Jalaluddin Suyuti says in Tahzirul Khawas:1
Conclusion: “I do not know of any greater sin that Ahle Sunnat consider the
doer of it infidel, except attributing a false statement on the Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.).”
Command regarding those, who memorize these invalid false statements
Order regarding traditionists, scholars of traditions and history – in the past
and at present – who falsely attribute statements to Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.),
compile them in books and collections is mentioned in a traditional report, which
Khatib has mentioned and which Ibne Jauzi regards as authentic that the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said:
“One who narrates a tradition from me, while knowing that it is false, is
himself a liar.”2
Allah Almighty says:
وَلَوْ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيْنَا بَعْضَ ٱلْأَقَاوِيلِ (٤٤) لَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُ بِٱلْيَمِينِ (٤٥) ثُمَّ لَقَطَعْنَا مِنْهُ ٱلْوَتِينَ (٤٦) فَمَا مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ عَنْهُ حَـٰجِزِينَ (٤٧) وَإِنَّهُۥ لَتَذْكِرَةٌۭ لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ٤٨ وَإِنَّا لَنَعْلَمُ أَنَّ مِنكُم مُّكَذِّبِينَ (٤٩)
“And if he had fabricated against Us some of the sayings, We would certainly have seized him by the right hand, then We would certainly have cut off his aorta. And not one of you could have withheld Us from him. And most surely it is a reminder for those who guard (against evil). And most surely We know that some of you are rejecters.”3
Do you think that these tradition scholars and historians have knowledge of
these falsehoods?
They have gone astray and along with themselves, have misguided a large
group of people from the path of truth.
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ وَيَقُولُ ٱلْأَشْهَـٰدُ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ ۚ أَلَا لَعْنَةُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (١٨)
“And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah? These shall be brought before their Lord, and the witnesses shall say: These are they who lied against their Lord. Now surely the curse of Allah is on the unjust.”4
Or do you think that they were ignorant of these falsehoods and had no
knowledge, and resorted to lying like blind and deaf fellows?
وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ
“And they think that they have something.”5
وَمِنْهُمْ أُمِّيُّونَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ إِلَّآ أَمَانِىَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ (٧٨)
“And there are among them illiterates who know not the Book but only lies, and they do but conjecture.”6
فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًۭا لِّيُضِلَّ ٱلنَّاسَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (١٤٤)
“Who, then, is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah that he should lead astray men without knowledge? Surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.”7
فَوَيْلٌۭ لَّهُم مِّمَّا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَوَيْلٌۭ لَّهُم مِّمَّا يَكْسِبُونَ (٧٩)
“Therefore woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.”8