Relation between Abu Huraira's Hadith and Sufism

28-6-2001 | IslamWeb

Question:

What's your opinion about the next Hadith narrated in Sahih Bukhari, in the chapter of the knowledge (Bab al-'ilm), explained by Abu Huraira: "Hafizto Min al-Nabiyyi (saw) Wi'â'ayni, Fa'amma Ahaduhuma Fabazatahu, Wa Amma al-Ajaru fa-Law Bazatahu Qut'ia Hadha al-Bul'um" and what's the relation between this Hadith and Tasawwuf (Sufism).

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Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
The question you raised pertains to a claim by the Tasawwuf (Sufis) that Abu Huraira had some secret knowledge that if known would give legitimacy to their existence. This claim is false. Scholars have ruled that the knowledge referred to in this Hadith that Abu Huraira did not divulge was actually from another Hadith. In that Hadith, he heard from the Prophet, there were prophesies about the coming dissolute Emirs, their names and their time periods.
When Abu Huraira made reference to these matters on later occasions, he was careful to disguise his words so that the persons and events would not be apparent. To speak of them openly would have caused him much trouble and placed his life in danger. Abu Huraira said for instance: "I seek refuge with Allah from the beginning of the sixties and the ruling of children". He meant by this the rule of Yazid Ibn Maaouya which was in the early sixty-old years after the Hijra. Allah answered his Du'a and he died one year before Yazid, a dissolute Emir, took power.
Ibn Al Aoumir said: "The Batiniya (the hidden ascetic groups) took this Hadith as evidence for their false claiming that Sharia has a side known to public and a hidden one, known only to their groups which makes them religious elites. In fact, there is no hidden knowledge and those who claim such leave the true religion and become dissolute.
Allah knows best.