The Response to Ibn Hajar's Statement Regarding Ibn Kathir and al-Suyuti

The questioner : I want to ask Muhammad something, Shaykh. There is a man named Muhammad Ali. He is a Chechen. He is about ten, eleven, or twelve years old. He went to the country you mentioned. So he came to visit here about two years ago. And I was surprised that he listens to the "Light on the Path" program from Saudi Arabia. So, of course, I was very pleased because, you know, we are surprised when we find a man, I mean, of his age, who is aware of things, one year or another, I mean. Okay. This is the reason for Muhammad 'Abd al-Wahhab. Peace be upon you.

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.

The questioner : We ask a question, our Shaykh.

The Shaykh : Please, go ahead.

The questioner : He says: The Hafiz Ibn Hajar, regarding Ibn Kathir, said: "He was not on the path of the hadith scholars in obtaining the high narrations and distinguishing the high from the low, and the like of their disciplines; rather, he is one of the hadith scholars of the jurists." So al-Suyuti responded, saying: "The essence of the science of hadith lies in knowing the authentic hadith, its weak ones, its defects, the differences in its chains and its narrators through critique and vindication. As for the high and the low and the like of that, it is from the extras, not from the important fundamentals." So the question is: What is your statement regarding the statement of the Hafiz Ibn Hajar first, and then the statement of al-Suyuti and his response?

The Shaykh : If you know that my statement is with al-Suyuti, you know my statement: Am I with al-'Asqalani or not? And the best of speech is what he said, no, and so on.

The questioner : Understood, Shaykh.

The Shaykh : And that is all.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with al-Suyuti.

The Shaykh : Yes, of course.

The questioner : Good evening, Shaykh Abu Bakr.

The Shaykh : And you as well.

The questioner : Peace be upon you.

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Yes.

The questioner : And this.

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah’s mercy and blessings. His forgiveness.

The questioner : Pure, if Allah wills.

The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good, and may He accept from you.

The questioner : All of it, if Allah wills. If Allah wills, it is suitable for some of the questions.

The Shaykh : If Allah wills, and may Allah increase your good, increase, increase.

The questioner : A believer.

The Shaykh : Ah.