Weakness of the Hadeeth: The Ink of the Scholar is Holier than the Blood of the Martyr

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

»مداد حبر العالم أقدس من دم الشهيد«

“The ink of the scholar is holier the blood of the martyr.” [Baseless]

These Ahaadeeth – about the virtues of the scholars over that of a martyrs or the virtues of the ink of the scholars over that of the blood of the martyrs – has been narrated on the authority of a number of Sahaabah with different wordings, but all with the chains which are baseless, unfounded, very weak or fabricated.

Here are some of them:

1. On the authority of Abu al-Dardaa’ رضي الله عنه as narrated by Ibn `Abdul Barr in “Jaami` bayaan al-`ilm” (1/150), with the wordings:

»يُوزَنُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِدَادُ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَدَمُ الشُّهَدَاءِ«

“On the Day of Judgment, the ink of the scholars and the blood of the martyrs will be weighted.”

In its chain is Isma`eel bin Abi Ziyaad. Ibn Hibbaan said about him: “Dajjaal (a liar)”; and because of this al-`Iraaqee graded it as weak in “Takhreej al-Ihyaa’” (1/5).

2. On the authority of `Abdullaah ibn `Amr bin al-`Aas رضي الله عنهما as narrated by Abu Nu`aim in “Akhbaar Asbahaan” (2/179 & 276); and al-Dailamee in “Musnad al-Firdaus” (8839) on the authority of Jaabir ibn `Abdullaah رضي الله عنهما with the wordings:

»إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ يُوزَنُ مِدَادُ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَدَمُ الشُّهَدَاءِ، فَيَرْجَحُ مِدَادُ الْعُلَمَاءِ عَلَى دَمِ الشُّهَدَاءِ«

“When it will be the Day of Judgment, the ink of the scholars and the blood of the martyrs will be weighed, the ink of the scholars will outweigh the blood of the martyrs.”

Again in its chain is Isma`eel ibn Abi Ziyaad, who was mentioned above.

Ibn al-Jawzee also reported the same in “al-`Ilal al-Mutanaahiyah” (84) on the authority of `Abdullaah ibn `Amr bin al-`Aas رضي الله عنهما with a different chain and said: “It is not authentic”. Imaam Ahmad said about one of the narrators in its chain: “Muhammad bin Yazeed al-Waasitee did not report anything from `Abdul Rahmaan bin Ziyaad (i.e. Muhammad did not meet `Abdul Rahmaan)” Ibn Hibbaan said: “He (Muhammad ibn Yazeed) used to fabricate Ahaadeeth and attributed them to reliable narrators.”

3. On the authority of Ibn `Umar رضي الله عنهما as narrated by al-Dailamee in “Musnad al-Firdaus” with the wordings:

»وُزِنَ حِبْرُ الْعُلَمَاءِ بِدَمِ الشُّهَدَاءِ فَرَجَحَ عَلَيْهِمْ«

“The ink of the scholars will be weighed against the blood of the martyrs, and it will outweigh it.”

In its chain are Is-haaq bin al-Qaasim and his father and both of them are unknown narrators. Al-Khateeb in “Taareekh al-Baghdaad” (2/190) and from him Ibn al-Jawzee narrated in “al-`Ilal al-Mutanaahiyah” (83) and he said: “This Hadeeth, as a narration of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, is not authentic.” Al-Khateeb said: “All its narrators are authentic except for Muhammad bin al-Hasan and we see that this Hadeeth is from his handiwork (i.e. it is he who has fabricated it).”

4. On the authority of Nu`maan bin Basheer رضي الله عنهما as narrated by al-Sahmee in “Taareekh Jurjaan” (1/91 & 1/222) with the wordings:

»يُوزَنُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِدَادُ الْعُلَمَاءِ مع دم الشهداء فيرجع مِدَادُ الْعُلَمَاءِ عَلَى دَمِ الشُّهَدَاءِ«

“On the Day of Judgment, the ink of the scholars will be weighed against the blood of the martyrs, so the ink of the scholars will outweigh the blood of the martyrs.”

Ibn al-Jawzee also reported it in “al-`Ilal al-Mutanaahiyah” (85) and said: “This Hadeeth is not authentic.” About Haroon ibn `Antarah (one of the sub-narrators), Ibn Hibban said: “It is not permissible to rely on him, for he used to narrate a lot of spurious narrations and those which had no basis, to the extend that (by mere listening to him) even the hearts of the listeners would be convinced that he is deliberately making it up.” As for Yaqoob al-Qummi (another sub-narrator), ibn Hibban said: “He is Dha`eef (weak)”.

5. On the authority of `Uqbah ibn `Aamir رضي الله عنه as narrated by al-Rifaa`ee in “Taareekh al-Qezween” (3/481) with the wordings:

»يُؤْتَى بِمِدَادِ طَالِبِ الْعِلْمِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَدَمِ الشُّهَدَاءِ فيوزنان ملاء يُفَضِّلُ هَذَا عَلَى هَذَا وَلا هَذَا عَلَى هَذَا«

“On the Day of Judgment, the ink of the student of knowledge and the blood of the martyrs will be brought forth and both of them will be weighed. The scale of this (the ink) will be virtuous over this (the blood) and not this (blood) over this (ink).”

In its chain is `Abdul Malik bin Maslamah, who used to narrate a lot of spurious narrations and Ibn al-Jawzee mentioned him among the weak and abandoned narrators.

