A discussion on the method of Shaykh Al-Albani in teaching the subject of hadith at the Islamic University

The questioner : You said, O our Shaykh, al-Dhahabi, and then you fell silent before this.

The Shaykh : Yes, al-Dhahabi in his book *Al-Kashif*. I taught a class for students at the university in my time; I actually pioneered a class that was not known, I think, even today, unless some universities have followed this good innovation, if that is the correct term. I called it the "Sanads" class. I would prepare *Khalasat Tahdhib al-Kamal* and *Sunan Abu Dawud*. I would order the student to write a hadith with its chain of narration. I recall that in the practical lessons I gave them, I used to tell them: It has been established for me through induction that every hadith authenticated solely by Ibn Hibban is, in the majority of cases, described by Ibn Hajar as: acceptable. Sometimes he says: concealed. And sometimes he says: unknown. As for him authenticating it by following Ibn Hibban, no. Because he mentioned in the introduction to *Al-Lisan* that he authenticates narrators based on a principle that contradicts the scholars of narrator critique and vindication; that "the default for a Muslim is integrity." Therefore, any narrator in whom no defect is known is, in the view of Ibn Hibban, a trustworthy narrator. Ibn Hajar did not adopt this principle, neither theoretically nor practically. Theoretically, he refuted him in the introduction to *Lisan al-Mizan*. Practically, as I told you, in *Al-Taqrib*, if you see a man whom only Ibn Hibban authenticated, guess what, go back to *Al-Taqrib* and you will see what he says about him; either acceptable, or concealed, or unknown. As for him saying: trustworthy; no. Except that, finally, it has been established for me that this is very rare; when the narrator in Ibn Hibban has trustworthy narrators who narrated from him, not as Ibn Hibban means, i.e., a single narrator.
Abu Malik: Meaning he authenticates him.

The Shaykh : Ah, he authenticates him, or he usually says about him: truthful. Al-Dhahabi in *Al-Mizan*, look at any narrator whom Ibn Hibban uniquely authenticated, go back to *Al-Mizan*, and in the majority of cases, it will tell you: unknown.
Abu Malik: This is al-Dhahabi.

The Shaykh : Unknown, authenticated by Ibn Hibban.
Abu Malik: And here he says about him.

The Shaykh : Look at the opposite, meaning.
Abu Malik: Yes, that is right.

The Shaykh : Then I gave them lessons from this aspect, and I brought with me the book *Al-Khalasah*. The book *Al-Khalasah* quotes extensively from Ibn Hibban. It says, for example, so-and-so, son of so-and-so, so-and-so narrated from him and so-and-so, and Ibn Hibban authenticated him. Go back to *Al-Mizan* and you will find it says about him: unknown, and it mentions that Ibn Hibban authenticated him.
Another book called *Al-Kashif*. Every narrator, except for a rare few, whom Ibn Hibban narrated from, this one was authenticated by Ibn Hibban. What does it say in *Al-Kashif*: He was authenticated.
Abu Malik: ...

The Shaykh : He was authenticated.
Abu Malik: He was authenticated.

The Shaykh : Based on the unknown.
Abu Malik: Yes, that is right.

The Shaykh : Meaning it refers to weakening and authenticating.
Abu Malik: Perhaps this is what he fell into with this.

The Shaykh : Perhaps, Allah knows best.
Abu Malik: ...

The Shaykh : ... .

Another questioner : Perhaps he did not understand "he was authenticated."

The Shaykh : It is possible; it is not far-fetched.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : It is not far-fetched.

Another questioner : Perhaps this is it.

The Shaykh : This is weak in language, as you see, meaning.
Abu Malik: ... his language.

The Shaykh : His language is very rough.
Abu Malik: He does not know the active from the passive, nor the nominative from the subjunctive... meaning - I seek Allah's forgiveness - I do not have to say a word, but perhaps he means he does not listen; he tells you he refuses to listen to the words of others.

The Shaykh : There is.
Abu Malik: Yes.

The Shaykh : There is.
Abu Malik: Yes, it was even said to him that I do not know who went to Riyadh, I think, and he was requested to meet him, and he said he refused.
Yes?

The Shaykh : He refused.
Abu Malik: He refused, yes.

The Shaykh : This mosque of al-Walid, O Professor, and the gatherings are on trust until we are sure. I - glory be to Allah! - in the recent period, he came to me.
...

The questioner : And the insurance compensates for them.

Another questioner : Is this compensation permissible?

The Shaykh : If they want to compensate him and he is their payer, it is permissible; otherwise, no. If the one they want to give him is insurance that he paid to the company, it is permissible; otherwise, no.
...

Another questioner : His work is against third parties, meaning, he means another man hit him and caused him a loss, so the insurance comes and compensates. Is this compensation permissible?