What is the ruling on using the computer to trace hadiths and pass judgment on them?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Regarding your use of the computer or the electronic computer in this matter, meaning in judging the validity of a hadith’s chain of narration, whether it is weak or authentic?
The Shaykh : Using the computer?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : We all know that the computer gives you what you put into it. However, the whole point is that it brings the distant close and makes the difficult easy. If the correct scientific methodology is fed into the computer, it is like any of these machines that facilitate and bring the distant close. It is one of the means that must be used and exploited to spread correct knowledge. This is a matter on which no two people differ, and there is no dispute about it. But where is the one who feeds this computer with the correct science of hadith? How many scholars do you have on the face of the Islamic earth who are known for their specialization in this field over many years? Therefore, I say that the issue of feeding the computer with the science of hadith, in terms of chains and texts, does not add anything to the publication of books that are currently being printed in the dozens—if not hundreds—by non-specialists in this field. There is no benefit in that; rather, it increases confusion. So, using the computer as a means, yes, it is this means. But there must be specialized scholars in every science to feed it before the computer. Then this device is used and distributed among the Muslims, each according to his capacity, and the correct knowledge comes to them by the nearest path and the easiest means. I believe this is an obligatory matter. But this obligation is preceded by what is more obligatory, which is finding the one who feeds this device. Yes.
The questioner : Regarding the data, it will be limited to the major approved books, which means...
The Shaykh : No, that is not the knowledge. I mean, if you want to mention al-Bukhari as it is, al-Bukhari today is published in copies that can be obtained by the general Muslims more easily than from a computer. But the intention is that we feed the computer with nourishment that the general Muslims cannot reach from the known books.
The questioner : You are feeding it with the names of the narrators, so that it can be given any chain of narration, and it is not necessary that it be from al-Bukhari.
The Shaykh : That is not the knowledge, my brother. The names of the narrators are in the book.
Yes.
The Shaykh : Using the computer?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : We all know that the computer gives you what you put into it. However, the whole point is that it brings the distant close and makes the difficult easy. If the correct scientific methodology is fed into the computer, it is like any of these machines that facilitate and bring the distant close. It is one of the means that must be used and exploited to spread correct knowledge. This is a matter on which no two people differ, and there is no dispute about it. But where is the one who feeds this computer with the correct science of hadith? How many scholars do you have on the face of the Islamic earth who are known for their specialization in this field over many years? Therefore, I say that the issue of feeding the computer with the science of hadith, in terms of chains and texts, does not add anything to the publication of books that are currently being printed in the dozens—if not hundreds—by non-specialists in this field. There is no benefit in that; rather, it increases confusion. So, using the computer as a means, yes, it is this means. But there must be specialized scholars in every science to feed it before the computer. Then this device is used and distributed among the Muslims, each according to his capacity, and the correct knowledge comes to them by the nearest path and the easiest means. I believe this is an obligatory matter. But this obligation is preceded by what is more obligatory, which is finding the one who feeds this device. Yes.
The questioner : Regarding the data, it will be limited to the major approved books, which means...
The Shaykh : No, that is not the knowledge. I mean, if you want to mention al-Bukhari as it is, al-Bukhari today is published in copies that can be obtained by the general Muslims more easily than from a computer. But the intention is that we feed the computer with nourishment that the general Muslims cannot reach from the known books.
The questioner : You are feeding it with the names of the narrators, so that it can be given any chain of narration, and it is not necessary that it be from al-Bukhari.
The Shaykh : That is not the knowledge, my brother. The names of the narrators are in the book.
Yes.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.