The book that records the Shaykh’s retractions has so far reached the sixth volume of the Silsilah and has not yet addressed the seventh.
Its title is: al-Tanbīhāt al-Malīḥah ʿalā mā tarājaʿa ʿanhu al-ʿAllāmah al-Muḥaddith al-Albānī mina al-aḥādīth al-ḍaʿīfah aw al-ṣaḥīḥah (Fine Notes on the Weak or Sound Ḥadīths from Which the eminent ḥadīth scholar al-Albani Withdrew). Compiled and arranged by ʿAbd al-Bāsit ibn Yūsuf al-Gharīb. One volume, published by Dār al-Rāwī, Dammam.
There is also another work on the same topic entitled al-Naṣīḥah fī Bayān al-Aḥādīth allatī tarājaʿa ʿanhā al-Albānī fī al-Ṣaḥīḥah, by Abū ʿUmar Ḥayy ibn Sālim al-Ḥayy, issued by Dār al-Nafāʾis, Kuwait, in 1413 AH. In addition, one may profit from the book Tanāquḍāt al-Albānī by al-Saqqāf; although it was written with ill intent—may Allah requite him as he deserves—it can still be used to identify the ḥadīths on which al-Albani later changed his judgment.
Hadiths that Shaykh al-Albani Upgraded from “Weak” in al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah (7)
Second Instalment
Praise belongs to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
Hadith 6
- Text: ʿAbd Allah ibn Khālid (Abū Rimthah)—may Allah be pleased with him—narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“May Allah hit the mark through you, O son of al-Khattab.”
Grading: “sound through corroboration (ṣaḥīḥ li-ghayrih).”
This statement occurs within the following incident:
Al-Azraq ibn Qays—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “An imam of ours, known by the kunya Abū Rimthah, once led us in prayer and, after finishing, told us, ‘I performed this prayer—or one very similar to it—with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Abū Bakr and ʿUmar were standing in the front row to his right. A man who had managed to join the opening takbīrah was also praying. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) then concluded the prayer and gave salām to his right and to his left until we could see the whiteness of his cheeks; he then turned round exactly as Abū Rimthah has just done.’
“He continued: ‘The man who had caught the opening takbīrah now rose to pray an extra rakʿah. ʿUmar sprang toward him, seized him by the shoulder and shook him, saying, “Sit down! The People of the Book were only ruined because there was no interval between their prayers.” At that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) lifted his gaze and said, “May Allah hit the mark through you, O son of al-Khattab.” ’ ”
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The Shaykh—may Allah have mercy on him—had previously graded this ḥadīth weak in Ḍaʿīf Abī Dāwūd and in Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ (1/306–307).
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He later retracted that verdict and declared it sound in al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah (7/523–524).
Shaykh al-Albani—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “…Al-Ḥākim ruled, ‘Sound according to the criteria of Muslim!’ Al-Dhahabī replied, ‘I say: al-Minhāl was declared weak by Ibn Maʿīn, and Ashʿath is soft; the ḥadīth is munkar (denied).’ ”