What is the stronger position among you regarding the term (munkar hadith)? Is it for corroborating narrations and supporting chains, or is it below that?
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The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah preserve you, there is the term "munkar hadith" used by the masters of hadith in the critique of some narrators. Some students of knowledge say that this term is a severe critique, and if it is said about a narrator, he is not cited as evidence. However, many scholars of terminology mentioned it in the ranks of corroborating narrations and supporting chains. What is the stronger position for you regarding such a term?
The Shaykh : The meaning held by the students of knowledge you referred to is specific to the terminology of Imam al-Bukhari. As for the majority of scholars, the scholars of al-jarh wa al-ta'dil (the critique and vindication of narrators), they consider that one about whom it is said he has a "munkar hadith" to be a subject of critique. They consider this criticized narrator to be weak. However, this does not prevent him from being placed in the category of weak narrators who are cited as evidence. Here, it is necessary to remind our brothers present, those who ... engage in the science of al-jarh wa al-ta'dil and perhaps the authentication and weakening of hadith, that there is a difference between a non-Bukhari scholar saying about a narrator of hadith that he has a "munkar hadith" and saying that the narrator has "munaqirat" (plural of munkar). This phrase is not a critique that drops the one it is said about from the rank of being cited as evidence with his hadith, even at the level of hasan (good). As for the one about whom it is said he has a "munkar hadith," he is weak, as we said, except in the expression of Imam al-Bukhari, for whom he is at the lowest degree of weakness. This is what comes to my mind in answer to this question.
The questioner : And supporting this, Shaykh, is that they counted Imam al-Bukhari as being subtle in expression in his critiques.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And he used this term for severe critique.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And the meaning of being subtle in expression in critique is that he uses expressions used by others for light critique, but he means by them severe critique.
The Shaykh : Yes, and like his saying, for example, "So-and-so is subject to scrutiny."
The questioner : And they remained silent about him.
The Shaykh : Do you see how al-Bukhari's text says "subject to scrutiny"?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It means he is dropped from consideration.
The Shaykh : The meaning held by the students of knowledge you referred to is specific to the terminology of Imam al-Bukhari. As for the majority of scholars, the scholars of al-jarh wa al-ta'dil (the critique and vindication of narrators), they consider that one about whom it is said he has a "munkar hadith" to be a subject of critique. They consider this criticized narrator to be weak. However, this does not prevent him from being placed in the category of weak narrators who are cited as evidence. Here, it is necessary to remind our brothers present, those who ... engage in the science of al-jarh wa al-ta'dil and perhaps the authentication and weakening of hadith, that there is a difference between a non-Bukhari scholar saying about a narrator of hadith that he has a "munkar hadith" and saying that the narrator has "munaqirat" (plural of munkar). This phrase is not a critique that drops the one it is said about from the rank of being cited as evidence with his hadith, even at the level of hasan (good). As for the one about whom it is said he has a "munkar hadith," he is weak, as we said, except in the expression of Imam al-Bukhari, for whom he is at the lowest degree of weakness. This is what comes to my mind in answer to this question.
The questioner : And supporting this, Shaykh, is that they counted Imam al-Bukhari as being subtle in expression in his critiques.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And he used this term for severe critique.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And the meaning of being subtle in expression in critique is that he uses expressions used by others for light critique, but he means by them severe critique.
The Shaykh : Yes, and like his saying, for example, "So-and-so is subject to scrutiny."
The questioner : And they remained silent about him.
The Shaykh : Do you see how al-Bukhari's text says "subject to scrutiny"?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It means he is dropped from consideration.
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