Al-mustadrak Vol. 4 P. 398 | Al-hakim
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Al-Hakim al-Mustadrak, also known as "The Mustadrak of Al-Hakim", is a renowned hadith collection compiled by the famous Muslim scholar, Muhammad ibn Abdillah al-Hakim al-Naisaburi (d. 1025 CE). The book is considered one of the most important sources of Islamic prophetic traditions.
"I am the city of knowledge, and ‘Ali is its gate. So whoever wants knowledge, let him come to the gate."
The search results do not provide Al-Dhahabi's direct comment on this specific narration in Volume 4, p. 398. However, the fact that this narration is widely quoted by later classical scholars of all orientations suggests it was generally accepted as a genuine prophecy, even if some in the later hadith science questioned its chain of transmission.
In conclusion, a single page—volume 4, page 398 of Al-Mustadrak —is far more than a collection of prophetic sayings. It is a layered document of Islamic intellectual history. It contains al-Hakim’s ambitious attempt to complete the work of his predecessors, al-Dhahabi’s ruthless but necessary corrective, and the underlying theological anxieties of a medieval Muslim society. To read this page authentically is to listen to a polyphony of voices: the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) reported words, the jurist’s desire for legal proofs, the historian’s caution, and the believer’s yearning for assurance. It reminds us that in the Islamic tradition, authenticity is not a simple binary of true or false; it is a negotiated verdict, hammered out one narrator, one link, and one page at a time. al-hakim al-mustadrak vol. 4 p. 398
(authentic) according to the criteria of Bukhari and Muslim, even if they did not include them in their own collections. Supporting References
The reference is emblematic of the broader journey into Islamic Hadith criticism. It reminds us that a single page can contain a Prophetic teaching about the future, a subtle chain of narrators spanning 400 years, and a fierce academic debate between two giants of the tradition—al-Hakim and al-Dhahabi.
The word Mustadrak translates to "supplement" or "continuation." Imam al-Hakim (321–405 AH) noticed that the two most authentic Sunni Hadith books—Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim (known together as the Sahihayn )—did not include every single authentic narration that existed.
However, the true significance of page 398 lies not in the hadith text alone, but in the thunderous marginal notes that often accompany it—the critiques of Imam al-Dhahabi (d. 748 AH/1348 CE), al-Hakim’s own student. In his abridgement and critique, Talkhis al-Mustadrak , al-Dhahabi frequently follows al-Hakim’s judgment with the devastating phrase: “Bal munkar” (Rather, it is rejected) or “La asla lahu” (It has no basis). If one were to look at a hadith on page 398 that al-Hakim declared sahih , one would likely find al-Dhahabi arguing that a particular transmitter is weak, unknown ( majhul ), or even accused of lying. This dialectic transforms the page from a simple collection into a courtroom drama. For the student of hadith , this page is a live demonstration of how Islamic scholarship is not a monolithic acceptance of texts but a continuous, critical dialogue across centuries. To help me provide more specific details or
: Gabriel brought a handful of red soil from that land and gave it to the Prophet. Seeing this, the Prophet began to weep for the future suffering of his grandson. Umm Salama’s Trust : The Prophet then handed this soil to his wife, Umm Salama , telling her:
In this volume, Al-Hakim consistently applies his famous grading system. He often marks narrations as "Sahih according to the conditions of the two Sheikhs" (Bukhari and Muslim), even if they did not record them. However, modern scholarship—most notably the critiques by Imam al-Dhahabi—often revisits pages like 398 to provide a secondary check. While Al-Hakim was known for being somewhat lenient (mutasahil) in his later years, his work remains a primary source for "lost" authentic traditions. Key Themes in Volume 4
“La yajma’ullahu ummati ‘ala dhalalah abadan, wa yadullahi ‘ala al-jama’ah.”
The specific reference, al-Hakim al-Mustadrak Vol. 4 p. 398, points to a particular hadith narration within the collection. Unfortunately, I do not have direct access to the content on that specific page. However, I can discuss the broader implications and relevance of hadith collections like al-Mustadrak in understanding Islamic thought and practice. "I am the city of knowledge, and ‘Ali is its gate
According to the text, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had a disturbed sleep one night. When Umm Salamah asked him what was wrong, he explained that the Archangel Gabriel (Jibril) had visited him. Gabriel informed the Prophet that his "son" Hussain would be killed in the land of Iraq. When the Prophet asked to see the soil from the place of the killing, Gabriel gave him a sample of red earth ( turbah hamra ), which the Prophet held and kissed.
On page 398 of the fourth volume, Imam al-Hakim records the transmission via the iconic Companion Ibn Abbas:
To bridge this gap, al-Hakim compiled over 8,000 narrations using five specific criteria:
This page is frequently cited by scholars to prove that Ijma' is a valid source of Sharia law. If the entire community agrees on a matter, that agreement is considered a reflection of divine truth.