The Heavens and the Earths

Question

What is the status of the Hadith which states that there are seven other earths and each earth has an Nabi, Adam like how we had Adam, Nuh like how we had Nuh…?




Answer

Imam Ibn Abi Hatim, Imam Hakim (rahimahumallah) and others have recorded this narration as the Tafsir of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhuma).

(Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim, Surah Talaq, verse: 12 and Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 2 pg. 493)



This Hadith is reported as the statements of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) and not a Hadith of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Although transmitted with a reliable chain, the Muhaddithun have dismissed the authenticity of the text of this Hadith based on the lack of corroborating texts.

Imam Bayhaqi’s ruling regarding the text of this Hadith is widely quoted by many Mufassirun and Muhaddithun. Imam Bayhaqi has declared the Hadith as ‘شاذ بمرة’ (not supported at all). (Al Asma Was Sifat, pg. 363)

Hafiz Ibn Kathir (rahimahullah) further states Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas has probably sourced this narration from ‘Israiliyat’ (Historical Narrations).





References for all of the above

Tafsirul Qurtubi Surah Baqarah, verse: 29, Al Bahrul Muhit Fit Tafsir, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Ad Durrul Manthur, Surah Talaq, verse: 12, Al Bidayah Wan Nihayah, vol. 1 pg. 39, Fathul Bari, before Hadith: 3195, Al Maqasidul Hasanah, Hadith: 91, Al Asrarul Marfu’ah, Hadith: 38, Kashful Khafa, vol. 1 pg. 128, Hadith: 316, Al Muntakhab Minal ‘Ilal Lil Khallal of Hafiz Ibn Qudamah Al Maqdisi, pg. 125/126, Tadribur Rawi, vol. 3 pg. 274-278 and Tawjihun Nazar of ‘Allamah Tahir Al Jazairi, pg. 512. Also see Zajrun Nas of ‘Allamah ‘Abdul Hayy Al Lakhnawi



Note:

The existence of seven earths as such, has been proven in the Holy Quran. The Mufassirun have offered various explanations as to what this really means. Refer to the popular Tafsirs for more detail.





And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.



Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala



Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar, with the following note:

Despite certain reliable Scholars of the recent past justifying this narration, to avoid confusion we have chosen to only quote the view of those whom we concur with on this matter.



Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar

[Three Paths in the Explanation of the Athar of Ibn ‘Abbas]

The ‘ulama differed in the explanation of this according to three paths:

[The Path of the Sufis]

First, it is understood as the World of Examples (‘alam al-mithal) which is an isthmus between the two worlds of the Unseen (ghayb) and the Seen (shahadah). This is the path of the purified Sufis and the people of perfection. Husayn al-Diyarbakri said in Kitab al-Khamis fi Ahwal Anfus Nafis

In al-Futuhat al-Makkiyyah [it is mentioned] that when Allah created Adam who was the first human body, and made him the basis of the existence of all human bodies, an excess amount remained from the ripe part of his clay from which was created the palm tree, which is the sister of Adam and our paternal aunt, and the Law [i.e. the Qur’an and hadith] designated it as our aunt and compared it to a believer, since it has wonderful secrets unlike all other vegetation. After the creation of the palm, the amount of a sesame seed remained from the clay, so Allah created from that excess part an earth with expansive space. Allah created from the totality of its worlds, a world in our image. When a Gnostic perceives it, he sees himself therein. This was alluded to by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas in what was narrated from him in the hadith, “This ka’bah is one house from fourteen houses and indeed in every earth from the seven earths is a creation like us, so verily therein is an Ibn ‘Abbas like me.” This narration has been confirmed by the people of unveiling (kashf). End

An equivalent [passage] is found in [several] places of Al-Futuhat al-Makkiyyah. [It is mentioned] in Misbah al-Zalam fi Dhikri Mazal al-Hukama al-A’lam:

Know that the hadiths proving the [World of] Examples are abundant. From them is what was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas in the hadith, “the Ka’bah is one house from fourteen houses and indeed in every earth of the seven earths is a creation like us, so there is an Ibn ‘Abbas like me.” End

As for the first path, it is the purest of the three paths, but it is that which moderate minds cannot accept.

Hafiz Ibn Kathir (rahimahullah) further states Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas has probably sourced this narration from ‘Israiliyat’ (Historical Narrations).