What is the interpretation of the phrase of 'Adi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding some narrators: (he is closer to weakness than to truthfulness)?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Abu Ishaq: Well, Shaykh, in al-Kamil by Ibn 'Adi, he has a term that seems strange. That is, in the biography of some narrators, he gives his ruling at the end of the biography and says, "he is closer to weakness than to truthfulness." So, at first glance, it seems as if he makes truthfulness the opposite of weakness. So weakness would be in terms of 'adalah (integrity). And if this is established, it seems as if he is accusing him of lacking integrity or something of that sort.
The Shaykh : I see that this phrase should be interpreted in light of the preceding discussion, which determines whether he means by truthfulness here the opposite of lying, or whether he means preservation and precision in what he narrates.
Abu Ishaq: The apparent meaning from the biography is that he means preservation and precision.
The Shaykh : Well, interpret it in that light. That is, his truthfulness in his narration means error or correctness; he does not mean intentional lying. As you know from the terminology of the Arabic language, "so-and-so lied" does not necessarily have to be interpreted as intentional lying. Likewise, we say "so-and-so told the truth," and it is not necessary to understand from that that he intended to tell the truth, but rather that he narrated the truth. This is the opposite of lying. I do not know if this philosophy in the language is acceptable or not.
Abu Ishaq laughs.
Especially from a non-Arab, Murad.
The questioner : You are the blessing, Professor.
Al-Halabi : My teacher, in a sense, this term is close to the term "sidduq" (truthful) used by al-Hafiz. That is, he does not mean that he is the opposite of a liar or not a liar, but rather that he is precise and just, except that his precision is weak...
The Shaykh : You have done well.
Al-Halabi : Is it not close to this, my teacher?
The Shaykh : Let people smell and pray upon the Messenger.
The Shaykh : The students laugh.
The Shaykh : I say, smell and remember Allah, hold on.
Al-Halabi : Is this not close?
The Shaykh : Very close.
Abu Ishaq: But, Shaykh, regarding the statement of my brother 'Ali, a question arises regarding the term "sidduq" (truthful). If it is used without a counterpart, it is possible to understand it as truthfulness, integrity, and precision. But if it is contrasted with weakness, then the problem arises here.
The Shaykh : Correct, and we accept the problem. And therefore my answer was to interpret it in light of the preceding discussion. So I answered that it means what?
Abu Ishaq: Weakness in precision.
The Shaykh : Weakness in preservation, that is it.
Abu Ishaq: Shaykh, in 'Ilal al-Hadith by Ibn Abi Hatim, he frequently cites from his father, Abu Hatim (may Allah have mercy on him), that he uses the term "batil" (invalid) and the aspect is not clear. So, through your investigation of the 'ilal (defects) and the like, have you come across the meaning of "batil" in the terminology of Abu Hatim in the 'ilal?
The Shaykh : I cannot say that he has a specific term, but I say that this is a term that is not exclusive to Abu Hatim alone. Often, such a term is issued by others among the early and later scholars. And I recently answered a question like this, where it becomes clear from researching the context of their use of this word that it indicates the scope of their speech and their placement of this word in it. This is something that, to my knowledge, has not been explicitly stated in the science of terminology. They mean the invalidity of the matn (text) sometimes, and the invalidity of the isnad (chain) other times. Even if there is no liar or fabricator in the chain that would necessitate the statement of invalidity. For example, regarding the matn, it is not hidden from you or from any student of knowledge that if the matn contradicts what is known from the religion by necessity, or if it contradicts the apparent meaning of a verse or an authentic hadith, then it is very clear at that time that the invalidity of this matn narrated by that weak narrator comes from its matn, even if the narrator is not accused of fabrication. And sometimes they mean invalidity in terms of the isnad. For example, they have this phrase that I will mention: The Imam al-Zuhri, for instance, has many students. One of them, from the weak narrators, narrates from the Imam al-Zuhri with his high, authentic chain, as if he says, "Anas ibn Malik narrated to me." And it is said, "This hadith is batil (invalid)." Why? Where are the trustworthy companions of al-Zuhri who mixed with him and kept him company for a few years, and then none of these people narrates what this weak narrator narrated? So this is batil. This is what I understand from their usage, meaning in their speech. And this reminds me of the story mentioned in the biography of Nu'aym ibn Abi Maryam sometimes, and in the discussion of fabricated hadith in terminology other times. They came to him and said to him, "Where did you get these hadiths that you narrate from 'Ikrimah from Ibn 'Abbas, when the companions of 'Ikrimah do not narrate anything of what you narrate from him?" So the man answered with complete frankness, saying, "When I saw that people were occupied with the fiqh of Abu Hanifa and the campaigns of Muhammad ibn Ishaq, instead of reciting the Qur'an, I fabricated these hadiths for them, thinking..."
The students laugh andThe Shaykh .
The Shaykh : his intention was good, hmm. The point is that the fabrication of these hadiths was discovered by his singularity in thatThe Shaykh : trustworthy man, who is 'Ikrimah, unlike the rest of his companions. This is what I understand from the word "batil." So the man answered with complete frankness.
Abu Ishaq: And in the 'ilal, there is a hadith. Abu Hatim said, "Its raising is batil (invalid)."
The Shaykh : Yes, well.
Abu Ishaq: It can be understood here that the invalidity may be applied by Abu Hatim to mere error, meaning it was possible that he could say it is mawquf (stopped at a Companion).
