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Fatwa CenterMisconceptions about Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him
Question
There are certain websites/books which states that most of the ahadith narrated by Abu Hurairah(ra) are unauthentic because it is not possible for him to narrate so many ahadith as his association with Prophet Muhammad(sas) is only for 3 years. I want to know how many ahadith from Abu Hurairah(ra) have been recorded in Sahih Bukhari and Musilm and whether they all are authentic? Also, are there any Thulaathiyyaat (hadith of 3 narrators) reported from Abu Hurairah(ra)? I hope your reply will clear all my doubts. Thanking you
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
We have already issued Fatwa 89722 refuting some misconceptions defaming Abu Hurayrah 
for narrating so many Ahaadeeth despite the fact that he had spent a short time with the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
Here, we will add some other refutations that were stated by the scholars 
:
1- From the time Abu Hurayrah migrated to Al-Madeenah, he constantly kept company with the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and no worldly matters preoccupied him from attending the gatherings with the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
2- Abu Hurayrah as known for his great interest in memorizing the Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and his craving for acquiring knowledge; the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, testified to this for Abu Hurayrah as in the Hadeeth reported by Al-Bukhari.
3- Abu Hurayrah was distinguished for his memorization of what he had heard from the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as he never forgot anything that he heard from the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. This is due to the blessing of the Prophet’s supplication for him, as reported by Al-Bukhari.
4- Abu Hurayrah met and kept company with the most prominent Companions 
and he learnt from them what he himself did not hear from the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. It might be that he reported these Ahaadeeth from them, and it might be that he said about such Ahaadeeth: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said…”. This is what is known as the Mursal Ahaadeeth of the Companions (i.e. a Companion may have heard the Hadeeth from another Companion, but when he related the Hadeeth, he did not mention the name of that Companion but directly said: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said …”). The Companions used to report from each other as they had full trust in each other. Anas said: “…not all what we relate from the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, we heard from him, but some of us would relate a Hadeeth from the other and no one suspects the other.” This Hadeeth is reported by Al-Khateeb in his book entitled Al-Jaami’ Li Akhlaaq Ar-Raawi Wa Aadaab As-Saami’.
As regards the number of Ahaadeeth reported by Abu Hurayrah in Saheeh Al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim, they are 608. Three hundred and twenty five (325) of which were agreed upon (i.e. reported by both Al-Bukhari and Muslim), while 93 of them were only reported by Al-Bukhari, and 190 others were only reported by Muslim. This is what was mentioned by Al-‘Ayni in ‘Umdatul Qaari’ Sharh Saheeh Al-Bukhari.
In any case, the Ahaadeeth reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurayrah and others, were accepted by the whole Muslim nation.
With regard to the Hadeeth that was reported by only three narrators, it is the one whose chain of narrators between the Imaam who reported the Hadeeth and the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was only three narrators. However, we could not find the Ahaadeeth narrated by three narrators which you asked about and which were narrated by Abu Hurayrah .
Allaah Knows best.
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