Also in its chain is `Abdullaah bin Luhai`ah, and there is a consensus about his being “Dha`eef”. Yahyaa bin Sa`eed al-Qattaan said: “Basheer bin Surree said to me: ‘if you come across `Abdullaah bin Luhai`ah, do not narrate a single word from’.”

6. On the authority of `Imraan bin Husain رضي الله عنه as narrated by al-Marhabee in “Fadhl al-`Ilm” as was mentioned by al-Suyoottee in “Dur al-Manthoor” (3/423) with the wordings:

»يُوزن يَوْم الْقِيَامَة مِدَادُ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَدَمُ الشُّهَدَاءِ فَيَرْجَحُ مِدَادُ الْعُلَمَاءِ عَلَى دَمِ الشُّهَدَاءِ«

“On the Day of Judgment, the ink of the scholars will be weighed against the blood of the martyrs, so the ink of the scholars will outweigh the blood of the martyrs.”

It was also reported in “Juz Ibn `Amshaleeq” (1/44).

In its chain is Ahmad bin Muhammad bin al-Qaasim the Muadhin of Tarsoos and he is unknown.

7. On the authority of Anas bin Maalik رضي الله عنه as narrated by Ibn al-Najjaar as was mentioned by al-Suyoottee with the wordings:

»يوزن مداد العلماء ودم الشهداء فيرجح مداد العلماء على دم الشهداء«

“The ink of the scholars will be weighed against the blood of the martyrs, so the ink of the scholars will outweigh the blood of the martyrs.”

 It was also mentioned in “Lisaan al-Meezaan” (5/225)  and in its chain is Muhammad bin `Abdullaah bin al-Qaasim Abu Husain al-Haarthi. Abu Haatim al-Raazi said about him: “Sack of lies”. Ibn Hajar said: “He used to lie in his narrations.”

8. On the authority of Ibn `Abbaas رضي الله عنهما as narrated in “Juz ibn `Amshaleeq” (1/43-44) with the wordings:

»إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَجْمَعُ اللَّهُ الْعُلَمَاءَ وَالْمُرَابِطِينَ وَالْقُرَّاءَ وَالعُبَّادَ فَيَقُولُ لِلْعُبَّادِ وَالْمُجَاهِدِينَ وَالْقُرَّاءِ وَالْمُرَابِطِينَ ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ بِرَحْمَتِي قَالَ فَيَصِيحُونَ الْعُلَمَاءُ صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَيَقُولُونَ يَا رَبَّنَا بِفَضْلِ عِلْمِنَا جَاهَدُوا وَرَابَطُوا وَتَعَبَّدُوا وَصَامُوا وَصَلُّوا فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَسْتُمْ أَنْتُمْ عِنْدِي فِي عِدَادِ أُولَئِكَ أَنْتُمْ عِنْدِي فِي عِدَّادِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ قِفُوا حَتَّى تَشْفَعُوا لِمَنْ أَحْبَبْتُمْ ثُمَّ تَدْخُلُوا الْجنَّة«

“When it will be the Day of Judgment, Allaah (تعالى) will gather the scholars, the guards (against the enemies), the reciters (of the Qur’aan) and the worshipers. He will say to the worshipers and the Mujaahideen and the reciters and the guards: Enter the Jannah by My Mercy. The scholars will shout with one voice saying: O our Lord, by the virtue of our knowledge we strived (in Your path) and guarded (against the enemies) and worshiped (You) and we fasted and prayed. Allaah عز وجل will say: With Me you are not from their ranks, rather with Me you are from the ranks of the Angels. So wait till you have interceded for those whom you love and then enter the Jannah.”

This is reported on the authority of al-Kalbee from Abu Saaleh from Ibn `Abbaas. But this chain is extremely weak. Al-Kalbee has been accused of lying and Abu Haatim al-Raazee said: “People are unanimous on forsaking his narrations.” Imaam al-Bukhaaree said: “His narrations should not be written.”

Abu Saaleh is also weak. Al-Jouzjaanee said about him: “Weak” and in another place said “abandoned”. Al-Baihaqee said: “People of knowledge have abandoned him and his narrations are not taken into consideration due to number of spurious narrations he has narrated.”

9. On the authority of Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه as narrated by al-Sam`aanee in “Adab al-Imlaa’ wal-istimlaa’” (1/181) with the wordings:

»يُوزَنُ مِدَادُ الْعُلَمَاءِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِدَمِ الشُّهَدَاءِ فَيَرْجَحُ مِدَادُهُمْ عَلَى دِمَاءِهِمْ أَضْعَافًا مُضَاعَفَةً«

“On the Day of Judgment, the ink of the scholars will be weighed against the blood of the martyrs, so the ink of the scholars will outweigh the blood of the martyrs manifold times.”

In its chain is al-Muzaffar bin al-Husain and Abu al-Fath `Abdul Waahid and both of them are unknown.

Conclusion:

The Hadeeth is not authentic with all its different routes.

Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee said: “Fabricated.”

Al-Dhahabee said in “Meezaan al-`itidaal” (3/517): “Its Matn (text) is fabricated.”

The same was also mentioned by al-Shawkaanee in “al-Fawaaid al-Majmoo`ah” (1/17).

Also by al-`Aamree in “al-Jad al-Hatheeth fee bayaan maa laisa bi hadeeth” (1/203).

Shaikh al-Albaanee said in al-Dha`eefah (4832): “Fabricated”.