The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) – Volume III — Page 77
II - Brief Note on Islāmic Equality 77 reliable source, a narration of this kind which is contradictory to the clear instruction of the Holy Prophet sa and the common and well-known practice of the companions, cannot be accepted at all. Secondly, this very account has been mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim and Sunan Abū Dāwūd, which are two very authentic books of Ḥadīth, but the mention of Ummi Qirfah being killed has not been mentioned at all. Furthermore, in various other details, this account differs to that of Ibni Sa‘d and others. Moreover, Ṣaḥīḥ Aḥādīth are definitely and universally accepted as far more reliable and worthy of preference. For this reason, the narration of Ibni Sa‘d and others have no weight in comparison to that of Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim and Sunan Abū Dāwūd. This distinction becomes further evident when we bear in mind that where Ibni Sa‘d and Ibni Isḥāq have mentioned their narrations without any authentication, on the other hand, Imām Muslim and Abū Dāwūd have furnished complete authentication for their narrations. Either way, in comparison to the caution practiced by the Muḥaddithīn who worked very prudently, the general narrations of historians possess no value. The manner in which this account has been recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim and Sunan Abū Dāwūd has already been mentioned above. In it, there is not even mention of the killing of Ummi Qirfah. Invariably, in the narration of Muslim and Abū Dāwūd, the name of Ummi Qirfah is not mentioned and the name of the commander is also recorded as Abū Bakr ra instead of Zaid ra. Regardless, we cannot imagine that this expedition was another one altogether, as the rest of the significant details are the same in their totality. For example: 1. It is described in both these narrations that this expedition was against the Banū Fazārah. 2. It is mentioned in both these narrations that the chieftain of the Banū Fazārah was an elderly lady. 3. Both narrations mention the imprisonment of this lady. 4. It is mentioned in both of these narrations that this lady had a daughter, who was also imprisoned with her. 5. Both narrations mention that this girl was given to the lot of Salmah bin Akwa‘ ra. Additionally, there are similarities in other facts as well. Now contemplate, in the presence of these significant and fundamental commonalities, is it possible for an individual to imagine that these were two