Definition of the Gharib and Mursal Hadith
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Question:
This questioner is Abu 'Abdullah from al-Qasim. He has a set of questions. He says: O Shaykh, what is the meaning of a gharib hadith, and what is the meaning of a mursal hadith, and are they to be acted upon? Because I read hadiths at the end of which it says: "A gharib hadith" or "A mursal hadith."
Answer:
A gharib hadith is sometimes weak and sometimes authentic. A gharib hadith is one that comes through a single chain; it is called gharib. If its narrators are trustworthy, it is authentic, even if it is gharib, and it is acted upon. If some of its narrators are weak, it is not acted upon; it is called both gharib and weak.
A mursal hadith is one that does not contain a Companion; it is narrated by a Successor from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is called mursal, and it is weak and not used as evidence, except when there are mursal narrations from two or more people; then it falls under the category of hasan (good), as they support one another. As for a single mursal narration, it is not used as evidence; it is weak. For example, if al-Hasan al-Basri narrates from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or Sa'id ibn Jubayr narrates from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)—meaning, some of the Successors narrating from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)—this is called mursal. If it is a single narration, it is not used as evidence. If there are two mursal narrations, or more, they are used as evidence and fall under the category of hasan (good).
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
This questioner is Abu 'Abdullah from al-Qasim. He has a set of questions. He says: O Shaykh, what is the meaning of a gharib hadith, and what is the meaning of a mursal hadith, and are they to be acted upon? Because I read hadiths at the end of which it says: "A gharib hadith" or "A mursal hadith."
Answer:
A gharib hadith is sometimes weak and sometimes authentic. A gharib hadith is one that comes through a single chain; it is called gharib. If its narrators are trustworthy, it is authentic, even if it is gharib, and it is acted upon. If some of its narrators are weak, it is not acted upon; it is called both gharib and weak.
A mursal hadith is one that does not contain a Companion; it is narrated by a Successor from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is called mursal, and it is weak and not used as evidence, except when there are mursal narrations from two or more people; then it falls under the category of hasan (good), as they support one another. As for a single mursal narration, it is not used as evidence; it is weak. For example, if al-Hasan al-Basri narrates from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or Sa'id ibn Jubayr narrates from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)—meaning, some of the Successors narrating from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)—this is called mursal. If it is a single narration, it is not used as evidence. If there are two mursal narrations, or more, they are used as evidence and fall under the category of hasan (good).
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.