Al-Ghuraabiyyah: Jibraa'eel Makes a Mistake in Revelation

I have always heard this propaganda that Shee`ahs claim that Jibraa’eel (عليه السلام) made a mistake in sending the revelation to Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), but instead he was suppose to send it to Imaam `Alee (عليه السلام). Of course we know that this is purely a lie, but after looking through some books of history, it seems that there was a sect that believed in such blasphemy.

There was a group called Al-Ghuraabiyyah:

(Taken from my personal copy of Al-Baghdaadee’s Al-Firq Bayn Al-Firaq, pg. 250 - 251)

“Al-Ghuraabiyyah: They claim that Allaah (عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ) sent Jibra’eel (عليه السلام) to `Alee (عليه السلام), (but) he (Jibra’eel) made a mistake and went to Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), because they looked alike. They said: He resembled him like a crow (ghuraab) with (another) crow, and a fly with (another) fly. They claim that `Alee (عليه السلام) was a Rasool (Messenger) and his children after him are Rasools (Messengers). This sect (firqah) greets (one another) by saying: ‘May Allaah curse the feathered one’, meaning Jibra’eel (عليه السلام).

The Kufr (disbelief) of this sect is more than the kufr of the Jews, those who said to the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم): ‘Who brought you the waHee (revelation) from Allaah, the Most Higher?’ So he (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: ‘Jibra’eel.’ And they said: ‘We do not like Jibraa’eel because he brings chastisement.’ And they said: ‘If Mikaa’eel had brought waHee to you, and he never brings anything except for raHmah (mercy), we would have believed in you. Now the jews with their kufr (disbelief) in the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and their hostility to Jibraa’eel (عليه السلام), do not curse Jibraa’eel, and verily they claim that he (Jibraa’eel) is from the angels of chastisement and not from the raHmah (mercy). And the Al-Ghuraabiyyah from the raafiDahs curse Jibraa’eel (عليه السلام) and Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). And Allaah, The Most High has said: “Whoever is the enemy of Allaah, and His angels and His apostles and Jibraa’eel and Mikaa’eel, surely Allaah is the enemy of the kafireen (unbelievers” (2:92). In this (we find) a confirmation of their kufr for anyone who hates the angels. It is not permissible to include them amongst the groups of the Muslims whom Allaah (has said) they are kaafirs.”

Source:

1.       Al-Baghdaadee, Al-Firq Bayn Al-Firaq, pg. 250 - 251

(Taken from my personal copy of Ibn Qutaybah’s Ta'weel Mukhtalif Al-Hadeeth, pg. 157)

ومنهم الغرابية وهم الذين ذكروا أن عليا رضي الله عنه كان أشبه بالنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم من الغراب بالغراب فغلط جبريل عليه السلام حين بعث إلى علي لشبهه به

“And from them, Al-Ghuraabiyyah, they are those who say that `Alee (رضي الله عنه) from him was that he resembled the prophet (like) the crow with (another ) crow, and Jibraa’eel (عليه السلام) made a mistake at the time of ba`ath to `Alee but he (Muhammad) resembled him (`Alee).

Source:

1.     Ibn Qutaybah, Ta’weel Mukhtalif Al-Hadeeth, pg. 157

(Taken from my personal copy of Ibn Atheer’s Al-Lubaab fee Tahdheeb Al-Ansaab, vol. 2, pg. 129)

الغرابية وهم يزعمون أن جبريل عليه السلام غلط في النزول على محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم وإنما كان مبعوثا إلى علي رضي الله عنه 

“Al-Ghuraabiyyah: They claim that Jibraa’eel (عليه السلام) made a mistake revealing to `Alee, (to) Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and he was to reveal it to `Alee (رضي الله عنه)”

Source:

1.     Ibn Al-Atheer, Al-Lubaab fee Tahdheeb Al-Ansaab, vol. 2, pg. 129

غرابية لأنهم ذكروا أن عليا كان أشبه بالنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم من الغراب بالغراب فغلط جبريل حين بعث إلى علي لشبه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم به

“Al-Ghuraabiyyah, they say that `Alee resembled the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) like a crow with (another) crow, and Jibraa’eel made a mistake at the time of the ba`ath, (because) `Alee resembled the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم).”

Source:

1.     Ibn Qutaybah, Al-Ma`aarif, pg. 623

Here is a Shee`ah Scholar, Al-Buroojirdee, talking about this sect, and their belief.

الغرابية ، قالوا : محمد بعلي أشبة من الغراب بالغراب والذباب بالذباب ، فبعث الله جبرائيل إلى علي ، فغلط جبرائيل في تبليغ الرسالة من علي عليه السلام إلى محمد صلى الله عليه وآله

“Al-Ghuraabiyyah: They say that Muhammad and `Alee resembled each other, like a crow with (another) crow, and a fly with (another) fly. Jibraa’eel was (suppose) to do the ba`ath to `Alee, but Jibraa’eel made a mistake in communicating the risaalah (message) from `Alee (عليه السلام) to Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم).”

Source:

1.     Al-Buroojirdee, Taraa’if Al-Maqaal, vol. 2, pg. 232, Sect # 29

One thing that stood out to me whenever I was reading about this group was how idiotic its followers were. They said that `Alee (عليه السلام) resembled the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). At the time of Revelation (ba`ath), Imaam `Alee (عليه السلام) was 10 years old, and the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was 40 years old, this is an established fact. How and when did a 40 year old EVER resemble a 10 year old?

This is sheer stupidity, this sect has never been accepted among the Shee`ah sects, and certainly not amongst the Imaamiyyah (12’er Shee`ahs). This sect is pure kufr, and they are out of the fold of Islaam.