Is the concealment of equalization limited to dropping a weak narrator, or is it broader?
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The questioner : From my perspective, the well-known view is that the one who conceals by equalization drops a weak or minor narrator. However, I saw the Hafiz in *al-Nukat* say that equalization is not restricted to dropping the weak; one may drop a trustworthy narrator, just as Hushaym dropped Malik.
The Shaykh : Hushaym.
The questioner : He dropped Malik.
The Shaykh : Malik.
The questioner : And he is trustworthy. So the Hafiz said that equalization is not restricted to dropping the weak; one may drop a trustworthy narrator, just as Hushaym dropped Malik.
The Shaykh : The example comes to mind.
The questioner : It is in the second part, page 621.
The Shaykh : The chain of narration, I mean.
The questioner : No, if *al-Nukat* were available, we could refer to it.
The Shaykh : I do not think Hushaym met Malik.
The questioner : Hushaym narrated from... I do not remember now. Malik is...
The Shaykh : I have no prior idea about this type, and although I do not rule out, based on my experience, that the concealment of equalization is broader than just dropping the weak, I stopped at this example. I would like to look at the chain of narration itself.
The questioner : My point is about equalization, my Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is why this was the case.
The questioner : The well-known view is that Hushaym is not among those who conceal by equalization.
The questioner : And Hushaym was counted among those who conceal by equalization with this example.
The Shaykh : Therefore, we should look at the chain of narration itself, because the truth is that Hushaym, as our brother Abu al-Harith said—may Allah reward him with good—is described with the known type of concealment. There is nothing new in the matter here. So let us verify; it is necessary to look at the chain of narration. Please.
Another questioner : The concealment here is perhaps due to his being a concealer. There is no difference between dropping a trustworthy narrator or not dropping a trustworthy one, but rather dropping one who is not trustworthy. From this perspective, perhaps, or perhaps, even if it is well-known that he is a concealer, it comes from the perspective that his narration is not accepted, even if he drops a trustworthy one, because concealment, in itself, should not be accepted from the concealer. This is what comes to mind, and Allah knows best.
The Shaykh : This answer is suitable for concealment in general, or do you mean this?
Another questioner : I mean, in terms of whether it is concealment by equalization or concealment of shaykhs, this covers it. But I say that this example cited by Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) is from this perspective, meaning it is not suitable to be... even if the one dropped is trustworthy, it should not be accepted in itself. And although this covers both types of concealment.
The Shaykh : This is as a general rule, meaning it is so.
Another questioner : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : It is so. In any case, he is mentioning the narration.
The questioner : The example, the example in which he dropped Malik, and the example in which he mentioned Malik is the same, meaning the chain in both cases: Malik and his dropping. He said, "From here it appears that the concealment of equalization is not restricted to dropping the weak, but one may drop a trustworthy one. And from here, he counted some of the people of this type."
The Shaykh : But here, O Abu al-Hasan, a question arises: What is the benefit of this statement?The questioner : In defining the concealment of equalization, I know it as a technical term.
The Shaykh : And what is the benefit of this definition?
The questioner : It is only a matter regarding the validity of the restriction in the validity of the definition or its invalidity, only.
The Shaykh : For example, we come to the well-known concealer with this type of concealment known to you, which is al-Walid ibn Muslim al-Dimashqi. If it is known about him that he used to drop a shaykh...The Shaykh : ...the weak one, do we also describe him with this description?
The questioner : The shaykh, the weak shaykh. It is assumed that he is a concealer by equalization.
The Shaykh : No, do we also say he may conceal...The Shaykh : ...the trustworthy one?
The questioner : No, we cannot say that unless this is established about him.
The Shaykh : That is it. Good.
The questioner : But it is only that, meaning when we knew that the concealment of equalization is dropping a trustworthy narrator, dropping a weak or minor narrator between two trustworthy ones, each of whom met the other. So when I came upon this text, I said, then this definition, meaning either it restricts, or how do we understand the Hafiz's statement with the generality of this definition?
The Shaykh : In any case, if this example is established, it will be rare. And this rarity is the reason it was not mentioned in the known definition, meaning in the science of principles, the principles of hadith.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh: Please... .
