‫بسم اهلل الرحمن الرحيم‬

CHAPTER ONE
‫الحديث المتواتر‬

There are two methods of classification of ‫حديث‬:

1. According to the number of ‫( رواة‬narrators) in every
link in the ‫( سند‬chain of narration).
2. According to ‫( َم ْن أسنِ َد إليه‬whom the ‫ حديث‬is attributed).

In the first method there are two types of ‫حديث‬:

1. ‫املتواتر‬
2. ‫خرب الواحد‬

This chapter discusses the ‫احلديث املتواتر‬

The Definition of ‫المتواتر‬

Any ‫ حديث‬which fulfils the following four conditions is called ‫متواتر‬:
1. It must be narrated by such a huge amount of ‫ رواة‬that their
agreement to lie and their co-incidental making the same
lie are impossible.
2. This huge amount of ‫ رواة‬must be found in every link from
the beginning to the end of the ‫سند‬.
3. The end of the ‫ سند‬must be based on something ‫( حمسوس‬seen
or heard); it must not be based on logic or speculation.
pg. 2
4. It must be ‫( مفيد للعلم‬convincing).

Note: Some people say that the minimum amount of ‫ رواة‬in ‫احلديث‬
‫ املتواتر‬is ten, while others say twelve and yet others say forty.
However, none of this is correct. The emphasis is not on the
amount of ‫ رواة‬as much as it is on the possibility of them
conspiring to lie. There is therefore no specific number in this
regard. That being the case, a lie that is narrated by a huge
amount of people cannot fall under the category of ‫متواتر‬.

Note: If the ‫ حديث‬fulfills the first three conditions but not the
fourth, it would be regarded as ‫مشهور‬. Explaining this point, Ibn
Hajar comments that accordingly every ‫ متواتر‬is ‫ مشهور‬but every
‫ مشهور‬is not ‫متواتر‬. Some commentators say that in this context the
word ‫ مشهور‬is used in its ‫ لغوي‬meaning. How can ‫ متواتر‬be ‫مشهور‬
istilaahi whereas ‫ مشهور اصطالحي‬is a type of ‫( خرب الواحد‬the direct
opposite of ‫?)متواتر‬

The Ruling of‫المتواتر‬

The correct opinion is that ‫ احلديث املتواتر‬results in ‫العلم اليقيين الضروري‬.
The opinion that it results in ‫ العلم النظري‬is incorrect because even
the ‫( عامي‬layman) who is unqualified to exercise ‫ نظر‬and ‫ استدالل‬is
supposed to gain knowledge from ‫احلديث املتواتر‬. However, this is
impossible if ‫ احلديث املتواتر‬only results in ‫العلم النظري‬.

pg. 3
Note: ‫ العلمم اليقيمين‬is of two types; ‫ الضمروري‬and ‫النظمري‬. ‫ العلمم الضمروري‬is such
‫ علمم‬which is attained without having to exercise ‫ نظمر‬and ‫اسمتدالل‬.
‫ العلمم النظمري‬is such ‫ علمم‬which cannot be attained without exercising
‫ نظر‬and ‫استدالل‬.

The Two Types of ‫المتواتر‬

There are two types of ‫احلديث املتواتر‬:
1. ‫املتواتر اللفظي‬
2. ‫املتواتر املعنوي‬

‫ املتواتر اللفظي‬is when the actual text is narrated with ‫تواتر‬. According
to Ibn Salaah, probably the only ‫ حديث‬that is ‫ متواتر لفظي‬is:
‫من كذب على متعمدا فليتبوأ مقعده ىف النار‬
"Whoever intentionally lies in my name should
build his house in the fire."

‫ املتواتر املعنوي‬is when only the meaning of the ‫ حديث‬and not the
actual text is narrated with ‫تواتر‬. One example of ‫ املتواتر املعنوي‬is the
issue of raising one's hands while making ‫ ;دعاء‬it is mentioned in
approximately one hundred different ‫أحاديث‬.

Note: Ibn Hajar disagrees with Ibn Salaah and others who claim
that it is virtually impossible to find a single ‫ حديث‬that is ‫متواتر لفظي‬.
He describes their claim as a result of insufficient awareness of
‫ كثرة الطرق‬and the conditions which negate the possibility of the ‫رواة‬
having unanimously fabricated the ‫حديث‬. Some commentators

pg. 4
(like Mulla Ali Al-Qaari) are of the opinion that there is actually
no difference between the opinion of Ibn Salaah and the
opinion of Ibn Hajar because the former was referring to ‫متواتر‬
‫ لفظي‬and the latter was referring to ‫متواتر‬. However, it appears
from Suyooti's explanation in ‫ تدريب الراوى‬that there is a definite
difference of opinion between the two. Thus, Suyooti refers to
a number of ‫ أحاديث‬as ‫متواتر لفظي‬. For example:
- The ‫ حديث‬of the ‫ حوض‬which was narrated by approximately
fifty ‫صحابة‬.
- The ‫ حديث‬of ‫ مسح على اخلفني‬which was narrated by seventy ‫صحابة‬.
- The ‫ حديث‬of the Qur'aan being revealed in ‫ سبعة أحرف‬which
was narrated by twenty seven ‫صحابة‬.

