Sufyan b. Sa’eed b. Masruq al-Thawri was a famous Tabi’i jurist of the 2nd century. He narrates many hadiths, tafsir and had his own school for fiqh known as the thawri madhab that followed Ahlul Ra’iy (people of opinion) as opposed to Ahlul Hadith (people of texts). Al-Dhahabi describes him as:

هُوَ شَيْخُ الإِسْلاَمِ، إِمَامُ الحُفَّاظِ، سَيِّدُ العُلَمَاءِ العَامِلِيْنَ فِي زَمَانِهِ، أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الثَّوْرِيُّ، الكُوْفِيُّ، المُجْتَهِدُ، مُصنِّفُ كِتَابِ الجَامِعِ.

He is Shaykh al-Islam, the Imam of the Hadith masters, the leader of the scholars who acted upon their knowledge in his time, Abu Abdullah al-Thawri, the Kufan, the Mujtahid, and the author of the book ‘Al-Jami’.

So this is no mere scholar, this is a giant of Ahlus Sunnah. He narrates many hadiths, and once you remove him, you remove a giant narrator of the hadith corpus. One of such hadiths he narrates is the following recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari 3671:

Narrated Muhammad bin al-Hanafiya: I asked my father (`Ali bin Abi Talib), "Who are the best people after Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?" He said, "Abu Bakr." I asked, "Who then?" He said, "Then `Umar. " I was afraid he would say, "Uthman, so I said, "Then you?" He said, "I am only an ordinary person.

Besides the absurdity of our opponents trying to use a report from Sahih al-Bukhari as evidence against us, this report is rejected due to the unreliability of Sufyan al-Thawri, a prolific liar who our opponents revere as a great jurist and a transmitter of prophetic hadith. We shall go over some of the reports related to him, in the hope that our readers will realize where such absurd reports come from.

Imam al-Baqir (AS)'s views on him

We read in al-Kafi Vol 1, Book 4, Chapter 96, Hadith # 3:

Ali b. Ibrahim reported from Salih b. al-Sindi, from Ja'far b. Bashir, and Muhammad b. Yahya reported from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Isa, from Ibn Faddal, all narrating from Abu Jamila, from Khalid b. ‘Ammar, from Sudair, who said:

"I heard Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (AS) while I was exiting, and he took my hand and faced the house (Ka’aba) and said: '...O Sudair, let me show you those who lead people away from the religion of Allah.' Then he looked at Abu Hanifa and Sufyan al-Thawri at that time, and they were sitting in a circle in the mosque. He said: 'These are the ones who lead people away from the religion of Allah without guidance from Allah and without a clear Book. If these evil ones had sat in their homes, people would have wandered about and would not have found anyone to inform them about Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, and about His Messenger ﷺ until they come to us, and we inform them about Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, and about His Messenger ﷺ.'"

Sufyan criticized Imam al-Sadiq’s clothing

We read in al-Kafi Vol 5, Book 2, Chapter 1, Hadith # 1:

‘Ali b. Ibrahim has narrated from his father, from Harun b. Muslim from Mas’adah b. Sadaqah who has said the following:

“Once, Sufyan al-Thawri visited Imam Al-Sadiq (AS). He saw the Imam wearing a cloth that was pure white like the membrane between an egg shell and its contents. He then said to the Imam, ‘This is not the kind of cloth you should wear.’

The Imam replied, ‘Listen to me and pay proper attention to what I say; it is good for you now and in future if you like to die following the Sunnah and truth and not in heresy. I can tell you that the Messenger of Allah lived at a time when poverty was rampant. When living conditions improve the people most deserving to benefit from the worldly facilities are the virtuous people and not the sinful ones, the believing people and not the hypocrites, the Muslims and not those who reject Islam.

What then is it that you, O Thawri, dislike? When you see me in this condition, you must take notice that, I swear by Allah, from the time I reached the age of maturity, there has never been an evening or morning when Allah had a right in my properties that He had commanded me to pay off and I had not already paid it off.’

Imam al-Sadiq (AS) refutes Sufyan al-Thawri

We further read in al-Kafi Vol 6, Book 7, Chapter 2, Hadith # 8:

‘Ali b. Muhammad b. Bandar Ahmad b. Abu ‘Abd Allah from Muhammad b. ‘Ali in a marfu‘ manner has said the following:

“Once, Sufyan al-Thawri passed by Masjid al-Haram (the sacred area) and he saw Abu ‘Abd Allah (AS), dressed in fine expensive clothes. He decided to meet him (the Imam) and scold him. He went close and said, ‘O son of the Messenger of Allah, the Messenger of Allah did not dress up with this kind of dress, Ali did not dress with this kind of dress nor any of your ancestors did.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (AS), said, ‘The Messenger of Allah (SAW) lived at a time when it was a financially serious and stringent condition. He (the Messenger of Allah) lived according to such conditions but the world thereafter has become financially relaxed. The most deserving in financial opportunities are the virtuous people.’

