Abdullah el-Faisal: 100 Fabricated Hadith (Part 1)

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

يا نبي سلام عليك

One of the most deluded neo-Kharijites of our time is Abdullah el-Faisal, a convert from Jamaica born with the name Trevor William Forrest. In 2023, he was sentenced to eighteen years imprisonment in New York for attempting to recruit for ISIS.

Abdullah el-Faisal converted to Islam around 1980. He went to formally study Islam at Saudi Arabia’s Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh. He therefore became a Wahhabi and after his studies moved to the United Kingdom where he began preaching.

However, Abdullah el-Faisal quickly fell out with the mainstream Salafis who controlled the Brixton Mosque he used to attend. His infamous sermon “The Devil’s Deception of the Saudi Salafis” gained him a reputation as a neo-Kharijite extremist and a Takfiri. Initially associated with Abu Hamzah al-Masri, the two had a falling out and began refuting each other, ostensibly because Abdullah el-Faisal was too extreme even for someone like Abu Hamzah.

Aside from attacking the so-called Saudi Salafis (now usually referred to as Madkhalis), Abdullah el-Faisal spoke out harshly against others too, especially us mainstream Sunnis (Barelawis).

Abdullah el-Faisal authored a book titled “100 Fabricated Hadith”:

In this hastily compiled text, Abdullah el-Faisal exposed his ignorance of the Hadith sciences by declaring a catalogue of 100 narrations fabricated, even though some of them are merely weak (da’if) and not fabricated (mawdu).

The Hadith scholars of Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah do not totally dismiss weak Ahadith, which may be utilized as support for matters established from the Quran and authentic Ahadith, and which may be utilized for fada’il—supporting virtuous deeds.

Additionally, in this book, Abdullah el-Faisal has written comments explaining why certain narrations are problematic for him, and it is those reasons which deserve criticism because they are not entirely motivated by Islam.

Turban

The third narration in his list of a hundred is regarding the turban. While the specific narration mentioned there may indeed be fabricated, there are several other narrations about the virtue of tying a turban which can’t so easily be dismissed as fabricated.

Firstly, the tying of the turban is a confirmed Sunnah of the Prophet, sall Allahu alayhi wasallam, and his Companions, along with the early Muslims and great Imams.

According to a Hadith, admittedly weak:

أَكْرَمَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةَ بِالْعَمَائِمِ وَالْأَلْوِيَةِ

“Allah, glorified and majestic is He, honored this Ummah with turbans and banners” (Sunan Sa’id bin Mansur, #2528)

Although this Hadith is weak, it is certainly not fabricated and there is no problem in quoting similar narrations for the purpose of encouraging men to tie turbans as it is from the fada’il.

Regrettably, the Sunnah of wearing the turban by Muslim males has waned considerably to the point that it is virtually non-existent today. Those few that do continue to tie turbans tend to be the Ulama and the Sufis, and some people of a few countries like Afghanistan and Sudan.

Wahhabism and Salafism have played an outsized role in influencing Muslims away from the turban. The Wahhabi and Kharijite Abdullah el-Faisal including a narration about the turban in his list of 100 fabricated Hadith is an example of how they seek to discourage the turban, which they associate with the traditional Sunnis and Sufis. Virtually no Salafi would be seen wearing a turban. Instead, they tend to prefer going either bareheaded or don the ghutra of the Gulf Arabs and Bedouins.

Arabs

The fourth narration in Abdullah el-Faisal’s list of 100 fabricated Hadith is concerning the virtue of the Arabs, and the command to love them because the Prophet, peace be upon him, is himself an Arab, the Quran was revealed in Arabic and the language of Paradise will be Arabic. Commenting on this, Abdullah el-Faisal says, “We do not show love to people because of their race, language, tribe, nationality or wealth.”

What he has expressed is an extreme form of egalitarianism that was likewise expressed by the historic Khawarij. It is not surprising that this neo-Kharijite, Abdullah el-Faisal, shares a similar sentiment of extreme egalitarianism in which loving and honoring people because they are Arab, or from the tribe or lineage of the Prophet, peace be upon him, is frowned upon.

