What is the meaning of a denounced narration?

The questioner : Explain the meaning of "munkar" (denounced), my master, exactly what is it?

The Shaykh : How?

The questioner : What is meant by "munkar" in the context of hadith?

The Shaykh : Sometimes, may Allah bless you, the denunciation is from the perspective of the chain of narration, and sometimes it is from the perspective of the text. Then, if the denunciation is from the perspective of the text, it means one of two things: first, it is denounced because the narrator contradicted others in the text, like the previous example before you came and before you sat down.

The questioner : Does the meaning of "gharib" (rare) include this in such a case?

The Shaykh : No, the "gharib" has something else. The second meaning of "munkar" is that the one who claimed the denunciation of this text examined it with a thorough, juristic look into the generalities of the Shari'ah and found that the meaning of this text does not align with the generalities and rules of the Shari'ah, so he says this text is denounced. This is what we understand from this word.

The questioner : And it is denounced in its text?

The Shaykh : In its text, yes.

The questioner : Denounced in its chain?

The Shaykh : A chain that is denounced is when the narrator is unique in it. It also has two technical terms: that a weak narrator is unique in a hadith absolutely, and it is called a denounced hadith. This is the usage of some of the imams of hadith, like the saying of Imam Ahmad, for example, in a hadith — I greeted you, Doctor, but I did not complete the greeting —

The questioner : Peace be upon you

The Shaykh : No, I mean more than that.

Another questioner : The handshake.

The questioner : We did not want to interrupt you, if you please.

The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The Shaykh : Welcome, Doctor. Perhaps, Professor Adnan, at least I know your brother's position in his job and his status better than the status of the one on your left in terms of his job. He may have to stand up every time someone enters. At least, if you alert him that when he attends this gathering, he should rest in it, meaning he should not stand up every time someone enters and gets tired, especially since I see that he is close in age to you, meaning —

The Shaykh : The audience : They laugh.

The Shaykh : Yes, so we return to what is the meaning of "munkar" in the chain. It also has two technical terms. One of them means simply the uniqueness of the weak narrator in the hadith. The second technical term is that this is not sufficient to say that this hadith is denounced until it contradicts someone who is more trustworthy. If the weakness of the narrator is confirmed along with the contradiction, his hadith is called denounced. If the unique narrator who contradicted is trustworthy, but the one he contradicted is more trustworthy and more numerous, then it is called anomalous (shadhdh). Both of them, the denounced and the anomalous, in terms of ruling, are not used as evidence. Both are under one ruling. We return to the first technical term: the mere narration of the weak narrator of the hadith. Some scholars call it a denounced hadith. A well-known example comes to mind: a hadith circulated in books of etiquette, especially the etiquette of food, and on the tongues of people. They narrate from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: This hadith was narrated uniquely by a man who is, in the view of the scholars of hadith, truthful in himself, but poor in his memory. Therefore, they do not use his hadith as evidence. His name is Qays ibn al-Rabi'. He narrated this hadith, and Imam Ahmad, the Imam of the Sunnah, said in this hadith: "It is a denounced hadith." This does not mean that he contradicted someone who is more trustworthy or has a better memory. No, it means that he was unique in narrating it. And with this, the answer to the question about the denounced hadith ends.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.