He (the Imam) then read this verse, {Say, who has made unlawful the beautiful things that Allah has brought out for His servants and the fine kinds of means of sustenance} (Quran 7:32).

We are the most deserving of what Allah has granted. However, O Thawri, what you see I have dressed up with I have done so for people. He (the Imam) pulled his hand to himself and raised the outer layer of his dress. Underneath, on his body was a layer of rough textured garment. He (the Imam) said, ‘I wear this for my own soul and what you see (the outer layer) is for people.’ The Imam then raised the outer layer of the garment of Sufyan, which was of rough texture but the layer underneath on his body was of a fine quality. He said, ‘You have dressed up for people with the outer layer and for yourself to enjoy with the fine quality layer underneath.’”

Sufyan destroyed a Hadith because it confirmed Ahl al-Bayt (AS)'s authority

We read in al-Kafi Vol 1, Book 4, Chapter 103, Hadith # 2:

Muhammad b. al-Hasan narrated from some of our companions, from Ali b. al-Hakam, from al-Hakam b. Miskin, from a man of Quraysh from the people of Mecca, who said:

Sufyan al-Thawri said to me, "Take us to Ja'far b. Muhammad." So I went with him, and we found him mounted on his riding animal. Sufyan said to him, "O Abu Abdillah, narrate to us the sermon of the Messenger of God (SAW) in Masjid al-Khayf."

He (Ja'far) replied, "Let me go about my errand, for I have mounted. When I return, I will narrate it to you." Sufyan insisted, "I ask you by your kinship to the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) to narrate it to me now."

So he dismounted and called for an inkwell and parchment. Then he said, "Write: In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The sermon of the Messenger of God (SAW) in Masjid al-Khayf:

'May God brighten the face of a servant who hears my words, retains them, and conveys them to those who did not hear them. O people, let the one who is present convey to the one who is absent. Perhaps a bearer of knowledge is not understanding, and perhaps he conveys it to one who understands better than he does.

Three things the heart of a Muslim will never harbor ill against: sincerity in action for God, sincere counsel to the leaders of the Muslims, and adherence to their congregation, for their supplication encompasses those behind them. Believers are brothers, their blood is equal, and they are united against others. The protection given by the lowest among them is binding on all.'"

Sufyan wrote it down and read it back to Ja'far, then he mounted again. As we walked along the road, Sufyan stopped and said, "Wait, let me review this hadith." I said to him, "By God, Abu Abdillah has bound something to your neck that will never leave you." He asked, "And what is that?"

I said, "Three things:

Sincerity in action for God—we understand that.
Sincere counsel to the leaders of the Muslims—who are these leaders that we must advise? Is it Mu'awiya b. Abi Sufyan, Yazid b. Mu'awiya, Marwan b. al-Hakam, and all those whose testimony we do not accept and behind whom we do not pray?
Adherence to their congregation—which congregation? Is it the Murji'ah, who claim that even if one does not pray, fast, purify himself from impurity, demolishes the Kaaba, and commits incest with his mother, he still has the faith of Jibril and Mikail? Or is it the Qadiriyya, who say that God's will does not prevail but that of Iblis does? Or is it the Haruriyya, who dissociate from Ali b. Abi Talib and accuse him of disbelief? Or the Jahmiyya, who claim that faith is merely the knowledge of God and nothing more?"

Sufyan exclaimed, "Woe to you! Then who do they say the true leader is?" I replied, "They say, by God, that ‘Ali b. Abi Talib is the Imam whose counsel is obligatory upon us, and that adherence to the congregation means his household." At that, Sufyan took the paper, tore it up, and said, "Do not tell anyone about this!"

Sufyan ordered his own books of Hadith to be destroyed

We read in Ibn Qutaybah's al-Ma‘arif, pg. 278 - 279:

ويكنى أبا عبد الله، ونسب إلى ثور بن عبد مناة بن أد بن طابخة بن إلياس بن مضر، ويقال لثور ثور أطحل وهو جبل. ومن ثور الربيع بن خيثم، يقال: إنه كان في بني ثور ثلاثون رجلًا، ليس منهم رجل دون الربيع بن خيثم، وهم بالكوفة، ليس بالبصرة منهم أحد.

ومات سفيان بالبصرة متواريًا من السلطان، ودُفن عشاءً، فقال الشاعر:

تحرز سفيان وفر بدينه وأمسى شريك مرصداً للدراهم

قال الواقدي: مات سنة إحدى وستين ومائة، وهو ابن أربع وستين سنة.

وأخبرني أنه وُلد سنة سبع وتسعين. قال وكيع: مات سفيان، وله مائة وخمسون دينارًا بضاعة، فأوصى إلى عمارة بن يوسف في كتبه، فمحاها وأحرقها.

ولم يعقب سفيان، كان له ابن فمات قبله، فجعل كل شيء له لأخته وولدها، ولم يُورِّث أخاه المبارك بن سعيد شيئًا. وتوفي أخوه المبارك بالكوفة سنة ثمانين ومائة.

He was known as Abu Abdullah and was attributed to Thawr b. Abd Manat b. Ad b. Tabikha b. Ilyas b. Mudar. It is said that Thawr was also called Thawr Athal, which is a mountain. Among the Thawr tribe was al-Rabi‘ b. Khaytham, about whom it was said that there were thirty men in Banu Thawr, none of whom were lesser than al-Rabi‘ b. Khaytham. They were in Kufa, and none of them were in Basra.

Sufyan died in Basra while in hiding from the authorities and was buried at night. A poet said:

“Sufyan took precautions and fled with his religion, while Sharik remained as a target for wealth.”

Al-Waqidi said: He died in the year 161 AH at the age of 64.

I was informed that he was born in the year 97 AH. Waki‘ said: Sufyan died with 150 dinars as his trade capital. He entrusted his books to ‘Amarah b. Yusuf, who erased and burned them.

Sufyan left no heirs. He had a son who died before him, so he willed everything he had to his sister and her children, leaving nothing for his brother al-Mubarak b. Sa‘id. His brother al-Mubarak passed away in Kufa in the year 180 AH.

We further read in Abu Na'im al-Isfahani’s Hilyat al-Awliya Vol. 6, pg. 355:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، ثنا أَبُو غَسَّانَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْأصْمَعِيَّ، يَقُولُ: أَمَّا سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُ فإِنَّهُ أَوْصَى أَنْ تُدْفَنَ كُتُبُهُ , وَكَان نَدِمَ عَلَى أَشْيَاءَ كَتَبَهَا عَنْ قَوْمٍ، وَقَالَ: «حَمَلَنِي عَلَيْهِ شُهْرَةُ الْحَدِيثِ»

My father told us that Muhammad b. Ahmad b. Yazid narrated to us, and Abu Ghassan Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Ishaq narrated to us, saying: I heard Al-Asma'i saying, "As for Sufyan al-Thawri, he advised that his books be buried. He regretted some things he wrote about certain people, and he said, 'The fame of narrating led me to it.'"

Why should we accept Hadith from a man who narrated hadiths for fame?

Sufyan al-Thawri's Hadith Status

We read in Siyar 'Alam al-Nubala, Vol. 7, pg. 256 by al-Dhahabi:

ابنُ يَحْيَى: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، قَالَ صَاحِبٌ لَنَا لِسُفْيَانَ: حَدِّثْنَا كَمَا سَمِعْتَ. فَقَالَ: لاَ وَاللهِ، لاَ سَبِيْلَ إِلَيْهِ، مَا هُوَ إِلاَّ المَعَانِي. وَقَالَ زَيْدُ بنُ الحُبَابِ: سَمِعْتُ سُفْيَانَ يَقُوْلُ: إِنْ قُلْتَ: إِنِّي أُحَدِّثكم كَمَا سَمِعْتُ، فَلاَ تُصَدِّقُوْنِي.

Ibn Yahya said: "Abd al-Razzaq told us, and a companion of ours said to Sufyan: 'Tell us as you heard.' He replied: 'No, by Allah, there is no way to it; it is nothing but meanings.' Zayd b. al-Hubbab said: 'I heard Sufyan say: If you say, "I am narrating to you as I heard," do not believe me.'"

Sufyan himself is saying here that you cannot trust the very hadiths he narrate, without their being discrepencies in the hadith. He nevers hears a hadith as it is, and this is truly concerning when you read that Sufyan was supposedly the best hadith narrator in the Sunni corpus!

Al-Dhahabi further records in pg. 239 - 255 that Yahya al-Qattan, al-Hafi, Ibn Ma'in, Ibn Ayyash, Ibn al-Mubarik and others testify that there is no narrator as great in hadith memorisation (Hifdh) or anyone on the same status as Sufyan al-Thawri was where he is described as the Abu Bakr & Umar of the time! In fact, in pg. 247 al-Dhahabi records:

إبراهيم بن أبي الليث : سمعت الأشجعي يقول : سمعت من الثوري ثلاثين ألف حديث

Ibrahim b. Abi Layth heard al-Ashja'i say: I heard from (Sufyan) al-Thawri 30,000 hadith.

This Sufyan is a pillar of the Sunni Hadith corpus, and narrates an abudant amount of Hadith yet in his own testimony he admits to not being able to narrate hadiths as they were heard, and he was the best hadith narrator, what does this say about everyone else if the best cannot narrate it properly?

Sufyan al-Thawri’s absurd views

Sufyan would takfir people for NOT drinking alcohol

Sufyan al-Thawri was infamous for his love of nabidh, a popular alcoholic beverage. Regarding this, al-Dhahabi says in his Siyar A'lam al-Nubala, Vol 7, pg. 259 - 260:

قُلْتُ: مَعَ جَلَالَةِ سُفْيَانَ، ‌كَانَ ‌يُبِيْحُ ‌النَّبِيذَ ‌الَّذِي ‌كَثِيْرُهُ ‌مُسكِرٌ. أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بنُ سَلَامَةَ كِتَابَةً، عَنِ اللَّبَّانِ، أَنْبَأَنَا الحَدَّادُ، أَنْبَأَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بنُ جَعْفَرِ بنِ سَلَمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَبَّارُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ المَلِكِ المَيْمُوْنِيُّ، سَمِعْتُ يَعْلَى بنَ عُبَيْدٍ يَقُوْلُ: قَالَ سُفْيَانُ: إِنِّي لآتي الدعوة، ما أشتهي النبيذ، فأشربه لكي يراني الناس

I said: Despite the esteemed status of Sufyan, he permitted the consumption of nabidh, which, when taken in large quantities, is intoxicating.

(With his chain to Sufyan), he said: "I attend gatherings where I do not desire nabidh, but I drink it so that people can see me."

We read in Abi al-Qasim al-Ka'bi’s Qabul al-Akhbar wa Ma'rifat al-Rijal Vol 1, pg. 351:

قال: حدثنا محمد بن يزيد قال: سمعت حفص بن غياث يقول: رأيت سفيان يشرب النبيذ حتى يحمر وجهه

He said: Muhammad b. Yazid narrated to us, saying: I heard Hafs b. Ghiyath say:

"I saw Sufyan drinking nabidh until his face turned red."

We read in Hilyat al-Awliya Vol 6, pg. 349:

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمُنْعِمِ، ثنا أَحْمَدُ، ثنا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَاصِمٍ، ثنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي الْحَوَارِيِّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ حَفْصَ بْنَ غِيَاثٍ، يَقُولُ: قَالَ سُفْيَانُ: «مَنْ لَمْ يَشْرَبِ النَّبِيذَ وَلَمْ يَأْكُلِ الْجَدْيَ , وَلَمْ يَمْسَحْ عَلَى الْخُفَّيْنِ فَاتَهمُوهُ عَلَى دِينِكُمْ»

We were informed by Abd al-Mun'im, who narrated to us Ahmad, who narrated to us Ja'far b. Ahmad b. 'Asim, who narrated to us Ahmad b. Abi al-Hawari, saying: I heard Hafs b. Ghayath saying: Sufyan said:

"Whoever does not drink nabidh (an alcoholic drink), does not eat jaddi (a type of meat), and does not wipe over the leather socks, accuse him of not following your religion.

His love for alcohol was such that he would actively seek out mosques that served it, and that during his illnesses he would be offered the drink. We read in Hilyat al-Awliya Vol. 6, pg. 354:

حدثنا أحمد بن إسحاق ثنا أبو بكر بن أبي عاصم ثنا الحسين بن الحسن المروزي قال سمعت عبد الرحمن بن مهدي يقول: الناس يزعمون أن سفيان كان يؤخر العصر، وأشهد لقد تتبع المساجد عندنا التي تعجل ويشرب فيها النبيذ، وأشهد لقد وصفت له دواء في مرضه فقلت له: ‌نأتيك ‌بنبيذ؟ فقال: لا ائتني بعسل وماء.

Ahmad b. Ishaq narrated to us, Abu Bakr b. Abi Asim narrated to us, Al-Husayn b. Al-Hasan Al-Marwazi narrated to us, saying: I heard Abd al-Rahman b. Mahdi say:

"People claim that Sufyan used to delay Asr prayer, but I testify that he would seek out the mosques among us that performed it early, and in which nabidh was drunk. And I testify that when I prescribed him medicine during his illness, I said to him, 'Shall we bring you nabidh?' He replied, 'No, bring me honey and water.'"

We further read in Hilyat al-Awliya Vol. 6, pg. 332:

حدثنا أحمد بن جعفر بن سلم، ثنا أحمد بن علي الأبار، ثنا عبد الملك بن عبد الحميد الميموني، قال: سمعت يعلى بن عبيد يقول: قال سفيان: إني لأتي الدعوة وما أشتهي النبيذ فأشربه لكي يراني الناس.

Ahmad b. Ja‘far b. Salam narrated to us, Ahmad b. ‘Ali al-Abbar narrated to us, ‘Abd al-Malik b. ‘Abd al-Hamid al-Maimuni narrated to us, who said: I heard Ya‘la b. ‘Ubayd say that Sufyan said:

"I attend gatherings where I am invited, and though I do not desire nabidh, I drink it so that people may see me."

Sufyan believed that laughter broke wudhu’

Perhaps one of Sufyan’s most absurd rulings was that he believed that laughter broke wudhu. We read in Tarikh Baghdad, Vol 9, pg. 163:

أخبرنا أحمد بن سلمان بن علي المقري، أخبرنا محمد بن بكران، حدثنا محمد بن مخلد العطار، حدثنا محمد بن المثنى بن زياد قال: سمعت بشرًا - يعني ابن الحارث - يقول: قال سفيان بن عيينة: كان سفيان الثوري العلم ممثلًا بين عينيه، يأخذ منه ما يريد، ويدع ما لا يريد. وقال الأوزاعي: كنت أقول فيمن ضحك في الصلاة قولًا لا أدري كيف هو؟ فلما لقيت سفيان الثوري فسألته، فقال لي: يعيد الوضوء، ويعيد الصلاة، فأخذت به.

Ahmad b. Salman b. Ali al-Muqri narrated to us, saying: Muhammad b. Bakran narrated to us, saying: Muhammad b. Makhlad al-Attar narrated to us, saying: Muhammad b. al-Muthanna b. Ziyad said: I heard Bishr—meaning Ibn al-Harith—say:

Sufyan b. Uyaynah said: “Sufyan al-Thawri had knowledge placed before his eyes—he would take from it what he wished and leave what he did not wish.”

Al-Awzai said: “I used to have an uncertain opinion regarding someone who laughs during prayer. When I met Sufyan al-Thawri and asked him, he told me: ‘He must renew his ablution and repeat the prayer.’ So I followed his ruling.”

Sufyan believed Ale Muhammad was the entire Ummah

Abu Nu’aym al-Esfahani reported in Kitab Tarikh Asbahan Vol. 2, pg, 119 - 120, Hadith # 1266:

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ بُنْدَارٍ، ثنا عَلِيُّ بْنُ رُسْتُمَ، ثنا فَضْلُكَ، ثنا عِصْمَةُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ النَّيْسَابُورِيُّ، ثنا الْحِمَّانِيُّ، قَالَ: ‌سَأَلْتُ ‌الثَّوْرِيَّ ‌مَنْ ‌آلِ ‌مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ: «كُلٌّ تَقِيُّ»

Ahmad b. Bundar narrated to us, Ali b. Rustum narrated to us, Fadluk narrated to us, Isma'at b. al-Fadl al-Naysaburi narrated to us, al-Himmani narrated to us, he said:

"I asked al-Thawri who are the family of Muhammad, and he said, 'Every righteous person.'"

He also reported in Hilyat al-Awliya Vol. 6, pg. 336:

حدثنا أبو محمد بن حيان، ثنا أحمد بن جعفر الجمال، ثنا يعقوب الدشتكي، ثنا الحماني، قال: " ‌سألت ‌الثوري: ‌من ‌آل ‌محمد ، قال: «أمة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم»

Abu Muhammad b. Hayan narrated to us, Ahmad b. Ja'far al-Jamal narrated to us, Ya'qub al-Dushtaki narrated to us, Al-Himmani narrated to us, he said:

"I asked al-Thawri: 'Who are the family of Muhammad?' He said: 'The Ummah (nation) of Muhammad (SAW).'"

