If a strict scholar in hadith criticism speaks alone, is his statement relied upon in declaring a narrator defective?
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The questioner : Here, our Shaykh, in the matter of when a scholar known for leniency in authenticating narrators speaks alone in hadith criticism.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : I see that you, specifically regarding those below the generation of the Tabi'un, you stop there.
The Shaykh : In the name of Allah.
The questioner : But here the question is: if a strict man speaks alone in hadith criticism and is known for being overly critical, like Ibn al-Qattan, for example, or Abu Hatim al-Razi, do you rely on his statement if it is in declaring a narrator defective? The speaking alone of a lenient person in authenticating may be something you do not pay attention to, and the speaking alone of a strict person—I mean by strict that he is one of the imams who is not himself declared defective, like al-Asadi and others—do you rely on him? So here the question is: why did we rely on the statement of the strict person, who is contrary to the correct path and truth in declaring narrators defective, and not rely on the statement of the lenient person, even though he is also contrary to the correct path and truth, like the first one, in authenticating?
The Shaykh : The answer is a general one: they are not equal. For example, one who is like Yahya ibn Sa'id, who is a mountain in memorization and in criticism, and this is acknowledged by the scholars of his time, let alone those who came after him and examined his criticism, authentication, and declaration of defects, is not equal to those lenient or strict people. They are not equal. This is the first point. Second, I want to clarify: did you see me relying on the declaration of defect by Yahya ibn Sa'id, even if there was an authenticator?
The questioner : No, the research, our Shaykh, is in the case where the statement in hadith criticism is alone.
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah.
The questioner : As for when there is someone who contradicts him or agrees with him, or so on, that is another matter where opinions are combined.
The Shaykh : I say, in that case, and without blame to others, he said it.
The questioner : If Allah wills, very well.
The Shaykh : I mean, I want to say: suppose we do not have this declaration of defect, what do we do with this narrator?
The questioner : This is what I want from you, may Allah bless you. We say this is what is in my mind, but I wanted to verify your answer.
The Shaykh : Take it, then.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : Because, I mean, if we neglected the statement of the one who declares defects, the man remains in a state of obscurity and his narration is not used as evidence at all.
The Shaykh : That is why I said to others, he said it.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. The answer is in my mind, but, our Shaykh, in truth, with some questions I want to verify the answer. Yes, and perhaps I have an answer in my mind.
The Shaykh : His saying, Exalted is He:[Al-Qasas 28:35]
The questioner : May Allah bless you, but let my heart be at ease.
The Shaykh : That is correct.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : And may He bless you.
The questioner : So, to summarize the answer, so that the brothers who are listening also know.
The Shaykh : The summary of the answer is that we rely on the declaration of defect by this strict person for two reasons.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The first is that he is not like many of the others who declare defects, and we have explained that previously.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The second reason is that he declares a person defective whose defect does not harm us, because if he did not exist, we would treat his hadith as weak hadiths, and when we rely on his declaration of defect, we do not add a hair's breadth to this treatment.
The questioner : Yes, may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : And you.
The questioner : As for if we took the statement of the lenient person, we would have acted.
The Shaykh: Allahu Akbar.
The questioner : upon the hadith. Yes, may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : I see that you, specifically regarding those below the generation of the Tabi'un, you stop there.
The Shaykh : In the name of Allah.
The questioner : But here the question is: if a strict man speaks alone in hadith criticism and is known for being overly critical, like Ibn al-Qattan, for example, or Abu Hatim al-Razi, do you rely on his statement if it is in declaring a narrator defective? The speaking alone of a lenient person in authenticating may be something you do not pay attention to, and the speaking alone of a strict person—I mean by strict that he is one of the imams who is not himself declared defective, like al-Asadi and others—do you rely on him? So here the question is: why did we rely on the statement of the strict person, who is contrary to the correct path and truth in declaring narrators defective, and not rely on the statement of the lenient person, even though he is also contrary to the correct path and truth, like the first one, in authenticating?
The Shaykh : The answer is a general one: they are not equal. For example, one who is like Yahya ibn Sa'id, who is a mountain in memorization and in criticism, and this is acknowledged by the scholars of his time, let alone those who came after him and examined his criticism, authentication, and declaration of defects, is not equal to those lenient or strict people. They are not equal. This is the first point. Second, I want to clarify: did you see me relying on the declaration of defect by Yahya ibn Sa'id, even if there was an authenticator?
The questioner : No, the research, our Shaykh, is in the case where the statement in hadith criticism is alone.
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah.
The questioner : As for when there is someone who contradicts him or agrees with him, or so on, that is another matter where opinions are combined.
The Shaykh : I say, in that case, and without blame to others, he said it.
The questioner : If Allah wills, very well.
The Shaykh : I mean, I want to say: suppose we do not have this declaration of defect, what do we do with this narrator?
The questioner : This is what I want from you, may Allah bless you. We say this is what is in my mind, but I wanted to verify your answer.
The Shaykh : Take it, then.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : Because, I mean, if we neglected the statement of the one who declares defects, the man remains in a state of obscurity and his narration is not used as evidence at all.
The Shaykh : That is why I said to others, he said it.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. The answer is in my mind, but, our Shaykh, in truth, with some questions I want to verify the answer. Yes, and perhaps I have an answer in my mind.
The Shaykh : His saying, Exalted is He:
We will strengthen your arm through your brother
سنشد عضدك بأخيكThe questioner : May Allah bless you, but let my heart be at ease.
The Shaykh : That is correct.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : And may He bless you.
The questioner : So, to summarize the answer, so that the brothers who are listening also know.
The Shaykh : The summary of the answer is that we rely on the declaration of defect by this strict person for two reasons.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The first is that he is not like many of the others who declare defects, and we have explained that previously.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The second reason is that he declares a person defective whose defect does not harm us, because if he did not exist, we would treat his hadith as weak hadiths, and when we rely on his declaration of defect, we do not add a hair's breadth to this treatment.
The questioner : Yes, may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : And you.
The questioner : As for if we took the statement of the lenient person, we would have acted.
The Shaykh: Allahu Akbar.
The questioner : upon the hadith. Yes, may Allah bless you.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.