Lies against Abu Hurayrah
The character, and even existing, of Abu Hurayrah has been attacked by many groups, primarily the extremist sects of the Shi`a along with Orientalists that study Islamic history. The impetus for attacking and even denouncing Abu Hurayrah lies in the fact that a large body of the statements of the Prophet Muhammad (salallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) were narrated directly by him; therefore, by rejecting his character or his existance, one can effectively reject a large body of Islamic law.