Is it true that it has spread in recent times that the book *Taqrib al-Tahdhib* is not relied upon in al-jarh wa al-ta'dil (the critique and vindication of narrators) due to the typographical errors contained in it?

The questioner : May Allah reward him. It has been rumored recently about the book *Taqrib al-Tahdhib* that it is not a reliable source in al-jarh wa al-ta'dil (the critique and vindication of narrators) due to the many typographical errors that occurred in the terms of critique and vindication. What is your opinion? And when is the statement of al-Hafiz accepted if it conflicts with that of some scholars of al-jarh, such as al-Dhahabi and others?

The Shaykh : This issue belongs to specialized researchers, not to beginner students of knowledge. These beginners should rely on what is in the books of al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani exactly as we said in response to the question of who relies on the authentication of al-Hafiz al-Iraqi and his like. We said: rely on it unless his error becomes apparent to you. So, the fact that the book *Taqrib*—for example—has been found to contain many errors, but these many errors do not equal the greater amount of correctness; they are far less than its correctness. Therefore, it is not permissible for us to turn away from benefiting from this book because of the errors that occurred in it. We adopt what is in it until it becomes apparent to us that he erred in it. As for making it a rule to discard this book, that means discarding every book of knowledge, and discarding the books that we ourselves author with our own hands; because we do not claim infallibility. Therefore, we change and replace, from one period to another, what appears to us to be an error or illusion in which one of us has fallen. And none of us is ever in a position, in terms of error and correctness, that is better than those who preceded us in this knowledge, such as al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar. Is the meaning clear?