Allamah al-Kattani and Jinn

Salam

There has been some discussion in the past regarding the narrating of hadith from scholars from the world of the Jinn, we will leave the detailed discussion of the reliability and validity of such methods of hadith transmission to the experts in this field. I thought I would share with others some interesting things Allamah al-Sayyid Abd al-Hayy al-Kattani (d.1962/1382) mentions in his wonderful summary of the Shamail al-Tirmidhi entitled ‘Munyah al-Saail Khulasah al-Shamail’[1]

Allamah al-Kattani after discussing a chain of transmission of Imam al-Tirmidhi in which there are only three narrators between Imam al-Tirmidhi and the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), comments that he himself has a chain of transmission containing only three narrators between him and the Best of Creation (Allah bless Him and give Him peace). He said:

This faqir has also obtained the like of this, for I saw al-Sayyid al-Muammar al-Haaj al-Naasik, Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin al-Qutb Abu Abbas Ahmad bin al-Muhaddith al-Arif Abu Abdulah Muhammad bin al-Qutb Abul Abbas Ahmad bin Muhammad al-Husseini al-Kazimi al-Fasi[2]. He embraced me, interlaced his fingers with mine, shook my hand and gave me ijazah for all that he had.

And he met and derived blessings from the pious Muammar Abu Hafs Umar bin al-Makki bin al-Qutb Sayyidi al-Mu’ati bin Salih al-Tadili buried in Fes.

Who met with the notable companion Abd al-Rahman al-Jinni better known as Shamaharush and took from him, and was given ijazah by him in his Jinn handwriting.

He went on to say:

Ibn Hajar clearly stated in al-Isabah that he specifically mentioned amongst the companions those from the Jinn whose companionship was established. Therefore he wrote a biographical entry for numerous Jinn companions in al-Isabah.

More on Shamahrush the Jinn Companion
Al-Kattani mentioned that approximately 150 of the scholars, hadith specialists and Sufis had affirmed Shamahrush’s companionship with the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless Him and give Him peace).
It is mentioned in Salak al-Durar (1/134) that the Qadi of the Jinn, Abd al-Rahman better known as Shamahrush passed away in the year 1129 Hijri, his passing away being informed to the human world by none other Sheikh Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi

Shamahrush and the Recitation of the Quran
Imam al-Muhaddith al-Shihab Ahmad bin Ali al-Manini al-Dimashqi who authored a commentary of al-Bukhari, mentions (as in Salak al-Durar 1/134) that his father met Shamahrush around the year 1073 Hijri. He comments that he shook hands with him, and was ordered by Shamahrush to recite something from the Quran, so he recited whilst Shamahrush listened. When he had finished his recitation Shamahrush said to him: This is how the Prophet (Allah bless Him and give Him peace) recited to us between al-Abtah and Makkah.

Reflection: I will leave readers to reflect upon the blessing of being informed that their recitation was in conformity with that of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless Him and give Him peace). And we ask Allah (the Exalted) to protect us in all our matters, for He alone is powerful over all things.

[1] P. 170 onwards
[2] His biographical entry can be found in al-Azhar al-Anwar p.58, he was born in the year 1232 and passed away in 1322