“So for their breaking of the covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts hard. They distort words from their usages and have forgotten a portion of that of which they were reminded. And you will still observe deceit among them, except a few of them. But pardon them and overlook [their misdeeds]. Indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.” (Qur’an 5:13)
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By the grace of Allah (swt), this entry will take a look at a very important hadith that is attributed to the Blessed Messenger (saw).
Several Companions of the Blessed Prophet (saw) allowed narrating ḥadīth by meaning (riwāyah bil-maʿnā) rather than by exact wording (riwāyah bil-alfāẓ).
Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:
“We have not sent a messenger except in the language of his people to clarify for them. Then Allah leaves whoever He wills to stray and guides whoever He wills. And He is the Almighty, All-Wise.” (Qur’an 14:4)
“Indeed, We have made this easy in your own language so perhaps they will be mindful.” (Qur’an 44:58)
“Sufyan Al Thawri used to say: “When you see a man show strictness in the wordings of hadith, now that he is advertising himself.” He narrated that a certain man began to question Yahya ibn Sa’id Qattan (d. 198) about a specific wording inside a hadith. Yahya said to him; “Ya Fulan! there is not in the whole world anything more sublime the Book of Allah, yet He has permitted that its word be recited in seven different dialects. So do not be so strict!”
Source: (Cf. al-Shaf’i, al-Risala p.274).
This argument was brought forward by the illustrious scholar Sufyan Al Thawri.
Some examples of the above:
The difference between “Malik” (مَلِك) and “Maalik” (مَالِك) in Surah Al-Fatihah is one of the most well-known distinctions between the two canonical recitations (riwayat) of the Quran: Hafs ‘an ‘Asim and Warsh ‘an Nafi’.
First, We should confirm the exact difference: Hafs uses “Malik” (King) while Warsh uses “Maalik” (Master/Owner). It’s important to explain this isn’t a contradiction but a valid variant rooted in the oral transmission of the Quran.
Both readings are linguistically sound and are supported by the Arabic language.
- مَلِك (Malik): Derived from the root م-ل-ك (M-L-K), which relates to kingship, sovereignty, and dominion. It emphasizes authority and power to rule.
- مَالِك (Maalik): Also derived from the same root م-ل-ك (M-L-K), but in the pattern of fa’il, which emphasizes ownership and possession.
Another example: (Qur’an 3:146)
Phrase in Hafs:
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن نَّبِيٍّ قَاتَلَ مَعَهُ رِبِّيُّونَ كَثِيرٌ
Transliteration: “Wa ka-ayyin min nabiyyin qātala ma’ahu ribbiyyūna kathīr…”
Phrase in Warsh:
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن نَّبِيٍّ قَاتَلِ مَعَهُ رِبِّيُّونَ كَثِيرٌ
Transliteration: “Wa ka-ayyin min nabiyyin qātali ma’ahu ribbiyyūna kathīr…”
For example above look what we have quoted:
Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:
“We have not sent a messenger except in the language of his people to clarify for them. Then Allah leaves whoever He wills to stray and guides whoever He wills. And He is the Almighty, All-Wise.” (Qur’an 14:4)
Is that a lie? Allah (swt) most certainly did not say that in the Qur’an. That is because what we have given you is an English translation of the meaning and not the Arabic. The Qur’an was revealed in Arabic.
Does this mean now that every time someone were to quote the Qur’an in another language that they are lying or are they giving us the meaning? Because any time you translate something into another language it is not adverbatim.
This is the difference between Ad litteram and Ad sensum.
Ad litteram:
- Meaning: “To the letter”; literal and exact.
- Focus: Preserving the original wording, structure, and grammatical form as closely as possible.
- Example: A translation that is word-for-word and may sound awkward in the target language but is an exact replica of the source text. An example of this is the phrase: parlez vous francais when rendered ad litteram in English would be: Speak you French?
Ad sensum:
- Meaning: “To the sense” or “according to the meaning.”
- Focus: Conveying the idea or spirit of the original text, even if it requires deviating from the literal wording.
- Example: A translation that sounds natural and fluent in the target language by rephrasing or restructuring sentences to capture the original idea.
WHOEVER LIES ABOUT THE PROPHET
وَسُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ رَجُلٍ يُحَدِّثُ بِالْحَدِيثِ فَيُقَدِّمُ وَيُؤَخِّرُ فِي كَلَامِهِ، فَقَالَ:
«لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ مَا أَدَّى الْمَعْنَى».
The Messenger of Allah saw was asked about a man who narrates Hadith but switches the order of its phrases. He said: “There is no harm in it as long as he conveys the meaning.”
