A question regarding the authenticity of a hadith and the ruling on Ibn Hibran’s authentication of narrators
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The questioner : A man was mentioned to us about whom some scholars said he is unknown in status, while others said that Ibn Hibran (may Allah have mercy on him) authenticated him, and some later scholars of al-jarh wa al-ta'dil followed him in this. An example of this is the report from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said, "I have not seen a man whose prayer was more like the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) than this young man," meaning 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz. "So we fell into bowing, and he glorified Allah ten times, and into prostration, and he glorified Allah ten times." The hadith ends there.
In this hadith, there is a man named Wahb ibn Manus. Ibn al-Qattan said of him that he is unknown in status, and al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar said he is mustawr (concealed), while Ibn Hibran authenticated him, and al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) followed him in this. So the question is: Is al-Dhahabi’s statement about this man considered valid, and what is the grade of this hadith?
The Shaykh : The hadith, in my takhrij that I did long ago in "The Description of Prayer", is weak. As for Ibn Hibran’s authentication, we have spoken about it more than once that he is lenient in authentication. However, there is an exception to this weakening of his authentication, which is that sometimes he authenticates a man who, as Ibn al-Qattan said, is unknown in status, but who may have a large number of narrators, four or five, who are trustworthy. In this case, we find ourselves reassured and inclined to rely on Ibn Hibran’s authentication of such a man, because his authentication is accompanied by the narration of a group of trustworthy people from him, especially if you accurately report that one of the later huffaz (memorizers) agreed with his authentication, such as al-Dhahabi, as I mentioned earlier.
And we find in reality that not a few of Ibn Hibran’s trustworthy narrators are described by some as unknown, while others rely on Ibn Hibran’s authentication. The difference that obliges us sometimes to rely on his authentication and sometimes not is to look at who narrated from him. If they are a group of three or more and they are trustworthy, then we should rely on his authentication. If they are fewer than that, the matter remains as Ibn al-Qattan said, or as he says about many narrators, that he is unknown in status.
In short, a rigid, unchanging rule should not be established for Ibn Hibran’s authentication. Most of the trustworthy narrators he authenticated are indeed trustworthy. A few of them require the detailed distinction mentioned earlier: some are among the unknown, and some are those whom he alone authenticated, but he has what excuses him due to the large number of narrators from the one he authenticated, in which case his authentication is relied upon. Yes, please proceed.
The questioner : Whether he is from the Tabi'un or from others, in the detailed distinction mentioned earlier?
The Shaykh : Whether he is what?
The questioner : From the Tabi'un or from others.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes. If he is from the Tabi'un, it means the soul is reassured. Even if he is below the level of the Tabi'un, and if the narrators from him are numerous and trustworthy, then he is authenticated by his authentication. This is sufficient, and the time has ended, so depart all of you with guidance.
In this hadith, there is a man named Wahb ibn Manus. Ibn al-Qattan said of him that he is unknown in status, and al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar said he is mustawr (concealed), while Ibn Hibran authenticated him, and al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) followed him in this. So the question is: Is al-Dhahabi’s statement about this man considered valid, and what is the grade of this hadith?
The Shaykh : The hadith, in my takhrij that I did long ago in "The Description of Prayer", is weak. As for Ibn Hibran’s authentication, we have spoken about it more than once that he is lenient in authentication. However, there is an exception to this weakening of his authentication, which is that sometimes he authenticates a man who, as Ibn al-Qattan said, is unknown in status, but who may have a large number of narrators, four or five, who are trustworthy. In this case, we find ourselves reassured and inclined to rely on Ibn Hibran’s authentication of such a man, because his authentication is accompanied by the narration of a group of trustworthy people from him, especially if you accurately report that one of the later huffaz (memorizers) agreed with his authentication, such as al-Dhahabi, as I mentioned earlier.
And we find in reality that not a few of Ibn Hibran’s trustworthy narrators are described by some as unknown, while others rely on Ibn Hibran’s authentication. The difference that obliges us sometimes to rely on his authentication and sometimes not is to look at who narrated from him. If they are a group of three or more and they are trustworthy, then we should rely on his authentication. If they are fewer than that, the matter remains as Ibn al-Qattan said, or as he says about many narrators, that he is unknown in status.
In short, a rigid, unchanging rule should not be established for Ibn Hibran’s authentication. Most of the trustworthy narrators he authenticated are indeed trustworthy. A few of them require the detailed distinction mentioned earlier: some are among the unknown, and some are those whom he alone authenticated, but he has what excuses him due to the large number of narrators from the one he authenticated, in which case his authentication is relied upon. Yes, please proceed.
The questioner : Whether he is from the Tabi'un or from others, in the detailed distinction mentioned earlier?
The Shaykh : Whether he is what?
The questioner : From the Tabi'un or from others.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes. If he is from the Tabi'un, it means the soul is reassured. Even if he is below the level of the Tabi'un, and if the narrators from him are numerous and trustworthy, then he is authenticated by his authentication. This is sufficient, and the time has ended, so depart all of you with guidance.