How sound is the hadeeth “Were it not for Muhammad, I would not have created you”?

 

What is your opinion on this hadeeth? It was narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said: “When Adam committed his sin, he said: ‘O Lord, I ask You by virtue of Muhammad to forgive me.’ Allaah said: ‘O Adam, how do you know Muhammad when I have not created him yet?’ He said: ‘O Lord, because when You created me with Your hand and breathed into me the soul that Your created for me, I lifted my head and I saw it written on the pillars of the Throne: Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Muhammad Rasool Allaah, and I knew that You would not attach to Your name any but the most beloved of creation to You.’ Allaah said: ‘You have spoken the truth, O Adam, for he is the most beloved of creation to Me, and as you asked Me by virtue of him, I have forgiven you. Were it not for Muhammad I would not have created you.’”.

Praise be to Allaah.

This hadeeth is fabricated, as was explained by Shaykh
al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him), because Allaah only
created the jinn and mankind to worship Him alone with no partner or
associate, and Adam (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) is one of
mankind. And Allaah is the source of strength. End quote. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz
(26/327) 

Al-Bayhaqi said concerning it in Dalaa’il al-Nubuwwah
(5/489):  It was narrated only by ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Zayd ibn Aslam, who is
da’eef (weak). End quote. 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said concerning it in
al-Tawassul (p. 166): 

It was narrated in marfoo’ and mawqoof reports attributed to
‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him), but (its isnaad)
includes ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Aslam, who is da’eef according to their
consensus and he makes many mistakes. End quote. 

Al-Albaani (and Allaah have mercy on him) ruled that it is
fabricated in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah (25). 

See also the answer to question number
23290.