What does the knowledge derived from hadith, whether probable or certain, signify?

Question:
Does an authentic hadith signify probable knowledge or certain, definitive knowledge?

Answer:
This requires detailed explanation according to the scholars of hadith—specifically those of hadith terminology. One should consult the scholars of hadith terminology, who clarify that a mass-transmitted report (mutawatir) necessitates definitive, necessary knowledge. As for authentic hadiths, they signify definitive knowledge for those who know their chains of narration and their authenticity through circumstantial evidence. If there is no such circumstantial evidence, they signify probable rather than definitive knowledge. It is obligatory to act upon them; every authentic or good hadith must be acted upon.
As for whether it signifies definitive or probable knowledge, this is a matter of detailed explanation among the scholars who are knowledgeable about hadith, its routes, the characteristics of the narrators, their integrity, and so forth. The imams have clarified this in the books of terminology.