The meaning of the scholars' statement on many occasions: "This is closer to the hadith of so-and-so."
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. You previously asked me a question, and I want to repeat the answer to it. The scholars say on many occasions: "This is closer to the hadith of so-and-so." You mentioned to me that this phrase may mean three possibilities, so I hope you will repeat the answer to this issue?
The Shaykh : As for now, it does not come to my mind. In every situation, there is a specific statement. So remind me, what was the answer?
The questioner : I do not remember the answer now; that is why I want it repeated. Okay, let us take the general meaning. What does "closer to the hadith of so-and-so" mean?
The Shaykh : It means that so-and-so... the one being compared to is either one whose hadith is authentic, or one whose hadith is good—that is, intermediate—or one whose hadith is weak. So one looks at the one being compared to. If he is of the third rank, that means his hadith is weak. If he is of the second rank, that means his hadith is good. If he is of the first rank, that means his hadith is authentic. Generally, this first rank is not described in this way; rather, the aspect in it is discussion. But this discussion either revolves around weakening it once, or it is slightly weakened, so his hadith becomes good.
The questioner : And the meaning of this is that the one being compared to, based on this, will be a man about whom there is at least agreement among the scholars on one word regarding him, so that he can be measured by him?
The Shaykh : No, it is not required that there be agreement. Rather, it is so in the view of the one making this statement.
The questioner : Okay; how... from others... and it means he will be strict with the hadith of so-and-so, and so-and-so is disputed?
The Shaykh : Because it is assumed that this speaker spoke about so-and-so. In a phrase I just remembered, Ibn Abi Hatim uses it. He says: "So-and-so is of the category of so-and-so." What does "of the category of so-and-so" mean? It means he spoke about this person by weakening or improving his hadith, and he is on his own view. So it is assumed that the speaker does not mean that the scholars agreed, but rather that he has an opinion about this one being compared to. So he attaches him to the one who heard from him, because he knows what the speaker's opinion is about the one being compared to. So it is not necessary that he is referring to the agreement of the scholars. And how would he obtain the agreement of the scholars in the science of al-jarh wa al-ta'dil? As you see them at that time, each had his own opinion and independent legal reasoning. He only means his own opinion.
The Shaykh : As for now, it does not come to my mind. In every situation, there is a specific statement. So remind me, what was the answer?
The questioner : I do not remember the answer now; that is why I want it repeated. Okay, let us take the general meaning. What does "closer to the hadith of so-and-so" mean?
The Shaykh : It means that so-and-so... the one being compared to is either one whose hadith is authentic, or one whose hadith is good—that is, intermediate—or one whose hadith is weak. So one looks at the one being compared to. If he is of the third rank, that means his hadith is weak. If he is of the second rank, that means his hadith is good. If he is of the first rank, that means his hadith is authentic. Generally, this first rank is not described in this way; rather, the aspect in it is discussion. But this discussion either revolves around weakening it once, or it is slightly weakened, so his hadith becomes good.
The questioner : And the meaning of this is that the one being compared to, based on this, will be a man about whom there is at least agreement among the scholars on one word regarding him, so that he can be measured by him?
The Shaykh : No, it is not required that there be agreement. Rather, it is so in the view of the one making this statement.
The questioner : Okay; how... from others... and it means he will be strict with the hadith of so-and-so, and so-and-so is disputed?
The Shaykh : Because it is assumed that this speaker spoke about so-and-so. In a phrase I just remembered, Ibn Abi Hatim uses it. He says: "So-and-so is of the category of so-and-so." What does "of the category of so-and-so" mean? It means he spoke about this person by weakening or improving his hadith, and he is on his own view. So it is assumed that the speaker does not mean that the scholars agreed, but rather that he has an opinion about this one being compared to. So he attaches him to the one who heard from him, because he knows what the speaker's opinion is about the one being compared to. So it is not necessary that he is referring to the agreement of the scholars. And how would he obtain the agreement of the scholars in the science of al-jarh wa al-ta'dil? As you see them at that time, each had his own opinion and independent legal reasoning. He only means his own opinion.
Source
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The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.