Source: (النص العربي (ص ٣٨٩): al-Ḥākim al-Tirmidhī’s Nawādir al-Uṣūl, p. 389 (Dār al-Jīl edition)
The mutawatir -mass transmitted reports attributed to the Blessed Messenger (saw).
Even in the example of what is considered to be a mass-transmitted report attributed to the Blessed Messenger (saw), it has come down to us in two forms.
Narrated by ‘Abdullah bin Az-Zubair: “I said to my father, ‘I do not hear from you any narration (Hadith) of Allah’s Apostle as I hear (his narrations) from so-and-so?” Az-Zubair replied. l was always with him (the Prophet) and I heard him saying “Whoever tells a lie against me then (surely) let him occupy, his seat in Hell-fire.”
Source: (https://sunnah.com/bukhari:107)
Narrated by Anas: “The fact which stops me from narrating a great number of Hadiths to you is that the Prophet said: “Whoever tells a lie against me intentionally, then (surely) let him occupy his seat in Hell-fire.”
Source: (https://sunnah.com/bukhari:108)
“Whoever lies about me willfully, let him take right now his seat in the Fire!” A mass-narrated (mutawatir) hadith reportedly from many companions in Al Bukhari and Muslim.
One version is narrated by Ibn Abbas by Ahad with three chains, al Tirmidhi (hasan), and with a sound chain—Ibn Abi shayba begins with the words “Avoid relating my words except what you know for sure.”
Source: (The Four Imams & Their Schools by Gibril Fouad Haddad page 132)
Narrated by Ali: “The Prophet said, “Do not tell a lie against me, for whosoever tells a lie against me then he will surely enter the hell-fire.”
Source: (https://sunnah.com/bukhari:106)
We also have the following hadith:
Narrated by Al-Mughira: “I heard the Prophet saying, “Ascribing false things to me is not like ascribing false things to anyone else. Whosoever tells a lie against me intentionally, then surely let him occupy his seat in Hell-Fire.” I heard the Prophet saying, “The deceased who is wailed over is tortured for that wailing.”
Source: (https://sunnah.com/bukhari:1291)
Prima Qur’an Comments:
There is nothing to preclude that the Blessed Prophet (saw) said both of those statements. That is because, in reality, one does not contradict another. A person who relates from the Blessed Prophet (saw) the meaning of what he says is no different from one who conveys Islam in another language quoting Allah from the Qur’an in the local vernacular.
Analyzing the above hadith:
Narrated by ‘Abdullah bin Az-Zubair: ” I said to my father, ‘I do not hear from you any narration (Hadith) of Allah’s Apostle as I hear (his narrations) from so and so?” Az-Zubair replied. l was always with him (the Prophet) and I heard him saying “Whoever tells a lie against me then (surely) let him occupy, his seat in Hell-fire.”
Source: (https://sunnah.com/bukhari:107)
Prima Qur’an Comments: In the above hadith there is no prohibition against narration of hadith. We see this from the information: “as I hear (his narrations) from so-and-so.” This information does not contradict the other information lying about him intentionally. This may be the reason that Az-Zubair did not narrate. He felt that he may slip in this regard.
This can be seen from the other hadith:
Narrated by Anas: “The fact which stops me from narrating a great number of Hadiths to you is that the Prophet said: “Whoever tells a lie against me intentionally, then (surely) let him occupy his seat in Hell-fire.”
Source: (https://sunnah.com/bukhari:108)
Prima Qur’an Comments: Now Anas is obviously narrating hadith. However, he is relating that he is doing his level best to be circumspect in the transmission of the hadith. This even with the caveat of: “whoever lies against me intentionally.”
Which brings us to another interesting hadith.
We also have the following hadith:
Narrated by Al-Mughira: “I heard the Prophet saying, “Ascribing false things to me is not like ascribing false things to anyone else. Whosoever tells a lie against me intentionally, then surely let him occupy his seat in Hell-Fire.” I heard the Prophet saying, “The deceased who is wailed over is tortured for that wailing.”
Source: (https://sunnah.com/bukhari:1291)
Prima Qur’an comments: Here Al Mughira is concerned with lying about the Prophet (saw) intentionally. He also then mentions a piece of information concerning the Blessed Prophet (saw) that he thinks is correct. He stated: “The deceased who is wailed over is tortured for that wailing.”
