Another one of the non-Sunnī texts deceitfully passed off by Answering-Ansar as “texts Ahl'ul Sunnah” on unwary Muslims is Waq`at Şiffīn.

The Answering-Ansar team writes while citing a narration with a lengthy list of texts in their article titled ‘Mu'awiya’:

In the next chapter of the same article, they mention the work again as:

As it is clear from the above, the Answering-Ansar team claims that Waq`at Şiffīn is an “esteemed Sunni” text and cites it during argumentation with Sunnīs.  By doing this, of course, they deceive their readers into thinking that this is a text accepted by Sunnīs and thus it is a proof against them.

The truth, however, is that Waq`at Şiffīn is a work of Naşr ibn Muzāĥim ibn Sayyār al-`Aţţār al-Minqarī al-Kūfī (d. 212), a known extremist Shī`ī. He has been described by Sunnīs as someone who is incredibly detested and an unreliable Shī`ī, much less a Sunnī whose work is “esteemed” according to them.

The Sunnī scholar and biographer, Shams al-Dīn al-Dhahabī (d.748), states in his work on criticized narrators known as Mīzān al-I`tidāl:

نصر بن مزاحم الكوفي عن قيس بن الربيع وطبقته رافضي جلد تركوه مات سنة اثنتي عشرة ومائتين حدث عنه نوح بن حبيب وأبو سعيد الأشج وجماعة قال العقيلي شيعي في حديثه اضطراب وخطأ كثير وقال أبو خيثمة كان كذابا وقال أبو حاتم واهي الحديث متروك وقال الدارقطني ضعيف

“Naşr ibn Muzāĥim al-Kūfī: He narrated from Qays ibn al-Rabī` and (others of) his category. He is an extremist Rāfiđī, and discarded. He died in the year two hundred and twelve. Nūĥ ibn al-Ĥabīb, Abū Sa`īd al-Ashajj, and a group related narrations from him. al-`Uqaylī said: ‘A Shī`ī; there are many inconsistencies and errors in his narrations.’ Abū Khaythama said: ‘He was a liar!’ Abū Ĥātim said: ‘He is flimsy in his narrations; discarded’ and al-Dāraquţnī said: ‘He is weak.’”

·         Mīzān al-I`tidāl fī Naqd al-Rijāl, of Shams al-Dīn al-Dhahabī (d. 748), volume 4, page 253-254 [Beirut]

On the other hand, one finds that Ithnā’ `Asharī scholars count this very same Naşr among their noteworthy Shī`ī figures and predecessors.

The renowned Shī`ī scholar and expert in the field of narrators, Abū al-`Abbās al-Najāshī (d. 450), states:

نصر بن مزاحم المنقري العطار أبو المفضل كوفي مستقيم الطريقة صالح الامر غير أنه يروي عن الضعفاء كتبه حسان

“Naşr ibn Muzāĥim al-Minqarī al-`Aţţār, Abū al-Mufađđal: A Kūfī, on the straight path and following the pious way; other than that he relates from weak narrators. His books are good.”

·         al-Fihrist Asmā’ Muşannifī al-Shī`a [Rijāl al-Najāshī], of Abū al-`Abbās al-Najāshī (d. 450), page 427-428 [Qum]

Āyat Allāh Ja`far al-Subĥānī, a contemporary Ithnā’ `Asharī intellectual and scholar, lists him in the following manner while mentioning “the elite of the Shī`a” in relating the biography of the Prophet (saws):

إمام علماء الاخبار والمغازي نصر بن مزاحم تتلمذ على لوط بن يحيى أبى مخنف وأنثى عليه النجاشي وشيخ الطائفة وأورد فهرس كتبه فراجع

“Imām of the scholars of reports and chronicles of battles, Naşr ibn Muzāĥim: He learnt under Lūţ ibn Yaĥyá Abū Mikhnaf, al-Najāshī praised him and Shaykh al-Ţā’ifa [al-Ţūsī] indexed his books—so refer (to it).”

·         Kashf al-Ghumma fī Ma`rifat al-A’imma {Introduction}, of Ja`far al-Subĥānī, volume 1, page bā [Beirut]

While another Āyat Allāh al-Sayyid Murtađá al-Abţaĥī writes about him in the footnotes of his book, al-Shī`a fī Aĥādīth al-Farīqayn:

هو أبو الفضل نصر بن مزاحم بن سيار المنقري المؤرخ الشيعي الثقة المعروف له كتب تاريخية روائية منها وقعة الصفين

“He is Abū al-Fađl Naşr ibn Muzāĥim ibn Sayyār al-Minqarī, the known and trustworthy Shī`ī historian. He authored several historical and narrative books, which include Waq`at al-Şiffīn.”

·         al-Shī`a fī Aĥādīth al-Farīqayn Nash’atuhum wa Fađā’iluhum wa Khaşā’isuhum, of al-Sayyid Mustađá al-Abţaĥī, page 162 [Qum]

It can clearly be witnessed from the above that the author of Waq`at Şiffīn, Naşr ibn Muzāĥim, is actually a Shī`ī who has been condemned and rejected by Sunnīs and acclaimed by Shī`ī Ithnā’ `Asharīs as their own.

What else can it be then but a lie to say that his writings are “esteemed Sunni works”?

Knowingly Citing Waq`at Şiffīn as a Sunnī Text

The most enlightening of facts in all of this, though, is that the Answering-Ansar team does know that Naşr ibn Muzāĥim is considered an extremist Shī`ī and condemned by the Sunnīs.

It is mentioned in the 2^nd revised edition of their article entitled ‘Who really killed Uthman?’:

The above confirms that the Answering-Ansar team is fully aware of who is Naşr ibn Muzāĥim. Despite of this, they repeatedly cite it as an authoritative Sunnī text in their other articles.

Can the Answering-Ansar team inform their readers of why they cite Waq`at Şiffīn as an “esteemed” Sunnī text when they even realize that its author is a Rāfiđī according to Sunnīs?

The readers of Answering-Ansar should ask this question to the Answering-Ansar team and themselves, and then see the truth unfold on their own. If they indeed seek the truth, then they will undoubtedly agree to the obvious fact that the Answering-Ansar team does deceptively misattribute non-Sunnī texts to the Sunnīs to strengthen their arguments.

It is only Allah (swt) who gives success, and blessings and peace be on the Seal of the Prophets, his Pure Progeny and his Noble Companions

♦        ♦        ♦

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Works Cited

Shī`ī texts:

1.       al-Fihrist Asmā’ Muşannifī al-Shī`a [Rijāl al-Najāshī]

Abū al-`Abbās al-Najāshī (d. 450)

Muassasat al-Nashr al-Islami

Qum, Iran

2.       Kashf al-Ghumma fī Ma`rifat al-A’imma

Abū al-Fatĥ al-Arbilī (d. 693)

Dar al-Adwa

Beirut, Lebanon

3.       al-Shī`a fī Aĥādīth al-Farīqayn Nash’atuhum wa Fađā’iluhum wa Khaşā’isuhum

al-Sayyid Murtađá al-Abţaĥī

Matba`a Amir

Qum, Iran

Sunnī texts:

4.       Mīzān al-I`tidāl fī Naqd al-Rijāl

Shams al-Dīn al-Dhahabī (d. 748)

Dar al-Ma`rifa

Beirut, Lebanon