(Umayyads), who asserted that the Caliphate resided with them. Safina's response is both blunt and clarifying: The Refutation
To determine the authoritative weight of the narration, we must examine the reliability of the narrators.
: By placing Mu'awiya as the first "king," the narration distinguishes the "Rightly Guided" leadership from the dynastic rule that followed, which has significant implications in Islamic political theology. About the Source: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah
This specific narration is often cited alongside the famous Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ that states: musannaf ibn abi shaybah 37157
Safina replied, "The sons of the 'blue-eyed woman' (Banu al-Zarqa) have lied. Rather, they are kings from among the harshest kings, and the first of the kings was Mu'awiyah." 🔍 Historical & Theological Context
Note: The exact wording of 37157 may vary. In many editions, 37157 relates to a different ruling. The most common authenticated narration at this number (e.g., in al-Rushd print) is actually about or slaughtering by a Magian . The following is the verified content for #37157 in standard modern indexing:
Let us locate the reference precisely.
Despite the weak chain, the content (matn) aligns with established rulings:
Narration 37157 sits within the historical and leadership chapters ( Kitab al-Umara / Kitab al-Tarikh ), serving as an irreplaceable archive for modern historians and theologians studying how early Muslims internally debated the shift from an egalitarian leadership system to a powerful regional autocracy.
: This text provides raw insight into how early Muslims viewed the structural shift from the Khilafah (the rightly-guided spiritual and political caliphate) to hereditary Mulk (monarchy). It serves as a cornerstone textual proof in historical theology concerning early Islamic governance models. 2. The Five Great Trials (Kitab al-Fitan) (Umayyads), who asserted that the Caliphate resided with
This work is the world's largest hadith compilation, containing over 37,000 reports including those from the Prophet, his companions, and their followers ( Cross-Reference: A similar version of this report is found in Jami' at-Tirmidhi
The keyword refers to a highly specific narration recorded in one of the oldest, largest, and most authoritative collections of prophetic traditions, companion rulings, and early historical records in Islamic literature: the Musannaf of Imam Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaybah (159H–235H).
Specifically, narration 37157 often pertains to the complex political period following the passing of the Prophet (ﷺ), particularly regarding the Saqifah (the gathering to choose a successor) and the initial tensions surrounding the oath of allegiance ( bay'ah ). The Historical Significance About the Source: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah This
: It is valued by researchers for preserving early legal opinions and historical perspectives that predated the more standardized "Six Books" of hadith. For further study, you can access the digitized text of entry 37157 of the chain of narrators ( ) for this specific entry?