Now please see the following Hadith
“Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Ubaidullah bin Abi Mulaika: One of the daughters of ‘Uthman died at Mecca. We went to attend her funeral procession. Ibn ‘Umar and Ibn Abbas were also present. I sat in between them (or said, I sat beside one of them. Then a man came and sat beside me.) ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar said to ‘Amr bin ‘Uthman, “Will you not prohibit crying as Allah’s Apostle has said, ‘The dead person is tortured by the crying of his relatives.?” Ibn Abbas said, “Umar used to say so.” Then he added narrating, “I accompanied Umar on a journey from Mecca till we reached Al-Baida. There he saw some travelers in the shade of a Samura (A kind of forest tree). He said (to me), “Go and see who those travelers are.” So I went and saw that one of them was Suhaib. I told this to ‘Umar, who then asked me to call him. So I went back to Suhaib and said to him, “Depart and follow the chief of the faithful believers.” Later, when ‘Umar was stabbed, Suhaib came in weeping and said, “O my brother, O my friend!” (on this ‘Umar said to him, “O Suhaib! Are you weeping for me while the Prophet said, “The dead person is punished by some of the weeping of his relatives?” Ibn Abbas added, “When ‘Umar died I told all this to Aisha, and she said, ‘May Allah be merciful to Umar. By Allah, Allah’s Apostle did not say that a believer is punished by the weeping of his relatives. But he said, Allah, increases the punishment of a non-believer because of the weeping of his relatives.” Aisha further added, “The Quran is sufficient for you (to clear up this point) as Allah has stated: ‘No burdened soul will bear another’s burden.’ ” (35.18). Ibn Abbas then said, “Only Allah makes one laugh or cry.” Ibn Umar did not say anything after that.
Source: (https://sunnah.com/bukhari:1286)
Prima Qur’an Comments: So this is a powerful example. From the information we are provided above both Al-Mughira and Umar had the position that the Blessed Prophet (saw) said: “The dead person is punished by some of the weeping of his relatives?”
However, Aisha says: “Allah’s Apostle did not say that a believer is punished by the weeping of his relatives. But he said, Allah, increases the punishment of a non-believer because of the weeping of his relatives.”
However, her additional point of “The Quran is sufficient for you” to clear up this point as Allah has stated:”No burdened soul will bear another’s burden.’ ” (35.18) Actually, this does not clarify matters.
That is because the verse does not speak about believers or disbelievers. One would wonder how this verse speaks about the punishment of a non-believer because of the weeping of his relatives and not the believer?
This would once again show the supremacy of the Blessed Sunnah. That is because Aisha (ra) must have received some insight in regard to this verse that was not even known to Ibn Abbas.
Obviously, among the companions who heard things from the Blessed Messenger (saw) were those who knew better than others on various issues.
So you can see on the issue of whether someone is punished in the grave because of the weeping of the relatives, that the companions themselves had differences of opinion on this issue. It is an important issue.
Notice that when the matter was brought before Aisha that she appealed to the Qur’an. She quoted a verse that could be used to describe believers or unbelievers equally. However, she must have had some insight that shows this verse is applicable to the believers and not the unbelievers.
Notice that Aisha prefaces her statement with: May Allah be merciful to Umar. This is followed by an oath ‘By Allah’.
The importance of not changing the meaning of what is conveyed from the Blessed Prophet (saw).
“So for their breaking of the covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts hard. They distort words from their usages and have forgotten a portion of that of which they were reminded. And you will still observe deceit among them, except a few of them. But pardon them and overlook [their misdeeds]. Indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.” (Qur’an 5:13)
An example from the New Testament.
Simple changing of words or changing the place of words drastically alter theology.
“That evening after sunset, the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. (Mark 1:32-34)
In the narration given to us above, it is said that the people brought ‘all’ of those who were sick and demon-possessed; but that Jesus healed ‘many’.
“When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.” (Matthew 8:16)
In the narration given to us above it is said that the people brought ‘many’ of those who were sick and demon-possessed; but that Jesus healed ‘all’.
This is a simple changing of words, yet it has a huge theological impact. A Jesus who can heal ‘all’ is far better than a Jesus who simply healed ‘many’.
If they brought many and that number was 20, Jesus healed all.
If they brought all and that number was 20, Jesus healed many; possibly 15.
The addition or subtraction of one word can completely change the meaning of something.
Example:
All the apples in the basket are good.
All the apples in the basket THAT are good.
In the first sentence, we can see that all the apples are good. In the second sentence, we can see that the addition of the word ‘that’ tells us that not all the apples in the basket are good. In this case, one would need to use caution.
Conclusion:
There is no harm in relating the hadith of the Blessed Messenger (saw) via (riwāyah bil-maʿnā). Yet this in and of itself has its conditions. The Qur’an itself came to us by various routes of transmission. In our day-to-day calling to Islam we quote from the Qur’an in the vernacular of the people we speak to. It is very important not to make the Blessed Prophet (saw) or Allah (swt) say what he did not say.
May Allah Forgive the Ummah.
May Allah Guide the Ummah.
Prima Quran 