‫الحديث‬

‫خبر الواحد‬ ‫المتواتر‬

‫المتواتر‬ ‫اللفظي‬

pg. 5
 CHAPTER TWO
‫خبر الواحد‬
As previously mentioned, ‫ حمديث‬is classified either according
The
to the Definition
number of of ‫ رواة‬in every link in the ‫ سمند‬or according to the
Khabrul-Waahid
‫سمنَد إليممه‬there
When ‫م‬.
ُ In are the so
first ‫ رواة‬in every
fewmethod link in the ‫ سند‬of
of classification ‫حديث‬two
the are
there that
their
types; ‫ املتمواتر‬and (mutual
conspiracy ‫خمرب الواحمد‬. agreement)
This chaptertodiscusses
fabricatethe
a liedefinition
and their
co-incidentally
and ruling of ‫احد‬ making
‫خرب الو‬. the same lie or error is not impossible.

The Ruling of ‫خبر الواحد‬

Every ‫خرب الواحد‬, irrespective of whether it is ‫مشهور‬, ‫ عزيز‬or ‫غريب‬, is
either ‫( مقبول‬acceptable) or ‫( مردود‬unacceptable).
‫ األحاديث املردودة‬are of two types:
1. Those in which the criterion for the rejection of a ‫( حديث‬i.e.
confirmation that the ‫ راوى‬is a liar) is found.
2. Those in which the criterion for rejection is absent but the
criterion for acceptance (confirmation of the truthfulness of
the ‫ )راوى‬is also absent. In this case the ‫ حديث‬is rejected due
to absence of the criterion for acceptance rather than
presence of the criterion of rejection.

‫ األحاديث املقبولة‬are also two types:

1. ‫غري احملتف بالقرائن‬
2. ‫احملتف بالقرائن‬

pg. 6
While the ‫ غري احملتف بالقرائن‬is unanimously regarded as ‫ظىن‬, there is a
major dispute whether the ‫ حمتف بالقرائن‬is also ‫ ظىن‬or ‫قطعى‬. Ibn
Salaah, Ibn Hajar, Suyooti and others are of the opinion that it
is ‫قطعى‬. However, Nawawi and others say that it is ‫ظىن‬. Their
argument is that the compulsion to practice on such ‫ أحاديث‬is not
sufficient proof that they are undoubtedly from Nabi sallallahu
alaihi wasallam. Nevertheless this group does concede that ‫احملتف‬
‫ بالقرائن‬is weightier than the ‫غري احملتف بالقرائن‬.

The Meaning of ‫المحتف بالقرائن‬

Literally ‫ احملتف بالقرائن‬means 'surrounded by factors'. Technically it
is a ‫ حديث‬that gains increased strength and credibility due to
certain external factors.

Examples of ‫المحتف بالقرائن‬

1. Those ‫ أحاديث‬in the ‫ صحيحني‬which do not reach the level of
‫متواتر‬. The ‫( قرائن‬strengthening factors) in such ‫ أحاديث‬are:
a. The outstanding rank of Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim in
the field of ‫حديث‬.
b. Their excellence over others in differentiating between
‫ صحيح‬and ‫ غرب صحيح‬narrations.
c. The fact that the 'Ulamaa have whole heartedly accepted
their books. (According to Ibn Hajar this overwhelming
acceptance by the 'Ulamaa is a stronger cause of ‫علم نظري‬
than mere ‫ كثرة الطرق‬which does not reach the level of ‫تواتر‬.)

Note: There are two exceptions to the above:

pg. 7
 - Any ‫ حديث‬which was criticized by any one of ‫األئمة احلفاظ‬.
- When there is a difference of opinion regarding the
meaning of the ‫حديث‬.

2. Those ‫ أحاديث مشهورة‬that have many different turuq all of

which are free from weak ‫ رواة‬and ‫( ِعلل‬hidden defects).

3. ‫املسلسل باألئمة‬: When the ‫ راوى‬in every link is an Imaam and the
‫ حديث‬is not ‫غريب‬.1 For example, a ‫ حديث‬which Imaam Ahmed
Bin Hambal and others narrate from Imaam Shaafi'ie all of
whom in turn narrate from Imaam Maalik.

