Storytellers
Amazing stories full of incredible events and attractively presented were always a source of inspiration for the common man. Consequently, storytellers used to go to great lengths to embellish the tales they conveyed to gullible audiences in the mosques. Some storytellers earned their livelihood from entertaining people. To give further credence to their material, they used to mention before their stories a full isnad.
Most of such narrations were vigorously rejected by the traditionists. Sulayman ibn Mihran al-Amash, a famous traditionist, entered one of the mosques of Basrah where he heard a storyteller saying: "AI Amash reported to us on the authority of Abi Ishaq who reported from Abu WaiI, etc. On hearing this al-Amash seated himself in the middle of the circle and started plucking hairs from his armpit.
The storyteller was much annoyed and exclaimed, "Shame! What are you doing while we are discussing matters of knowledge?" AI-Amash replied, "What I am doing is better than what you are." He asked, "How?" AI-Amash replied, "Because I am doing what is Sunnah, while you are telling lies. I am al-Amash and I reported nothing of what you are saying." A similar incident happened to Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Yahya ibn Maeen. Also, it is reported that while a storyteller in Baghdad was explaining the following verse: "Soon will your Lord raise you to a station of praise and glory." (Q 17: 79) he said that Allah would seat the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) next to Him on His throne.
This explanation was reported to Muhammad ibn Jareer al-Tabari (d. 922 C.E.) who rejected the idea vehemently to the extent that he inscribed on his door the following line: "Glorified is He Who has neither a companion nor anyone sitting beside Him on the Throne." This created such a fury among the people of Baghdad that they pelted his house with stones till they covered his door.
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited