Through our reading of biographical dictionaries, we found that Ibn Ma'in authenticated many narrators whom others have weakened.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : I say that I read this when we came to study the subject of al-jarh wa al-ta'dil (the critique and vindication of narrators). I had some bright students among them, and al-Falakh was present. We began to discover that regarding Ibn Ma'in, whenever we came across a person whom someone other than Ibn Ma'in criticized, we found that Ibn Ma'in had authenticated him. This caught our attention, so I said: We must write a research paper on the topic of Ibn Ma'in: is he strict as al-Dhahabi and those who followed him say, or is he lenient? So, my brother al-Falakh recorded approximately two hundred names of those whom Ibn Ma'in authenticated and who are considered weak by others. This prompted us to say: This statement cannot be accepted.
The Shaykh : In its absolute form.
The questioner : In its absolute form, we should study these categories that al-Dhahabi mentioned and which were followed, since Ibn Ma'in reveals to us that he is not strict, meaning that many matters lead us to reconsider.
The Shaykh : This is what I understood from your question, meaning we do not take the view that he is among the strict ones absolutely, nor the view that he is among the moderate ones absolutely, nor... like this?
Of course, my answer is: No, research is necessary.
The questioner : In case of conflict.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Meaning, some say: If, for example, the strict scholar authenticates and the lenient scholar weakens, his statement is discarded and the statement of the strict scholar is considered.
The Shaykh : No, we must return to the rules.
The questioner : Who adopts this statement?
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : Who adopts that statement?
The Shaykh : In Sahih, and whatever else is not said, the important thing is that we must return to the rules: "Criticism takes precedence over vindication", and "Vindication is accepted from one who is not known for leniency like Ibn Hazm", so it is necessary to return to the rules.
The questioner : So, do we not take the previous classification?
The Shaykh : No, no, we do not take it absolutely; it is necessary to research each narrator individually. Good.
The questioner : O Shaykh—may Allah reward you with good—if you would compile a book on al-jarh wa al-ta'dil (the critique and vindication of narrators), because the discussion is scattered in various places, and the famous books currently in use contain what they contain, and they are the ones that are studied and used.
The Shaykh : O Professor, do not burden us with what we cannot bear, and may Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : This field, O Shaykh!
The Shaykh : In its absolute form.
The questioner : In its absolute form, we should study these categories that al-Dhahabi mentioned and which were followed, since Ibn Ma'in reveals to us that he is not strict, meaning that many matters lead us to reconsider.
The Shaykh : This is what I understood from your question, meaning we do not take the view that he is among the strict ones absolutely, nor the view that he is among the moderate ones absolutely, nor... like this?
Of course, my answer is: No, research is necessary.
The questioner : In case of conflict.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Meaning, some say: If, for example, the strict scholar authenticates and the lenient scholar weakens, his statement is discarded and the statement of the strict scholar is considered.
The Shaykh : No, we must return to the rules.
The questioner : Who adopts this statement?
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : Who adopts that statement?
The Shaykh : In Sahih, and whatever else is not said, the important thing is that we must return to the rules: "Criticism takes precedence over vindication", and "Vindication is accepted from one who is not known for leniency like Ibn Hazm", so it is necessary to return to the rules.
The questioner : So, do we not take the previous classification?
The Shaykh : No, no, we do not take it absolutely; it is necessary to research each narrator individually. Good.
The questioner : O Shaykh—may Allah reward you with good—if you would compile a book on al-jarh wa al-ta'dil (the critique and vindication of narrators), because the discussion is scattered in various places, and the famous books currently in use contain what they contain, and they are the ones that are studied and used.
The Shaykh : O Professor, do not burden us with what we cannot bear, and may Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : This field, O Shaykh!