‫خبر الواحد‬

‫الغريب‬ ‫العزيز‬ ‫المشهور‬

‫الفرد النسبي‬ ‫الفرد المطلق‬

1
See Chapter Three for the definition of ‫الغريب‬.

pg. 8
 CHAPTER THREE
‫أنواع خبر الواحد الثالثة‬

Just as there are two methods of classification of ‫حديث‬,

there are also two methods of classification of ‫خرب الواحد‬:
1. According to the number of ‫ رواة‬in every link in
the ‫سند‬.
2. According to its soundness and authenticity.

In the first method there are three types:

1. ‫املشهور‬
2. ‫العزيز‬
3. ‫الغريب‬

This chapter discusses these three types of ‫خرب الواحد‬.

‫المشهور‬
When the number of ‫ رواة‬in every link in the ‫ سند‬are three or
more and never less than three, the ‫ حديث‬is called ‫مشهور‬. Some
Fuqahaa refer to ‫ احلديث املشهور‬as ‫ املستفيض‬also. According to them,
there is no difference between the two terms. Other Fuqahaa
differentiate between the two saying that:
- A ‫ حديث‬is only called ‫ مستفيض‬if the number of ‫ رواة‬in the
beginning and the end of its ‫ سند‬are the same.
- However, a ‫ حديث‬is called ‫ مشهور‬irrespective of whether the
number of ‫ رواة‬in the beginning and the end of its ‫ سند‬are the
pg. 9
 same or not. Thus every ‫ مستفيض‬is ‫ مشهور‬but every ‫ مشهور‬is not
‫مستفيض‬.

The above constitutes the ‫ اصطالحى‬meaning of ‫املشهور‬. However,

the word ‫ مشهور‬is very often used in its ‫ لغوي‬meaning. In such an
instance it refers to such a ‫ حديث‬which is famous (common)
among the people, irrespective of whether it has many ‫ أسانيد‬or
only one ‫ سند‬and irrespective of whether it is even ‫ صحيح‬or not.
Allaamah Sakhaawi's ‫ املقاصد احلسنة‬deals with ‫ أحاديث‬of this nature.

‫العزيز‬
There are two conditions for a ‫ حديث‬to be classified as ‫عزيز‬:
1. There must not be less than two ‫ رواة‬in any link in the ‫سند‬.
2. There must be only two ‫ رواة‬in at least one link.

Note:
1. Abu Ali Al-Jubaa'i Al-Mu'tazili was of the opinion that in
order for a ‫ حديث‬to be ‫ صحيح‬it must fulfil the requirements of
‫ العزيز‬at least. Abu Abdillah Al-Haakim seems to have the
same inclination. However, this opinion is incorrect.
2. Abu Bakr Ibn-ul-'Arabi wrote in his of commentary of ‫صحيح‬
‫ البخاري‬that Imaam Bukhaari had stipulated that every ‫ حديث‬in
his ‫ كتاب‬must be at least ‫ عزيز‬or higher. This claim is also
baseless. The first and the last ‫ أحاديث‬of ‫ صحيح البخاري‬and many
other ‫ أحاديث‬in-between are ‫غريب‬. The following diagram
represents the ‫ سند‬of the first ‫حديث‬.
pg. 10
 Rasulullah

Umar b.
Khattaab

'Alqamah

Muhammed
b. Ibrahim

Yahya b.
Sa'eed

3. Ibn Hibbaan said that it is impossible to find a ‫ حديث‬narrated

by two people in every link . . . If he meant that it is
impossible to find a ‫ حديث‬that is narrated by only two
persons in every link, he is correct. However if he was
referring to ‫ العزيز‬as we defined it (that the number of ‫ رواة‬in
every link is never less than two, provided that there are
only two narrators in at least one link), his claim is
unacceptable and incorrect. Study the example of the ‫حديث‬:
‫حّت أكون أحب إليه من ولده و والده و النايس أمجعني‬
‫ال يؤمن أحدكم ي‬
"None of you is a believer until I am more beloved to himself
than his children, his father and all the people."

Anas (ra) narrated this ‫ حديث‬from Nabi ‫ صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬and two of
his students, Qataadah and 'Abdul 'Azeez bin Suhaib, narrated
it from him. Thereafter Shu'bah and Sa'eed narrated it from
Qataadah and Isma'eel bin Ulayyah and 'Abdul Waarith
pg. 11
narrated it from Abdul 'Azeez. The following diagram shows the
‫ سند‬of this ‫حديث‬.

Anas

Qataadah Abdul Azeez

Shu'bah Isma'eel

Sa'eed Adul-
Waarith

‫الغريب‬
A ‫ حديث‬is called ‫ غريب‬when there is a single ‫ راوى‬in one or more
links in the ‫سند‬.

