Is al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi’s classification of the imams of hadith criticism into strict, moderate, and lenient categories accepted?
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The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Shaykh, regarding al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi’s classification of the imams of hadith criticism into strict, lenient, and moderate, is this accepted in an absolute sense? And how is that considered when the statements of the strict and the lenient contradict each other?
The Shaykh : Repeat what you said.
The questioner : I say: Al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi classified the imams of hadith criticism into strict, moderate, and lenient. Is this classification accepted in an absolute sense? Because if a strict scholar weakens a narrator, he has been strict in his weakening. Then how can this classification be used for preference?!
The Shaykh : What I want to understand from your words is: Is it accepted in an absolute sense? Meaning, if he says, “This one is strict, specifically named,” is it accepted in an absolute sense? And that one is moderate, and that one is lenient, or what?
The questioner : Is al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi’s classification accepted in the first place?
The Shaykh : This is a reality; it is accepted.
The questioner : Fine, its application. How is it applied?
The Shaykh : That is what I want to understand from you. Do you mean that in an absolute sense, anyone he names as, for example, moderate, his statement is accepted because he is moderate and balanced, without research and without consideration? And the opposite is the opposite?
The questioner : Its application is from both sides. For example, if a strict scholar authenticates a narrator, do we hold firmly to it because he is strict in an absolute sense? That is one matter. Then, regarding contradiction, when the one who authenticates and the one who criticizes contradict each other, how is this classification applied?
The Shaykh : I do not have an answer for this right now.
Please go ahead.
The questioner : Shaykh, regarding al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi’s classification of the imams of hadith criticism into strict, lenient, and moderate, is this accepted in an absolute sense? And how is that considered when the statements of the strict and the lenient contradict each other?
The Shaykh : Repeat what you said.
The questioner : I say: Al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi classified the imams of hadith criticism into strict, moderate, and lenient. Is this classification accepted in an absolute sense? Because if a strict scholar weakens a narrator, he has been strict in his weakening. Then how can this classification be used for preference?!
The Shaykh : What I want to understand from your words is: Is it accepted in an absolute sense? Meaning, if he says, “This one is strict, specifically named,” is it accepted in an absolute sense? And that one is moderate, and that one is lenient, or what?
The questioner : Is al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi’s classification accepted in the first place?
The Shaykh : This is a reality; it is accepted.
The questioner : Fine, its application. How is it applied?
The Shaykh : That is what I want to understand from you. Do you mean that in an absolute sense, anyone he names as, for example, moderate, his statement is accepted because he is moderate and balanced, without research and without consideration? And the opposite is the opposite?
The questioner : Its application is from both sides. For example, if a strict scholar authenticates a narrator, do we hold firmly to it because he is strict in an absolute sense? That is one matter. Then, regarding contradiction, when the one who authenticates and the one who criticizes contradict each other, how is this classification applied?
The Shaykh : I do not have an answer for this right now.
Please go ahead.