Explanation of the weakness of Sharik and the statements of some hadith scholars regarding him.

The Shaykh : Sharik here is Sharik ibn Abdullah al-Qadi, and he is known among the scholars of al-jarh wa al-ta'dil (the critique and vindication of narrators) as weak due to his poor memory. Naturally, the time does not allow us to read to you the words of the Imams regarding the criticism of this narrator, Sharik, but we will suffice with two citations:
The first citation is that among those who extracted this hadith is al-Hafiz al-Imam al-Daraqutni in his "Sunan." When he finished narrating its chain and text, he said: "And Sharik is not strong." Thus, the extractor of the hadith, or one of its extractors, weakens this hadith and attributes a defect to it by stating that this Sharik is not strong in hadith.
Then another citation we convey directly from a book by one of the authors in whom a beginner in hadith has no doubt about his knowledge, let alone others, that he has a standing of truthfulness in this science; namely, the science of al-jarh wa al-ta'dil (the critique and vindication of narrators). I mean by this al-Hafiz Ahmad ibn Hajar al-Asqalani. Listen to his statement about him, he says: "Trustworthy, but makes many mistakes. His memory changed after he assumed the judgeship in Kufa. He was just, excellent, a worshipper, and severe against the people of innovation." This is al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar's biography of Sharik ibn Abdullah al-Qadi, the narrator of this hadith. He gives him what he deserves of virtue in worship, righteousness, and the like, and the most important of which regarding hadith science is truthfulness; that is, he does not lie. However, he was overcome by his circumstances, so he made many mistakes, and his memory changed; that is, it worsened when he assumed the judgeship in Kufa. This is a natural and known matter that every scholar who focused on one area became strong in it, and conversely, became weak in the other areas he turned away from.
So we are surprised by the statement of Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah that this is the authentic hadith narrated by Sharik, and Sharik does not narrate authentic hadiths because his memory is weak. Therefore, al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi himself mentioned in the conclusion of Sharik's biography in his book al-Mizan, "Mizan al-I'tidal fi Naqd al-Rijal": "And Muslim extracted a supporting chain for him." This means that Muslim did not rely on Sharik due to his poor memory, but rather narrated from him only with a supporting chain or a corroborating narration from another. The word "mutaba'ah" (supporting chain) alone is sufficient for one engaged in this science to know that the narrator is not relied upon in his hadith until someone supports him or compares him in narrating the same hadith. The reality here is that Sharik was unique in narrating this hadith. This is the first point taken against al-Imam Ibn al-Qayyim in the previous statement.
The second and final point is his statement: "And nothing was reported in his practice that contradicts that."
This was a slip of the pen due to the man's preoccupation with the issue of travel, writing during travel. Why? Because there is a hadith, I think he himself mentioned it, which is the hadith of Ibn Umar: "That the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to place his hands before his knees." He himself cited this hadith, and the discussion will come in its place, if Allah wills. It is surprising that he said that nothing was narrated, or "nothing was reported in his practice that contradicts that." Then Ibn al-Qayyim answers a question that arises in the mind of the student of his book, saying: "As for the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, which he raised to the Prophet: , he answers this hadith which is explicit in contradicting the hadith of Wail, which Ibn al-Qayyim claimed was the authentic one. It is opposed by the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, raised to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and from his saying: ; that is, he does not place his knees before his hands. Because he (peace be upon him) said in the completion of the hadith: .
Listen to Ibn al-Qayyim's answer; for in its beginning you feel its weakness. He says: "So the hadith, and Allah knows best, has an error from some of the narrators; for its beginning contradicts its end. For if he places his hands before his knees, he has prostrated like a camel prostrates; for the camel only places its hands first." This is the doubt of all people, and it seems to be a doubt not only inspired by Ibn al-Qayyim's words, but a doubt that prevails among most people who do not observe the camel when it lowers itself, always and forever. So let us discuss Ibn al-Qayyim in this claim. He says: "That the camel when it prostrates, when it lowers itself, only places its hands before its knees." I hope he means he places his knees.

The questioner : He says: his hands.

The Shaykh : He says: his hands, yes.
He said: "For its beginning contradicts its end; for if he places his hands before his knees—that is, the one praying—he has prostrated like a camel prostrates; for the camel only places its hands first."