But as for us traditional Sunni Muslims, we consider it from our madhhab to show love and respect for those Muslims who are related to the Prophet, peace be upon him, by blood, and we do not consider the sentiment of loving and honoring the Arabs because the Prophet was Arab to be against the spirit of equality taught by Islam. If a Muslim loves Arabs, it does not mean he necessarily hates non-Arabs and is therefore sinful.

In fact, there are many authentic Hadith about the virtues of various nations and tribes. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى كِنَانَةَ مِنْ وَلَدِ إِسْمَعِيلَ وَاصْطَفَى قُرَيْشًا مِنْ كِنَانَةَ وَاصْطَفَى مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ وَاصْطَفَانِي مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ

“Verily, Allah has chosen Kinanah from the sons of Ishmael, and he has chosen the Quraysh from Kinanah, and he has chosen the tribe of Hashim from the Quraysh, and he has chosen me from the tribe of Hashim.” (Sahih Muslim)

Allah even says in the Quran that He preferred the Israelites over everyone else at that point in history when they were His chosen people:

یٰبَنِیۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِیۡلَ اذۡکُرُوۡا نِعۡمَتِیَ الَّتِیۡۤ اَنۡعَمۡتُ عَلَیۡکُمۡ وَاَنِّیۡ فَضَّلۡتُکُمۡ عَلَی الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ

O children of Israel! Remember My favor with which I favored you, and that I preferred you over the worlds

(Surah 2, Ayah 47)

Tawassul

Abdullah el-Faisal objects to the fifth narration on his list about Adam seeking forgiveness for having eaten from the tree by invoking the right of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, not only on the basis that it is supposedly fabricated but because it sanctions a form of intercession or tawassul which he considers false, “There are various Sufi orders in the Muslim world today who rely on this fabricated Hadith to practice the haraam types of tawassul.”

Abdullah el-Faisal also revealed his false belief that it is now not possible for the Prophet, peace be upon him, to supplicate for his Ummah: “And now that he (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) has passed on to the company of the highest Angels and it is not now possible for him to supplicate for us”.

He goes on to declare the type of tawassul practiced by Sunni Muslims to be haram, “The haraam types of tawassul will now be looked at. There are some Muslims in the world today who performed types of tawassul that are not prescribed; hence they do not fall into any of the three halaal previous mentioned types of tawassul. These Muslims call upon Allah (azza wa jall) by saying: ‘O Allah forgive me due to the glory of Muhammad (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam)’ or ‘O Allah forgive me due to the right that Muhammad (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) has over You.’ Some of them even go as far as to approach the grave of the Prophet (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) and stand by it and say: ‘O Muhammad beg Allah to forgive me.’ Or ‘Beg Allah (azza wa jall) to bless me with such and such a thing.’ These types of tawassul are haraam because they are not prescribed.”

Again, Abdullah el-Faisal revealed how much of an extreme Wahhabi he is when he said, “As for their saying: Had it not been for Muhammad (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) Allah (azza wa jall) would not have created the heavens and the earth; it is Shirk”

How is this belief shirk exactly? One can disagree with though still comprehend an edict that declares it false and erroneous; but shirk is a specific crime which means to associate a partner with Allah. This is yet another instance of Wahhabis casually and carelessly declaring matters shirk without understanding the basic definition of shirk.

Coming back to the narration of Adam seeking forgiveness from Allah through the right of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, it has been reported by al-Hakim of Nishapur:

لَمَّا اقْتَرَفَ آدَمُ الْخَطِيئَةَ قَالَ يَا رَبِّ أَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ لَمَا غَفَرْتَ لِي

“When Adam committed the mistake he said, ‘O Lord, I ask you by the right of Muhammad that you forgive me.’” (al-Mustadrak alas-Sahihayn, v.2, p.672)

Although al-Hakim declared this Hadith authentic, we agree it is weak. Nevertheless, while it is true that some of the Hanafis prohibitively disliked asking Allah by the right of the Prophet, peace be upon him, others, particularly from the Shafi’i and Hanbali schools, did not.

