The Shaykh’s clarification of the correct method and his mention of the most important books to which one must refer in the science of al-jarh wa al-ta'dil (the critique and vindication of narrators).
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The Shaykh : As for the science of al-jarh wa al-ta'dil (the critique and vindication of narrators), it is good for the student of knowledge to review and make it his habit to refer to this book, *Mizan al-I'tidal fi Naqd al-Rijal* (The Scale of Balance in the Critique of Men), by al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi al-Dimashqi. Also, he should attach to the study of this book the supplement that al-Hafiz al-'Asqalani composed for it, which is known as *Lisan al-Mizan* (The Tongue of the Scale) by Ibn Hajar. In it, he supplemented the thousands of narrators whom al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi did not mention in his book *al-Mizan*, along with the corrections he made in its language. This is because al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) restricted his book *al-Mizan* to biographies of those who were criticized, whether the criticism was found in one of the six books or in others. This is al-Dhahabi’s method of biography in *al-Mizan*.
As for al-Hafiz in *al-Lisan*, he made some corrections and added those additions I mentioned.
As for the correction, it is that he did not mention in *al-Lisan* those who were biographed in *al-Mizan* from the men of the six books. Those who were biographed in *al-Mizan* and have narrations in the six books, al-Hafiz al-'Asqalani does not mention them in his book *al-Lisan*. This is because he stated in the introduction that he was satisfied with his book *Tahdhib al-Tahdhib* regarding the biographies that al-Dhahabi included in *al-Mizan* from those who are biographed in *al-Tahdhib*, fearing repetition. But the reality is that a person finds—and this is specific to the deep researcher—finds that the book *al-Tahdhib* does not suffice for the biographies mentioned in *al-Mizan* from every aspect; it does not suffice from every aspect. This is very clear in the following example:
Al-Dhahabi in *al-Mizan*, when he biographies each person in it, he usually presents examples of the biographee’s hadiths, especially if the biographee is criticized for weakness or accused of lying and fabrication. When he biographies such people, he mentions examples of their hadiths that indicate to the student that this biographee truly deserves to be criticized for what is in these hadiths of anomalies, defects, and false implications. For this biographee, al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi mentioned some examples of his narrations and hadiths. When al-Hafiz al-'Asqalani deleted this biography, it is supposed that the hadiths al-Dhahabi mentioned should also be in *al-Tahdhib* as examples to clarify or confirm the state of this narrator as weak or fabricator. This is what al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar does not mention in his book *al-Tahdhib*. Therefore, the student of this knowledge should not be satisfied with referring only to *al-Lisan* by Ibn Hajar, considering Ibn Hajar’s *Lisan* and *Tahdhib* sufficient. No, he must also review *al-Mizan* because he will find in it benefits that he will not find in either *al-Lisan* or *al-Tahdhib*.
Also, the beginner in this knowledge must use another book that corresponds to *al-Mizan* and *al-Lisan*, which is the book *Taqrib al-Tahdhib* by the aforementioned al-Hafiz, al-'Asqalani. The book *Taqrib al-Tahdhib*—I can say that it is the most correct or most important book to which the student of this knowledge should refer—because it summarizes the biography, which may sometimes be several pages in the original of *Taqrib*, which is *al-Tahdhib*. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, with the knowledge and precision he was given, summarizes that biography in two lines, rarely exceeding that. In these two lines, he mentions the birth of the biographee after his lineage, his death, the date of his passing, and his rank in narration. For example, he might say: *thiqah thabit* (trustworthy and firm), or *thiqah thiqah* (trustworthy, trustworthy), or *thiqah* (trustworthy), or *la ba's bihi* (there is no harm in him), or *sidduq* (truthful), or *sidduq yuhim* (truthful but makes mistakes), or *da'if* (weak), or *mustur* (concealed), or *majhul* (unknown), or *kadhdhab* (liar), or *wadda'* (fabricator). He summarizes all this for you in concise words, which is a summary of those extended biographies in the original book, which is *Tahdhib al-Tahdhib*.
And when the student of knowledge practices with this book, he should mention a reality, which is:
That the book *al-Taqrib* represents al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar’s independent legal reasoning in summarizing those extended biographies. It is sometimes seen that al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar has some independent legal reasonings that are considered the weaker position by others, such as al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi. For example, al-Dhahabi might say in a narrator biographed in *al-Tahdhib*—in another book of his called *al-Kashif*—that there is a difference between al-Dhahabi’s statement in *al-Kashif* and Ibn Hajar’s. Al-Dhahabi says of the biographee: *sidduq* (truthful), while al-Hafiz says: *mustur* (concealed). The student of this knowledge finds this and should keep in mind a reality concerning man as a human being: that he is prone to error and forgetfulness. Even the most perfect human, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), said of himself:Sahih al-Bukhari 401 If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) explicitly stated in clear Arabic: Sahih Muslim 572a then who is it that does not forget after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)?!
No one. So, if we find a difference between al-Dhahabi’s statement about a unified narrator and Ibn Hajar’s statement about him, the matter here requires extensive culture in the science of al-jarh wa al-ta'dil (the critique and vindication of narrators), some of whose books we mentioned earlier, and in the science of terminology, which we are now completing the topic of.
As for al-Hafiz in *al-Lisan*, he made some corrections and added those additions I mentioned.
As for the correction, it is that he did not mention in *al-Lisan* those who were biographed in *al-Mizan* from the men of the six books. Those who were biographed in *al-Mizan* and have narrations in the six books, al-Hafiz al-'Asqalani does not mention them in his book *al-Lisan*. This is because he stated in the introduction that he was satisfied with his book *Tahdhib al-Tahdhib* regarding the biographies that al-Dhahabi included in *al-Mizan* from those who are biographed in *al-Tahdhib*, fearing repetition. But the reality is that a person finds—and this is specific to the deep researcher—finds that the book *al-Tahdhib* does not suffice for the biographies mentioned in *al-Mizan* from every aspect; it does not suffice from every aspect. This is very clear in the following example:
Al-Dhahabi in *al-Mizan*, when he biographies each person in it, he usually presents examples of the biographee’s hadiths, especially if the biographee is criticized for weakness or accused of lying and fabrication. When he biographies such people, he mentions examples of their hadiths that indicate to the student that this biographee truly deserves to be criticized for what is in these hadiths of anomalies, defects, and false implications. For this biographee, al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi mentioned some examples of his narrations and hadiths. When al-Hafiz al-'Asqalani deleted this biography, it is supposed that the hadiths al-Dhahabi mentioned should also be in *al-Tahdhib* as examples to clarify or confirm the state of this narrator as weak or fabricator. This is what al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar does not mention in his book *al-Tahdhib*. Therefore, the student of this knowledge should not be satisfied with referring only to *al-Lisan* by Ibn Hajar, considering Ibn Hajar’s *Lisan* and *Tahdhib* sufficient. No, he must also review *al-Mizan* because he will find in it benefits that he will not find in either *al-Lisan* or *al-Tahdhib*.
Also, the beginner in this knowledge must use another book that corresponds to *al-Mizan* and *al-Lisan*, which is the book *Taqrib al-Tahdhib* by the aforementioned al-Hafiz, al-'Asqalani. The book *Taqrib al-Tahdhib*—I can say that it is the most correct or most important book to which the student of this knowledge should refer—because it summarizes the biography, which may sometimes be several pages in the original of *Taqrib*, which is *al-Tahdhib*. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, with the knowledge and precision he was given, summarizes that biography in two lines, rarely exceeding that. In these two lines, he mentions the birth of the biographee after his lineage, his death, the date of his passing, and his rank in narration. For example, he might say: *thiqah thabit* (trustworthy and firm), or *thiqah thiqah* (trustworthy, trustworthy), or *thiqah* (trustworthy), or *la ba's bihi* (there is no harm in him), or *sidduq* (truthful), or *sidduq yuhim* (truthful but makes mistakes), or *da'if* (weak), or *mustur* (concealed), or *majhul* (unknown), or *kadhdhab* (liar), or *wadda'* (fabricator). He summarizes all this for you in concise words, which is a summary of those extended biographies in the original book, which is *Tahdhib al-Tahdhib*.
And when the student of knowledge practices with this book, he should mention a reality, which is:
That the book *al-Taqrib* represents al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar’s independent legal reasoning in summarizing those extended biographies. It is sometimes seen that al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar has some independent legal reasonings that are considered the weaker position by others, such as al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi. For example, al-Dhahabi might say in a narrator biographed in *al-Tahdhib*—in another book of his called *al-Kashif*—that there is a difference between al-Dhahabi’s statement in *al-Kashif* and Ibn Hajar’s. Al-Dhahabi says of the biographee: *sidduq* (truthful), while al-Hafiz says: *mustur* (concealed). The student of this knowledge finds this and should keep in mind a reality concerning man as a human being: that he is prone to error and forgetfulness. Even the most perfect human, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), said of himself:
but I am a human being like you and liable to forget like you. So if I forget remind me
إنما أنا بشر مثلكم أنسى كما تنسون فإذا نسيت فذكرونيI forget as you for. get, so when I forget, remind me
أنسى كما تنسون فإذا نسيت فذكرونيNo one. So, if we find a difference between al-Dhahabi’s statement about a unified narrator and Ibn Hajar’s statement about him, the matter here requires extensive culture in the science of al-jarh wa al-ta'dil (the critique and vindication of narrators), some of whose books we mentioned earlier, and in the science of terminology, which we are now completing the topic of.