May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh. I hope you will clarify the correct and recognized methodology for entering the science of hadith and studying it.
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. And prayers and peace be upon the noblest of the prophets and messengers, our master and our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
As for what follows:
So the lesson will continue, if Allah wills, until eight o'clock:
First question: May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh. I hope you will clarify the correct and recognized methodology for entering the science of hadith and studying it, and we also hope you will clarify your method in this regard, along with offering advice to anyone who wishes to follow that path and direct themselves toward it?
The Shaykh : This is a topic that cannot be explained in such a short time; rather, we will mention the main points—as they say—for anyone who wishes to enter this great science, upon which correct Islamic jurisprudence is built. This is because it is agreed upon among the scholars of the Muslims that the rulings of the Shari'ah are based solely on the Book and the Sunnah, and what branches off from that after the principles, such as scholarly consensus, analogical reasoning, undisputed public interest, and the principle of blocking the means to harm, and the like—all of this is derived from the Book and the Sunnah. So the Qur'an and the Sunnah are the sole reference for every true scholar and jurist. As for the one who does not refer to both together and relies on one science over the other, he is like a lame man walking on one leg; there is no doubt that he cannot walk steadily on a straight path. For this reason, you will find that the verses and hadiths all correspond to one another and affirm that salvation lies only in holding fast to the Book and the Sunnah. You do not need to be reminded of any of those texts now, but I say: The Qur'an is preserved between the two covers of the mushaf, as is known with certainty. As for the Sunnah, it is distributed in the bellies of books, numbering in the thousands. Then, into this Sunnah have entered strange and wondrous things, denoted and fabricated hadiths, reaching volumes. Therefore, it is obligatory for anyone who wishes to understand the religion of Allah and interpret the Book of Allah that his interpretation be based on the Sunnah and the authentic Sunnah, because Allah Mighty and Majestic says to His Prophet:[An-Nahl 16:44], [An-Nahl 16:44]: meaning: The Qur'an is [Al-Hijr 15:9].
[An-Nahl 16:44] The Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) explanation of the Qur'an is nothing but his Sunnah (peace and blessings be upon him), whether it be in the form of speech, action, or approval. Since this is the case, and since matters have entered the Sunnah that are not part of it, it is not possible for a jurist to be correct in his jurisprudence absolutely if he does not distinguish between authentic and weak hadiths. Whoever engages in deriving evidence from hadiths or interpreting the Qur'an with hadiths absolutely, without distinguishing their authentic from their weak, will undoubtedly and without doubt fall into error first, and then into speaking and lying about the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) second, whether he wills it or not. For this reason, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Musnad Ahmad 469Hasan (Darussalam). Let no one imagine that the intent of this hadith and of the hadith transmitted by mass transmission in the wording: Sunan Abi Dawud 3651Sahih (Al-Albani) is that this punishment is exclusive to one who intentionally lies about the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and does not include one who narrates a lie about the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). So it is not befitting for anyone to fall into such a misconception, and that is because of his (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: Riyad as-Salihin 1547 A profound wisdom: Riyad as-Salihin 1547: This hadith is a principle among the principles and a criterion among the criteria of narrations, whether these narrations are hadiths attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or are sayings attributed to people in general. For if a person's habit is to say: "The Messenger of Allah said, the Messenger of Allah said," based on what he reads in any book, there is no escape and it is inevitable that he will fall into lying about the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), whether he wills it or not, because he said: Riyad as-Salihin 1547 And this also includes, as I mentioned earlier, speaking about some people, because the matter is as it was said:
"And the defect of news is only in its narrators".
So we often hear false sayings, such as: "So-and-so said such and such," or "It is said that so-and-so said such and such." So when a person frequently narrates from any person without verification and caution, there is no doubt that he will fall into lying. And the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), since it contains good and blessing, and numbered in the thousands, and was widespread in books of different types and styles of narration—some narrate hadiths with chains of narration, and some narrate hadiths suspended without chains—and in both of these categories, some narrate what is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and some narrate whatever comes to mind—then whoever narrates from these books will undoubtedly fall into lying about the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), as you heard his warning about that:Riyad as-Salihin 1547. And this means, O brothers:
Take heed. Do not narrate or speak of a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) until you verify its authenticity, either by transmitting it from a book whose author commits to authenticity, or by hearing it from a scholar of hadith who distinguishes between the authentic and the weak. Otherwise, it is not permissible for you to say in every hadith: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said," or you will fall into lying about him, whether you wish it or not.
