Question:
He (the questioner) asks about a claim made by a scholar named Sheikh Abdul Rahman Hafiz Madhuhari. He says he has attached a video of that scholar speaking.
What is being claimed in the video?
In the video, the speaker says that there is a Sahih (authentic) hadith which states: Angels make istighfar (seek forgiveness) for a religious scholar. Even the wild animals in the forest seek forgiveness for such scholars. The fish in the sea seek forgiveness for them. Even snakes in their holes seek forgiveness for them. Then the speaker asks rhetorically: “What need do these creatures have to do this?”
So, he asks: Is this statement true?
Answer:
First thing we must understand: These kinds of narrations are often misused.
Why? Because the term “ʿālim” (scholar) is interpreted today in a very different way from how it existed during the time of Prophetﷺ Muhammad. In the Prophetﷺ’s time, there was no formal “Aalim course.”
There were no madrasa certificates, no degrees, no seven-year programs declaring someone a scholar. So who were the scholars then?
Companions like Abu Bakr and Umar ibn al-Khattab learned the religion simply by listening to the Prophetﷺ and understanding it.
Many of the companions who knew the religion deeply could not even read or write. Yet they understood the religion through listening and learning. So, the idea that someone becomes an “Aalim” simply by completing a madrasa course and receiving a certificate did not exist at that time.
How such narrations get misused. Today, some people interpret these narrations in a self-serving way.
They say: “We studied seven years in madrasa; therefore, we are Aalims. Look at how great the status of Aalims is!”
In this way they praise themselves. But many madrasa systems today teach very limited knowledge. In some cases, students may not even learn: scientific knowledge, logic, advanced jurisprudential principles (Usul al-Fiqh), hadith methodology (Usul al-Hadith)
If someone simply reads Arabic texts and finishes a course, they may immediately be called an “Aalim.” Then these narrations are quoted to glorify themselves. The hadith being quoted.
The narration mentioned about animals and fish seeking forgiveness for scholars appears in collections like: Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, works of Al-Tabarani such as al-Muʿjam al-Kabir.
But when we examine the chain of narration, we find a serious problem.
The chain includes:
- Abu Umamah
- al-Qasim
- Walid ibn Jamil
The critical issue is Walid ibn Jamil. Hadith scholars have strongly criticized him.
One scholar said: “This hadith is narrated only by Walid. No one else narrates it. He is not acceptable.”
Another scholar described the narration as gharib (strange). They also said that Walid narrates munkar hadith — meaning narrations that are rejected.
In other words, many scholars considered his narrations unreliable. Another narrator in the chain. There is also discussion about al-Qasim in the chain.
Some scholars considered him reliable, but others like Ahmad ibn Hanbal considered him weak. But even if we overlook that disagreement, the major weakness remains Walid ibn Jamil. Because of him, the chain itself becomes weak.
Therefore, the narration about fish, animals, and snakes seeking forgiveness for scholars cannot be considered authentic.
Another exaggerated claim in the same narration. The same narration also includes another statement. It says that the difference between a scholar (ʿālim) & and a mere worshipper (ʿābid) is like the difference between the Prophetﷺ and the rest of the companions.
Think about how extreme that comparison is. The difference between Prophetﷺ Muhammad and ordinary companions is enormous. But claiming that the difference between a scholar and a worshipper is equal to that is clearly an exaggerated statement. That itself shows how questionable the narration is.
The correct way to understand such statements. Whenever virtues are mentioned about knowledge, the purpose is not to glorify certain individuals.
The purpose is to encourage people to gain knowledge. For example, the Qur’an asks: “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?”
This does not mean: “Remain ignorant and just go praise the learned people.”
Instead, it means: “Become a person of knowledge yourself.” Similarly, when it is said that the righteous have no fear,
the meaning is not: “Go searching for holy people to admire.”
The meaning is: “Become righteous yourself.” The same principle applies here. If knowledge is praised, the message is: You should also learn and gain knowledge.
It is not an invitation to glorify certain individuals as special elites.
Final conclusion: The narration claiming that –
Fish, wild animals, snakes, etc. seek forgiveness for scholars is not reliable hadith. Its chain of transmission is weak because of unreliable narrators such as Walid ibn Jamil.
Therefore, it should not be used as an authentic statement. And even when knowledge is praised in authentic texts, the purpose is to encourage everyone to seek knowledge, not to create a class of people who demand admiration.