Mawdoo` (Fabricated) Hadeeth No: 5 "My Companions are like the stars: whichever of them you follow, you will be rightly-guided."

Mawdoo` (Fabricated). Related by Ibn `Abdul-Barr in Jaami` Bayaan al-`Ilm [2/91] & Ibn Hazm in al-Ihkaam [6/82] via the route:

Sallaam ibn Sulaim, who said: al-Haarith ibn Ghisseen narrated to us from al-A`mash from Abu Sufyaan from Jaabir from the Prophet

Ibn `Abdul-Barr said, "Proof cannot be established with this isnaad because al-Haarith ibn Ghisseen is majhool (unknown)"; Ibn Hazm said, "This is a fallen narration. Abu Sufyaan is weak; al-Haarith ibn Ghisseen is Abu Wahb ath-Thaqafee; Sallaam ibn Sulaimaan narrated fabricated ahaadeeth - this is one of them without a doubt."

To judge this hadeeth on Sallaam ibn Sulaim - also known as Sallaam ibn Sulaimaan - is better, for he is agreed to be da`eef; in fact, Ibn Khiraash said about him, "An utter liar" and Ibn Hibbaan said, "He narrated fabricated ahaadeeth."

As for Abu Sufyaan, he is not weak as Ibn Hazm said, but rather he is reliable as Ibn Hajar has said in at-Taqreeb, and Muslim narrates from him in his Saheeh.

Al-Haarith ibn Ghisseen is unknown as Ibn Hazm said, as did Ibn `Abdul Barr, even though Ibn Hibbaan does mention him in ath-Thiqaat (The Reliable Narrators)

Hence, Ahmad said, "This hadeeth is not authentic", as quoted in al-Muntakhab [10/199/2] of Ibn Qudaamah.

As for the saying of Sha`raani in al-Meezaan [1/28], "This hadeeth, although debatable in the eyes of the muhadditheen, is nevertheless authentic in the eyes of the people of Kashf", it is completely false and whimsical, and is not to be given any significance! This is because authenticating ahaadeeth by way of Kashf ("unveiling", while in a state of trance) is a wicked innovation of the Sufis, and depending upon it leads to the authentication of false, baseless ahaadeeth such as this one. This is because, even at the best of times, Kashf is like opinion, which is sometimes correct and sometimes wrong - and that is if no personal desires enter into it! We ask Allaah to save us from it and from everything He is not pleased with.

Similar narrations to the above are in Next Hadeeth also.