Yahya ibn Adam reported from Isra’il who reported from Abu Ishaq that Hubairah ibn Yarim said:“Ali (a.) came out to us holding a hazelnut in his hand. Then he said: ﴾Do you know what this one is?﴿ We said: ﴾We do not know.﴿ But he said: ﴾I do know. I created them. Does not He who created know? And He is the Kind, the Knowing.﴿” Khalid Abdullah As-Sabt writes: “The chain of transmission is good (Hasan).” [Al-Fawa’id of Al-Maruzi, page 21, Hadith 129]

حدثنا يحيى بن آدم ثنا إسرائيل عن أبي إسحاق عن هبيرة بن يريم قال خرج إلينا علي رضي الله عنه وفي يده بندقة فقال أتدرون ما هذه قلنا لا ندري قال لكني أدري أنا صنعتها ألا يعلم من خلق وهو اللطيف الخبير. قال المحقق خالد عبد الله السبت: الأثر إسناده حسن

Gradings:

[1.] Yahya Ibn Adam Ibn Sulaiman Al-Kufi

يحيى بن آدم بن سليمان الكوفي

Muhammad Nasir-ud-Din Al-Albani says: “Authentic (Sahih).” [Sahih Ibn Majah, Hadith 1835.]

قال محمد ناصر الدين الألباني: صحيح

Muhammad ibn Ahmad Adh-Dhahabi says: “He fulfills the conditions of Al-Bukhari and Muslim.” [Talkhis-ul-Mustadrak, Hadith 8003]

قال محمد بن أحمد الذهبي: على شرط البخاري ومسلم

Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani says: “Trustworthy (Thiqah).” [Taqrib-ut-Tahdhib, Volume 1, page 587, number 7496.]

قال ابن حجر العسقلاني: ثقة

Al-Hakim An-Naisaburi says: “Authentic (Sahih) according to the conditions of the two scholars (Al-Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not publish it.” [Al-Mustadrak, Hadith 8003]

قال الحاكم النيسبابوري: صحيح على شرط الشيخين و لم يخرجاه

[ 2. ] Isra’il Ibn Yunus Ibn Abi Ishaq As-Sabi’i

إسرائيل بن يونس بن أبي إسحاق السبيعي

Muhammad Nasir-ud-Din Al-Albani says: “Authentic (Sahih).” [Sahih Abi Dawud, Hadith 4143.]

قال محمد ناصر الدين الألباني: صحيح

Muhammad ibn Ahmad Adh-Dhahabi says: “He fulfills the conditions of Al-Bukhari and Muslim.” [Talkhis-ul-Mustadrak, Hadith 8003]

قال محمد بن أحمد الذهبي: على شرط البخاري ومسلم

Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani says: “Trustworthy (Thiqah).” [Taqrib-ut-Tahdhib, Volume 1, page 104, number 401.]

قال ابن حجر العسقلاني: ثقة

Al-Hakim An-Naisaburi says: “Authentic (Sahih) according to the conditions of the two scholars (Al-Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not publish it.” [Al-Mustadrak, Hadith 8003]

قال الحاكم النيسبابوري: صحيح على شرط الشيخين و لم يخرجاه

[3.] Amr Ibn Abdillah Ibn Ubaid Abu Ishaq As-Sabi’i

عمرو بن عبد الله بن عبيد أبو إسحاق السبيعي

Muhammad Nasir-ud-Din Al-Albani says: “Authentic (Sahih).” [Sahih-un-Nasa’i, Hadith 1105.]

قال محمد ناصر الدين الألباني: صحيح

Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani says: “Trustworthy (Thiqah).” [Taqrib-ut-Tahdhib, Vol. 1, page 423, number 5065.]

قال ابن حجر العسقلاني: ثقة

Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Adh-Dhahabi says: “He is trustworthy (Thiqah) and a proof (Hujjah) that cannot be disputed.” [Siyar A’lami n-Nubala’, Vol. 5, page 394]

قال محمد بن أحمد الذهبي: وهو ثقة حجة بلا نزاع

Al-Hakim An-Naisaburi says: “Authentic (Sahih) according to the conditions of the two scholars (Al-Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not publish it.” [Al-Mustadrak, Hadith 3773]

قال الحاكم النيسبابوري: صحيح على شرط الشيخين و لم يخرجاه

[4.] Hubairah Ibn Yarim

هبيرة بن يريم

Muhammad Nasir-ud-Din Al-Albani says: “Authentic (Sahih).” [Sahih-ut-Tirmidhi, Hadith 591.]

