Another Fabricated Hadeeth from Anjem Choudary: “Whoever Insults a Prophet, Kill Him!”

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

One of the most despicable crimes in the Religion of Islaam is to attribute things to the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) that he did not say. In the hadeeth reported by as many as 100 Companions or more:

من كذب علي متعمدًا فليتبوأ مقعده من النار
“Whoever lies on me intentionally, let him take his place in the Hellfire.”

In the wake of the Charlie Hebdo incident in Paris, France, a number of self-appointed spokesmen for Islaam have appeared in Western media. From the most deviant and ignorant of them is a UK-based supporter of the beliefs and practices of the Khawaarij Cult, Anjem Choudary (may Allaah guide him). In his interviews and writings over the past week, he has attributed the following fabrication to the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace):

Whoever insults a Prophet, kill him.

Sources of the Fabricated Hadeeth

With the wording, “Whoever insults the prophets…” it was collected by at-Tabaraanee in his al-Mu’jam al-Awsat and al-Mu’jam as-Sagheer, with ‘Ubaydullaah ibn Muhammad al-‘Umaree in the chain, a man whom the scholars of hadeeth identify as a liar. Ibn Hajr referred to this narration specifically as one of his contradictions to what is authentic. Al-Albaanee graded it mowdhoo’ (fabricated). Refer to Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth ad-Dha’eefah (no.206) for more details.

With the wording, “Whoever insults a prophet…” it was also collected by Tammaam ar-Raazee in his Fawaa’id (no.740), with Husayn ibn Humayd ibn ar-Rabee’ in the chain, another known liar.

Who is Spreading it?

This fabricated hadeeth appeared in Anjem Choudary’s article, “Why Did France Allow the Tabloid to Provoke Muslims?” published in the USA Today newspaper on January 8, 2015, shortly after the Charlie Hebdo incident. The irresponsible publication was then followed by USA Today’s attempt to defend their action, claiming that Anjem Choudary is “one of Europe’s most visible and outspoken Islamist leaders, he also has both influence and insight.”

The USA Today article alone with the fabricated hadeeth made its rounds through social media, leading to over a thousand comments on the article itself back at the USA Today website.

While Muslims would not expect non-Muslims who spread lies on the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) to retract the falsehood of what they spread, repentance does remain a basic duty upon Anjem Choudary and all those who continue to attribute this lie to the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace).

Is the Meaning of the Hadeeth False Then?

While it is true that within an Islaamic judicial system in a Muslim country, someone accused of insulting the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) may face capital punishment in some cases, this does not mean that Muslims are allowed to justify the criminal behavior of those who take the law into their own hands, assuming roles of judges, juries, and executioners without due process.

Additionally, the presumed correctness of the meaning of a fabricated hadeeth could never justify falsely attributing to the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) statements he never said.

The Irony of Such Behavior

It is also important to note that defending the honor of the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) could never be accomplished by attributing lies to him that he never said. And how ironic it truly is that people who promote and defend the beliefs and practices of the deviant Khawaarij Cult would lie on the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace), an act the Khawaarij themselves would expel a person from the Religion over. May Allaah guide us all to what is better.

And Allaah knows best.

Written by: Moosaa Richardson

17 thoughts on “Another Fabricated Hadeeth from Anjem Choudary: “Whoever Insults a Prophet, Kill Him!”

  1. Why am I not surprised that the likes of this individual is published in the USA today and praised by them to give credibility to his lies and to add more fuel to fire of ignorance, division and animosity amonst their readers.

    La hawla wa la qwaata illa billah.

    May Allaah protect the Muslims and keep them steadfast upon goodness. Ameen.

  2. BarakAllah feek.
    There are those who are claiming that Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) in his book As Saarim As Maslool allows killing anyone who insults the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
    They have isolated ahadith about instances where some of the sahabahs killed someone who insulted the messenger on several occasions and that the Messenger sallahu alayhi wasallam did not rebuke them for that. My point for mentioning this is that these type of “knowledge” based arguments need to be addressed. The individuals exposed to this brainwashing are cut off from the ulema and students and are a prey for those with bad intent. Please translate the explantion from the scholars on this issue to silence these devils. Allah guide us all.

    • 1. Instances of the Companions implementing certain laws when not in governmental positions of authority was something specific to them. They were the foremost of “those in authority among us” referred to in 4:59 [of Quran], according to Mujaahid ibn Jabar, the outstanding imam of tafseer from the taabi’oon. This is because of their special status of having witnessed the revelation and its correct understanding and practice first-hand. This cannot justify people not in positions of authority today taking the law into their own hands.

      2. Scholars agree that legitimate court cases which involve capital punishment are to be taken very seriously, and every excuse possible for the accused must be studied one by one, leaving no doubt. Excuses like coercion, mental instability, slips of the tongue, ignorance of the ruling, and many other situational factors are studied carefully. This obviously requires patience, knowledge, and an established and fair judicial process.

