وجود المتواتر في السنة النبوية عند المتكلمين والمحدثين: شفاعة النبي لأهل الكبائر نموذجا

The Concept of Tawātur in the Prophetic Sunnah According to Theologians and Hadith Scholars: The Prophet’s Intercession for Major Sinners as a Case Study

Abstract

Many theologians (mutakallimūn) and hadith scholars (muḥaddithūn) have deemed the hadiths concerning the Prophet’s intercession for major sinners (aṣḥāb al-kabāʾir) as mutawātir (mass-transmitted). In some cases, this assertion of tawātur has been employed as a polemical tool to silence opponents, given the theological implications of denying a mutawātir report, which could lead to accusations of deviation or heresy. This study emerges from this critical question: Are these hadiths truly mutawātir? How can we assess their tawātur in light of other authentic hadiths that warn against major sins and suggest that their perpetrators will not enter Paradise? The significance of this study lies in tracing the narrators of these hadiths, evaluating their authenticity, and determining their frequency of transmission. The research employs both the inductive and critical methodologies. Findings reveal that the hadiths concerning the Prophet’s intercession for major sinners are āḥād (solitary reports) and do not reach the level of tawātur. Moreover, the claim of tawātur appears to have been made within the context of theological debate rather than based on rigorous hadith analysis.