Slandering al-Barbahārī: A Timeless Pattern of Hypocrisy

﷽

Question

Some of the callers who stir up tribulations have maligned Imām al-Barbahārī and his book Sharḥ al-Sunnah. What are your comments regarding this?

Shaykh Ṣāliḥ ibn Fawzān al-Fawzān (born 1354 AH / 1933 CE) said:

This is not something exclusive to Imām al-Barbahārī. They maligned the Messenger ﷺ himself. Allah ﷻ states:

۞ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَلْمِزُكَ فِي الصَّدَقَاتِ فَإِنْ أُعْطُوا مِنْهَا رَضُوا وَإِن لَّمْ يُعْطَوْا مِنْهَا إِذَا هُمْ يَسْخَطُونَ

“Among them are those who find fault with you [O Muḥammad] concerning the distribution of the charities. If they are given a portion thereof, they become pleased, but if they are not given thereof, behold, they are enraged.”
(Sūrah al-Tawbah 9:58)

۞ وَمِنْهُمُ الَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ النَّبِيَّ وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ أُذُنٌ ۚ قُلْ أُذُنُ خَيْرٍ لَّكُمْ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَيُؤْمِنُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

“And among them are those who annoy the Prophet and say: ‘He is (lending his) ear (to every news).’ Say: ‘He listens to what is best for you; he believes in Allah, has faith in the believers, and is a mercy to those who believe among you.’ But those who annoy Allah’s Messenger will have a painful torment.” (Sūrah al-Tawbah 9:61)

So if they insulted and maligned the Messenger ﷺ, how can it be expected that they would not malign those besides him? Hypocrisy remains and continues. The hypocrites have successors and followers until the Day of Judgement.