[Q 220] Is this a Hadith (کنت کنزا مخفیا) meaning ‘I was a hidden treasure.

Question

The narration of: “كنت كنزا مخفيا…”

Is this an actual hadith? If so, do we have any references for it?

Everywhere I have been looking, seems to suggest that it is mawdoo’ or has no asal.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

“کنت کنزا مخفیا” (I was a hidden treasure)

According to Muhadditheen, this hadith is not proven as a chain of transmission. But the Sufis declare this hadith to be authentic due to Kashf (revealing the state of the heart). And according to scholars, authentic Sufis declaring a hadith to be authentic is considered. Therefore, this hadith is valid.

It is stated in Ruh ul Ma’ani:

لا يعرف له سند صحيح ولا ضعيف وكذا قال الزركشي والحافظ بن حجر وغيرهما ومن يرويه من الصوفية معترف بعدم ثبوته نقلا لكن يقول: إنه ثابت كشفا

(Ruh Al-Ma’ani, Volume 14, Page 66, Dar Al-Kitab Al-Ilamiya, Beirut)

Sheikh Akbar Muhyuddin Ibn Arabi رحمۃ اللہ علیہ says in Fatuhat e Makkiyyah:

وردفی الحدیث الصحیح کشفاً الغیر الثابت نقلاً، عن رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم عن ربہ جل و عز انہ قال ما ھذا معناہ: کنت کنزا لم اعرف فأحببت أن أعرف، فخلقت الخلق و تعرفت الیھم فعرفوني

(Al-Futuhat Al-Makkiyya, Volume 4, Page 43, Dar Al-Kitab Al-Ulamiya, Beirut)

Regarding this matter, the Imam of Ahlus Sunnah Al-Shah Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رحمة الله عليه, year of passing: 1340 AH/1921 AD) states in “Fatawa Razawiyyah”:

“There are many Hadiths that the respected Muhaddithin have deemed weak and unreliable on their own, but the Scholars of the heart, قدسنا اللہ تعالی باسرارہم الجلیلہ ونور قلوبنا بانوارہم الجمیلہ, they declare these Hadiths as acceptable and reliable, and attribute them to the illuminated court of the Master of Both Worlds ﷺ with certainty and conviction. And besides these, they present many new Hadiths that the Scholars cannot find in their books and registers anywhere.

These divine knowledges of the friends of Allah prove very beneficial for many apparent beholders, while on the other hand, they become a cause of criticism, objection, and insult for others. Whereas in reality, by the grace of Allah, these accepted servants of Allah are more God-fearing than these critics, more knowledgeable about Allah, and more precautious in attribution any saying to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ”

In short, for the friends of Allah there is a higher and more sublime way than just the apparent chain of narration. This is why Sayyidi Abu Yazid Bustami رضی ﷲ تعالیٰ عنہ said to the deniers of his time: “You have taken your knowledge from one corpse to another, while we have taken our knowledge from the Ever-Living who never dies.”

Similarly, Sayyidi Imam-al-Mukashifeen Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi رضی ﷲ تعالیٰ عنہ authenticated some Hadiths which were deemed weak per scholarly methodology; and the Seal of the Hadith Preservers, the august Imam Jalaluddin Suyuti رحمة الله عليه, who was blessed to behold the beauty of the Pride of All the Prophets ﷺ in his waking state over 75 times, and who had the privilege to investigate Hadiths directly from the Most Sacred ﷺ, authenticated many Hadiths which were considered weak per the methodology of the Muhadditheen.

This precious and glorious statement, in celebration of the occasion, should be inscribed on the tablet of the heart for the benefit of the brothers of the faith, even though those who are aware of it are few, and many stumble in this slippery path.

(Fatawa Razawiyyah, Volume 5, Page 493, Raza Foundation, Lahore)

Answered by: Hammad Madani (Ask-Mufti Scholar)

Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari

Translated by: Mawlana Gohar Madani