There are two types of ‫غريب‬:

1. ‫الفرد المطلق‬: When the ‫( غرابة‬occurance of the single ‫ )راوى‬is in the

beginning of the ‫سند‬. An example of ‫ الفرد املطلق‬is the ‫ حديث‬which
prohibits the sale of ‫الوالء‬. This ‫ حديث‬is ‫ فرد مطلق‬because:
‫تفرد به عبد اهلل بن دينار عن ابن عمر‬
Only Abdullah bin Dinaar narrated it from Ibn Umar (ra).2

2
The above phrase is a clear indication that the point of ‫ غرابة‬is the ‫ تابعي‬who
narrates from the ‫ صحايب‬and not the ‫صحايب‬. Thus, when Ibn Hajar defines ‫أصل‬
‫ السند‬as ‫طرفه الذى فيه الصحايب‬, he actually means ‫طرفه الذى يلي الصحايب‬.

pg. 12
2. ‫الفرد النسبي‬: When the ‫ غرابة‬occurs in the middle of the ‫سند‬. This
happens when a number of ‫ رواة‬narrate a ‫ حديث‬from one
particular ‫ صحايب‬or ‫ شيخ‬and besides one of them who has only
one student, all of them have many students. Explaining the
meaning of ‫ الفرد النسيب‬Mulla Ali Al-Qaari gave the following
example: Imaam Maalik and others narrated a ‫ حديث‬from
Naafi' who in turn narrated it from Ibn Umar (ra).
Thereafter only one person narrated it from Imaam Maalik
while a number of people narrated it from the others. In
this instance the narration of Imaam Maalik's student is ‫فرد‬
‫نسيب‬. The reason why such a narration is called ‫ فرد نسيب‬is that
in relation to Imaam Maalik, his student's narration is ‫فرد‬. On
the contrary the narration of the students of the other ‫رواة‬
from Naafi' are ‫مشهور‬.

Note: Although ‫ لغة‬and ‫ اصطالح‬do not differentiate between the

meanings of ‫ فرد‬and ‫غريب‬, the former is used pre-dominantly for
‫ الفرد املطلق‬and the latter is used pre-dominantly for ‫الفرد النسيب‬.
However, there is no such differentiation between the verbs ‫تفرد‬ ‫ي‬
and ‫ أغرب‬- both are used equally for ‫ الفرد املطلق‬and ‫الفرد النسيب‬.

pg. 13
 ‫خرب الواحد‬

‫املردود‬ ‫املقبول‬

‫طعن فى‬ ‫سقط من‬ ‫الحسن‬ ‫الصحيح‬

‫الراوى‬ ‫اإلسناد‬

‫لغيره‬ ‫لذاته‬ ‫لغيره‬ ‫لذاته‬

‫‪CHAPTER FOUR‬‬
‫التقسيم الثانى لخبر الواحد‬
‫‪ is based on its‬خمرب الواحمد ‪The second method of classification of‬‬
‫‪soundness and authenticity. In this regard there are two types:‬‬
‫املقبول ‪1.‬‬
‫املردود ‪2.‬‬

‫‪:‬أخبار اآلحاد املقبولة ‪Furthermore, there are four types of‬‬

‫الصحيح لذاته ‪1.‬‬
‫احلسن لذاته ‪2.‬‬
‫الصحيح لغريه ‪3.‬‬
‫احلسن لغريه ‪4.‬‬

‫‪.‬أخبار اآلحاد املقبولة ‪This chapter is dedicated to these four types of‬‬
‫‪pg. 14‬‬
‫الصحيح لذاته‬
There are five conditions in order for a ‫ حديث‬to be ‫صحيح لذاته‬:
1. All the narrators must be ‫( عدل‬meaning that he must possess
the qualities of ‫ تقوي‬and ‫)مروؤة‬
2. All the narrators must be ‫( تمما ي الضمب‬totally accurate). This
entails an accurate memory and notes. Thus:
- The ‫ راوى‬must be able to recall the ‫ حممديث‬at any given
moment.
- His notes must be preserved from the time he studied from
them until the time he teaches from them.
3. The ‫ سند‬must be ‫( متصل‬continuous) in the sense that every ‫راوى‬
must have heard the ‫ حمديث‬directly from the ‫( ممروى عنمه‬the
person he is narrating from).
4. The ‫ حمديث‬must not be ‫شما‬. (When the narration of a ‫ثقممة‬
(reliable) ‫ راوى‬contradicts the narration of an ‫( أوثممق‬more
reliable) ‫راوى‬, the narration of the ‫ راوى الثقة‬is called ‫شا‬.)
5. The ‫ حمديث‬must be free of ‫( علمة‬a hidden defect which is not
easily detected by non-experts).

Note: Classification of a ‫ حمديث‬as ‫ صمحيح‬merely means that the

above mentioned five conditions are present. It does not
guarantee that the ‫ حمديث‬was definitely uttered by Rasulullah
sallallahu alaihi wasallam, because it is possible for reliable
narrators to err and forget. Similarly, description of a ‫ حديث‬as ‫غري‬
‫ صمحيح‬merely means that some or all of the above conditions are
lacking. It is no guarantee that such a ‫ حممديث‬is definitely a
pg. 15
fabrication because it is not impossible for a person who errs
often to narrate something correctly.

