The practice is based on that
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The first question of Fatwa No. ( 20374 )
Q1: What is the meaning of the scholars' statement: "The hadith is weak and not authentic, but practice has been carried out in accordance with it", and conversely, the hadith is authentic but practice is contrary to it?
A1: The meaning of a hadith being weak but the practice being based on it is that the hadith is weak in terms of its text or its chain of narration; due to the weakness of the narrator's memory, or its being mursal, or tadlis, or the narrator's obscurity, or the like. Thus, it is not a proof in itself, but the ruling and meaning it indicates is acted upon; because the hadith comes through other paths that strengthen it without weakness, or because other valid proofs indicate it from the Qur'an, the authentic Sunnah, the practice of the Companions, or the consensus of the scholars, so it is acted upon for that reason. An example of this is what al-Tirmidhi narrated in his (Jami') from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 188Da'if (Darussalam) . The attribution of this to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is questionable, and yet al-Tirmidhi said after it: "The practice is based on this among the people of knowledge," meaning: considering that combining the two prayers without an excuse is forbidden and among the major sins; because that came from some of the Companions like 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and because Allah the Exalted said: [Maryam 19:59] ,
and His saying, the Exalted:[Al-Ma'un 107:4-5] And another example is the hadith of Abu Umamah al-Bahili (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Ibn Majah 521Da'if (Darussalam) It was narrated by Ibn Majah and others, and it is a weak hadith according to the masters of hadith, but its ruling and meaning are correct and acted upon. Al-Nawawi said: "The hadith scholars agreed on its weakness." The intended meaning is the weakness of the narration of the exception, not the original hadith, for it has been established in the hadith of the Well of Budha'ah, but the scholars have agreed on the ruling of this addition. Ibn al-Mundhir said: "The scholars agreed that if a small or large amount of water is affected by impurity that changes its taste, color, or smell, it is impure." So the consensus is the evidence for the impurity of what has one of its characteristics changed, not this addition. As for the meaning of a hadith being authentic and the practice being contrary to it: it is that the hadith is abrogated by a valid proof that came after it, or the hadith is authentic but another hadith more authentic than it contradicts it, and it is not possible to act upon both or
combine them by specification or restriction or other means of combining them, so the masters of hadith prefer acting upon one and leaving the other; in accordance with the valid criteria of preference in the Shari'ah, such as the practice of the Companions with it, or the greater number of its narrators, or the like, and the weaker hadith is considered anomalous because there is something more authentic than it. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q1: What is the meaning of the scholars' statement: "The hadith is weak and not authentic, but practice has been carried out in accordance with it", and conversely, the hadith is authentic but practice is contrary to it?
A1: The meaning of a hadith being weak but the practice being based on it is that the hadith is weak in terms of its text or its chain of narration; due to the weakness of the narrator's memory, or its being mursal, or tadlis, or the narrator's obscurity, or the like. Thus, it is not a proof in itself, but the ruling and meaning it indicates is acted upon; because the hadith comes through other paths that strengthen it without weakness, or because other valid proofs indicate it from the Qur'an, the authentic Sunnah, the practice of the Companions, or the consensus of the scholars, so it is acted upon for that reason. An example of this is what al-Tirmidhi narrated in his (Jami') from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Whoever combines two prayers without any excuse then he has committed something from the major sins.
من جمع بين الصلاتين من غير عذر فقد أتى بابًا من أبواب الكبائرBut there came after them successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil -
فَخَلَفَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُوا الصَّلاَةَ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَاتِ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقَوْنَ غَيًّاand His saying, the Exalted:
(4) So woe to those who pray (5) [But] who are heedless of their prayer -
فَوَيْلٌ لِلْمُصَلِّينَ (4) الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ صَلاَتِهِمْ سَاهُونَWater is not made impure by anything except that which changes its smell, taste and color.
إن الماء لا ينجسه شيء إلا ما غلب على ريحه أو طعمه أو لونهcombine them by specification or restriction or other means of combining them, so the masters of hadith prefer acting upon one and leaving the other; in accordance with the valid criteria of preference in the Shari'ah, such as the practice of the Companions with it, or the greater number of its narrators, or the like, and the weaker hadith is considered anomalous because there is something more authentic than it. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.