What is the درجه (degree/rank) of the hadith "My father and your father are in the Fire," which was narrated by Muslim? And is it considered shadh (anomalous) due to Hammad's deviation from the narrations of reliable transmitters after he advanced in age, or is it sahih (authentic) because Hammad was the most knowledgeable of people concerning Thabit Al-Bunani?

Muslim reported in his Sahih that a man asked the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, about his father, and he replied: "In the Fire." When the man turned to leave, he called him back and said: "My father and your father are in the Fire." This hadith is authentic, and it has been authenticated by a number of hadith scholars. Hammad ibn Salama, who narrated it from Thabit al-Bunani, is trustworthy and the most reliable among those who narrated from Thabit.

Some scholars have held the view that this hadith contradicts other evidence indicating that the people of the fatrah (period of no prophets) will be tested in the Hereafter and will not be punished until after a warning. They cited verses such as Allah's saying: "And We would not punish until We send a messenger," and His saying: "Messengers who delivered good news and warnings, so that mankind would have no argument against Allah after the messengers." Sheikh Al-Shanqeeti preferred these Quranic evidences over Ahadith (singularly narrated hadiths) because they are definitive. He also cited verses indicating that the Quraysh had not received a warner before, such as Allah's saying: "That you may warn a people whose fathers were not warned, so they are heedless."

A way to reconcile these evidences with the hadith is that Allah Almighty informed the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that neither the Prophet's father nor the man's father would believe if they were tested on the Day of Resurrection, and thus they would deserve the Fire.