Ali Faagba

The Mudīr of Markaz, Shaykh Muhammad Ḥabībullah Adam Abdullah al-Ilūrī (may Allah bless and preserve him upon goodness, Āmīn), has on several occasions criticised certain ḥadīths reported in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. Like every human being, he is not infallible and this is perfectly fine. It does not diminish his scholarship, negate his contributions, or bring his knowledge into disrepute. Whenever the honour of the Rasūl (ṣallāLlāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) is attacked, the Mudīr has stood firmly in his defence, clarifying contentious issues, exonerating him where appropriate, explaining difficult ḥadīths, and emphasising the Qur’ān as the primary and most authoritative source for understanding and defending the Messenger of Allah (ṣallāLlāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam). As a scholar who exercises critical judgement, he has questioned certain narrations found in the Ṣaḥīḥayn and other ḥadīth collections when he considers them inconsistent with the dignity of the Messenger or the fundamental principles of his divine message. Nevertheless, he has never, to the best of my knowledge, described the entirety of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī or Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim as books “full of garbage.” To attribute such a statement to him without verifiable evidence is to misrepresent his position, his scholarship, and his Daʿwah. If anyone infers such a sweeping condemnation from his methodology or arguments, that inference should not be confused with his actual words or intentions. And if such a claim is circulated in his name, it becomes imperative to correct the misrepresentation rather than allow it to define his legacy. May Allah forgive the Mudīr for his shortcomings, protect him from the misrepresentations of those who misrepresent him and the hatred of those who harbour animosity towards him, accept his sincere efforts, and guide us all towards fairness, intellectual honesty, and sincerity in our dealings with scholars. Āmīn.