Continuation of the answer to the question: What is the ruling on one who denies ahad hadiths?

The questioner : We are proceeding to detail the ruling on one who denies some hadiths, and especially ahad hadiths.

The Shaykh : I believe I mentioned the answer, albeit briefly, that there is no difference in my view between one who denies ahad hadiths and one who denies mutawatir hadiths, for the reason I mentioned to you earlier: the issue of the distinction between ahad hadiths and mutawatir hadiths is a specific scientific matter for the people of knowledge. The general Muslim public, even the educated among them, cannot scientifically distinguish between a mutawatir hadith and an ahad hadith. It is sufficient for them to distinguish between a valid hadith and a hadith that is not valid. If we know that this distinction does not exist except in the minds of a very small minority of the Ummah, and that rulings, as you know, are issued in a general and absolute manner, and that the majority of the case is as we say—that most of the Ummah do not know this precise scientific detail—then we say, as we said earlier, that there is no difference between believing in an ahad hadith and a mutawatir hadith. It is obligatory to believe in and affirm both, without distinguishing between belief and affirmation, contrary to some of the people of opinion today. Likewise, we do not distinguish between one who denies an ahad hadith and one who denies a mutawatir hadith, because this distinction is a precise, technical scientific one. The criterion for the ruling is that one who denies a hadith is, at least, of the predominant opinion that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said it, and yet he denies it. This is the disbeliever, because, as we said at the beginning of the answer, briefly: , and as we say in many such issues, most of the rulings of the Shari'ah are based on predominant opinion, and it is not necessary that there be certainty. Accordingly, as you know, the people of knowledge, let alone others, differ on some hadiths as to whether they are ahad or mutawatir, so it is even more likely that others will differ. But this disagreement does not diminish the status of the valid hadith and the obligation to act upon it and affirm it, as detailed earlier. If it becomes established in the mind of a Muslim who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah that his Prophet (peace be upon him) said such-and-such, and yet he denies it, then he is a disbeliever. But if he does not have this knowledge, even if it is mutawatir for others and conveys certainty to them, we do not dare to declare him a disbeliever, because he has not denied something he knows. This is the detailed statement regarding what you asked about.