What are the criteria of preference used by a researcher when two hadiths conflict, the abrogating and the abrogated are not known, and they cannot be reconciled?
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The questioner : May Allah preserve you, my honorable father. If two hadiths conflict, the abrogating and the abrogated are not known, and they cannot be reconciled, what are the criteria of preference used by the researcher? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : The scholars of hadith have addressed this situation presented by the questioner. The most comprehensive statement I have seen on this issue is the words of Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in his treatise *Sharh al-Nukhba*. He mentioned and said: "When two hadiths from the category of acceptable ones conflict, it is obligatory to reconcile them by one of the many methods, other than the Hafiz, because his book is concise. Al-Hafiz al-Iraqi mentioned in his commentary on *Mukhtasar Ibn al-Salah* that the methods mentioned by scholars that enable them to reconcile two conflicting hadiths are more than one hundred. Therefore, it is very, very rare to imagine the situation mentioned by the questioner where reconciliation between the two hadiths is not possible by any of these methods. It would have been good for the questioner to give an example so we could see if it is truly impossible to reconcile them by any of those many methods. But we continue to transmit the words of Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, because that is the answer to this question. He said: "Reconcile the two acceptable hadiths by one of the methods mentioned by the scholars". When he says "acceptable," one should be aware that he means that each of the two conflicting hadiths must be established in itself. If a sound hadith conflicts with a weak hadith, then there is no need to reconcile the established with the unestablished. Therefore, he said: "When two hadiths from the category of acceptable ones come", meaning: established, either at the level of hasan or the level of sahih. He said: "It is obligatory to reconcile them by one of the many methods. If reconciliation is not possible", the second stage comes. He said: "Consider the abrogating and the abrogated of the two", meaning: look, and if it is possible to know which is earlier and which is later, the earlier is abrogated by the later. This is the second stage. It is said: Such-and-such a hadith is earlier, so it is abrogated by the hadith that came after it.
He said: "If it is not possible to determine the date that shows one is earlier and the other is later, proceed to preference", meaning: the third step is to proceed to preference. This means: as mentioned earlier in the first scenario, reconciling the two acceptable hadiths, and the intention is what is hasan or above. If we are unable to reconcile them and unable to know the abrogating from the abrogated, he said: we proceed to preference. This means we look at which of the two hadiths is stronger than the other, we rely on the stronger one, and we set aside the one that is weaker.
For example: a sahih hadith conflicts with a hasan hadith, and reconciliation is not possible, and we cannot determine the date, i.e., which is the abrogating and which is the abrogated. We leave the hasan and take the sahih.
A sahih hadith conflicts with a famous or widely transmitted hadith, but the sahih hadith is ahad, strange, and singular. We leave this singular hadith and take this famous, widely transmitted hadith which has more than one route.
A hadith of this type, sahih and widely transmitted or famous, conflicts with a mutawatir hadith. The mutawatir hadith is given precedence.
The fourth and final one. He said: If they are equal in authenticity, the matter is left to the scholars, and we say, Allah knows best. Some scholars say in this last scenario: "They conflict, so they are both discarded". This is an error in speech. It is not permissible for a Muslim who knows what comes out of his mouth to say this, because the hadiths of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) are not treated in this manner, i.e., "they conflict, so they are both discarded." Rather, we say, Allah knows best His intent.
So, are there any hadiths in the mind of the questioner or any of the attendees that one thinks cannot be reconciled, so that we say, "They conflict, and Allah knows best His intent"? I do not think such a thing exists, due to the many methods mentioned by scholars in their books, each of which can be a means to reconcile two conflicting hadiths. Anyone else?
The Shaykh : The scholars of hadith have addressed this situation presented by the questioner. The most comprehensive statement I have seen on this issue is the words of Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in his treatise *Sharh al-Nukhba*. He mentioned and said: "When two hadiths from the category of acceptable ones conflict, it is obligatory to reconcile them by one of the many methods, other than the Hafiz, because his book is concise. Al-Hafiz al-Iraqi mentioned in his commentary on *Mukhtasar Ibn al-Salah* that the methods mentioned by scholars that enable them to reconcile two conflicting hadiths are more than one hundred. Therefore, it is very, very rare to imagine the situation mentioned by the questioner where reconciliation between the two hadiths is not possible by any of these methods. It would have been good for the questioner to give an example so we could see if it is truly impossible to reconcile them by any of those many methods. But we continue to transmit the words of Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, because that is the answer to this question. He said: "Reconcile the two acceptable hadiths by one of the methods mentioned by the scholars". When he says "acceptable," one should be aware that he means that each of the two conflicting hadiths must be established in itself. If a sound hadith conflicts with a weak hadith, then there is no need to reconcile the established with the unestablished. Therefore, he said: "When two hadiths from the category of acceptable ones come", meaning: established, either at the level of hasan or the level of sahih. He said: "It is obligatory to reconcile them by one of the many methods. If reconciliation is not possible", the second stage comes. He said: "Consider the abrogating and the abrogated of the two", meaning: look, and if it is possible to know which is earlier and which is later, the earlier is abrogated by the later. This is the second stage. It is said: Such-and-such a hadith is earlier, so it is abrogated by the hadith that came after it.
He said: "If it is not possible to determine the date that shows one is earlier and the other is later, proceed to preference", meaning: the third step is to proceed to preference. This means: as mentioned earlier in the first scenario, reconciling the two acceptable hadiths, and the intention is what is hasan or above. If we are unable to reconcile them and unable to know the abrogating from the abrogated, he said: we proceed to preference. This means we look at which of the two hadiths is stronger than the other, we rely on the stronger one, and we set aside the one that is weaker.
For example: a sahih hadith conflicts with a hasan hadith, and reconciliation is not possible, and we cannot determine the date, i.e., which is the abrogating and which is the abrogated. We leave the hasan and take the sahih.
A sahih hadith conflicts with a famous or widely transmitted hadith, but the sahih hadith is ahad, strange, and singular. We leave this singular hadith and take this famous, widely transmitted hadith which has more than one route.
A hadith of this type, sahih and widely transmitted or famous, conflicts with a mutawatir hadith. The mutawatir hadith is given precedence.
The fourth and final one. He said: If they are equal in authenticity, the matter is left to the scholars, and we say, Allah knows best. Some scholars say in this last scenario: "They conflict, so they are both discarded". This is an error in speech. It is not permissible for a Muslim who knows what comes out of his mouth to say this, because the hadiths of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) are not treated in this manner, i.e., "they conflict, so they are both discarded." Rather, we say, Allah knows best His intent.
So, are there any hadiths in the mind of the questioner or any of the attendees that one thinks cannot be reconciled, so that we say, "They conflict, and Allah knows best His intent"? I do not think such a thing exists, due to the many methods mentioned by scholars in their books, each of which can be a means to reconcile two conflicting hadiths. Anyone else?