Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Salaam Alaikum Brother Burhan, first I would like to say Ramadan Mubarak, may Allah grant you peace in this month and bless you for the work you undertake on this site.

My question is regarding the authenticity of the Hadith in Al-Tirmidhi regarding the importance of Surah Ya-Seen.

Many scholars regard that the Hadith that states that "If everything had a heart, the heart of the Qur`an would be Surah Ya-Seen", as Sahih (Authentic) or Hassan (Acceptable). Yet there are a number of other scholars who say it is Mawdoo (Fabricated). I would like to ask your opinion regarding this Hadith, and whether you think it is a legitimate Hadith and your reasons for thinking so. I would appreciate hearing your thoughts. Jazak`Allah Khair.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Ya seen surah

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

It is reported on the authority of M'aqil ibn Yasar, that the Prophet (saws) said: "Surah ‘Ya Sin’ is the heart of the Qur'an. Whoever recites it seeking the pleasure of Allah and the Hereafter will receive Allah's forgiveness. So recite it to your dead."

Related by Ibn Habban, Al-Hakim, An-Nisai, Abu Dawood.

Ibn al-Qattan considers this hadith weak and manifests some confusion, doubt, and even ignorance about some of its narrators.

Ad-Dar al-Qutni is reported to have said: "In the chain of narrators of this hadith there is confusion. Its text is obscure and is not correct."

Ibn Hibban observes: ‘This hadith refers to the recitation of Ya Sin for those on the eve of death and not for those already dead. This interpretation is supported by Ahmad, who recorded in his Al-Musnad that Safwan states: "The most eminent scholars say: 'The recitation of Surah Ya Sin at the time of a person's death makes death easy for him'. The compiler of Musnad al-Firdaus attributes this hadith to Abu ad-Darda and Abu Dharr. They both narrated: "The Prophet (saws) said: 'If any person is on his deathbed and Ya Sin is recited to him, Allah makes his suffering easier'."

The vast majority of the jurists of the science of determining the authenticity of the ‘ahaadeeth’ are of the opinion that the report of Maqil ibn Yasar regarding the Surah Yaa-Seen being the ‘heart of the Quran’ is not authentic and considered weak or a ‘daeef’ narration. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

In our humble opinion the narration is indeed ‘daeef’ or weak because there is indeed confusion and doubt in its ‘sanad’ or chain or narrators. But the majority of the scholars and jurists have abstained from terming the narration as ‘maudhoo’ or absolutely fabricated, whereby neither is there any record of its ‘sanad’ or chain of narrators, nor is the substance of the narration in accordance with the guidance of Allah and His Messenger (saws). And Allah Alone Knows Best.

It would be safest and closest to piety and righteousness if the believers who sincerely fear Allah and the Last Day to accept and align their beliefs only to those narrations which are agreed upon as ‘sahih’ or absolutely authentic.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan