Hadeeth: Narrating things from Banee Israa'eel

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Ibn al-Hajar رحمه الله said:

“And as for the statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: “Narrate things from Banee Israa’eel (i.e. the Jews and Christians), and there is no harm in that…” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]

It means: There is no constraint upon you (to prevent you if you wish) to narrate from them (the People of the Book). Earlier, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had restrained (his Companions) from taking from them or looking into (reading) their books. Thereafter, this (ruling) was broadened (and reading/narrating from their books was allowed). It maybe that the prohibition was before the Islaamic rulings and commandments were revealed and before the religious principles were formed, fearing the Fitnah (that there will be confusion and mix-up between Islaamic teachings and the teachings of the people of the Book). But when the danger was removed, permission was granted regarding that...” [1]

Ibn Hajar continues:

“…Imaam Maalik رحمه الله said: ‘It means the permission to narrate from them if it is something good, but if it is a lie, then one should not.’

And it is also said: It means to narrate from them that which is similar to what is mentioned in the Qur’aan and the authentic Ahaadeeth…”

Ibn Hajar further says:

“…Imaam al-Shaafi`ee رحمه الله said: ‘It is clearly known that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not permit to narrate that which is untrue.’ So the meaning would be to narrate from Banee Israa’eel as long as you don’t know if it is a lie. So in regards to what has been permitted, then there is no harm upon you if you were to narrate from them. Furthermore, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم also said: “Do not believe the people of the Scripture or disbelieve them, but say: {We believe in Allaah and what is revealed to us.} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 136]” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (4485, 7362, 7542)]

[Fath al-Baaree (6/498) of Ibn Hajar]

[1] Note: This is like how the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم first prohibited the visiting of the graves for men, and then he permitted it, when he said:

“I had forbidden you to visit graves, but now you may visit them, [for in visiting them there is a reminder (of the Hereafter)].” [Saheeh Muslim (977, 4866), the words with in the brackets are from Sunan Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhee, and al-Nasaa’ee]

In the beginning stages of Islaam, it was prohibited by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to visit the graves because the people were deeply involved in Shirk, and the Jews and the Christians had the graves of the righteous converted to graves and worshiped them, and sought their help and called them in difficulties. When the People of the Book (the Jews and the Christians) were in such a bad state, then the state of the Mushriks could well be imagined.]

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Shaikh al-Shanqeeti رحمه الله said: 

“It is known that the reports from the Children of Israa’eel [the Jews], which are known as al-Israa’eeliyyaat, may be of three kinds: 

1) Those which we have to believe in, which are those which are shown by the Qur’aan or the authentic Sunnah to be true.

2) Those which we have to disbelieve in, which are those which are shown by the Qur’aan and Sunnah to be false.

3) Those which we are permitted neither to believe nor disbelieve, which are those which are not proven in the Qur’aan or Sunnah to be either true or false.  From this definition we know that with regard to the stories which contradict the Qur’aan and Saheeh Sunnah, which are in circulation among them now, claiming that they are from the revealed scriptures, we must reject them because they go against the texts of the sound Revelation which has not been distorted or altered [i.e., the Qur’aan]. And Allaah knows best.”

[Adwaa’ al-Bayaan, (4/203-204)]