Hadith about having 2 witnesses for marriage is weak
In the opinion of the Hanafi, Shafa’ee and Hambali schools of Jurisprudence and also with those who claim to follow “only” rigorously authenticated Hadith although the Hadith from which this ruling is deduced is not rigorously authenticated with respect to its chain of narration:
Translation: Marriage is valid only with the permission of the guardian (Wali) in the presence of 2 witnesses.
Imam Daraqutni (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) has mentioned this Hadith in his Sunan. In the chain of narration of Imam Daraqutni, there is ‘Abdullah bin Muhriz about whom Imam Ibn Hajr ‘Asqalani has written:
Translation: ‘Abdullah bin Muhriz is a very unreliable narrator. (Lisan Ul Meezaan Li Ibn Hajr ‘Asqalani, Manismuhoo ‘Abdullah)
A very famous and authoritative scholar of the non-followers Siddiq bin Hasan Qanuji writes in Ar Rauzatun Naadiyya after mentioning this Hadith:
Translation: In the chain of narration of this Hadith, there is ‘Abdullah bin Muhriz who is a Forsaken Narrator (Matruk Rawi, from whom narration of Hadith has been abandoned). (Ar Rauzatun Naadiyya, Kitab Un Nikah, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 22)
In another chain of narration of this Hadith, there is ‘Adi bin Fadhl about whom Imam Baihaqui (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes:
Translation: ‘Adi bin Fadhl has narrated this although he is unreliable. With a rigorously authenticated chain of narration, this is a Mauquf Hadith (A Hadith whose chain of narration goes back only to a Taba‘ee). (Sunan Kubra Lil Baihaqui, Vol. 7, Pg. No. 202, Hadith No. 13494)
Imam Ibn Hajr ‘Asqalani (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has written in At Talkhees Ul Habeer about the same narrator:
Translation: ‘Adi Bin Fadhl is an unreliable narrator. (At Talkhees Ul Habeer Li Ibn Hajr Il ‘Asqalani Kitab Un Nah ‘Anil Khitbati ‘Alal Khitbah Babul Auliyai Wa Ahkaamihim)
‘Allama Haithami (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes after mentioning 2 Hadith of the same meaning on the authority of Imam Tabarani:
Translation: In the chains of narration of both these Hadith, Rab’ee bin Badr is there who is a Forsaken Narrator. (Majma Uz Zawaaid Wa Mamba ‘Ul Fawaaid Lil Haithami, Kitab Un Nikah, Babu Fin Nikaahi Bigari Shuhood)
Also Hafidh Ibn Hajr ‘Asqalani (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has declared Rab’ee bin Badr as Forsaken Narrator. (Taqreeb Ut Tahzeeb Li Ibn Hajr Il ‘Asqalani Dhikru Manismuhoo Raba’ah)
‘Allama Abu Ja’afar ‘Uqaili (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has written in his book “Dhu’afaa” about Rab’ee bin Badr:
Translation: Imam Qutaiba has declared him unreliable. (Adh Dhu’afaa Lil ‘Uqaili, Babur Ra)
‘Allama Haithami (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes after mentioning another Hadith of Mo’jam Tabarani:
Translation: In this chain of narration, Sulaiman bin Arqam is there who is a Forsaken Narrator. (Majma Uz Zawaaid Wa Mamba ‘Ul Fawaaid Lil Haithami, Kitab Un Nikah, Babu Fin Nikaahi Bighari Shuhood)
Imam Nasai has included Sulaiman bin Arqam in unreliable narrators. (Adh Dhu’afaa Wal Matrukeen Lin Nasai Babus Seen)
Imam Dhahabi (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has mentioned the opinion of the experts of Hadith criticism about Sulaiman bin Arqam in Meezan Ul ‘Itidaal:
Translation: The Hadith-experts have stopped narrating from him….Imam Ahmed says: We don’t narrate on his authority. Imam ‘Abbas and Imam ‘Uthman have narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Yahya bin Ma’een that he is unreliable. ‘Allama Jauzjani said: Sulaiman bin Arqam is Saqit Ul ‘Itibaar (Totally Unreliable). Imam Abu Dawood and Imam Daraqutni have said that he is a Forsaken Narrator. (Meezaan Ul ‘Itidaal Lidh Dhahabi, Babu Daal Taa Seen, Sulaiman bin Arqam, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 196)
Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center 