Subject Matter of the Narrative:
According to Abd Al-Razzaq’s narrative no. 19896 it is reported:
روي أن رسول اللهصلى الله عليه وسلم قال: صلب الناس قريش وهل يمشي الرجل بغير صلب؟
It is narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said: The backbone of these people are Quraish. Can people walk without a backbone?
Similar narratives, with some variations and additions, are also reported in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s narrative no. 24501 and Al-Mu’jam al-Awsat’s narrative no. 3066.
Comment on the Narrative
None of the cited narratives has been reported with a reliable and unbroken chain of narrators.
As for the narrative of Abd al-Razzaq, it is narrated by Zayed ibn Aslam al-`adawiy, who is reporting it directly from the Prophet (pbuh). However, Zayed ibn Aslam has not heard from the Prophet (pbuh).
As for the narratives in Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Al-Mu’jam al-Awsat, both these narratives have been reported on the authority of Abd Allah ibn Al-Mu’mal, who is not considered to be a reliable narrator1
Conclusion
In view of the fact that the narration has not been reported by a chain that can safely be termed as reliable, we do not consider it prudent to accept the saying as correctly reported.
This write-up is prepared by the Hadith Cell of Javed Ahmad Ghamidi
- For details, see: Al-Du`afaa al-Kabeer, Vol. 2, Pg. 302, Mashaheer al-Amsaar, Vol. 1, Pg. 149, Al-Kaamil fi al-Du`afaa, Vol. 4, Pg. 135, Al-Majruheen, Vol.2, Pg. 27, Nassaiy’s Al-Du`afaa, Vol. 1, Pg. 62, Taqreeb al-Tehzeeb Vol. 1, Pg. 325, Al-Kaashif, Vol. 1, Pg. 601, Tehzeeb al-Tehzeeb, Vol. 6, Pg. 42, Tehzeeb al-Kamaal, Vol. 16, Pg. 187, and Al-Jarah wa al-Ta`deel, Vol. 5, Pg. 175. [↩]