An Important Matter That Must Be Observed in the Rules of Hadith
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : I want to mention something in addition to what has come before: some of the rules of hadith are not like mathematical operations that are certain and about which there is no disagreement, such as two plus two equals four, or four plus four equals eight, or two times two, and so on. Some of the rules of hadith, due to the precision of this science, are relative matters. How do you know that regarding a single narrator, some say he is trustworthy, some say he is weak, and some say he is a liar? So this issue is relative, indeed very clear. Therefore, one should not rush and assume that there are rigid rules that do not accept movement, that do not accept differences of opinion. There are no rules like that. This subject is very sensitive and precise. Opinions may differ in establishing the rule, and this is the most important point: opinions may differ in applying this rule to its individual cases.
An individual case falling under the rule may deviate from the rule, either due to negligence regarding the one who established the rule, or as an exception to it. This is the case with this individual hadith regarding the rule.
I was delighted when I came across the treatise of al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi in the manuscripts of the Zahiriyyah, which was later published and titled *Al-Muwakkizah*. He mentioned there a statement that I felt intuitively in my heart, and I was further convinced when I saw this Hafiz write it in his treatise. He said: "The hasan hadith is one of the most precise sciences of hadith, because the opinion of a single hadith scholar differs in it; sometimes he grades it hasan and sometimes he grades it weak."
What about the case of different hadith scholars? The reason is very clear. This hadith that the grader considered hasan, he looked at its narrator and found much variation. Sometimes he concludes from this variation that he is "truthful with a good hadith," sometimes he concludes that he is "truthful but makes mistakes," or "poor in memory." In that case, his hadith is not hasan except with supporting evidence. Thus, a single person advances and retreats in judging a single narrator, and consequently, opinions differ regarding the hadith of this single narrator; sometimes he grades it hasan and sometimes he grades it weak. This is the height of precision. When does he grade it hasan? When he recalls that the variation in his view leads to the conclusion that he is truthful.
But something may appear to him in a certain hadith with the same chain of narration that deserves the grade of hasan. There is something in the text of this hadith that prevents him from applying his rule to this specific text, even though it is from the same narrator who is accustomed to having his hadiths graded hasan.
These are matters that are not usually explained by the critic or the Hafiz. He is content to say, "This is a weak hadith," even though the rule obligates him to say, "This is a hasan hadith." But something occurred to him that he did not clarify or was unable to clarify. This is more precise in the subject.
Recently, when we were in the evening session, a question came to the Shaykh, of course Sa'd. The question was about sending blessings upon the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in the first tashahhud. I mentioned a corroborating narration for what the questioner may have referred to, which is in the marginal notes of *Al-Mughni* by Ibn Qudamah, where they mentioned something that strengthens the hadith of Abu 'Ubaydah from Ibn Mas'ud. I think it remains, it burned.
The questioner : It did not burn.
The Shaykh : Because, what Allah willed, the time has come.
The questioner : Oh Shaykh
The Shaykh : No, I will finish, but this is a joke to liven up the atmosphere a bit.
The questioner : No, I will not leave; I am listening.
The Shaykh : No, I mean, they usually say that the academic atmosphere remains dry, and indeed it requires endurance and gathering of mind and thought, and so on. So a joke is something that catches the passerby.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : Yes, that is right.
The point is: I said that the hadith of "Indeed" is defective due to two defects, the most serious of which is the disconnection between Abu 'Ubaydah and Ibn Mas'ud. Then I wondered whether it is from the narration of Ibn Ishaq or not.
But I mentioned a corroborating narration for this hadith from the narration of Ibn Ishaq. He said, "It was narrated to me," I think by 'Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Aswad, and Allah knows best. I mentioned it, and... there is an anomaly or an irregularity in it, because this addition that he mentioned in the hadith Yes, the point is that this chain of narration is hasan here. Regardless of the difference, whoever has comprehended the subject of the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud and gathered its routes immediately feels that there is an anomaly or irregularity, so he does not say, "This is a hasan chain of narration."
As for the one whose mind is empty of comprehending the routes and wordings of the hadith, he will say, "This is a hasan chain of narration." And each has a perspective. But what is the truth? The truth is also relative. We will say that a person who has looked into the verification of that hadith scholar who gathered the routes judged this chain of narration as hasan according to the rule, but it is irregular or denounced.
As for the one who has not looked into this, he will go along with the one who graded the chain of narration as hasan. I am among them; I graded the chain of narration as hasan if I was negligent regarding the irregularity or anomaly. So the issue in such cases is not this clear and apparent. It is said, "You established a rule that says so and so."
