Imam Ali (as) orders us not to talk bad about Abu bakr and Umar?

Question:

Some opponents of Suwaid Ibn Ghafalah report that Imam Ali (a.) cursed those who talk badly about Abu Bakr and Umar and allegedly ordered to talk only well about them. According to the followers of Abu Bakr and Umar, are the transmitters of this fable reliable?

Answer:

No, this lie is narrated by Al-Hasan Ibn Umarah.

Muhammad Nasir-ud-Din Al-Albani writes: “Very weak (Da’if).” [Da’if Ibn Majah, Hadith 607]

قال محمد ناصر الدين الألباني: ضعيف جدا

Abu Isa At-Tirmidhi writes: “Al-Hasan Ibn Umarah is weak according to the people of tradition (Da’if). Shu’bah and others besides him weakened him and Ibn Al-Mubarak abandoned him (Matruk).” [Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Hadith 638]

قال أبو عيسى الترمذي: والحسن هو ابن عمارة وهو ضعيف عند أهل الحديث، ضعفه شعبة وغيره، وتركه ابن المبارك

Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani writes: “An-Nadr Ibn Shamil reported that Shu’bah said: “Al-Hasan Ibn Umarah narrated 70 traditions to me, but none of them were true.” At-Tayalisi reported that Shu’bah said: “Come to Jarir Ibn Hazim and tell him: “You are not allowed to narrate from Al-Hasan Ibn Umarah, because he is lying (Kadhib)!” Al-Hasan Ibn Umarah narrated to me about Al-Hakam through Yahya Ibn Al-Jazzar from Ali seven traditions, whereupon i asked Al-Hakam about it and he said: “I have never heard of it!” Ibn Al-Mubarak said: “Shu’bah and Sufyan attacked him at my place and because of their testimony i stopped listening to what he was saying. Abu Bakr Al-Maruzi reported that Imam Ahmad said: “You let go of what he has narrated (Matruk). This is exactly what Abu Talib said about him and then added something. I said to him: “He went after the desires.” He said: “Much more likely he was to be rejected (Munkar) in what he narrates, because his traditions are a lie (Mawdu’). One should not even write down what he narrates. Another time he said: “He is nothing.” Yahya Ibn Ma’in said: “One should not write down what he says.” Another time he said: “He is weak (Da’if).” Another time he said: “His traditions are nothing.” They said to him: “He was wrong.” Whereupon he said: “Wherever he was wrong, he invented something.” Abu Hatim, Muslim, An-Nasa’i, and Ad-Daraqutni said: “One refrains from what he narrated (Matruk).” Imam An-Nasa’i also said: “Neither is he trustworthy (Thiqah) nor should one write down what he narrates.” As-Saji said: “He is weak (Da’if) and abandoned (Matruk). The people of the tradition agree that one should let go of what he narrates. Imam Jawzajani said: “Faulted (Saqit).” Jazarah said: “One should not write down what he narrates.” [Tahdhib-ut-Tahdhib, Volume 2 Page 264-265]

قال ابن حجر العسقلاني: قال النضر بن شميل عن شعبة أفادني الحسن بن عمارة سبعين حديثا عن الحكم فلم يكن لها أصل وقال الطيالسي قال شبعة ائت جرير بن حازم فقل له لا يحل لك أن تروي عن الحسن بن عمارة فانه يكذب وقال الحسن بن عمارة حدثني الحكم عن يحيى بن الجزار عن علي سبعة أحاديث فسألت الحكم عنها فقال ما سمعت منها شيئا وقال ابن المبارك جرحه عندي شعبة وسفيان فبقولهما تركت حديثه وقال أبو بكر المروزي عن أحمد متروك الحديث وكذا قال أبو طالب عنه وزاد قلت له كان له هوى قال ولكن كان منكر الحديث وأحاديثه موضوعة لا يكتب حديثه وقال مرة ليس بشئ، وقال ابن معين لا يكتب حديثه، وقال مرة ضعيف، وقال مرة ليس حديثه بشئ قيل له كان يغلط فقال أي شئ كان يغلط كان يضع، وقال أبو حاتم ومسلم والنسائي والدارقطني متروك الحديث، وقال النسائي أيضا ليس بثقة ولا يكتب حديثه، وقال الساجي ضعيف متروك، أجمع أهل الحديث على ترك حديثه، وقال الجوزجاني ساقط، وقال جزرة لا يكتب حديثه