The great scholar Ibn Aqil al-Hanbali said that it is mustahhab to make the following supplication that includes intercession at the grave of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him:

اللهم إني أتوجه إليك بنبيك صلى الله عليه وسلم نبي الرحمة يا رسول الله إني أتوجه بك إلى ربي ليغفر لي ذنوبي اللهم إني أسألك بحقه أن تغفر لي ذنوبي

“Allahumma! Verily I turn to You by virtue of Your Prophet, Prophet of mercy. O Messenger of Allah, I turn towards my Lord by your virtue for forgiveness of my sins. Allahumma! I ask You by his right that You forgive me.” (at-Tadhkirah, p.117)

Quran at the Grave

The eighth narration listed by Abdullah el-Faisal which he declares fabricated is about the virtue of reciting Surat Ya Sin at the grave of one’s parents on the day of Jumu’ah. Commenting on it, he says, “The above-mentioned fabricated Hadith encourages Muslims to recite the Holy Qur’an by the grave and this is a bid’ah…This practice of reciting the Qur’an over the dead people was disallowed by Abu Hanifa, Malik and Ahmad. The person who claims to be a Muslim but didn’t practice the Qur’an during his lifetime will not benefit from the recitation of his relatives over his dead body.”

But the truth is that Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, rahimahullah, did allow and even encourage recitation of the Quran at the grave to benefit the deceased. I previously wrote an article on this topic with the proofs including an authentic Hadith from the Prophet, peace be upon him.

It is regrettable that these days a growing number of people consider it an innovation to recite the Quran at the grave or to recite the Quran for the benefit of the deceased. Again, this attitude is due to the spread of Salafism and other modernist “flavors” of Islam that are divorced from the traditional and orthodox Sunni Islam that was prevalent in the Ummah since its inception and for generations upon generations thereafter (and still is today for the most part).

To his credit, Abdullah el-Faisal did affirm at least one Sunni belief which is challenged and rejected by some of the most extreme Wahhabis such as the Mamatis, and that is the belief that the deceased can hear us at the grave, “Also we are allowed to give the dead our Salaam since they can hear us.”

Ali is the Gate

The famous and wonderful Hadith:

أَنَا مَدِينَةُ الْعِلْمِ وَعَلِيٌّ بَابُهَا

“I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate”

is rejected as a fabrication by Abdullah el-Faisal, who lists it as the ninth narration in his catalogue of 100 fabricated Hadith. At most it may be said this narration is somewhat weak, but to declare it a fabrication is going overboard. What is more revealing is his reasoning for rejecting the narration, which is dear to virtually all Muslims especially those who love and revere Ali al-Murtada, radi Allahu anhu: “This fabricated Hadith is famous among the Shi’ites who exaggerate in their love for Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra).”

Firstly, this Hadith is acceptable to the Sunnis too, and has been reported in our literature. Secondly, if this is an example of exaggeration of love for mawla Ali, karram Allahu wajhahu, then what will he say about the established and authentic Hadith which establish the excellence of Ali, karram Allahu wajhahu, such as Hadith al-Manzilah:

أَمَا تَرْضَى أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى

“Are you not pleased that you are to me in the position Aaron is to Moses?”

Some Salafis deliberately seek to cast doubt on those Hadith which extoll the virtues and excellences of Amir ul-Mu’minin Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, and this is due to going overboard in enmity with the Shi’ah. It is akin to someone seeking to denigrate the true Prophets Moses and Jesus due to enmity with Jews and Christians. Such fools do not realize that just as Moses and Jesus belong to us Muslims and not the Jews and Christians, likewise, Ali belongs to us Sunnis and not to the astray Shiites.

To be continued, in sha Allah