The Shaykh's response to Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani's statement that the hadith prohibiting fasting on Saturday has a confused chain of narration.

The Shaykh : The only issue here is a shortcoming on the part of al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (may Allah have mercy on him). He described this hadith in his book *al-Talkhis al-Habir* as having a confused chain of narration. There is a point of discussion in the science of hadith terminology regarding the definition of a "confused" hadith. While the definition is known in the terminology, not every instance of confusion in a hadith constitutes a defect that weakens it. The confusion may be relative, and that is the case here. We stated that this hadith has three routes, three chains of narration. In one of these chains, the confusion mentioned by Ibn Hajar actually occurred. If we were to accept that it is a significant confusion that weakens the chain, we would set it aside, and we would still have two valid chains with no blemish on them. Furthermore, not every confusion affects the validity of a hadith, because it may be a relative confusion. That is, in the chain deemed confused, the confusion may stem from a specific narrator, and different versions may come from that specific narrator, causing the researcher to be perplexed about which version to prefer. However, the point on which the routes revolved and became confused may have been supported by another narrator without any confusion. Therefore, this is a relative confusion that does not affect the text of the hadith. This is what scholars of hadith terminology have explicitly stated: not every confusion affects the validity of a hadith. The significant confusion is one where there is no version that helps prefer one version over another. If a version comes that helps prefer one of the many versions of the confusion, and this version is studied objectively and found to be a valid chain without looking at the other versions, then this confusion is a weak confusion with no effect. This is the summary of what can be said about a hadith like this. Please, has the time for prayer arrived?

The questioner : Not yet.

The Shaykh : It passed.

The questioner : Five minutes remain.

The Shaykh : Please proceed.

The questioner : They believe that the hadith of Juwayriyah is the one that abrogates this hadith.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : They say that the hadith of Juwayriyah abrogates this hadith.

The Shaykh : Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar!

The questioner : Our Shaykh, regarding the methods of preference you mentioned from al-Iraqi (may Allah have mercy on him), that a valid hadith comes and a famous hadith comes, so the famous one is preferred over the valid one. Our Shaykh, I find strong opposition to this statement in the words of Muhammad ibn Hazm here. He says: "And all of it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so both hadiths are acted upon, and reconciliation between them is necessary by whatever means."

The Shaykh : What does this statement mean? Did you not ... our previous statement?

The questioner : I paid attention, my Shaykh.

The Shaykh : So how do you say this?

The questioner : Regarding al-Iraqi, our Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him), he says: If a valid hadith comes and a valid, famous hadith comes, the famous one is preferred over the valid one.

The Shaykh: When?