Is the critique of a narrator given precedence over the vindication of a narrator?
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The Shaykh : He does not say that or do that out of following desire, but rather out of independent legal reasoning. Independent legal reasoning errs and hits the mark. Therefore, it is not permissible for us to adopt every critique unless the reason is stated and it is a reason that actually constitutes a critique, in which case his critique is given precedence over the vindication. This is not the case unless it is a critique and it is explained, and it is a critique in fact, like the example I gave earlier that he became confused. In that case, one should distance oneself from him as long as he has become confused and has increased and decreased in his memory, and the like.
The questioner : Our Shaykh, another question.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Do we benefit from this, meaning the precision of the men who used to track the men from whom they transmitted?
The Shaykh : Without a doubt, this is the ultimate precision. First, the entire Muslim community has no parallel in this science among all other nations, past or future. The science of hadith and the science of the critique and vindication of narrators is what Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has distinguished this community with. This is in terms of the general community. Then, this is from the grace of the scholars of hadith whom Allah (Mighty and Majestic) employed to preserve the hadith of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Sunnah. Their precision reached such a level that a Muslim is bewildered and asks, how is this possible? From the precision they reached: So-and-so is trustworthy. If So-and-so, the trustworthy one, narrates from him, the hadith is authentic. If So-and-so, the trustworthy one, narrates from him, the hadith is not authentic. He is a trustworthy man, a trustworthy one whose testimony is accepted, and upright, possessing all the qualities. But if Zayd from among the trustworthy people narrates from him, his hadith is accepted as evidence. If Bakr from among the trustworthy people narrates from him, his hadith is rejected, and he is also trustworthy. That is, we have three trustworthy men: the first is the one from whom they narrate, and the other two narrated from him. One of them, if he narrates from him, his hadith is authentic. The other, who is also trustworthy, if he narrates from that trustworthy man, his hadith is weak. This is the ultimate precision and detail. We will see what comes later. We do not know if the mosque here is near or far.
The questioner : One last question.
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner : Our Shaykh, another question.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Do we benefit from this, meaning the precision of the men who used to track the men from whom they transmitted?
The Shaykh : Without a doubt, this is the ultimate precision. First, the entire Muslim community has no parallel in this science among all other nations, past or future. The science of hadith and the science of the critique and vindication of narrators is what Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has distinguished this community with. This is in terms of the general community. Then, this is from the grace of the scholars of hadith whom Allah (Mighty and Majestic) employed to preserve the hadith of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Sunnah. Their precision reached such a level that a Muslim is bewildered and asks, how is this possible? From the precision they reached: So-and-so is trustworthy. If So-and-so, the trustworthy one, narrates from him, the hadith is authentic. If So-and-so, the trustworthy one, narrates from him, the hadith is not authentic. He is a trustworthy man, a trustworthy one whose testimony is accepted, and upright, possessing all the qualities. But if Zayd from among the trustworthy people narrates from him, his hadith is accepted as evidence. If Bakr from among the trustworthy people narrates from him, his hadith is rejected, and he is also trustworthy. That is, we have three trustworthy men: the first is the one from whom they narrate, and the other two narrated from him. One of them, if he narrates from him, his hadith is authentic. The other, who is also trustworthy, if he narrates from that trustworthy man, his hadith is weak. This is the ultimate precision and detail. We will see what comes later. We do not know if the mosque here is near or far.
The questioner : One last question.
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.