Yes, I established a rule that the hadith of Ibn Ishaq is a hasan hadith if he explicitly mentions the narration. So why did you contradict it? You need a lecture. The lecturer may be convinced, or he may not be convinced. Matters are relative, and the conclusion of the matter is[Al-Baqarah 2:148]
The questioner : If you please, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes
An individual case falling under the rule may deviate from the rule, either due to negligence regarding the one who established the rule, or as an exception to it. This is the case with this individual hadith regarding the rule.
I was delighted when I came across the treatise of al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi in the manuscripts of the Zahiriyyah, which was later published and titled *Al-Muwakkizah*. He mentioned there a statement that I felt intuitively in my heart, and I was further convinced when I saw this Hafiz write it in his treatise. He said: "The hasan hadith is one of the most precise sciences of hadith, because the opinion of a single hadith scholar differs in it; sometimes he grades it hasan and sometimes he grades it weak."
What about the case of different hadith scholars? The reason is very clear. This hadith that the grader considered hasan, he looked at its narrator and found much variation. Sometimes he concludes from this variation that he is "truthful with a good hadith," sometimes he concludes that he is "truthful but makes mistakes," or "poor in memory." In that case, his hadith is not hasan except with supporting evidence. Thus, a single person advances and retreats in judging a single narrator, and consequently, opinions differ regarding the hadith of this single narrator; sometimes he grades it hasan and sometimes he grades it weak. This is the height of precision. When does he grade it hasan? When he recalls that the variation in his view leads to the conclusion that he is truthful.
But something may appear to him in a certain hadith with the same chain of narration that deserves the grade of hasan. There is something in the text of this hadith that prevents him from applying his rule to this specific text, even though it is from the same narrator who is accustomed to having his hadiths graded hasan.
These are matters that are not usually explained by the critic or the Hafiz. He is content to say, "This is a weak hadith," even though the rule obligates him to say, "This is a hasan hadith." But something occurred to him that he did not clarify or was unable to clarify. This is more precise in the subject.
Recently, when we were in the evening session, a question came to the Shaykh, of course Sa'd. The question was about sending blessings upon the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in the first tashahhud. I mentioned a corroborating narration for what the questioner may have referred to, which is in the marginal notes of *Al-Mughni* by Ibn Qudamah, where they mentioned something that strengthens the hadith of Abu 'Ubaydah from Ibn Mas'ud.
That the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he sat in the first tashahhud, was as if he was on a cushion.
أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا جلس في التشهد الأول فكأنما هو على رَضَفThe questioner : It did not burn.
The Shaykh : Because, what Allah willed, the time has come.
The questioner : Oh Shaykh
The Shaykh : No, I will finish, but this is a joke to liven up the atmosphere a bit.
The questioner : No, I will not leave; I am listening.
The Shaykh : No, I mean, they usually say that the academic atmosphere remains dry, and indeed it requires endurance and gathering of mind and thought, and so on. So a joke is something that catches the passerby.
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : Yes, that is right.
The point is: I said that the hadith of "Indeed"
On a cushion.
على رضفBut I mentioned a corroborating narration for this hadith from the narration of Ibn Ishaq. He said, "It was narrated to me," I think by 'Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Aswad, and Allah knows best. I mentioned it, and... there is an anomaly or an irregularity in it, because this addition that he mentioned in the hadith
That when I was in the first tashahhud, and I finished the greeting, I stood up for the third rak'ah.
إنه إذ كنت في التشهد الأول فانتهيت من التحية قمت إلى الركعة الثالثةAs for the one whose mind is empty of comprehending the routes and wordings of the hadith, he will say, "This is a hasan chain of narration." And each has a perspective. But what is the truth? The truth is also relative. We will say that a person who has looked into the verification of that hadith scholar who gathered the routes judged this chain of narration as hasan according to the rule, but it is irregular or denounced.
As for the one who has not looked into this, he will go along with the one who graded the chain of narration as hasan. I am among them; I graded the chain of narration as hasan if I was negligent regarding the irregularity or anomaly. So the issue in such cases is not this clear and apparent. It is said, "You established a rule that says so and so."
Yes, I established a rule that the hadith of Ibn Ishaq is a hasan hadith if he explicitly mentions the narration. So why did you contradict it? You need a lecture. The lecturer may be convinced, or he may not be convinced. Matters are relative, and the conclusion of the matter is
For each [religious following] is a direction toward which it faces. So race to [all that is] good.
ولكل وجهة هو موليها فاستبقوا الخيراتThe questioner : If you please, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes