'ba (one of the narrators) said: At the end of Surah al-Kahf, but Hammam said: At the beginning of Surah al-Kahf.

Sahih Muslim 4:1767

Two rak'ats after Asr

It's recommended to offer two rak'ats

Narrated ‘Aisha: Allah’s Messenger never missed two Rakat before the Fajr prayer and after the Asr

prayer openly and secretly

Sahih Bukhari 1:10:566

It's forbidden to offer two rak'ats

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger forbade the offering of two prayers: 1. after the morning prayer till the sunrises.

2. after the ‘Asr prayer till the sun sets.

Sahih Bukhari 1:10:566

Dajjal blind in which eye?

Right eye

Ibn Umar reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). made a mention of Dajjil in the presence of the people and said: Allah is not one-eyed and behold that Dajjal is blind of the right eye and his eye would be like a floating grape.

Sahih Muslim 41:7005

Left eye

Hudhalfa reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Dajjal is blind of left eye with thick hair and there would be a garden and fire with him and his fire would be a garden and his garden would be fire.

Sahih Muslim 41:7010

Standing while drinking something

Forbidden

Anas reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) disapproved the drinking of water while standing.

Sahih Muslim 23:5017

Recommended

Ibn Abbas reported: I served. (water of) Zamzam to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), and he drank it while standing.

Sahih Muslim 23:5023

How long was Muhammad in Mecca for?

Ten years

Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet was neither conspicuously tall, nor short; neither, very white, nor tawny. His hair was neither much curled, nor very straight. Allah sent him (as an Messenger) at the age of forty (and after that) he stayed for ten years in Makkah, and for ten more years in Medina. Allah took him unto Him at the age of sixty, and he scarcely had

ten white hairs on his head and in his beard

Sahih Bukhari 7:72:787

Thirteen years

Narrated Ibn Abbas: Allah's Messenger started receiving the Divine Inspiration at the age of forty. Then he stayed in Makkah for thirteen years, receiving the Divine Revelation. Then he was ordered to migrate and he lived as an Emigrant for ten years and then died at the age

of sixty-three (years).

Sahih Bukhari 5:58:242

Fifteen years

Ibn 'Abbas reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) stayed in Makkah for fifteen years (after his advent as a Prophet) and he heard the voice of Gabriel and saw his radiance for seven years but did not see any visible form, and then received

revelation for ten years, and he stayed in Medina for ten years.

Sahih Muslim 30:5809

Gold and Silver

Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab: Allah's Messenger said, "The bartering of gold for

silver is Riba (usury), except if it is from hand to hand and equal in amount

Sahih Bukhari 3:34:344

Narrated Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakra: that his father said, "The Prophet forbade the selling of gold for gold and silver for silver except if they are equivalent in weight, and allowed us to sell gold for silver and vice versa as we

wished.

Sahih Bukhari 6:60:434

Narrated Abu Bakra: Allah's Messenger said, "Don't sell gold for gold unless equal in weight, nor silver for silver unless equal in weight, but you could sell gold for silver

or silver for gold as you like."

Sahih Bukhari 6:60:434

Ubida b. al-Simit (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (peace be

upon him) as saying: [u]Gold is to be paid for by gold, silver by silver

Sahih Muslim 30:5809

Who collected the Quran?

Narrated Qatada: I asked Anas bin Malik: Who collected the Qur'an at the time of the

Prophet ? He replied, Four, all of whom were from the Ansar, Ubai bin Ka'b, Muadh bin Jabal, Zaid bin Thabit and Abu Zaid.

Sahih Bukhari 6:61:525

Narrated Anas bin Malik: When the Prophet died, none had collected the Qur'an but four persons: Abu Ad Darda, Mu'adh bin Jabal, Zaid bin Thabit and Abu Zaid. We were the inheritor (of Abu

Zaid) as he had no offspring .

Sahih Bukhari 6:61:526

Prayer

25 times or 27 times superior?

Narrated 'Abdullah bin Umar: Allah's Apostle said, "The prayer in congregation is twenty seven times superior to the prayer offered by person alone."

Sahih Bukhari 1:11:618

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: The Prophet said, "The prayer in congregation is twenty five times superior to the prayer offered by person alone.

Sahih Bukhari 1:11:619

Others

• A Hadith recorded by Bukhari and Abu Dawud suggests that drawing blood violates one's fast, while another Hadith recorded by the same scholars suggests Muhammad had his blood drawn while fasting.

• Hanbal recorded a Hadith where Muhammad forbid the people to face towards the Qibla while relieving themselves, while Bukhari recorded the opposite, that Muhammad had his own toilet point towards the Qiblah in order to discourage superstition.

• Ibn Kutayba wrote a book dealing solely with contradictory Hadith, such as one in which Muhammad kissed his wives while fasting, and one in which he answered a query by stating that kissing one's wife violated a fast.

• Although Bukhari records a Hadith where Muhammad urinated while standing, Sunneni Nesei stated that "if someone says to you that the Prophet urinated standing, do not believe him".

• Abu Dawud recorded two Hadith, one in which the speaker says he saw the Prophet standing and drinking water "like you and me", and another in which he forbids drinking water while standing upright.

• Hadith states that Muhammad had forbidden people to perform marriages, or seek spouses, while performing the Hajj. Yet he is believed to have married Maymuna bint al-Harith while performing the pilgrimage himself.

• While Tahzibut Tazhib records that Muhammad ordered his followers to cover their calves as they were a part of their genitals, Hanbal recorded that Umar and Muhammad were both reclining with their calves uncovered when Abu Bakr requested entrance to their domicile, and was granted access and that they did not cover themselves.

This page is featured in the core article, Islam and Scripture which serves as a starting point for anyone wishing to learn more about this topic

See Also

• Hadith - A hub page that leads to other articles related to Hadith
• Contradictions and Errors - A hub page that leads to other articles related to Contradictions and Errors