Are Hadiths in the Book, Kanz Al Ummal, Authentic?

Answered by Shaykh Jamir Meah

Question: Assalamu alaykum

Is the Hadith below authentic?

“What I fear for my followers is a large stomach, excessive sleep, idleness and lack of certainty (in faith).”
(Kanz al-Ummal, 3:460)

Answer: Wa’alaykum assalam. Jazakum Allah khayr for your question.

Kanz al Ummal is an arrangement of Imam al Suyuti’s al Jami’ al Kabir, the purpose of both books being compilations of assorted hadith regardless of reliability.

After a thorough search, neither I or my hadith teacher, could find the hadith you mentioned in Kanz al Ummal, or under the reference number given, so unfortunately I cannot confirm the authenticity of the narration you mentioned, though it’s meaning is sound.

The closest narration in meaning is one from Sayyidna ‘Umar (May Allah be pleased him) who is reported to have said, ‘Beware of gluttony with food and drink! For indeed they spoil the body, cause illness, and make one lazy towards the prayer. Be frugal with them! For indeed that is better for your body, and remote from extravagance. Verily, Allah dislikes an overweight scholar, and indeed, a man is not destroyed except that his desires effect his religion.’ [Kanz al Ummal 41713]

I pray this is of some help.

Warmest salams,
[Shaykh] Jamir Meah

Shaykh Jamir Meah grew up in Hampstead, London. In 2007, he traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he spent nine years studying the Islamic sciences on a one-to-one basis under the foremost scholars of the Ribaat, Tarim, with a main specialization and focus on Shafi’i fiqh. In early 2016, he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continues advanced studies in a range of Islamic sciences, as well as teaching. Jamir is a qualified homeopath.