Kritikan Sanad Terhadap Riwayat Abu Yazid Al-Bisthomi Dalam Silsilah Tarekat Naqsyabandiyah

Criticism of the Sanad Concerning the Narration of Abu Yazid al-Bisthami in the Naqshbandi Tariqa Chain

Abstract

Abu Yazid al-Bistami is one of the narrators listed in the Naqshbandi Sufi order’s spiritual lineag). A connected chain of transmission (ittisāl al-sanad) is a fundamental condition in determining the authenticity of any sanad. Hadith scholars have established that the first criterion for a hadith to be deemed sahih (authentic) is an unbroken chain of reliable narrators. However, there are several instances within the Naqshbandi spiritual lineage that reveal breaks or disconnections in the chain of transmission. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the sanad of the Naqshbandi order and examine the chain of narrators involved, with specific attention to the direct connections between each narrator, ensuring no disjunctions occur. The study also seeks to understand the implications of such findings on the validity of the sanad based on the principles of hadith sciences (ʿulūm al-ḥadīth). In terms of methodology, this research adopts a detailed textual analysis of the Naqshbandi sanad, particularly focusing on the relationship between each narrator and their immediate predecessor. A critical approach towards hadith sources is employed to assess the strength and integrity of the chain. Research data is gathered through library research and analysed systematically. The findings of this study are hoped to contribute to a clearer understanding of the reliability criteria for a sanad in the context of hadith scholarship, and to provide useful guidance to hadith scholars and researchers. Ultimately, the quality of the sanad in the Sufi order of Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani is found to be weak, particularly due to the disconnected links, which adversely affect the credibility of certain Sufi lineages, including that of Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani.