journeys”. He [Ab? Bakr] narrated this fact about Masr?q through two ways of narration’. (1)

Commenting on Sayyid Abdir Rida’s claims, Al-’Alb?n? said: ‘Sayyid Abdir Rida’s claims are a mixture of many lies; the first: the word “journeys” which he used is a general word which covers all kinds of journeys whether on mounts or by sea, the thing which contradicts the authentic fact about Ibn Masr?q’s journeys. The second: ‘Sayyid Abdir Rida’s affirmed that Masr?q used to do such an act the thing which is not authenticated through any authentic narration. The only narration regarding this issue is a Munaquati’ one. The third: Sayyid’s statement “through two ways of narration” is not true; there is only one way of narration traced back to Muhammad Ibn S?r?n which Ibn Ab? Shaibah narrated in his “Musannaf” (vol. 2/ p.43/ no2) from Yaz?d Ibn Ibr?h?m from Ibn S?r?n who said: ‘I was told that Masr?q used to carry a brick with him to prostrate on when doing Sal?t’.

Another narration from Ibn Awn from Muhammad states that ‘Masr?q used to carry a brick with him whenever he travels by ship to prostrate on when doing Sal?t’.

These two ways of narration are actually one way; the difference is that the first one begins with “I was told”, while the second one does not, although both of their narrators are reliable ones.

“Al-Mustalah” principles state that any additional information confirmed in any narration must be accepted and taken into consideration; consequently, the first narration is considered a weak one for there is an unknown narrator in its chain and so can not be ascribed to Masr?q ( - رضي الله عنه -) as the Sh?‘ah do.

The fourth: This Sh?‘? [Sayyid Abdir Rida] has inserted in the narration that which is not originally part of it, that is “from the Mad?nah soil”. Do you know why he did so?? He did so to convince the reader that it is legally permissible for a muslim to