      3. I do not know of anything from Shaykh Al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyah that could be used to establish chaotic attacks that lead to the defamation of Islaam. Nor have I ever heard of anything from any other scholar of Islaam which would justify such recklessness. However, the Khawaarij Cult who are hudathaa’ al-asnaan sufahaa’ al-ahlaam (young and foolish) seem to always find something in the books of the scholars which they claim justifies their actions. They are the ones who are typically behind such acts. And their understanding of Islaam is seriously tainted, and you will not find the scholars supporting them or their misreadings of the books of the scholars and resulting corruption.

      4. The most obvious proof against such claims would be the actual modern incidents when ignorant and deviant extremists take the law into their own hands in non-Muslim lands. The harm done to the image of Islaam and the Muslims is greater than the harm done by the original offensive acts by the non-Muslims, especially when the so-called “Muslims” are the perpetrators who take responsibility for such acts. And Allaah’s Aid is sought.

      5. Read this beautiful comment from the recognized scholar of al-Madeenah, Shaykh ‘Ubayd al-Jaabiree (may Allaah preserve him): http://sunnahpublishing.net/shaykh-ubayd-al-jaabiree-on-the-charlie-hebdo-shootings-in-paris/

      And Allaah knows best.

  3. This Deviant Anjem Chaudhary is a prime reason for oppression upon a Salafiyyoon there. He just wants to be like Anwar Al Awlaki (The Deviant), and want to become his Khawarij Successor. One thing is for sure Ikhwaan, this Anjem Chaudhary loves to be on air and wants to get politicised, so that he can attain a maximum benefit for his cult theology. May Allaah protect the Salafiyyoon from the deviant traps of these Fanatical Khawajites.

  4. As-salamu ‘alaykum! Ustadh Moosa, somebody was claiming that the hadeeth about th khawaarij being the dogs of the Hellfire is weak, how true is this claim? Can you provide me with some more details about its chain ? Jazaak Allaahu khayran.

    • Wa ‘alaykas-salaamu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. I have not looked into the chain myself, I have only relied upon the authentication of Shaykh al-Albaanee (may Allaah have Mercy on him). And Allaah knows best.

  5. السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
    Could you kindly explain what a:
    1) Weak
    2) Strange
    3) Sound
    hadeths are please and give the terms in Arabic for them
    JazakAllah Khair

    • وعليك السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته

      1) Weak = ضعيف “dha’eef” = not authentic, not correctly attributed to the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam)
      2) Strange = غريب “ghareeb” = a hadeeth which comes by only one chain of narration, it may or may not be authentic
      3) Sound = صحيح “saheeh” or maybe حسن “hasan” = authentic, I don’t really know who translated the word “sound” and from what term, so it’s a guess.

    • Jazakum Allahu Khairan.
      is there a difference between a Hasan and Saheeh hadeeth?

  6. Assalaamu’alaykum

    Is the hadeeth fabricated because there is a liar in the chain? But it’s possible that a liar can speak the truth at times right? So how do the scholars conclude with certainty that a hadeeth is fabricated?

    • Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaah. A hadeeth is deemed fabricated when only a liar narrates it, as Allaah does not preserve His Religion through liars. And Allaah knows best.

  7. Salaam Moosaa. If you could write an article on how we Muslims shouldn’t protest President Trump’s Muslim ban, it would be very beneficial. I have a lot of people in my area who are supporting the protests.

  8. Salaam Moosa, can I ask about a narration which these people often use? It goes something like:

    Once Salman Farsi (radiAllaahu anhu) stood up and said to the Caliph Umar ibn Khataab (radiAllaahu anhu), “We will not listen and we will not obey.” Umar bin Khattab asked, “How come?” Salman Farsi said, “Because you gave us all one piece of cloth, and we see that you are wearing two pieces of cloth.” Umar bin Khattab signalled his son Abdullah bin Umar (radiAllaahu anhu) to explain. Abdullah bin Umar confirmed that he gave is cloth to his father. Salman Farsi then said, “Now we will listen and obey.”

    Is this narration Saheeh? They say that Imaam Ibn Qutaybah quoted it in ‘Uyun al-Akhbar (1/55).

    JazakAllahukhayrun

  9. :Please answer this serious question on aqida for me, since Shaytan has bothered me that I read somewhere that one of the Prophets was scared to tell people the Revelation or hesitated — what is the ruling on this? I cannot remember where I saw it or if it was Prophet Musa (alaihi salaam)that this claim was about, or Prophet Muhammad (salallahu alaihi wa salaam), or another (alaihi salaam). what is the ruling on a person who says any one of the Prophets hesitated to call to the truth or was scared to tell people about the Revelation? i am very scared of going astray and I get waswasah. May Allaah cure me. I need to gain beneficial knowledge. May Allaah grant ease in that for me

    • A moment of human hesitation, followed by strength and determined da’wah, under divine direction and special support, is nothing to worry about. No prophet ever compromised his message or hid it from the people. And Allah knows best.

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