قال محمد ناصر الدين الألباني: صحيح

Muhammad ibn Ahmad Adh-Dhahabi says: “He fulfills the conditions of Al-Bukhari and Muslim.” [Talkhis-ul-Mustadrak, Hadith 8003]

قال محمد بن أحمد الذهبي: على شرط البخاري ومسلم

Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani says: “There is no problem (La Ba’s) with him. He was accused of Shi’ism.” [Taqrib-ut-Tahdhib, Volume 1, page 570, number 7268.]

قال ابن حجر العسقلاني: لا بأس به وقد عيب بالتشيع

Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani says: “Shi’ism is the love of Ali Ibn Abi Talib and his preference over the companions.” [Muqaddimat Fathi l-Barisagt, page 460]

قال ابن حجر العسقلاني: والتشيع محبة على وتقديمه على الصحابة

Ahmad ibn Hanbal says: “There is no problem (La Ba’s) with his tradition.” [Tahdhib-ul-Kamal of Al-Mazzi, number 6552.]

قال أحمد بن حنبل: لا بأس بحديثه

Shu’aib Al-Arna’ut says: “The transmitters of the chain are trustworthy (Thiqah).” [Sahih Ibn Hibban, Hadith 6936]

قال شعبي الأرنؤوط: رجاله ثقات

Al-Hakim An-Naisaburi says: “Authentic (Sahih) according to the conditions of the two scholars (Al-Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not publish it.” [Al-Mustadrak, Hadith 8003]

قال الحاكم النيسبابوري: صحيح على شرط الشيخين و لم يخرجاه

Bogus Argument:

Having proved that the tradition is authentic, we now come to the claim that it contradicts this verse of the Qur’an:

“God is the Creator of all things.” [Ar-Ra’d 13:16]

الله خالق كل شيء

However, the verse does not deny other creators:

“Blessed be God, the Best of the Creators.” [Al-Mu’minun 23:14]

فتبارك الله أحسن الخالقين

The Arabic word “Khaliqin” (خالقين) is the plural of the word “Khaliq” (خالق), which means “Creator”. Thus, there are multiple creators, of which God is the best (أحسن).

Muhammad Ibn Jarir At-Tabari writes: “As for His word: ﴾Blessed be God, the best of the creators.﴿ (23:14) So the scholars of interpretation have different opinions about the interpretation of it. Some of them say: ﴾Blessed be to God, the best of the makers.﴿ It is now mentioned who said that. Ibn Humaid reported us from Hakkam, who reported from Anbasah, who reported from Laith, who reported from Mujahid: ﴾Blessed be God, the best of the creators.﴿ (23:14) He said: ﴾They make and God makes and God is the best of the makers.﴿ And others said, that it is said: ﴾Blessed be God, the best of the creators, for Jesus, the son of Mary, used to create it. Therefore, God reported about Himself that He creates better than the one who used to create it (Jesus).﴿ It is now mentioned, who said this. Qasim reported us from Husain, who reported from Hajjaj, who reported from Ibn Juraij about His word: ﴾Blessed be God, the Best of the Creators.﴿ (23:14) He said: ﴾Jesus, the son of Mary, he makes.﴿ But the first of the two opinions, which is the statement of Mujahid, is more accurate, because the Arabs call every maker a creator.” [Jami’-ul-Bayan, vol. 19, pp. 18 – 19]

قال محمد بن جرير الطبري: وقوله فتبارك الله أحسن الخالقين اختلف أهل التأويل في تأويل ذلك، فقال بعضهم: معناه فتبارك الله أحسن الصانعين ذكر من قال ذلك حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا حكام، عن عنبسة، عن ليث، عن مجاهد: فتبارك الله أحسن الخالقين قال: يصنعون ويصنع الله، والله خير الصانعين وقال آخرون: إنما قيل فتبارك الله أحسن الخالقين لأن عيسى ابن مريم كان يخلق، فأخبر جل ثناؤه عن نفسه أنه يخلق أحسن مما كان يخلق ذكر من قال ذلك حدثنا القاسم، قال: ثنا الحسين، قال: ثني حجاج، قال : قال ابن جريج، في قوله: فتبارك الله أحسن الخالقين قال: عيسى ابن مريم يخلق وأولى القولين في ذلك بالصواب قول مجاهد. لأن العرب تسمي كل صانع خالقا

Jesus (a.) says in the Qur’an: “I am creating for you  the form of a bird from clay and I will breathe into it so that it will become a bird by the permission of God.” [Al Imran 3:49]

اني  أخلق لكم من الطين كهيئة الطير فأنفخ فيه فيكون طيرا بإذن الله

Comment:

Just as God created the bird through Jesus (a.), He created the hazelnut through Ali (a.). He is the Creator of all things and the best of all creators. Accordingly, there is no apparent contradiction.