The Ruling on Criticizing the Two Sahihs

The questioner : The question is divided into two parts. The first part is about taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence), and the second part is about the Two Sahihs. What did you answer regarding the Two Sahihs?

The Shaykh : It is valid, but I think I said that his statement regarding the Two Sahihs—that it is permissible to critique them—is correct for people of knowledge, and he is right in that. We have already spoken about this previously. In any case, as I say to some of the enthusiasts for the Two Sahihs who are emotionally, rather than scientifically, enthusiastic: these are the two most authentic books by the consensus of scholars after the Book of Allah. However, there is a reality that they should not be treated in terms of authenticity in the same manner as the Noble Qur'an, which is described by the saying of the Mighty and Majestic: The compiler of the Sahih was granted breadth in knowledge, without doubt, and in the knowledge of critiquing hadiths and distinguishing their authentic from their weak. But in any case, he does not escape being a human being who is not infallible. This is a principle agreed upon by all scholars: there is no infallibility for anyone after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). And if the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in some of the authentic hadiths to the best of the people after him (peace and blessings be upon him), Abu Bakr al-Siddiq: What is there for people of knowledge—not people of ignorance—if some of the people of knowledge, such as al-Hafiz al-Isqalani, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, or his Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah, and so on, say that this is something in which al-Bukhari was critiqued, or in which Muslim was critiqued? There is nothing wrong with all of this. This should not be widespread among the general public; rather, it is the work of people of knowledge, those who are established and specialized in it. What did Ibn al-Qattan al-Fasi say in this regard?
Al-Halabi : Taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence) is not permissible in the science of hadith.

The Shaykh : No, the second part; the answer to that has already been given.
Al-Halabi : He means fromThe questioner : an explanation, not a text from him, that he means to critique the Two Sahihs.

The Shaykh : Yes, this is what came to my mind from the words ofThe questioner : So I say that critiquing the Two Sahihs by people of knowledge is a matter that occurs and is unavoidable, as I mentioned earlier. But it is not befitting for one who is neither in the caravan nor in the army to overstep them.