The Quantity of One HUQUB and its Hadith Discussion
It has been narrated that Rasulullaah sallallahu alaihi
wasallam has said ..that person who
delays his salaat until the time of that salaat has passed, thereafter performs
his salaat. He will be punished ill Jahanam for a period of one 'huqub' A
'huqub is a period of 80 years, each year is of 360 days and each day is equal
to a thousand years.
The reason why I have chosen this hadeeth is that this has
been a common target for all critics, in Hadhrat Sheikh's R A lifetime as well
as after; many objections have been raised against this hadeeth. After quoting
it Hadhrat Sheikh R A himself said,
"I did not find
this hadeeth in any of the hadeeth books that I have, except that it is
mentioned in <Majaalisul Abraar', which has been praised by one of our mashaikh-spinual
elders, Shah Abdul Aziz Dehlwi R A .
Hadhrat Sheikh R A knew that this will not suffice, that is
why, because in the above mentioned hadeeth a severe admonishment has been
mentioned for delaying salaat till after its stipulated time, he added:
"In ‘Tafseer Ibn
Katheer' it is mentioned. under the commentary of the verse "Destruction
be on those performers of salaah! Who neglect to perform their salaat"
from Ibn Abbaas R A ( which is hukman
marfoo'a-conftrmed order) "In Jahanam there is a pit, from which Jahanam
itself seeks refuge 400 times a day. This is for those who do so for show from
the Ummat of Muhammed sallallahu alaihi wasallam . he then quotes an extract from 'Quratul
ooyoon' from Ibn Abbaas R A that it is the dwelling of those who delay salaat
until its time has passed.
This same theme has
been narrated from Sa'ad bin Abi Waqqaas R A marfoo'an (narrated without gap).
Haakim and Baihaqi both said that it is sahee mowqoofan. ( narrated
realiblywith out gap)
All of these proofs
together make it clear, that a severe punishment in Jahannam has been prepared
for those who are negligent in their salaat, reading it after its time has
expired, even if one huqub is not explicitly been proven.
That is why, when a few people advised Hadhrat R A to exclude this hadeeth, Hadhrat R A replied
"This incompetent one has still not understood the reason why this hadeeth
should be removed" ('Kutube Fazaail par ishkalaat)