‫أصح األسانيد‬
ّ
All ‫ أحاديمث صمحيحة‬are not of the same level. Instead there are
different levels of ‫ صمحة‬based on different levels of ‫ عدالمة‬and ‫ضمب‬.
The highest level of ‫ أحاديممث صممحيحة‬is a ‫ حممديث‬whose ‫ سممند‬was
described by any one of the ‫ أئممة‬as ‫أصمح األسمانيد‬. Mentioned below
are a few examples:
‫الزهرى عن سامل بن عبد اهلل عن أبيه‬
‫حممد بن سرين عن عبيدة السلماىن عن على‬
‫ابراهيم النخعى عن علقمة عن ابن مسعود‬
‫مالك عن نافع عن ابن عمر‬

Note: The preferred opinion is that there is no single ‫ سمند‬that is

‫ أصمح األسمانيد‬to Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam. There are,
however, ‫ أسمانيد‬that have been classified as ‫ أصمح األسمانيد‬to certain
‫صمحابة‬. For example, you will come across ‫ أصمح األسمانيد‬to Abu Bakr
(ra), ‫ أصح األسانيد‬to Ali (ra) and ‫ أصح األسانيد‬to Ibn Abbaas (ra).

‫التقسيم السبعي‬
Different levels of ‫ صمحة‬also demand that preference be given in
the following sequence:
1. ‫ما اتفق عليه الشيخان‬
2. ‫ما انفرد به البخارى‬
3. ‫ما انفرد به مسلم‬
pg. 16
4. ‫ما وافق شرطهما‬
5. ‫ما وافق شرط البخارى‬
6. ‫ما وافق شرط مسلم‬
7. ‫ما ال يوافق شرط واحد منهما‬

‫الحسن لذاته‬
 If the ‫ ضمب‬of the ‫ راوى‬is slightly deficient but the remaining
four conditions of ‫ الصمحيح لذاتمه‬are present, the ‫ حمديث‬is called
‫احلسن لذاته‬.
 Although ‫ احلسمن لذاتمه‬is not strong as ‫الصمحيح لذاتمه‬, it could also be
used for ‫ احتجاج‬and ‫استدالل‬.
 ‫ احلسن لذاته‬becomes ‫ الصحيح لغريه‬due to ‫كثرة الطرق‬

Example:
:‫عن حممد بن عمرو عن أىب سلمة عن أىب هريرة أن رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه و سلم قال‬
‫لو ال ان أشق على أمىت ألمرهتم بالسواك عند كل صالة‬
“If I did not fear causing difficulty to my ummah I would have
commanded them to use the miswaak at the time of every
salaah.”

Ibn-us-Salaah explains that although Muhammed bin Amr was

famous for his ‫صدق‬, he was not accurate in his narrations.
Considering his ‫ صدق‬some scholars regarded him reliable.
Others, however, disparaged him due to his weak memory. The
above ‫ حديث‬is therefore ‫حسن لذاته‬. However, this ‫ حديث‬is narrated
through a number of other ‫طرق‬. Thus, the fear we had as a result

pg. 17
of Muhammed bin Amr’s weak memory is dispelled and the
‫ حديث‬is categorised as ‫صحيح لغريه‬.

‫الحسن لغيره‬
‫ احلسن لغريه‬is a ‫ حديث ضعيف‬that gains strength and credibility through
‫ كثمرة الطمرق‬provided the cause of the original ‫ ضمعف‬is weak memory
of the ‫راوى‬, breakage in the ‫ سمند‬or unawareness of who the ‫راوى‬
actually is. However, ‫ كثمرة الطمرق‬does not cause a ‫ حمديث ضمعيف‬to
become ‫ حسمن لغمريه‬if the cause of ‫ ضمعف‬is that the ‫ راوى‬is a ‫ فاسمق‬or a
liar.

