What is the correct view regarding Urwah’s narration from A’ishah when he narrates from her using the word “an” or “min”?

The questioner : For example, when Urwah says, “A’ishah said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) such and such, and he said to her such and such,” Imam Ahmad distinguishes this wording from his statement, “From Urwah, from A’ishah, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said such and such.” The first case appears to be connected, but its reality is that it is a mursal report. The second case is connected. The scholars’ discussion on the difference between “min” and “an,” and the argumentation of some scholars in distinguishing between them, and other matters, can be found in some places in *Al-Silsilah al-Sahihah*. You make this narration connected: “From Urwah, that A’ishah said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) such and such.” Is it so? Is the matter so?

The Shaykh : As long as she said it.

The questioner : No, he says, “A’ishah said,” but he did not witness the incident. He did not hear the words of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) or the words of A’ishah to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), nor was he informed that she informed him that he said to her or she said to him (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Shaykh : Everything you mentioned, except the last point, is sufficient: that she said it. So where does it come from? What is the first thing that comes to the listener’s mind when he reads a narration from Urwah in which he speaks about his aunt A’ishah? What comes to your mind?The questioner : What comes to mind is that it is connected and that she informed him.

The Shaykh : And if there is something that prevents this, we refrain. If there is something that prevents this, we refrain.

The questioner : The explicit statement of Imam Ahmad and some scholars that the reality of this is a mursal report—does this count as something that prevents it?

The Shaykh : How do you mean?

The questioner : I mean, Imam Ahmad, like Urwah, when asked about the difference between “min” and “an,” such as: “From Urwah, from A’ishah, that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said such and such”—this is connected. And: “Urwah, that A’ishah said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) such and such, and he said”—this is mursal. Some later scholars argued that “min” indicates connection and that “an” does not indicate connection. They were refuted by the fact that Imam Ahmad does not distinguish between “min” and “an,” but that “an” in the first case has the meaning that Urwah related something he did not witness, so it is possible that it is mursal, unlike “min.”

The Shaykh : And this is the principle. That is, any narrator from another narrator who does not have between him and the one he narrated from such a connection and kinship as that between Urwah and A’ishah—this is the principle: distinguishing between “min” and “an,” because “an” appears to indicate a mursal report, whereas “min” does not. The important thing I observe is only the close kinship between Urwah and A’ishah. Then it occurs to me that there are some narrations of this type in *Sahih al-Bukhari*, but they are distinguished by the fact that at the end of the story, Urwah says, “A’ishah said such and such.”

The questioner : What Allah willed.

The Shaykh : The Hafiz says in *Al-Fath* that this indicates that his initial statement is in the ruling of a connected report, not in the ruling of a disconnected report.

The questioner : What Allah willed.

The Shaykh : Yes, and this is the correct view, and Allah knows best.

The questioner : So, as Allah wills, I have now mentioned a statement by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali in his commentary on *Al-'Ilal* by al-Tirmidhi. After mentioning this statement of Imam Ahmad, he said: “As for those who narrate frequently, like Urwah from A’ishah, a mursal report is not conceivable.” He gave this exact example.

The Shaykh : What Allah willed.

The questioner : We ask Allah to preserve you.

The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.

The questioner : May Allah bless you. May Allah strengthen you, O our Shaykh. O Allah, amen. O Allah, amen. O our Shaykh, what is the ruling when the one who affirms and the one who denies differ? The scholars say that we prioritize the one who affirms over the one who denies because he has additional knowledge that the one who denies does not have. However, I also found a place in *Al-Silsilah al-Sahihah* where you prioritized the one who denies over the one who affirms. This is due to the necessity of having the book present.