This is sufficient to prove his ignorance.

Sufyan believed that Islam (submission) and Iman (faith) are the same

We read in Hilyat al-Awliya Vol 6, pg. 351:

حدثنا محمد ثنا محمد بن الحسن بن قتيبة، ثنا أبي، ثنا أيوب بن سويد عن سفيان الثوري قال: الإسلام والإيمان سواء، ثم قرأ: “فَأَخْرَجْنَا مَن كَانَ فِيهَا مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَمَا وَجَدْنَا فِيهَا غَيْرَ بَيْتٍ مِّنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ” (الذاريات: 35-36).

Muhammad narrated to us, saying: Muhammad b. al-Hasan b. Qutaybah narrated to us, saying: My father narrated to us, saying: Ayyub b. Suwayd narrated from Sufyan al-Thawri, who said:

“Islam and Iman (faith) are the same.” Then he recited: {So We brought out whoever was in it of the believers. But We found not within it except one house of Muslims}. (Qur’an 51:35 - 36)

Allah (swt) says in his sacred book:

۞ قَالَتِ ٱلْأَعْرَابُ ءَامَنَّا ۖ قُل لَّمْ تُؤْمِنُوا۟ وَلَـٰكِن قُولُوٓا۟ أَسْلَمْنَا وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ ٱلْإِيمَـٰنُ فِى قُلُوبِكُمْ ۖ

The bedouins say, "We have believed." Say, "You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], 'We have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts.

So what possible justification could our opponents have for Sufyan?

Sufyan al-Thawri’s strange comments about young boys

Ibn al-Jawzi records in Talbis Iblis, pg. 267 - 268:

فقال ( أبا نص ): نعم يروي عن سفيان الثوري أنه قال . مع الجارية شيطان ومع الغلام شيطانان فخشيت على نفسي من شيطانيه وبإسناد عن عبد الله بن المبارك يقول . دخل سفيان الثوري الحمام فدخل عليه غلا. فقال صبيح اخرجوه اخرجوه. فإني أرى مع كل امرأة شيطاناً. ومع كل غلام بضعة عشر شيطاناً

He (Abi Nasir) said: "Yes, it is narrated from Sufyan al-Thawri that he said, 'With a young girl, there is one devil, and with a young boy, there are two devils.' I feared for myself from his devils." With a chain of narration from Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, he said, "Sufyan al-Thawri entered the bathhouse, and a young boy entered with him. He (Sufyan) said, 'Take him out, take him out, for I see a devil with every woman and with every young boy, there are about ten devils.'"

Al-Bayhaqi reported in Shu'ab al-Iman, Vol. 4, pg. 359 - 360, Hadith # 5404:

٥٤٠٤ - أخبرنا أبو عبد الله الحافظ حدثني محمد بن أحمد الذهلي حدثني محمد بن موسى قال : سمعت محمد بن حاتم بن نعيم بمكة يقول [ سمعت حيان يقول سمعت عبد الله بن المبارك ] دخل سفيان الثوري الحمام فدخل عليه غلام صبيح فقال : أخرجوه فإني أرى مع كل امرأة شيطاناً. [ ومع كل غلام بضعة عشر شيطاناً ].

5404 - Abu Abdullah Al-Hafiz informed us, narrated to us Muhammad bin Ahmad Al-Zuhli. Muhammad bin Musa narrated to me, he said: I heard Muhammad bin Hatim bin Nuaim in Mecca saying, "I heard Hayaan saying, 'I heard Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak say: Sufyan Al-Thawri entered the bathhouse, and a young boy entered upon him. Sufyan said, 'Take him out, for I see a devil with every woman, and with every young boy, there are about ten devils.

Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi corroborated this in Tarikh Baghdad, Vol. 2, pg. 85 - 85, Bio # 472:

يروى عن سُفْيان الثوري أنه قال مع الجارية شيطان، ومع الغلام شيطانان فخشيت على نفسي من شيطانيه.

It is reported from Sufyan al-Thawri that he said: "With a girl, there is one devil, and with a boy, there are two devils, so I feared for myself from his two devils.'"

We seek refuge in Allah from such filth.