Haafidh Ibn Hajar writes in ‫ نزهمة النظمر‬that the ‫ روايما‬of the following
‫ رواة‬become ‫ حسن لغريه‬in the presence of a ‫متابع‬:
- ‫سييئ احلفظ‬
- ‫ املختل‬whose ‫ روايا‬cannot be differentiated
- ‫)جمهول احلال( املستور‬
- ِ when the ‫ حمذوف‬is unknown
‫املرسل‬
- ‫املدليس‬

The reason for the above being that if the ‫ روايما‬of these ‫ رواة‬are
viewed independently (without the ‫)متمابع‬, they could each be
either correct or incorrect. The presence of a ‫ متمابع‬strengthens
the possibility that they are correct. Hence, they ascend from
the level of ‫ توقيمف‬to the level of ‫قبمول‬. Nevertheless they are still
weaker than ‫احلسن لذاته‬.

pg. 18
Example:
‫أن امرأة من بىن فزارة تزوجت‬:‫عن شعبة عن عاصم بن عبيد اهلل عن عبد اهلل بن عامر بن ربيعة عن أبيه‬
‫ نعم‬:‫ أرضيت من نفسك و مالك بنعلني؟ فقالت‬:‫على نعلني فقال رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬
‫فأجاز‬

This ‫ حديث‬is supposed to be to be da’eef because ‘Aasim bin

‘Ubaidillah is da’eef. However, Imaam Tirmidhi declared it ‫حسن‬
(‫ )لغريه‬because it is narrated through other ‫ طرق‬besides this.

Question: In the light of the foregoing discussion can we

conclude that Imaam Tirmidhi very often contradicts himself
when he classifies a ‫ حمديث‬as ‫ ?حسمن صمحيح‬According to what was
mentioned above it is impossible for one ‫ حمديث‬to be ‫ حسمن‬and
‫ صحيح‬at the same time!

Answer: No, Imaam Tirmidhi cannot be accused of

contradicting himself because:
 If the ‫ حمديث‬has only one ‫طريمق‬, he means that there is a doubt
among the ‫ أئممة‬whether the ‫ حمديث‬is ‫ حسمن‬or ‫صمحيح‬. Thus, he
means that the ‫ حمديث‬is ‫ صمحيح‬according to some and ‫حسمن‬
according to others. In short, ‫ حسن صمحيح‬is actually ‫حسمن أو صمحيح‬
but the ‫ حرف العطف‬is ‫حمذوف‬.
 If there are two ‫ طمرق‬the meaning of ‫ حسمن صمحيح‬is that one ‫طريمق‬
is ‫ حسن‬and the other ‫ طريق‬is ‫صحيح‬.

pg. 19
Question: Imaam Tirmidhi had mentioned that the ‫ شمرط‬of ‫احلمديث‬
‫ احلسمن‬is that it must be narrated from more than one ‫طريمق‬. That
being the case, how does he still manage to describe some
‫ أحاديث‬as ‫?حسن غريب‬

Answer: Imaam Tirmidhi has his own definition of ‫احلمديث احلسمن‬

which differs from the definition of the rest of the ‫حمم يدثني‬. He
observes his own definition when he uses the word ‫حسممن‬
independently and he observes the definition of the rest of the
‫ حمم يدثني‬when he uses the word ‫ حسمن‬alongside the words ‫ صمحيح‬and
‫غريب‬.

‫زيادة الثقة‬
When a ‫ حديث‬that is ‫ حسن‬or ‫ صحيح‬has more than one ‫ طريق‬and one
of the ‫ طمرق‬has a ‫( زيمادة‬addition) which is not found in the other
‫طمرق‬, this ‫ زيمادة‬will be accepted provided it does not contradict a
more reliable ‫طريمق‬, because if it does, it will be regarded as ‫شما‬.
Some scholars have the misconception that ‫ زيمادة الثقمة‬is always
accepted (even if it contradicts a more reliable ‫)طريمق‬. However,
Abdur-Rahmaan bin Mahdi, Yahya Al-Qattaan, Ahmed bin
Hambal, Ali Ibn-ul-Madeeni, Al-Bukhaari, Abu Zur'ah, Abu
Haatim and Yahyaa bin Ma'een all preferred the first opinion.

The Definition of ‫الشاا‬: When a ‫ راوى‬who is ‫ ثقمة‬contradicts a ‫راوى‬

that is more ‫ ثقة‬than himself, his ‫ رواية‬is called ‫شا‬.

pg. 20
Example of ‫ زيادة الثقة‬that is Acceptable:
While many ‫ حفاظ‬narrated the ‫ حديث‬of ‫ ولوغ الكلب‬from A’mash,
ُِ besides Ali bin Mus-hir.
none of them mentioned the ‫ زيادة‬of ‫فلريقْه‬
Since this ‫ زيادة‬does not contradict the narrations of the other
‫حفاظ‬, it is acceptable.

Example of ‫ زيادة الثقة‬that is Unacceptable:

The ‫ زيادة‬of ‫ يو عرفة‬in the ‫حديث‬:
... ‫يو عرفة و يو النحر و ايا التشريق عيدنا أهل االسال‬
Besides the ‫ طريق‬of ‫ موسى بن على بن رباح عن أبيه عن عقبة‬none of the other
‫ طرق‬of this ‫ حديث‬mention this ‫ زيادة‬. The contradiction between
this ‫ زيادة‬and the other ‫ طرق‬is quite apparent and therefore
unacceptable.

