How to attain knowledge of matters in the science of hadith terminology, such as authentication, weakening, criticism, vindication, supporting chains, and corroborating narrations?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Our Shaykh, we see that some scholars write books on hadith terminology, even though we are certain that they are not among the people of hadith.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is so
The questioner : And we see our Shaykhs, in whom we hold a firm belief, free from any doubt, that they are the people of hadith. Yet, if we were to follow their books as a student of knowledge...
Al-Halabi : ...their books.
The Shaykh : Excuse me, excuse me.
Al-Halabi : We would proceed with them.
The questioner : Never mind, if you permit us, if we were to follow their books. I, as a student of knowledge like myself, am unable to first derive the methodology of my Shaykh, second, I am unable to extract a single hadith from this book of my Shaykh, and third, I am unable, despite holding the belief I do in my Shaykh, to take anything from the science of hadith. But let us take, for example, I do not think there is harm in mentioning names, such as Ibn Uthaymeen, who has a book on hadith terminology. I was surprised and wondered, and I said, where is our Shaykh from this matter? I hope you would be kind enough to answer.
The Shaykh : Your Shaykh is like the student, as the student says about something that he is unable to do, and...The Shaykh : likewise
The questioner : Our Shaykh, do you want to convince me how you are unable?
The Shaykh : And you want to convince me too.
The questioner : Our Shaykh, we want from you...
The Shaykh : No, no. You also want to convince me that you are unable, that you can be like...The Shaykh
The questioner : Yes, I am unable.
The Shaykh : You want to convince me.
The questioner : I will convince you, my Shaykh. This arena exists. If I were able, the arena would prove my inability.
The Shaykh : My brother, the path you walked, you can walk in it.
The questioner : Our Shaykh, so that I can walk in it, I walk and read, so-and-so said this and so-and-so said that. But our Shaykh, I am unable. I need the supporting chains and the corroborating narrations and the paths. I need, our Shaykh, when is this mursal (report missing the Companion link) connected? When is it, if it is connected, or if the one who reported it was a tadlis (concealment of a defect in a chain) practitioner? Our Shaykh, did he explicitly state the narration? When is it, when he explicitly stated the narration, mere hearing? Our Shaykh, we need a book on the science of hadith.
The Shaykh : I know what you want, but I am unable.
The questioner : Well, answer us, our Shaykh, why, for example...
The Shaykh : Why are you unable?
The questioner : I am unable because I am still following the crumbs of my Shaykh.The Shaykh : Nasir al-Din al-Albani. And also, if my Shaykh did not write such a book, would I dare to breathe underwater?
The Shaykh : Leave this rhetorical language.The Shaykh : The so-called one has not reached the level of authorship you are asking for. He has not reached the station that you think he is able to author in the manner of the books written on terminology.
The questioner : Our Shaykh, I am relying on you regarding the brothers, yes, I mean, a book is necessary, our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I will testify to you on a blank paper, what do you think!
The questioner : Our Shaykh, may Allah prolong your life, and we need a book, oh our Shaykh. And I ask Allah that there is a manuscript with you.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good, if Allah wills.
The questioner : May Allah, I hope for that.
The Shaykh : I say your request is a right, but I am unable now to direct myself to what you are asking for. This is the meaning of my words, just as you are unable to do what you indicated, I am unable to fulfill your rightful request.
Our Shaykh: I want to tell you a word.
The Shaykh : Have you not yet spoken words?!
The questioner : Not yet, our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I tell you, he is afraid of death...
The questioner : ...Where is this knowledge, where is this outlet in which we will have confidence? We will be lost, by Allah, my brother. In whom will we have confidence? This one or these Sufi Shaykhs or others?
The Shaykh : Leave the talk to someone else, oh Shaykh. May Allah guide you.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is so
The questioner : And we see our Shaykhs, in whom we hold a firm belief, free from any doubt, that they are the people of hadith. Yet, if we were to follow their books as a student of knowledge...
Al-Halabi : ...their books.
The Shaykh : Excuse me, excuse me.
Al-Halabi : We would proceed with them.
The questioner : Never mind, if you permit us, if we were to follow their books. I, as a student of knowledge like myself, am unable to first derive the methodology of my Shaykh, second, I am unable to extract a single hadith from this book of my Shaykh, and third, I am unable, despite holding the belief I do in my Shaykh, to take anything from the science of hadith. But let us take, for example, I do not think there is harm in mentioning names, such as Ibn Uthaymeen, who has a book on hadith terminology. I was surprised and wondered, and I said, where is our Shaykh from this matter? I hope you would be kind enough to answer.
The Shaykh : Your Shaykh is like the student, as the student says about something that he is unable to do, and...The Shaykh : likewise
The questioner : Our Shaykh, do you want to convince me how you are unable?
The Shaykh : And you want to convince me too.
The questioner : Our Shaykh, we want from you...
The Shaykh : No, no. You also want to convince me that you are unable, that you can be like...The Shaykh
The questioner : Yes, I am unable.
The Shaykh : You want to convince me.
The questioner : I will convince you, my Shaykh. This arena exists. If I were able, the arena would prove my inability.
The Shaykh : My brother, the path you walked, you can walk in it.
The questioner : Our Shaykh, so that I can walk in it, I walk and read, so-and-so said this and so-and-so said that. But our Shaykh, I am unable. I need the supporting chains and the corroborating narrations and the paths. I need, our Shaykh, when is this mursal (report missing the Companion link) connected? When is it, if it is connected, or if the one who reported it was a tadlis (concealment of a defect in a chain) practitioner? Our Shaykh, did he explicitly state the narration? When is it, when he explicitly stated the narration, mere hearing? Our Shaykh, we need a book on the science of hadith.
The Shaykh : I know what you want, but I am unable.
The questioner : Well, answer us, our Shaykh, why, for example...
The Shaykh : Why are you unable?
The questioner : I am unable because I am still following the crumbs of my Shaykh.The Shaykh : Nasir al-Din al-Albani. And also, if my Shaykh did not write such a book, would I dare to breathe underwater?
The Shaykh : Leave this rhetorical language.The Shaykh : The so-called one has not reached the level of authorship you are asking for. He has not reached the station that you think he is able to author in the manner of the books written on terminology.
The questioner : Our Shaykh, I am relying on you regarding the brothers, yes, I mean, a book is necessary, our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I will testify to you on a blank paper, what do you think!
The questioner : Our Shaykh, may Allah prolong your life, and we need a book, oh our Shaykh. And I ask Allah that there is a manuscript with you.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good, if Allah wills.
The questioner : May Allah, I hope for that.
The Shaykh : I say your request is a right, but I am unable now to direct myself to what you are asking for. This is the meaning of my words, just as you are unable to do what you indicated, I am unable to fulfill your rightful request.
Our Shaykh: I want to tell you a word.
The Shaykh : Have you not yet spoken words?!
The questioner : Not yet, our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : I tell you, he is afraid of death...
The questioner : ...Where is this knowledge, where is this outlet in which we will have confidence? We will be lost, by Allah, my brother. In whom will we have confidence? This one or these Sufi Shaykhs or others?
The Shaykh : Leave the talk to someone else, oh Shaykh. May Allah guide you.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.