The Shaykh : But it is not only that. Note what I pointed out earlier. It may be that a trustworthy narrator narrated it as mawquf, and this weak narrator raised it. To clarify this reality that I explained earlier, he used the term "batil." Even though it would suffice to say that this is munkar (denounced). But when the hadith comes from the narration of a trustworthy narrator or more as mawquf, and that is, of course, in his opinion, what justified him to apply the term "batil" to the raised hadith.
The Shaykh : I see that this phrase should be interpreted in light of the preceding discussion, which determines whether he means by truthfulness here the opposite of lying, or whether he means preservation and precision in what he narrates.
Abu Ishaq: The apparent meaning from the biography is that he means preservation and precision.
The Shaykh : Well, interpret it in that light. That is, his truthfulness in his narration means error or correctness; he does not mean intentional lying. As you know from the terminology of the Arabic language, "so-and-so lied" does not necessarily have to be interpreted as intentional lying. Likewise, we say "so-and-so told the truth," and it is not necessary to understand from that that he intended to tell the truth, but rather that he narrated the truth. This is the opposite of lying. I do not know if this philosophy in the language is acceptable or not.
Abu Ishaq laughs.
Especially from a non-Arab, Murad.
The questioner : You are the blessing, Professor.
Al-Halabi : My teacher, in a sense, this term is close to the term "sidduq" (truthful) used by al-Hafiz. That is, he does not mean that he is the opposite of a liar or not a liar, but rather that he is precise and just, except that his precision is weak...
The Shaykh : You have done well.
Al-Halabi : Is it not close to this, my teacher?
The Shaykh : Let people smell and pray upon the Messenger.
The Shaykh : The students laugh.
The Shaykh : I say, smell and remember Allah, hold on.
Al-Halabi : Is this not close?
The Shaykh : Very close.
Abu Ishaq: But, Shaykh, regarding the statement of my brother 'Ali, a question arises regarding the term "sidduq" (truthful). If it is used without a counterpart, it is possible to understand it as truthfulness, integrity, and precision. But if it is contrasted with weakness, then the problem arises here.
The Shaykh : Correct, and we accept the problem. And therefore my answer was to interpret it in light of the preceding discussion. So I answered that it means what?
Abu Ishaq: Weakness in precision.
The Shaykh : Weakness in preservation, that is it.
Abu Ishaq: Shaykh, in 'Ilal al-Hadith by Ibn Abi Hatim, he frequently cites from his father, Abu Hatim (may Allah have mercy on him), that he uses the term "batil" (invalid) and the aspect is not clear. So, through your investigation of the 'ilal (defects) and the like, have you come across the meaning of "batil" in the terminology of Abu Hatim in the 'ilal?
The Shaykh : I cannot say that he has a specific term, but I say that this is a term that is not exclusive to Abu Hatim alone. Often, such a term is issued by others among the early and later scholars. And I recently answered a question like this, where it becomes clear from researching the context of their use of this word that it indicates the scope of their speech and their placement of this word in it. This is something that, to my knowledge, has not been explicitly stated in the science of terminology. They mean the invalidity of the matn (text) sometimes, and the invalidity of the isnad (chain) other times. Even if there is no liar or fabricator in the chain that would necessitate the statement of invalidity. For example, regarding the matn, it is not hidden from you or from any student of knowledge that if the matn contradicts what is known from the religion by necessity, or if it contradicts the apparent meaning of a verse or an authentic hadith, then it is very clear at that time that the invalidity of this matn narrated by that weak narrator comes from its matn, even if the narrator is not accused of fabrication. And sometimes they mean invalidity in terms of the isnad. For example, they have this phrase that I will mention: The Imam al-Zuhri, for instance, has many students. One of them, from the weak narrators, narrates from the Imam al-Zuhri with his high, authentic chain, as if he says, "Anas ibn Malik narrated to me." And it is said, "This hadith is batil (invalid)." Why? Where are the trustworthy companions of al-Zuhri who mixed with him and kept him company for a few years, and then none of these people narrates what this weak narrator narrated? So this is batil. This is what I understand from their usage, meaning in their speech. And this reminds me of the story mentioned in the biography of Nu'aym ibn Abi Maryam sometimes, and in the discussion of fabricated hadith in terminology other times. They came to him and said to him, "Where did you get these hadiths that you narrate from 'Ikrimah from Ibn 'Abbas, when the companions of 'Ikrimah do not narrate anything of what you narrate from him?" So the man answered with complete frankness, saying, "When I saw that people were occupied with the fiqh of Abu Hanifa and the campaigns of Muhammad ibn Ishaq, instead of reciting the Qur'an, I fabricated these hadiths for them, thinking..."
The students laugh andThe Shaykh .
The Shaykh : his intention was good, hmm. The point is that the fabrication of these hadiths was discovered by his singularity in thatThe Shaykh : trustworthy man, who is 'Ikrimah, unlike the rest of his companions. This is what I understand from the word "batil." So the man answered with complete frankness.
Abu Ishaq: And in the 'ilal, there is a hadith
Most of the sins of the son of Adam are in his tongue
أكثر خطايا ابن آدم في لسانهThe Shaykh : Yes, well.
Abu Ishaq: It can be understood here that the invalidity may be applied by Abu Hatim to mere error, meaning it was possible that he could say it is mawquf (stopped at a Companion).
The Shaykh : But it is not only that. Note what I pointed out earlier. It may be that a trustworthy narrator narrated it as mawquf, and this weak narrator raised it. To clarify this reality that I explained earlier, he used the term "batil." Even though it would suffice to say that this is munkar (denounced). But when the hadith comes from the narration of a trustworthy narrator or more as mawquf, and that is, of course, in his opinion, what justified him to apply the term "batil" to the raised hadith.
Source
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