‫الشاهد‬, ‫ المتابع‬and ‫االعتبار‬

If, after suspecting that a ‫ حديث‬is fard nisbi, we fine another ‫حديث‬
with the same meaning, irrespective of whether the wording is
the same or not,
 The second ‫ حديث‬is called ‫ متابع‬if it is narrated by the same
‫ صحايب‬who narrated the first ‫حديث‬.
 The second ‫ حديث‬is called ‫ شاهد‬if it is not narrated by the
same ‫ صحايب‬who narrated the first ‫حديث‬.
 Some scholars define ‫ متمابع‬as a second ‫ حمديث‬with exactly the
same words as the first ‫( حممديث‬irrespective of whether
narrated by the same ‫ صمحايب‬or not). Similarly, they define

pg. 21
 ‫‪ with different words but the same‬حمديث ‪ as a second‬شماهد‬
‫‪ (irrespective of whether narrated‬حمديث ‪meaning as the first‬‬
‫‪ or not).‬صحايب ‪by the same‬‬
‫‪‬‬ ‫‪ there are two types:‬متابع ‪According to the first definition of‬‬
‫التاممة ‪1.‬‬
‫‪ – When the mutaaba'ah commences from the‬املتابعمة ي‬
‫‪.‬سند ‪ himself till the end of the‬راوى‬
‫‪ – When the mutaaba'ah commences from the‬املتابعمة القاصمرة ‪2.‬‬
‫‪ or anybody thereafter.‬راوى ‪ of the‬شيخ‬
‫‪‬‬ ‫‪ are often used for each other.‬شاهد ‪ and‬متابع ‪The words‬‬
‫‪‬‬ ‫االعتبار ‪ is called‬شاهد ‪ or‬متابع ‪The search for a‬‬

‫‪Example:‬‬
‫روى الشافعى ىف األ عن مالك عن عبد اهلل بن دينار عن ابن عمر أن رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬
‫قال‪" :‬الشهر تسع و تسعون فال تصوموا حىت تروا اهلالل و ال تفطروا حىت تروه فان غم عليكم فأكملوا‬
‫العدة ثالثني"‬

‫التامة( متابع ‪A‬‬

‫‪ is:‬حديث ‪) of this‬املتابعة ي‬
‫ما رواه البخارى عن عبد اهلل بن مسلمة القعنىب عن مالك عن عبد اهلل بن دينار عن ابن عمر أن رسول‬
‫اهلل صلى اهلل عليه و سلم قال‪ ..." :‬فان غم عليكم فأكملوا العدة ثالثني"‬

‫‪) is:‬املتابعة القاصرة( متابع ‪Another‬‬

‫ما رواه ابن خزمية من طريق عاصم بن حممد عن أبيه حممد بن زيد عن جده عبد اهلل ابن عمر بلفظ‪:‬‬
‫"فكملوا ثالثني"‬

‫‪ would be:‬حديث ‪ of this‬شاهد ‪A‬‬

‫‪pg. 22‬‬
:‫ و فيه‬... ‫ما رواه النسائى من رواية حممد بن حنني عن ابن عباس عن النىب صلى اهلل عليه و سلم قال‬
"‫"فان غم عليكم فأكملوا العدة ثالثني‬

CHAPTER FIVE
‫المعمول به و غير المعمول به‬

Is it imperative to make ‫ عممل‬on every ‫ ?حمديث مقبمول‬What do you

do when you have two ‫ أحاديمث‬which apparently contradict
each other and both are ‫مقبمول‬. The answers to these questions
are found in this chapter in which the four types of ‫احلمديث املقبمول‬
are divided into two types; ‫ معمول به‬and ‫غري معمول به‬.

 If a ‫ حمديث مقبمول‬is not contradicted by another ‫حمديث مقبمول‬, it is

‫ حمكم‬and ‫ عمل( معمول به‬will be made on it).
 If it is contradicted by another ‫حديث مقبمول‬, we must first try to
make ‫ مجمع‬between the two. ‫ خمتلَمف احلمديث‬and ‫ خمتلِمف احلمديث‬are the
terms used by the ‫ حمم يدثني‬when ‫ مجمع‬between two such ‫ أحاديمث‬is
possible.
Example: In one ‫ حمديث‬Rasulullah ‫ صمملى اهلل عليممه و سملم‬said that
there is no such thing as contagious disease and in another
‫ حمديث‬he said: "Run from the leper like you run from the
lion". The apparent contradiction between these two ‫أحاديمث‬
is solved by means of ‫ – مجمع‬while the first ‫ حمديث‬denies the

pg. 23
 existence of contagious disease, the second does not
acknowledge it; it is merely a precautionary measure to
protect the ‫ إميمان‬of a person who falls ill after coming into
contact with a leper.
 If ‫ مجمع‬between the two ‫ أحاديمث مقبولمة‬is not possible but there is
sufficient evidence that one of the two is ‫ ناسمخ‬and the other
is ‫منسوخ‬, we will implement the ‫ ناسخ‬only.
 If there is no evidence to substantiate ‫نسمخ‬, the next step is
that of ‫( ترجيح‬giving preference to one ‫ حديث‬over the other).
 If there is not a single reason to give preference to one of
the two ‫ أحاديمث‬over the other, we will have to make ‫توقيمف‬
(neither accept nor reject any one of them).