The Nasb of Sufyan al-Thawri

Sufyan al-Thawri abandoned his Shia tendencies

We read in Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol 39, pg. 258 (Arabic):

According to Zayd b. Hubab: ‘Ammar b. Ruzayq al-Dabbi, Sulayman b. Qarm al-Dabbi, Ja‘far b. Ziyad al-Ahmar, and Sufyan al-Thawri were all students of tradition. They all showed a leaning toward the Shi'a. As for Sufyan, he left for al-Basrah, where he met [‘Abdallah] b. ‘Awn and Ayyub [al-Sakhtiyani]. He then abandoned his Shi‘i views.

Similarly, Abu Na’im reported in Hilyat al-Awliya Vol 6, pg. 348:

حدثنا إبراهيم بن عبد الله بن إسحاق، ثنا محمد بن إسحاق الثقفي، ثنا خشيش الصوفي، ثنا زيد ابن الحباب، قال: كان رأي سفيان الثوري رأي أصحابه الكوفيين: يفضل عليا على أبي بكر وعمر، فلما صار إلى البصرة رجع عنها، وهو يفضل أبا بكر وعمر على علي، ويفضل عليا على عثمان

Ibrahim b. Abdullah b. Ishaq narrated to us, saying: Muhammad b. Ishaq al-Thaqafi narrated to us, saying: Khushaysh al-Sufi narrated to us, saying: Zayd b. al-Habbab narrated to us, saying:

"Sufyan al-Thawri initially held the view of his Kufan companions—favoring Ali over Abu Bakr and Umar. But when he went to Basra, he retracted this view, and he then favored Abu Bakr and Umar over Ali while favoring Ali over Uthman."

Thus we see that Sufyan was originally someone with Shia sympathies, but upon going to Basra he became a ‘Uthmani.

Abu Na’im reported in Hilyat al-Awliya Vol. 6, pg. 345:

حدثنا سليمان بن أحمد، ثنا حفص بن عمر بن الصباح الرقي، ثنا قبيصة بن عقبة، قال: سمعت سفيان الثوري يقول: من قدم عليا على أبي بكر وعمر فقد أزرى بالمهاجرين والأنصار، وأخشى أن لا ينفعه مع ذلك عمل.

Sulayman b. Ahmad narrated to us, saying: Hafs b. Umar b. al-Sabah al-Raqqi narrated to us, saying: Qabisah b. Uqbah narrated to us, saying: I heard Sufyan al-Thawri say:

"Whoever gives precedence to Ali over Abu Bakr and Umar has disparaged the Muhajirun and the Ansar, and I fear that no deed will benefit him along with that."

Sufyan al-Thawri hated mentioning the merits of ‘Ali

We read in Hilyat al-Awliya Vol. 6, pg. 344:

حدثنا سليمان بن أحمد، ثنا محمد بن علي الأحمر، ثنا محمد بن فراس أبو هريرة، ثنا مؤمل بن إسماعيل، قال: سمعت سفيان الثوري يقول: منعتنا الشيعة أن نذكر فضائل علي.

Sulayman b. Ahmad narrated to us, Muhammad b. Ali al-Ahmar narrated to us, Muhammad b. Farras Abu Hurayrah narrated to us, Muammal b. Ismail narrated to us, who said: I heard Sufyan al-Thawri say:

"The Shia prevented us from mentioning the virtues of Ali."

He means by this: The Shia become joyed when they hear the virtues of Ali (AS) and so I do not wish to mention them. Al-Dhahabi also records in Siyar A'lam an-Nubala, Vol. 7, pg. 253:

تَرَكَتْنِي الرَّوَافِضُ وَأَنَا أَبغُضُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَ فَضَائِلَ عَلِيٍّ

Sufyan al-Thawri says: 'I hate mentioning the virtues of Ali (a)'

Sufyan al-Thawri hated those who gave preference to ‘Ali

We read in Hilyat al-Awliya Vol. 6, pg. 244:

حدثنا أحمد بن إسحاق، ثنا أبو بكر بن أبي عاصم، ثنا المسيب بن واضح، قال: سمعت عبد الوهاب الحلبي يقول: سألت سفيان الثوري ونحن نطوف بالبيت عن الرجل يحب أبا بكر وعمر إلا أنه يجد لعلي من الحب ما لا يجد لهما؟ قال: هذا رجل به داء ينبغي أن يسقى دواء.

Ahmad b. Ishaq narrated to us, Abu Bakr b. Abi Asim narrated to us, al-Musayyib b. Wadih narrated to us, saying: I heard Abd al-Wahhab al-Halabi say:

I asked Sufyan al-Thawri while we were circumambulating the Kaaba about a man who loves Abu Bakr and Umar but finds within himself a greater love for ‘Ali than for them. He replied: “This man has a disease, and he should be given a remedy.”

