When is the speech of peers accepted regarding one another, and when is it rejected? And a discussion on madhhab fanaticism.

The questioner : Okay, here is another question, Professor.

The Shaykh : Please.

The questioner : We find that the disagreement extends regarding the narration of peers and what some of them say about others. What is the criterion? If the statement of a scholar is not accepted regarding his peer, and it is the same regarding his peer, what is the criterion? And what is the thing through which we can practically know the truth of these statements?

The Shaykh : First, it is not possible to establish a rule; rest from that. But it is possible to look at the circumstances; if they exist and help, then that is good and excellent. Otherwise, we remain with the word I mentioned: it is not accepted, meaning the speech of a contemporary regarding a contemporary. The circumstance, for example, is that there is corroboration for the contemporary's statement from other aspects, where there was no enmity between the other aspects or other people; there was no enmity, there was nothing they were envious of regarding that. If such a circumstance is clarified, it is very strong, and at that time the speech of the contemporary regarding his contemporary is accepted, and so on. As for establishing a rule against that rule, I do not think it can be reached. For example, and the curtain was lifted, Professor Abu Malik, when he gave the example of an imam from the great early jurists, namely Abu Hanifah, you find that the scholars of hadith do not have a single statement that he is not relied upon in his hadith or that he is weak in hadith. Rather, there are successive statements, some from those contemporary to him, and some from those who came after him. I was, more than thirty or forty years ago—perhaps some of you remember this—forced, because of the fanaticism of some students there with us in Damascus for Imam Abu Hanifah, a madhhab fanaticism, not a scholarly fanaticism, when I, on the occasion of a hadith, perhaps I had mentioned that one of the narrators of this hadith is Imam Abu Hanifah (may Allah have mercy on him), but he is weak according to the scholars of hadith. So the sky fell down for some of the students of knowledge, and perhaps some of them were from my tribe, as intended.
Al-Halabi : Perhaps he leads them.

The Shaykh : The point is, they raised the sky against us and shouted from here and there, some words containing reverence for Imam Abu Hanifah rightly, but from the jurisprudential aspect, and perhaps they find some narrations that authenticate him in narration with absolute authentication. So I was forced afterwards to respond by collecting about fifteen statements from scholars contemporary to him and those who came after him close to his era up to the last era. So I said in the response: You are being fanatical for Imam Abu Hanifah (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding narration, and you say that whoever said such-and-such about him, this stems from envy or desire, and so on. How can this be said regarding the imams of al-jarh wa al-ta'dil (the critique and vindication of narrators)? Among them is Imam al-Bukhari, among them is Imam Ahmad. These are belittled, or if you wish, you say they are belittled with the letter ta, in their aspect, and attributed to desire. Why? Because they spoke about Abu Hanifah only regarding narration. Okay, if we are forced to criticize a person without knowledge, or criticize imams without knowledge, no, by Allah, we criticize one person more easily than we criticize ten or fifteen. Nevertheless, we do not speak about a person except after knowledge. The narrations of Abu Hanifah for his hadiths indicate that those who testified about him are weak in narration. And it suffices us, as I mentioned in some of my writings and books, it suffices us regarding Abu Hanifah the statement of Imam al-Shafi'i: "All people are dependents in fiqh upon Abu Hanifah." So we must make him the jurist of the ummah, the exegete of the ummah, the hadith scholar of the ummah, and Sibawayhi of his time as well! It is not possible. We give him his right and do not deprive him of anything of that at all.
Abu Malik : He would be pleased with that if he were alive and knew the people's statement about him in this manner; he would be very pleased.

The Shaykh : Yes, by Allah.
Abu Malik : Shaykh, also, the strange thing about the Hanafis is that they are fanatical for Abu Hanifah and defend him with this false, invalid defense, but at the same time, they are not fanatical for Abu Hanifah in the creed of tawhid (the oneness of Allah).

The Shaykh : Well done.
Abu Malik : This is the greatest of misfortunes! They respond to Abu Hanifah in his creed and say that this was an error by Abu Hanifah in this creed he held. So this matter is strange, very strange. This is one of the things that should always be announced to the people, and students of knowledge should know that the principle they were all supposed to hold onto, they cast behind their backs, and they became fanatical for this issue, which does not harm Abu Hanifah, does not harm him at all.

The Shaykh : And the problem is that following a madhhab has become a desire.

The questioner : I saw something that was very difficult, that we speak about Abu Hanifah (may Allah have mercy on him). Often I see, or rather, in the hadiths where Abu Hanifah is in their chains, in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, al-Haythami says in it: weak, and does not mention his name, perhaps out of fear.
Abu Malik : Shaykh, I was once in the Maghreb, and I had comments on one of the lecturers, a Shaykh of the Shaykhs of the Sufi paths in Egypt. I said on this occasion, I seize the opportunity for the error of these people, the error they fall into in the Maghreb. I said, I am very amazed, meaning, for whoever distinguishes. I said, as if, because they have a madhhab in the path and a madhhab in fiqh. Yes, so the path is Qadiriyyah, and the madhhab in fiqh is Maliki. So I asked them, I said, as if the people of the Maghreb do not see for Imam Malik any virtue in the path and conduct, and they say that Imam Malik practically is not qualified to be an imam in the path and conduct.

The Shaykh : I seek refuge in Allah, Allah is the Greatest!
Abu Malik : Yes, my professor, this practically exists. Otherwise, how do we distinguish between his imamate in the madhhab and his imamate in the path and conduct? The path that ties Imam Malik to it is the path of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), because Imam Malik was among the most severe people in warning against bid'ah (religious innovation) and alerting its people and clarifying its danger. So how, O people of the Maghreb, do you make Imam Malik an imam who is not an imam? It is truly amazing. This was one of the matters that amazed the people there, and they thought that I was defending Imam Malik because I am of the Maliki madhhab.

The Shaykh : And it is a misfortune, Professor. This is not specific to Malik; all the imams are like this. Because you find in some books written in the later eras: the Hanafi in fiqh, the Maturidi in creed. Meaning, Abu Hanifah does not have a creed, so we were forced to attribute ourselves to Abu Mansur al-Maturidi. And the one who says al-Khalwati is a path, al-Qadiri is a path, al-Rafai, this includes them all, the group, all of them.
Abu Malik : I ...The Shaykh : I said, truly, when I saw the Shaykh of the Shaykhs of the Sufi paths and saw his suit and attire, because he was wearing a strange cap, this necktie, and had shaved his beard and mustache, I said, I was saying to myself, I wishThe Shaykh : our brother Doctor So-and-So, I wish he were on the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to be the highest example for the people of the paths who follow him and whom he represents, meaning in their gathering. So I said, it would have been more fittingThe Shaykh : for Doctor So-and-So to be a Shaykh for one path that does not divide but unites, and that is the path of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). But, Glory be to Allah!

The Shaykh : Upon it we live, upon it we die, and upon it we are resurrected, if Allah wills. Save us, O 'Ajaj, with some water, or else it is near me.

The questioner : This is watermelon.

The Shaykh : Meaning, do you want to watermelon us!

The questioner : All the rescue is for you, O Shaykh ... Long may you live, if Allah wills.

The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
Abu Malik: ...

The questioner : By Allah...
Abu Malik : You are making a dua for the Shaykh.

The questioner : He is our blessings.The Shaykh : ... our follower, whoever loves him loves us.