format_quote Originally Posted by
IAmZamzam
Well, I'd still like that source, if anybody knows it.
I don't think you'll get the exact source, to be honest. At least not from the internet or even most on the internet. You should ask someone who would be familiar with Ibn Abi Al-Dunya because he was the one who quoted this tradition, and Ibn Kathir quoted from him. From the little amount of information I have seen on the internet, he is known as a Traditionalist who wrote about "simplicity of life and morals". That is key, since that seems to be what is mentioned in this story about Daniel (as).
Now, he is said to have written over 100 books, and my guess is that none of them are translated into English given that you haven't heard of him. Neither have I until now since I only researched him over my interest in your interest. The only issue now is whether or not you know Arabic, since this is the language you would need to know. I don't know it, so I can't help you there.
So this Tradition has a source, since I do not think Ibn Kathir would have just made up a story about a Prophet of God. I think Ibn Kathir, like any human, could have made some errors in his writings. But, I do not think he would make anything up. At the very most he might have quoted information which was not correct. This is just speculation from me though. I am not accusing him of lying at all.
Either way, I think you should try to ask someone who is knowledgeable on Traditions specifically and who really knows their stuff to tell you which book this Tradition comes from, or at least if they know it or not. I have not seen one website quote a source for it, just like you have said above. The only thing anyone can possibly know and trust about it is that Ibn Kathir quoted it. He did not make it up or materialize it out of thin air. Considering he is a very well-respected scholar, I think you can trust him and leave it at that. The only matter left is to research a bit more on Ibn Abi Al-Dunya and what kind of a scholar he was. Find out how he collected his Ahadith and his methodology. If you trust him, then I would trust this quotation as well.
As for Daniel (as) being a Prophet or not, that could be speculated. However, if one reads the Bible they see that he was a man who had many visions and was called a Prophet before. He is considered to have been a Prophet by Ibn Kathir's standards. i honestly think that is enough to judge that. I don't know if you're a scholar or not, but I doubt it since you are asking about this Tradition on a forum. I highly doubt any scholar would do that - at least I wouldn't if I was one.
But if you doubt Ibn Kathir's trustworthiness, then you have to accept the fact that not just one scholar quoted Ibn Abi Al-Dunya, but in fact even Hazrat Imam Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya (ra) also quoted Ibn Abi Al-Dunya as well. I have deep admiration and respect for Hazrat Imam Ibn Qayyim (ra). He is very well-known and a reliable authority in Islam. So I would not worry about what not to accept here. You just have to look at the big picture.
Again, as for the actual book, the source itself...I don't know. But you definitely won't find the answer on this forum unless someone who is really skilled in their knowledge of Traditions shows up, reads your post, and recognizes which book he read this passage from and tells you it. The likelihood of that is very low.