As for what follows:
So the lesson will continue, if Allah wills, until eight o'clock:
First question: May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh. I hope you will clarify the correct and recognized methodology for entering the science of hadith and studying it, and we also hope you will clarify your method in this regard, along with offering advice to anyone who wishes to follow that path and direct themselves toward it?
The Shaykh : This is a topic that cannot be explained in such a short time; rather, we will mention the main points—as they say—for anyone who wishes to enter this great science, upon which correct Islamic jurisprudence is built. This is because it is agreed upon among the scholars of the Muslims that the rulings of the Shari'ah are based solely on the Book and the Sunnah, and what branches off from that after the principles, such as scholarly consensus, analogical reasoning, undisputed public interest, and the principle of blocking the means to harm, and the like—all of this is derived from the Book and the Sunnah. So the Qur'an and the Sunnah are the sole reference for every true scholar and jurist. As for the one who does not refer to both together and relies on one science over the other, he is like a lame man walking on one leg; there is no doubt that he cannot walk steadily on a straight path. For this reason, you will find that the verses and hadiths all correspond to one another and affirm that salvation lies only in holding fast to the Book and the Sunnah. You do not need to be reminded of any of those texts now, but I say: The Qur'an is preserved between the two covers of the mushaf, as is known with certainty. As for the Sunnah, it is distributed in the bellies of books, numbering in the thousands. Then, into this Sunnah have entered strange and wondrous things, denoted and fabricated hadiths, reaching volumes. Therefore, it is obligatory for anyone who wishes to understand the religion of Allah and interpret the Book of Allah that his interpretation be based on the Sunnah and the authentic Sunnah, because Allah Mighty and Majestic says to His Prophet:
And We revealed to you the message that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them
وأنزلنا إليك الذكر لتبين للناس ما نزل إليهمAnd We revealed to you the message
وأنزلنا إليك الذكرIndeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian.
إنا نحن نزلنا الذكر وإنا له لحافظونAnd We revealed to you the message that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them
وأنزلنا إليك الذكر لتبين للناس ما نُزل إليهمWhoever says something about me that I did not say, let him take his place in Hell.
مَن قال عليَّ ما لم أقل فليتبوأ مقعده من النارHe who lies about me deliberately will certainly come to his abode in Hell.
من كذب علي متعمدًا فليتبوأ مقعده من النارIt is enough for a man to prove himself a liar when he goes on narrating whatever he hears.
كفى المرء كذباً أن يحدث بكل ما سمعIt is enough for a man to prove himself a liar when he goes on narrating whatever he hears.
كفى المرء كذباً أن يحدث بكل ما سمعIt is enough for a man to prove himself a liar when he goes on narrating whatever he hears.
كفى المرء كذباً أن يحدث بكل ما سمع"And the defect of news is only in its narrators".
So we often hear false sayings, such as: "So-and-so said such and such," or "It is said that so-and-so said such and such." So when a person frequently narrates from any person without verification and caution, there is no doubt that he will fall into lying. And the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), since it contains good and blessing, and numbered in the thousands, and was widespread in books of different types and styles of narration—some narrate hadiths with chains of narration, and some narrate hadiths suspended without chains—and in both of these categories, some narrate what is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and some narrate whatever comes to mind—then whoever narrates from these books will undoubtedly fall into lying about the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), as you heard his warning about that:
It is enough for a man to prove himself a liar when he goes on narrating whatever he hears.
كفى المرء كذباً أن يحدث بكل ما سمعTake heed. Do not narrate or speak of a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) until you verify its authenticity, either by transmitting it from a book whose author commits to authenticity, or by hearing it from a scholar of hadith who distinguishes between the authentic and the weak. Otherwise, it is not permissible for you to say in every hadith: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said," or you will fall into lying about him, whether you wish it or not.