extracted from
http://www.al-inaam.com/fataawa/masah_socks.htm
5) Finally, we come to the hadith of Mughira (May Allah Ta'ala be pleased with him) which is the most famous on this subject. The hadith is as follows,
99 - حدثنا هناد و محمود بن غيلان قالا حدثنا وكيع عن سفيان عن أبي قيس عن هزيل بن شرحبيل عن المغيرة بن شعبة قال : توضأ النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم ومسح على الجوربين والنعلين (أخرجه الترمذي و قال هذا حديث حسن صحيح و كذا أخرجه ا بن حبان صحيحه - (ج 4 / ص 167) و أخرجه أبو داود سننه - (ج 1 / ص 61) و قال «كان عبد الرحمن بن مهدى لا يحدث بهذا الحديث لأن المعروف عن المغيرة أن النبى -صلى الله عليه وسلم- مسح على الخفين.» و رواه البيهقي في السنن الكبرى - (ج 1 / ص 283) ثم اطنب في بسط الكلام عليه و كذا بسط الكلام عليه مصنف تحفة الأحوذي - (ج 1 / ص 279) و روي هذا الحديث أيضا ابن ماجه سننه - (ج 1 / ص 185) و أحمد في مسنده - (ج 4 / ص 252) و الطبراني في المعجم الأوسط – (ج 3 / ص 112) و الكبير – (ج 20 / ص 415) وابن أبي شيبة في مصنفه - (ج 14 / ص 234)
“Nabi صلي الله عليه و سلم performed ablution and wiped on his jawrab and shoes.” (Narrated by Imam Tirmidhi, Ibn Hibbaan, Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah, Al Bayhaqi, Ahmad, At Tabrani, Ibn Abi Shaba and others)
Although Imam Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibbaan (May Allah Ta'ala have mercy on both of them) regarded this hadith as authentic, the vast majority of Muhaddithoon regarded this hadith as weak. The reason for this is firstly, this hadith contradicts the Quran (washing the feet). Imam Muslim (May Allah Ta'ala be pleased with him) has emphatically stated that we will not leave the apparent meaning of the Quran (i.e. washing the feet) for a narration narrated by the likes of Abu Qais and Huzail. (Sunan al kubra 1/283). Secondly, the narrator, Abu Qais contradicts almost all the other narrators of this hadith. The greatest teacher of Imam Bukhari (May Allah Ta'ala be pleased with him), Imam Ali bin al Madini (May Allah Ta'ala be pleased with him) said that all the People of Madinah, Kufa and Basra narrate this hadith. However, only Huzail makes mention of the wiping of the Jawrab contradicting all these (great) People. (ibid) Imam Muslim (May Allah Ta'ala be pleased with him) regarded this hadith as weak and said that (the narrators) Abu Qais al Audi and Huzail bin Shurahbeel are not fit to go against other great students who narrated this hadith from Mughirah. They all narrated it by only mentioning the wiping of a khuff (and not making any mention of wiping the Jawrab.) (ibid) Moulana Anwar Shah al Kashmiri (May Allah Ta'ala have mercy on him) said that this narration is mentioned through seventy chains, all which mentions the wiping of the kuff. Hence, there has to be some wahm (doubt) in this narration. (Faydh al Bari 1/269) Yahya bin Ma’een (May Allah Ta'ala be pleased with him) also complained that everyone narrates this hadith by mentioning the wiping of the khuff besides Abu Qais. (ibid)
Amongst the great Scholars who weakened this hadith, Imam Bayhaqi (May Allah Ta'ala have mercy on him) has mentioned the names of the following:
· Imam Sufyaan at Thawri (May Allah Ta'ala have mercy on him)
· Abdur Rahman bin Mahdi (May Allah Ta'ala have mercy on him).
· Ahmad bin Hambal (May Allah Ta'ala have mercy on him)
· Yahya bin Maeen (May Allah Ta'ala have mercy on him)
· Ali bin Madeeni (May Allah Ta'ala have mercy on him)
· Muslim bin Hajjaaj (May Allah Ta'ala have mercy on him)
These are much greater Scholars than Imam Tirmidhi (May Allah Ta'ala be pleased with him) and Ibn Hibbaan (who authenticated this narration). Imam Nawawi (May Allah Ta'ala be pleased with him) mentions that these are such great Scholars that if only one of them had to go against Imam Tirmidhi (May Allah Ta'ala have mercy on him); we should prefer his verdict over that of Imam Tirmidhi. Moreover, (in the principles of hadith) a criticism is preferred over an authentication (Tuhfah al Ahwadhi 1/279).
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