Do we consider reliable a narrator about whom al-Dhahabi says, "They deemed him reliable," when no one other than al-'Ajili has deemed him reliable, and Ibn Hibban mentioned him among the reliable narrators?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Al-Dhahabi says about him, "They deemed him reliable," here.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : In reality, no one has deemed him reliable other than al-'Ajili, and Ibn Hibban mentions him among the reliable narrators. So what about a man like this?
The Shaykh : A man like this who
The questioner : So a man like this to whom the statement I am mentioning applies
The Shaykh : which is in addition to al-'Ajili?
The questioner : Ah?
The Shaykh : which is in addition to al-'Ajili?
The questioner : I am saying a man from the Tabi'un (the generation after the Companions)
The Shaykh : I understood your point.
The questioner : Yes, and Ibn Hibban mentions him among the reliable narrators.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : And we find no other statements about him besides these two, then al-Dhahabi says in al-Kashif, "They deemed him reliable."
The Shaykh : By "these two," do you mean Ibn Hibban and al-'Ajili?
The questioner : Ibn Hibban and al-'Ajili.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : Yes, "They deemed him reliable." In that case, if our investigation is exhaustive to the point that we leave no room for anyone to claim that there is a third reliable narrator whom al-Dhahabi knew of, and therefore he said "They deemed him reliable," if we can be certain of this fact—that there is no one who deemed this narrator reliable except Ibn Hibban and al-'Ajili—and you know that being certain of this
The questioner : That is difficult.
The Shaykh : is very difficult. Please, if the matter is so, we say this falls under what some scholars say, that the minimum number for a plural is two. But what happens sometimes is that al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi is, without doubt, more memorizing than we are, who first rely on books, and second, did not have at their disposal the references and sources that he had. This is proven by the fact that every day a new print is released, and the scope of our knowledge expands. I give myself as an example: I used not to find some narrators whom no one had deemed reliable except Ibn Hibban, and often al-'Ajili would be found with him. But with knowledge of al-Fasawi's or al-Nasawi's history, it turns out that they also participate in deeming him reliable. It is possible that the one about whom al-Dhahabi said "They deemed him reliable" is one of these reliable narrators, but we have not come across his certification. That the minimum number for a plural is two.
The questioner : I mean, ask if you know your opinion, you know that according to the general rule in your methodology
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Sometimes some questions are accompanied by something that takes them out of this matter.
The Shaykh : Where is this from?
The questioner : Like the radio and the microphone also for the imam and the mu'adhdhin (the one who calls to prayer). Some of the brothers are surprised by me, saying, "You ask the Shaykh for his opinion and remain silent, you do not debate the Shaykh."
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So I say in my mind, is there something, does the Shaykh follow this matter?
The Shaykh : I mean, your question remains limited.
The questioner : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : The question directed to me remains limited, so when you take his answer, you are convinced.
The questioner : Yes, that is it.
The Shaykh : I mean, you took the answer.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : In reality, no one has deemed him reliable other than al-'Ajili, and Ibn Hibban mentions him among the reliable narrators. So what about a man like this?
The Shaykh : A man like this who
The questioner : So a man like this to whom the statement I am mentioning applies
The Shaykh : which is in addition to al-'Ajili?
The questioner : Ah?
The Shaykh : which is in addition to al-'Ajili?
The questioner : I am saying a man from the Tabi'un (the generation after the Companions)
The Shaykh : I understood your point.
The questioner : Yes, and Ibn Hibban mentions him among the reliable narrators.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : And we find no other statements about him besides these two, then al-Dhahabi says in al-Kashif, "They deemed him reliable."
The Shaykh : By "these two," do you mean Ibn Hibban and al-'Ajili?
The questioner : Ibn Hibban and al-'Ajili.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : Yes, "They deemed him reliable." In that case, if our investigation is exhaustive to the point that we leave no room for anyone to claim that there is a third reliable narrator whom al-Dhahabi knew of, and therefore he said "They deemed him reliable," if we can be certain of this fact—that there is no one who deemed this narrator reliable except Ibn Hibban and al-'Ajili—and you know that being certain of this
The questioner : That is difficult.
The Shaykh : is very difficult. Please, if the matter is so, we say this falls under what some scholars say, that the minimum number for a plural is two. But what happens sometimes is that al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi is, without doubt, more memorizing than we are, who first rely on books, and second, did not have at their disposal the references and sources that he had. This is proven by the fact that every day a new print is released, and the scope of our knowledge expands. I give myself as an example: I used not to find some narrators whom no one had deemed reliable except Ibn Hibban, and often al-'Ajili would be found with him. But with knowledge of al-Fasawi's or al-Nasawi's history, it turns out that they also participate in deeming him reliable. It is possible that the one about whom al-Dhahabi said "They deemed him reliable" is one of these reliable narrators, but we have not come across his certification. That the minimum number for a plural is two.
The questioner : I mean, ask if you know your opinion, you know that according to the general rule in your methodology
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Sometimes some questions are accompanied by something that takes them out of this matter.
The Shaykh : Where is this from?
The questioner : Like the radio and the microphone also for the imam and the mu'adhdhin (the one who calls to prayer). Some of the brothers are surprised by me, saying, "You ask the Shaykh for his opinion and remain silent, you do not debate the Shaykh."
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So I say in my mind, is there something, does the Shaykh follow this matter?
The Shaykh : I mean, your question remains limited.
The questioner : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : The question directed to me remains limited, so when you take his answer, you are convinced.
The questioner : Yes, that is it.
The Shaykh : I mean, you took the answer.
The questioner : Yes