Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri & the death of Imam Zayd
What is the exact role of Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri against the Revolution of Imam Zayd (as) and his execution ?
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Thank you for your question! As for the role of Ibn Shihaab az-Zuhri, he officiated the execution of Imam Zayd (as) and justified his killing. Imam Ahmed b. Suleiman (as) said in his Usuul al-Ahkaam:
Imam al-Mu'ayyad Billah (as) said:Urwa did not relate the hadith back to the Prophet; the narrator of the hadith, az-Zuhri, was one of those who guarded the wood beam used for the crucifixion of Zayd bin ‘Ali, upon him be peace, and therefore, his hadiths are rejected.
His reliability falls because he guarded the wood beam used for Zayd bin Ali, upon him be peace. There also occurred an argument between him and Zayn al-Abideen (as) about the former's praise of Mu'awiya, may Allah curse him.
He was also a known paid official of the Umayyads. Imam Mansuur Billah al-Qaasim b. Muhammad (as) said in his Al-I'tisaam:
Imam Mansuur Billah Abdullah b. Hamza (as) said in his Ash-Shaafi':Also az-Zuhri is in some of the chains of narrators, and he was an official of the Bani Umayya. There is no disagreement among the people that he used to take payment from them.
and in the same text he said:Az-Zuhri was the tongue of Bani Umayya and specifically for Hishaam b. Abdul-Malik, the oppressive tyrant.
Ibn Hajar said in his Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb:Ibn Shihaab was inclined towards dunya. He assisted in the oppression of Bani Umayya with his knowledge.
Adh-Dhahabi said in his al-Mizaan in his biography of Khaarija b. al-Mus'ab that the latter said:Az-Zuhri saw taking payments as permissible and he used to work for Bani Umayya.
I met az-Zuhri while he was the head of the police for the Bani Umayya. I saw him riding and in his hand was a spear...
And Allah knows best!
IRS
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Also, in case of debate to support even more the rejection of Az Zuhri's narrations, do you know if Sunni sources are agree with this detail of his life ?
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As for Sunni sources, they wholly agree with what we mentioned. The last two sources I cited in my previous post are Sunni sources. Furthermore, Haafiz adh-Dhahabi said in his Mizaan regarding az-Zuhri: "He used to narrate false hadiths knowingly (yudallis)." In hadith terminology, tadlees refers to the practice of narrating weak or inauthentic ahadith while knowing this to be the case. One hadith scholar (I forget who as I'm going by memory) said that tadlees is the "brother of lying" or something to that effect.
And Allah knows best!
IRS
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Instead of being concerned about az-Zuhri's role in the killing of Imam Zayd (as), I would moreso be concerned with az-Zuhri's role in narrating false ahadith, which is in Sunni sources. Remember that Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, said in a well-known confirmed hadith: ((Whoever falsely attributes a hadith from me should take his seat in the Hellfire)). Such statement is clear and unequivocal. Therefore, if any conversation with a Sunni is to be had about az-Zuhri, it should be this one.
And Allah knows best!
IRS
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