Is there a case for combining the narration of an individual with that of a group, as al-Daraqutni does when he carries a hadith on both the marfu' and mawquf levels?

The questioner : Shaykh, regarding the issue of combining the narration of an individual with that of a group, in my review of Imam al-Daraqutni's book al-'Ilal, I found that he carries the hadith on both levels even when the individual contradicts the group. He says that this narrator, upon whom the chain depends, narrated it this way from the individual and that way from the group, and the hadith is carried on both levels. I found this in several cases. May I present them to you?

The Shaykh : Before the cases, there is a contradiction between one level and another, and he proceeded with both levels.

The questioner : Such as an addition of a word, meaning an addition of meaning.

The Shaykh : What concerns you, as we discussed here.

The questioner : You mentioned that you said an addition of meaning is considered an addition.

The Shaykh : So, in that case, your saying that the wording is what matters to us, well, in that case, it means...

The questioner : The hadith is carried on both levels, or sometimes, for example, the mawquf and the marfu'... I said regarding the texts, there is an addition of a word, which is an addition of meaning. This is in the texts. And sometimes it is in the chain, in the marfu' and mawquf, or replacing one narrator with another, or in that sense?

The Shaykh : And there is a preference (tarjih) regarding the anomalous hadith, whether in chain or text, or are there close, opposing levels?

The questioner : A trustworthy individual contradicted four or five trustworthy narrators.

The Shaykh : This...

The questioner : Yes, so sometimes I present to you the cases that have appeared to me, and you clarify the correct ruling in them, if Allah wills.

The Shaykh : Please.

The questioner : Sometimes, if the individual narrator who contradicts the group is one of the famous, trustworthy imams, the hadith is carried on both levels. This is as in question number 652 of al-'Ilal. And sometimes it is...

The Shaykh : We gave an example.

The questioner : The example is not with me; I thought it was.

The Shaykh : How are we supposed to answer you, Abu al-Hasan, right now?

The questioner : I thought the research would be available in the library.

The Shaykh : We do not blame you, but we apologize to you.

The questioner : May Allah reward you. I hope you are well.

The questioner : So, the questions that require books, set them aside...

The Shaykh : Meaning, you do not have a single example for what you said?

The questioner : I have numbers for the examples. I have two examples now, but the book is not in our hands right now.

The Shaykh : Subhan Allah, and your apology is repeated again.

The questioner : And your apology is acceptable in light of all this, but I say...

The Shaykh : I say, may Allah reward you with good.

The questioner : You are ahead in knowledge and good, surely. Things like this have passed before you and become clear to you.

The Shaykh : No, I, as far as I know, do not know this. I mean, it is possible that there is a contradiction between one narration and another, and it can be said that both levels are valid. For example, the one who raised it (marfu') is trustworthy, and the one who stopped it (mawquf) is trustworthy, so both levels are said to be valid here. And I do this sometimes. I say that the narrator, sometimes, and others who did the same, and from whom we learned, sometimes becomes active and raises the hadith, and sometimes does not become active and stops it. Or the atmosphere is not suitable for narrating the hadith from the unknown, so he suspends it. This is something I know. But that there is a group of trustworthy narrators who narrated the hadith, let us say, as mawquf, and another trustworthy narrator contradicted these trustworthy narrators and narrated it as marfu', and then it is said that both levels are valid, and al-Daraqutni proceeds with both—this is not what I imagine.

The questioner : Well, let us postpone this question until we are, if Allah wills, with the books at that time.

The Shaykh : You are welcome.

The questioner : May Allah reward you, and with this, we need another session.

The Shaykh : I thought you would say you have it, not just between the books.

The questioner : This is what I hope and wish for.

The Shaykh : I thought you would say you have it, because I promised you.

The questioner : May Allah reward you.

The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, if Allah wills. Well.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. Shaykh, regarding the statement, for example, of Urwah that Aishah...

The Shaykh : Excuse me.

The questioner : Please.

The Shaykh : So, you are certain that this strange, unusual example exists in al-Daraqutni's al-'Ilal? So, al-'Ilal, you...

The questioner : It appeared to me that a trustworthy imam, like Yahya ibn Sa'id al-Qattan, whose reputation is well-known, is not suspected of error. It is not said that he memorized the hadith from this...The Shaykh : On this level, and the group memorized it from this level. And if there is any of the matters, it is from...The Shaykh : Those above them.

The Shaykh : You have now introduced a new factor into the topic. You did not mention the mountain of memorization.

The questioner : This is what I mentioned, Shaykh. The same question I mentioned, I said one of the famous, trustworthy imams.

The Shaykh : From the imams, the authors and compilers came to my mind first, but now he has clarified it: Yahya ibn Sa'id.

The questioner : And perhaps the example I am mentioning is in Yahya ibn Sa'id and Sufyan al-Thawri, and people like them.

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : This is regarding this case.

The Shaykh : This is a bit gentle, meaning the atmosphere.

The questioner : Well, if Allah wills, we will address the question, with Allah's permission.

The Shaykh: Go ahead.