What is meant by al-Hakim's statement: "Sahih according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs"?
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The questioner : Al-Hakim's statement in *al-Mustadrak*: "Sahih according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs", and then he mentions the narrators here. Are these the narrators of the two Shaykhs specifically, or is it a figurative similarity as al-Iraqi claimed?
The Shaykh : There are of both types. There are of both types. Sometimes it is a supporting chain, and sometimes it is independent. The reality is that al-Hakim, as it is said, wrote this book in black ink and was not given the opportunity to revise it.
Sharik ibn 'Abd Allah al-Qadi, this is... Sharik ibn 'Abd Allah al-Qadi and Muhammad ibn Ishaq, the author of the Sirah. Muslim narrates from them as a supporting chain. He says it is Sahih according to the conditions of Muslim, but there is a matter much more subtle than this, and this is very rare. Who pointed out that between al-Hakim and the Shaykh of al-Bukhari and Muslim there are two or more intermediaries? These are not according to the conditions of Muslim. So this is a specific technical term, and it is not precise for one to say this chain is Sahih according to the conditions of Muslim unless the chain is from someone like Imam Ahmad, because Imam Ahmad is one of the Shaykhs of the two Shaykhs. So if the reality is that he is a Shaykh of Ahmad and those above him are according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs, and he said: "Sahih according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs," then it is correct. But when al-Hakim says about a chain that between him and the Shaykh of al-Bukhari and Muslim, or the Shaykh of one of them, there are two or more intermediaries, and yet he says it is according to the conditions of al-Bukhari and Muslim, this is a specific technical term. It means it should be accepted with caution, because we found that some of al-Hakim's Shaykhs are not trustworthy, so the chain is not Sahih absolutely, let alone Sahih according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs.
The questioner : And... al-Dhahabi.
The Shaykh : The ruling is the same; it does not change.
The questioner : Does he mean by that... al-Hakim.
The Shaykh : This is the reality, Professor. There is no room for saying that al-Dhahabi agrees with al-Hakim in his statement "according to the conditions of al-Bukhari and Muslim" regarding a Shaykh of al-Hakim. It is impossible for a student of knowledge to understand that, let alone al-Dhahabi. But al-Dhahabi merely follows al-Hakim in his technical term. Now we will announce the prayer, if Allah wills, or is the mosque here on our way or not?
The questioner : May Allah preserve you. We pray at the mosque of Shaykh Abu Malik, as you see, our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : We will catch it.
The questioner : We will catch it, if Allah wills.
Another questioner: How, Shaykh, does he say: "Sahih according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs," when it means that from his Shaykh, the Shaykh of his Shaykh is not...
The Shaykh : I am telling you, my brother, it is a technical term. A technical term that we must understand and that is all.
The questioner : ... A technical term for what?
The Shaykh : Is it turning in your mind that the Shaykh of al-Hakim is according to the conditions of al-Bukhari and Muslim? Does al-Hakim mean that he is one of the Shaykhs of al-Bukhari and Muslim?
The questioner : He is not one of their Shaykhs, but does he mean by that meeting and contemporaneity?
The Shaykh : Neither this, nor that, nor this.
The Shaykh : There are of both types. There are of both types. Sometimes it is a supporting chain, and sometimes it is independent. The reality is that al-Hakim, as it is said, wrote this book in black ink and was not given the opportunity to revise it.
Sharik ibn 'Abd Allah al-Qadi, this is... Sharik ibn 'Abd Allah al-Qadi and Muhammad ibn Ishaq, the author of the Sirah. Muslim narrates from them as a supporting chain. He says it is Sahih according to the conditions of Muslim, but there is a matter much more subtle than this, and this is very rare. Who pointed out that between al-Hakim and the Shaykh of al-Bukhari and Muslim there are two or more intermediaries? These are not according to the conditions of Muslim. So this is a specific technical term, and it is not precise for one to say this chain is Sahih according to the conditions of Muslim unless the chain is from someone like Imam Ahmad, because Imam Ahmad is one of the Shaykhs of the two Shaykhs. So if the reality is that he is a Shaykh of Ahmad and those above him are according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs, and he said: "Sahih according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs," then it is correct. But when al-Hakim says about a chain that between him and the Shaykh of al-Bukhari and Muslim, or the Shaykh of one of them, there are two or more intermediaries, and yet he says it is according to the conditions of al-Bukhari and Muslim, this is a specific technical term. It means it should be accepted with caution, because we found that some of al-Hakim's Shaykhs are not trustworthy, so the chain is not Sahih absolutely, let alone Sahih according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs.
The questioner : And... al-Dhahabi.
The Shaykh : The ruling is the same; it does not change.
The questioner : Does he mean by that... al-Hakim.
The Shaykh : This is the reality, Professor. There is no room for saying that al-Dhahabi agrees with al-Hakim in his statement "according to the conditions of al-Bukhari and Muslim" regarding a Shaykh of al-Hakim. It is impossible for a student of knowledge to understand that, let alone al-Dhahabi. But al-Dhahabi merely follows al-Hakim in his technical term. Now we will announce the prayer, if Allah wills, or is the mosque here on our way or not?
The questioner : May Allah preserve you. We pray at the mosque of Shaykh Abu Malik, as you see, our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : We will catch it.
The questioner : We will catch it, if Allah wills.
Another questioner: How, Shaykh, does he say: "Sahih according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs," when it means that from his Shaykh, the Shaykh of his Shaykh is not...
The Shaykh : I am telling you, my brother, it is a technical term. A technical term that we must understand and that is all.
The questioner : ... A technical term for what?
The Shaykh : Is it turning in your mind that the Shaykh of al-Hakim is according to the conditions of al-Bukhari and Muslim? Does al-Hakim mean that he is one of the Shaykhs of al-Bukhari and Muslim?
The questioner : He is not one of their Shaykhs, but does he mean by that meeting and contemporaneity?
The Shaykh : Neither this, nor that, nor this.