Answered by: Maulana Mujahid Hussain

Question 

I would like to ask if the following hadith is authentic (I have not quoted the hadith)

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam once complained to angel Jibril alayhissalaam that he could not perform relations often so angel jibril alayis salaam asked him why he would not take harisa since in it was the strength of 40 men

In the name of Allah the most Beneficent, the most Merciful

Answer

This is a fabricated hadith. It is, in fact, slander upon the prophet and nothing short of at an attempt to defame him.

We learn through many authentic hadith how strong the prophet  ( صلّ الله عليه و سلّم )  was in this regard.

Furthermore, scholars agree  Allah ( سبحانه و تعالى )   did not send any messenger with any defect which people universally disdain and look down upon.

As for the fabricated narration you have quoted, it has been narrated with a few separate wordings and chains. Not a single chain is reliable. It is narrated by Tabari and by Ibn Adee in his Kamil and ibn jawzi mentions it in his Maudooaat.

Here is one of the narrations.

أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْحَسَنِ بْنُ مُغِيثٍ إِذْنًا ، عَنْ أَبِي عُمَرَ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ، قَالَ : نا عِيسَى بْنُ حَبِيبٍ الْقَاضِي ، قَالَ : نا أَبُو الْفَضْلِ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَبْدِ السَّلامِ ، قَالَ : نا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَنَّادٍ ، نا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْفِرْيَابِيُّالْمَدَائِنِيُّ ، قَالَ : نا عُمَرُ بْنُ بَكْرٍ السَّكْسَكِيُّ ، نا أَرْطَأَةُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ ، نامَكْحُولٌ ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ : شَكَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَى جِبْرِيلَ قِلَّةَ الْجِمَاعِ ، قَالَ : فَتَبَسَّمَ جِبْرِيلُ حَتَى تَلأْلأَ مَجْلِسُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ ثَنَايَا جِبْرِيلَ ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : " يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، أَيْنَ أَنْتَ مِنْ أَكْلِ الْهَرِيسَةِ ، فَإِنَّ فِيهَا أَرْبَعِينَ رَجُلا 

These wording are found in الآثار المروية في الأطعمة العطرية.   hadith number 17.

Ismaeel ajloonee said regarding this hadith in كشف الخفاء ومزيل الإلباس

لم يثبت فيها شيءقال القاري في الموضوعات: حديث شكوت إلى جبريل ضعفي من الوقاع, فدلني على الهريسة، وفي رواية: فأمرني بأكل الهريسة موضوع، وقيل: ضعيف

“There is nothing proven regarding this. Mullah Ali Qari said it is fabricated and some have said it’s a weak narration “[1]

Al-fattani mentioned it as fabricatedتذكرة الموضوعات[2]

Najm udeen Damashqi in his bookإتقان ما يحسن من الأخبار الدائرة على الألسن   said the following

 “ This narration is fabricated. It has been said it was fabricated by a person who would sell Harisa when his business declined “[3]

Ahmad Al-Aamiri Said in his book الجد الحثيث في بيان ما ليس بحديث the following

شَكَوْتُ إِلَى جِبْرِيلَ ضَعْفَ الْوِقَاعِ فَأَمَرَنِي بِأَكْلِ الْهَرِيسَةِأَخْرَجَهُ الْقُضَاعِيُّ وَالطَّبَرَانِيُّ عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ وَهُوَ مَوْضُوعٌ

“This hadith is narrated by Qudaie and Tabarani and its fabricated”

Al-Qawuqji a great Hanafi scholar said in his book للؤلؤ المرصوع فيما لا أصل له أو بأصله موضوع

حَدِيث: شَكَوْت إِلَى جِبْرِيل ضعْفي من الوقاع فَأمرنِي بِأَكْل الهريسة. وَفِي رِوَايَة: فدلني على الهريسةوَكَذَلِكَ: إِن جِبْرِيل أَطْعمنِي الهريسة يشد بهَا ظَهْري لقِيَام اللَّيْل. كلهَا مَوْضُوعَة

“This hadith.. with both wording is fabricated “[4]

Just for information purposes, Hareesa is a dish in which  grounded wheat is  mixed with meat.

Only Allah Knows best.

Written by Maulana Mujahid Hussain

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah 

Darul Ifta Birmingham