Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 37157 ((free)) -
Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah (Tahqiq & Tashkil) - SifatuSafwa
In the standard theological cataloging of the Book of Tribulations ( Kitab al-Fitan ), entry 37157 records an explicit statement from the Fourth Caliph, , tracing down through his son Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah. The Arabic Text:
"Abu Usamah narrated to us, from Munthir, from Asim ibn Damrah, from Ali, who said: 'Allah has placed five tribulations (Fitan) within this Ummah: a general tribulation, then a specific tribulation, followed by another general tribulation, then a specific tribulation. Finally, there will be a fifth tribulation that surges violently like the waves of the sea, during which the people will become like aimless cattle.'"
The chain is fully connected ( muttasil ) and consists of reliable narrators. It meets the criteria for a Hasan (good) or Sahih (authentic) transmission, granting the text authoritative weight in theological discourse. musannaf ibn abi shaybah 37157
Utilized this exact narration in his Muqaddimah to demonstrate the sociology of statecraft, explaining that the transition from a pure religious state to a secular dynastic model ( asabiyyah ) was an inevitable historical development. Role within the Structure of the Musannaf
The book is structured like a standard Hadith collection, beginning with Kitab al-Tahara (The Book of Purification) and ending with Kitab al-Diyaat (The Book of Blood Money). Reference falls within the section on water and its ability to remove ritual impurity.
"حَدَّثَنَا الْفَضْلُ حَدَّثَنَا حَشْرَجُ بْنُ نَبَاتَةَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُمْهَانَ قُلْتُ لِسَفِينَةِ، إنَّ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ يَزْعُمُونَ، أَنَّ الْخِلاَفَةَ فِيهِمْ، قَالَ: كَذَبَ بَنُو الزَّرْقَاءِ، بَلْ هُمْ مُلُوكٌ مِنْ أشداء الْمُلُوك، وَأَوَّلُ الْمُلُوكِ مُعَاوِيَةُ". Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah (Tahqiq & Tashkil)
Refers to Al-Fadl ibn Dukayn (Abu Nu'aym), one of the premier teachers of Ibn Abi Shaybah and Imam al-Bukhari. He is universally regarded by Sunni critics as Thiqatun Thabt (highly trustworthy and precise).
This is the most misunderstood aspect of the Musannaf . Modern readers often assume every number in a Hadith book is Sahih. Not true for Ibn Abi Shaybah.
Why? Because ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr died around 130-135 AH. Abu ‘Abdullah al-Sunabihi died around 75 AH. A gap of 60 years exists, and there is no evidence that ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr met al-Sunabihi. Therefore, this narration is (a "sent" narration where a Successor skips the Companion and quotes the Prophet directly) or more specifically Munqati’ (broken chain). It meets the criteria for a Hasan (good)
Safinah’s use of the phrase "Kadhaba Banu al-Zarqa'" ("The children of the blue-eyed woman have lied") is a harsh, classical Arabic idiomatic insult directed toward the ancestry of Marwan ibn al-Hakam or the wider Umayyad leadership elite. In ancient Arab culture, "blue eyes" (when associated with enemies or outsiders) carried negative or deceptive connotations, often used to denote an external or non-indigenous trait of trickery, stemming back to pre-Islamic tribal rivalries. 3. Caliphate of Prophecy vs. Kingship
A Basran narrator categorized by classical critics like Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Al-Nasa'i as Saduq (truthful), though some noted minor irregularities when he isolated himself in transmission.
"The children of the Blue-eyed woman lie; rather they are kings, from the harshest of kings. And the first of the kings is Mu'awiyah" . Why This Matters
Hadith 37157 falls within the chapters dealing with divine decree ( Qadar ) and sectarianism. The narration deals with the proliferation of erroneous sects and the believer's relationship to them. It serves as a poignant reminder of the early Muslim anxiety regarding the fragmentation of the community ( Ummah ). This paper will explore the text of the hadith, verify its authenticity based on classical rijal (biographical) criticism, and exposit its theological weight concerning the interplay between human innovation ( bid'ah ) and divine allowance.