Another questioner : No, by Allah, this is from the research that was specialized in by some of the preservers of hadith. He was rightly called in his time, and to this day, "The Commander of the Faithful in Hadith."
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner: Our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Hushaym.
The questioner : He dropped Malik.
The Shaykh : Malik.
The questioner : And he is trustworthy. So the Hafiz said that equalization is not restricted to dropping the weak; one may drop a trustworthy narrator, just as Hushaym dropped Malik.
The Shaykh : The example comes to mind.
The questioner : It is in the second part, page 621.
The Shaykh : The chain of narration, I mean.
The questioner : No, if *al-Nukat* were available, we could refer to it.
The Shaykh : I do not think Hushaym met Malik.
The questioner : Hushaym narrated from... I do not remember now. Malik is...
The Shaykh : I have no prior idea about this type, and although I do not rule out, based on my experience, that the concealment of equalization is broader than just dropping the weak, I stopped at this example. I would like to look at the chain of narration itself.
The questioner : My point is about equalization, my Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is why this was the case.
The questioner : The well-known view is that Hushaym is not among those who conceal by equalization.
The questioner : And Hushaym was counted among those who conceal by equalization with this example.
The Shaykh : Therefore, we should look at the chain of narration itself, because the truth is that Hushaym, as our brother Abu al-Harith said—may Allah reward him with good—is described with the known type of concealment. There is nothing new in the matter here. So let us verify; it is necessary to look at the chain of narration. Please.
Another questioner : The concealment here is perhaps due to his being a concealer. There is no difference between dropping a trustworthy narrator or not dropping a trustworthy one, but rather dropping one who is not trustworthy. From this perspective, perhaps, or perhaps, even if it is well-known that he is a concealer, it comes from the perspective that his narration is not accepted, even if he drops a trustworthy one, because concealment, in itself, should not be accepted from the concealer. This is what comes to mind, and Allah knows best.
The Shaykh : This answer is suitable for concealment in general, or do you mean this?
Another questioner : I mean, in terms of whether it is concealment by equalization or concealment of shaykhs, this covers it. But I say that this example cited by Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) is from this perspective, meaning it is not suitable to be... even if the one dropped is trustworthy, it should not be accepted in itself. And although this covers both types of concealment.
The Shaykh : This is as a general rule, meaning it is so.
Another questioner : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : It is so. In any case, he is mentioning the narration.
The questioner : The example, the example in which he dropped Malik, and the example in which he mentioned Malik is the same, meaning the chain in both cases: Malik and his dropping. He said, "From here it appears that the concealment of equalization is not restricted to dropping the weak, but one may drop a trustworthy one. And from here, he counted some of the people of this type."
The Shaykh : But here, O Abu al-Hasan, a question arises: What is the benefit of this statement?The questioner : In defining the concealment of equalization, I know it as a technical term.
The Shaykh : And what is the benefit of this definition?
The questioner : It is only a matter regarding the validity of the restriction in the validity of the definition or its invalidity, only.
The Shaykh : For example, we come to the well-known concealer with this type of concealment known to you, which is al-Walid ibn Muslim al-Dimashqi. If it is known about him that he used to drop a shaykh...The Shaykh : ...the weak one, do we also describe him with this description?
The questioner : The shaykh, the weak shaykh. It is assumed that he is a concealer by equalization.
The Shaykh : No, do we also say he may conceal...The Shaykh : ...the trustworthy one?
The questioner : No, we cannot say that unless this is established about him.
The Shaykh : That is it. Good.
The questioner : But it is only that, meaning when we knew that the concealment of equalization is dropping a trustworthy narrator, dropping a weak or minor narrator between two trustworthy ones, each of whom met the other. So when I came upon this text, I said, then this definition, meaning either it restricts, or how do we understand the Hafiz's statement with the generality of this definition?
The Shaykh : In any case, if this example is established, it will be rare. And this rarity is the reason it was not mentioned in the known definition, meaning in the science of principles, the principles of hadith.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh: Please... .
Another questioner : No, by Allah, this is from the research that was specialized in by some of the preservers of hadith. He was rightly called in his time, and to this day, "The Commander of the Faithful in Hadith."
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner: Our Shaykh.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.