We further read in Hilyat al-Awliya Vol. 6, pg. 345:

Sulayman b. Ahmad narrated to us, saying: Hafs b. Umar b. al-Sabah al-Raqqi narrated to us, saying: Qabisah b. Uqbah narrated to us, saying: I heard Sufyan al-Thawri say:

"Whoever gives precedence to Ali over Abu Bakr and Umar has disparaged the Muhajirun and the Ansar, and I fear that no deed will benefit him along with that."

‘Ali b. Abi Talib himself gave himself precedence over Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, as we have previously discussed in our article on the matter (see here).

Sufyan al-Thawri claimed that love of ‘Uthman and ‘Ali must be combined

We read in Hilyat al-Awliya Vol 6, pg. 244:

حدثنا عبد الرحمن بن محمد بن سباه المذكر وسليمان بن احمد قالا ثنا ابو يحيى الرازي ثنا ابو الخزرج ثنا عمرو بن حسان قال كان سفيان الثوري نعم المداوي اذا دخل البصرة حدث بفضائل علي واذا دخل الكوفة حدث بفضائل عثمان

Abd al-Rahman b. Muhammad b. Sibah al-Mudhakkir and Sulayman b. Ahmad narrated to us, saying Abu Yahya al-Razi narrated to us, saying Abu al-Khazraj narrated to us, saying Amr bin Hassan narrated:

“Sufyan al-Thawri was an excellent healer, when he entered Basra he narrated the virtues of Ali and when he entered Kufa he narrated the virtues of Uthman”

We read in Mu'jam Shuyukh Ibn al-A'rabi, Vol 1, pg. 420, Hadith # 818:

سمعت عبد الله يقول : سمعت علّام بن علي يقول : سمعت سفيان الثوري يقول : لا يجتمع حب علي وعثمان إلا في قلوب نبلاء الرجال

I heard Abdullah say: I heard Atham b. Ali say: I heard Sufyan al-Thawri say:

The love for Ali and Uthman does not come together except in the noble hearts of men.

This was also reported by Abu Na’im in Hilyat al-Awliya Vol. 6, pg. 349.

What a strange and contradictory claim! If we accepted the belief of Sufyan, then the armies of both ‘Ali and Mu’awiya at Siffin would both be upon falsehood, which contradicts the Hadith of the Prophet (SAW) which affirm that the truth was with ‘Ali.

Furthermore, we see that the ansar of al-Husayn (AS) clearly did not love ‘Uthman. We read in Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 19, pg. 136 - 137 (Arabic):

According to Hisham b Muhammad al-Kalbi – Abu Mikhnaf – Yahya b Hani b Urwah:

Nafi b Hilal was fighting on that day, reciting: I am al-Jamali. I believe in the religion of Ali. A man called Muzahim b Hurayth came against him, crying, "I follow the religion of Uthman." Nafi replied, "Rather you follow the religion of Satan." Then he attacked and killed him.

We also read in Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 19, pg. 132 - 133 (Arabic):

According to Abu Mikhnaf - Yusuf b. Yazid - Afif b. Zuhayr b. Abi al-Akhnas, who witnessed the killing of al-Husayn: Yazid b. Maqil of the Banu Amirah b. Rabiah, an ally of the Banu Salimah of Abd al-Qays, came forward and called out:

"Burayr b. Hudayr, how do you think God has treated you?" Burayr replied, "By God! God has treated me well and treated you badly." He answered, "You are a liar. Even before today you were always a liar. Do you remember when I used to go with you among the Banu Lawdhan?

Then you used to say that Uthman b. Affan was a man who indulged himself excessively, that Muawiyah b. Abi Sufyan was one who was in error and who caused people to go astray, and that the imam of guidance and truth was Ali b. Abi Talib." Burayr retorted, "I testify that this is my opinion and belief." Yazid b. Ma’qil replied, "And I testify that you are one of those who are in error."

Conclusion

In conclusion, as we have demonstrated Sufyan al-Thawri was neither a pious man, nor a trustworthy one, and his pro-Uthmani position makes it impossible to trust a report of his regarding Imam ‘Ali (AS) and the position of the three rulers before him. Our intention was to demonstrate to our readers the character of those who attribute such false things to ‘Ali, and we ask Allah to protect us from such lies.

The Lies of Sufyan Al-Thawri