I guess they would argue that only one part of the quote is his - and the rest of the quote was his own words. And so when the people were asking him if this is the Prophet's words, they were asking him about the other quote.
Exactly...
Salam,
According to a narration in Sahih al-Bukhari, Abu Huraira starts telling people a narration and begins by saying "the Prophet said". However, at the end of the report, he is asked whether these are really the words of the Prophet, and he responds by saying "no, it is from my own self".
How do Sunnis explain the above hadith which Shias say makes Abu Huraira a questionable authority to rely on?
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/69/5
Wa'alaikumussalam wa rahmatullah,
@confusedshia,
You quoted the following hadith:
Narrated Abu Huraira: "The Prophet said, 'The best alms is that which is given when one is rich, and a giving hand is better than a taking one, and you should start first to support your dependents.' A wife says, 'You should either provide me with food or divorce me.' A slave says, 'Give me food and enjoy my service." A son says, "Give me food; to whom do you leave me?" The people said, "O Abu Huraira! Did you hear that from Allah's Apostle ?" He said, "No, it is from my own self."
[ Sahih Al-Bukhari , Chp 064 Supporting the Family , Hd No.268]
There is another hadith in Sahih Bukhari (Hadith no. 269), just next to the above hadith (Hadith no. 268) as follows:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "The best alms is that which you give when you are rich, and you should start first to support your dependants."
(Sahih Al-Bukhari: Volume 7, Book 64, Number 269).
When you read Hadith 268 and 269 together, you can easily see that Hadith 268 composed of 2 parts:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
1st PART (shared by both hadiths 268 snd 269):
"The Prophet said, 'The best alms is that which is given when one is rich, and a giving hand is better than a taking one, and you should start first to support your dependents.'
2nd PART (only appears in hadith 268):
A wife says, 'You should either provide me with food or divorce me.' A slave says, 'Give me food and enjoy my service." A son says, "Give me food; to whom do you leave me?" The people said, "O Abu Huraira! Did you hear that from Allah's Apostle ?" He said, "No, it is from my own self."
(Sahih Al-Bukhari: Volume 7, Book 64, Number 268).
If anyone read the hadith as above, they could easily discern that the 1st part is from Rasulullah (saw) and the 2nd part is from Abu Huraira.
If you said that Hadith 269 and the 1st part of Hadith 268 was also fabricated by Abu Huraira, just to let you know that the hadith was also reported by another Sahabah by the name Hakim ibn Hizam i.e. they were corroborated:
Narrated by Hakim bin Hizam:
The Prophet said, "The Upper hand is better than the lower hand (i.e. he who gives in charity is better than him who takes it). One should start giving first to his dependents.
(Sahih Al-Bukhari: Volume 2, Book 24, Number 508)
That proves Hadith 269 and the 1st part of hadith 268 and is from Prophet (saw) and not fabricated by Abu Huraira whereas the 2nd part of Hadith 268 is from Abu Huraira as he said so.