What is your opinion regarding Ibn Hajar’s view that the criticism of hadith critics of one another is not accepted if its motive is a difference in belief?
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The Shaykh : Other than that?
The questioner : The honorable Shaykh mentioned that Ibn Hajar stated that the criticism of hadith critics of one another is not accepted if its motive is a difference in belief. How do we understand this rule when the people of the Sunnah clarify this regarding innovators and others? Some critics have relied on this rule to reject the statements of many Imams of the Sunnah regarding innovators. How do we understand this rule, especially since al-Qasimi expanded on this issue in his book *al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil*?
The Shaykh : Yes, the scholars, the scholars of hadith, differed in their terminology regarding the acceptance of the narration of a trustworthy, memorizing scholar if he is an innovator. Some said: It is permissible to accept his narration absolutely, as long as he remains within the circle of Islam, even if he is an innovator, provided he is just, precise, and a good memorizer.
And some said: His narration is accepted even if he is an innovator, provided he is not a caller to his innovation.
And some stated it absolutely: The narration of an innovator is not accepted, even if he is truthful and a good memorizer.
And what al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar himself adopted in this matter in *Sharh al-Nukhba* is the first opinion, which is that the narration of an innovator is accepted as long as his innovation has not taken him out of the circle of Islam. This is because the basis for relying on a hadith narration is not the school of thought that predominated in this narrator, whether in terms of creed or worship. Rather, the basis for all of that is his trustworthiness in his precision and narration, along with his being just from the general Islamic perspective. Thus, he should not be, for example, an open sinner or one who neglects any of the manners of honor. Even if he fell into some innovation, as long as that innovation has not taken him out of the circle of Islam, his hadith is accepted, whatever his innovation may be, as long as it does not take him out of his Islam and religion. This is the opinion that al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar preferred, and many who came after him, including, of course, the Damascene scholar Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi. Although he was broad in his steps in justifying or legitimizing what the Mu'tazilah held regarding many deviations from the Sunnah, when he adopted the opinion of al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, he was a good predecessor for him in this opinion concerning the reliance on the narration of an innovator as long as he is still judged by us to be a Muslim.
The questioner : The Shaykh, the question is about the criticism of the critics themselves, meaning they reject the statement of the people of the Sunnah when they speak about an innovator, claiming that the motive for this statement is a difference in beliefs?
The Shaykh : How did I repeat it?
The questioner : They gave as an example for this al-Juzaqani, when he spoke about the people of Basra and others and was severe with them. But this rule that was transmitted from some of them to the statements of the people of the Sunnah regarding some innovators, and they said: Because the motive is a difference in belief, therefore this statement, this criticism, is rejected.
The Shaykh : Is the criticism based on innovation rejected?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Of course, this is a very delicate matter, so we cannot say absolutely that it is rejected or absolutely that it is accepted. The issue requires a lot of investigation. If it is known that one of the Imams of al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil has a tendency toward severity in criticizing some people and accusing them of innovation, this exists, unfortunately. For example, some of them criticize some narrators simply because he held the view that 'Ali is better than Abu Bakr and 'Umar. And although this is contrary to the position of the majority of the righteous Salaf, this does not necessitate accusing him of Shi'ism or Rafidah, because he used to seek Allah's pleasure for all the Companions, but he held this opinion and preferred 'Ali over the caliphs who preceded him in the caliphate. This is an undesirable severity, but it does not affect the narration of one who is accused of such an accusation.
The questioner : The honorable Shaykh mentioned that Ibn Hajar stated that the criticism of hadith critics of one another is not accepted if its motive is a difference in belief. How do we understand this rule when the people of the Sunnah clarify this regarding innovators and others? Some critics have relied on this rule to reject the statements of many Imams of the Sunnah regarding innovators. How do we understand this rule, especially since al-Qasimi expanded on this issue in his book *al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil*?
The Shaykh : Yes, the scholars, the scholars of hadith, differed in their terminology regarding the acceptance of the narration of a trustworthy, memorizing scholar if he is an innovator. Some said: It is permissible to accept his narration absolutely, as long as he remains within the circle of Islam, even if he is an innovator, provided he is just, precise, and a good memorizer.
And some said: His narration is accepted even if he is an innovator, provided he is not a caller to his innovation.
And some stated it absolutely: The narration of an innovator is not accepted, even if he is truthful and a good memorizer.
And what al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar himself adopted in this matter in *Sharh al-Nukhba* is the first opinion, which is that the narration of an innovator is accepted as long as his innovation has not taken him out of the circle of Islam. This is because the basis for relying on a hadith narration is not the school of thought that predominated in this narrator, whether in terms of creed or worship. Rather, the basis for all of that is his trustworthiness in his precision and narration, along with his being just from the general Islamic perspective. Thus, he should not be, for example, an open sinner or one who neglects any of the manners of honor. Even if he fell into some innovation, as long as that innovation has not taken him out of the circle of Islam, his hadith is accepted, whatever his innovation may be, as long as it does not take him out of his Islam and religion. This is the opinion that al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar preferred, and many who came after him, including, of course, the Damascene scholar Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi. Although he was broad in his steps in justifying or legitimizing what the Mu'tazilah held regarding many deviations from the Sunnah, when he adopted the opinion of al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, he was a good predecessor for him in this opinion concerning the reliance on the narration of an innovator as long as he is still judged by us to be a Muslim.
The questioner : The Shaykh, the question is about the criticism of the critics themselves, meaning they reject the statement of the people of the Sunnah when they speak about an innovator, claiming that the motive for this statement is a difference in beliefs?
The Shaykh : How did I repeat it?
The questioner : They gave as an example for this al-Juzaqani, when he spoke about the people of Basra and others and was severe with them. But this rule that was transmitted from some of them to the statements of the people of the Sunnah regarding some innovators, and they said: Because the motive is a difference in belief, therefore this statement, this criticism, is rejected.
The Shaykh : Is the criticism based on innovation rejected?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Of course, this is a very delicate matter, so we cannot say absolutely that it is rejected or absolutely that it is accepted. The issue requires a lot of investigation. If it is known that one of the Imams of al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil has a tendency toward severity in criticizing some people and accusing them of innovation, this exists, unfortunately. For example, some of them criticize some narrators simply because he held the view that 'Ali is better than Abu Bakr and 'Umar. And although this is contrary to the position of the majority of the righteous Salaf, this does not necessitate accusing him of Shi'ism or Rafidah, because he used to seek Allah's pleasure for all the Companions, but he held this opinion and preferred 'Ali over the caliphs who preceded him in the caliphate. This is an undesirable severity, but it does not affect the narration of one who is accused of such an accusation.