Amongst these narrations he mentions is one from Khidr that whosoever does this then he will never go blind or be afflicted with eye infection.

The following statement was made recently:

As for the action of kissing the thumbs and rubibng the eyes Ḥadīth tells us that Sayyidina Abū Bakr(rao) and the Sahaba had this practice and we do this also. We are told in Ḥadīth that whoever does this will have safety from the hellfire. Who told you these things were not allowed in Islām?

The ḥadīth being referred to is reported in ‘Musnad al-Firdaws’ of ad-Daylamee, may Allāh have mercy upon him.

Upon seeing this action of Abū Bakr (raḍī Allāhu ʿanhū) the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) is supposed to have remarked, “whosoever does what my beloved friend has done then my intercession will be permissible for him.”

However this ḥadīth is not authentic.

Al-Ḥāfiẓ Al-Sakhāwī (raḥimahullāh) said in his ‘Maqaasid al-Ḥasanah’ [pg. 450 no.1021], “it is not authentic.” He then proceeds to mention various narrations from various personalities and then concludes, “and there is nothing authentic from this going back to the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam).

“Amongst these narrations he mentions is one from Khidr that whosoever does this then he will never go blind or be afflicted with an eye infection.

Al-Sakhāwī states that it is munqati` and that it’s isnād contains unknown narrators. Al-Ijluni also mentions these two ḥadīths in his ‘Kashf al-Khafá’ [2/206no. 2296] and he quotes the words of Al-Sakhāwī in full.

Mullā ʿAlī al-Qārī refers to these two ḥadīths in his ‘Mawdoo`aatal-Kubraa’ [no. 435] and again endorses the above words of Al-Sakhāwī. He also states that “if it is authentic from Abū Bakr then it is sufficient to act by it…” however the authenticity of a report to Abū Bakr needs to be proven.

Similarly, Ibn Taahir in his ‘Tadhkirah’ stated that it is not authentic as mentioned by al-Shawkānī in his ‘Aḥādīth al-Mawdoo`ah’.

Also, al-Albānī in his ‘Da`eefah’ [no. 73] states that the ḥadīth is not authentic.

Allāh Knows best.