What is the ruling on strengthening a hadith through multiple chains of narration, and what is the meaning of al-Tirmidhi's technical terms in his *Jami'*?

The questioner : You mentioned on one of the tapes the difference between al-Tirmidhi's statement regarding a hadith: "This is a good, anomalous hadith," and "a good hadith." I said the answer is: This is al-Tirmidhi's technical usage, and every student should be aware of it. When he says: "A good, anomalous hadith," he means that its chain of narration itself is good, so the hadith is good in its own right with that same chain. And when he says only: "A good hadith," he means that the hadith's chain has a weakness in it, and it was strengthened by other chains. The question, O Shaykh: The hadith in which al-Tirmidhi says: "A good hadith" and is silent; is it possible that if the chains are numerous, it might reach the level of authentic?

The Shaykh : The answer is with you.

The questioner : I do not mean that if it is strengthened by more chains, it might be stronger; does it become more strengthened if the chains are numerous?

The Shaykh : Do you mean to say: It becomes authentic? I said, why do you return and say: Good? You have quoted from me that if a hadith is described as: "Good," that means it is so by the sum of its chains. And now you have repeated the same question, so you mean: Can a hadith rise to the rank of authentic by other means through the multitude of its chains? The answer is: Yes; because the more a hadith's chains increase, the more its strength increases. So a hadith that is authentic by other means may consist of a sum of a chain that is good in its own right plus a chain that is weak in its own right. This weak one is added to the one that is good in its own right, and it is possible that by the sum of the two chains it rises to authentic by other means. Indeed, it is possible that there are, for example, ten chains, each of which is weak; there is no doubt that the sum of these chains raises the hadith to authentic by other means, let alone good by other means. So the answer is that if you intended authentic by other means, a hadith can rise by the sum of its numerous chains to authentic by other means.