What is your opinion of those who say that the hadith scholars have a superficial understanding of jurisprudence?

The questioner : What is the validity of the claim that the hadith scholars have a superficial understanding of jurisprudence? This is a statement that is well-known among many people, who say that the jurisprudence of the hadith scholars is superficial, and among them are ... .

The Shaykh : And among them is the Imam of the Sunnah, Ahmad ibn Hanbal?

The questioner : To the point that one of them said that the jurisprudence of the Imam ... .

The Shaykh : This is the statement of the enemies of the Sunnah. These are the enemies of the Sunnah, and their constant practice is to belittle the status of the scholars of hadith, both past and present. Meanwhile, it is agreed upon by all Muslim scholars without exception that the source of the Shari'ah is the Qur'an and the hadith. So from where would jurisprudence come to one who has no hadith? This is from the words of the Imam al-Shafi'i: "The principles are taken from the Book, the Sunnah, and analogical reasoning. Nothing is valid except what is built upon principles." So one who has no knowledge of hadith has no knowledge of the principles. And one who has no knowledge of the principles, how can he validly perform analogical reasoning? One hears such talk often and does not pay it any attention.