Recognition of ‫نسخ‬:
‫ نسخ‬is recognised by means of the following:
1. ‫ تصريح‬in the ‫حديث‬
2. We are told by a ‫صحايب‬
3. ‫ – تماريخ‬there is historical evidence that one ‫ حمديث‬is ‫ متقم يد‬and
the other is ‫مأخر‬
‫مت ي‬. Hence the ‫ متقم يد‬is ‫ منسموخ‬and the ‫مأخر‬
‫ مت ي‬is ‫ناسمخ‬
and therefore ‫معمول به‬.

Note:
When the ‫ حديث‬of one ‫ صحايب‬contradicts the ‫ حديث‬of another ‫صحايب‬
and one of them had accepted ‫ إسمال‬before the other, the ‫حمديث‬
of the latter cannot be regarded as ‫ ناسمخ‬because it is possible
that he did not hear this ‫ حديث‬directly from Rasulullah ‫صلى اهلل عليه و‬

pg. 24
‫ سملم‬but from another ‫ صمحايب‬who is also an early ‫مسملم‬. (Hence the
‫ حمديث‬of the latter ‫ صمحايب‬will be regarded as ‫ ناسمخ‬if he makes ‫تصمريح‬
that he heard this particular ‫ حمديث‬directly from Rasulullah ‫صملى اهلل‬
‫عليه و سلم‬.

Note:
‫ اإلمجما‬is not ‫ ناسمخ‬but rather ‫دليمل النسمخ‬. What this means is that if
‫ اإلمجا‬is in conflict with a ‫ حمديث‬we will not say that ‫ اإلمجما‬made ‫نسمخ‬
of the ‫ ;حمديث‬instead we will say that ‫ اإلمجما‬is proof that the ‫حمديث‬
is ‫منسوخ‬.

‫املردود‬

‫لطعن فى‬ ‫لسقط من‬

‫الراوى‬ ‫اإلسناد‬

‫سقط خفي‬ ‫سقط ظاهر‬

‫المرسل‬ ‫المرسل‬ ‫المعلق‬

‫المدلس‬
‫الخفي‬
‫المنقطع‬ ‫المعضل‬

pg. 25
 CHAPTER SIX
‫الحديث المردود‬

When ‫ خمرب الواحمد‬is classified on the basis of soundness and

authenticity, there are two types; ‫ املقبممول‬and ‫املممردود‬. In the
previous two chapters we discussed ‫املقبمول‬. We now discuss
‫املردود‬.

There are two basic reasons for ‫رد‬‫( ي‬rejection) of ‫أحاديث‬:

1. ‫( سق‬breakage) in the ‫سند‬.
2. ‫( طعن‬criticism) of the ‫راوى‬

This chapter discusses the first of these two reasons with a bit
more detail.

‫( سق‬breakage) in the ‫ سند‬is of two types:

1. ‫ – ظماهر‬A ‫ سمق‬which can be detected by non-experts. One
example of ‫ سق ظاهر‬is when the ‫ راوى‬is not a ‫ معاصر‬of the ‫ممروى عنمه‬
or he is, but he never met him.
2. ‫ – خفمي‬A ‫ سمق‬that can only be detected by an expert who has
ِ An example
proficient knowledge of ‫ طمرق احلمديث‬and ‫علمل األسمانيد‬.
of this type of ‫ سمق‬is when a ‫ راوى‬who never met the ‫ممروى عنمه‬
and therefore does not want to be accused of lying uses a

pg. 26
 ‫ صميغة األداء‬which merely creates an impression that he met 3
him but is not a ‫ صريح‬statement4 that he did do so.

There are four types of ‫ أحاديمث‬which are ‫ ممردود‬due to ‫سمق ظماهر‬:

‫املعليمق‬, ‫املرسمل‬,
َ ‫ املعضمل‬and ‫ املنقطمع‬and there are two types which are
‫ مردود‬due to ‫سق خفي‬: ‫ املدليس‬and ‫املرسل اخلفي‬.
َ

‫المعلّق‬
 When one or more ‫ رواة‬are omitted in the beginning of the
‫ سند‬as a result of ‫تصرف املصنف‬,
‫ ي‬the ‫ حديث‬is called ‫معليق‬.
 There are different types of ‫تعليق‬:
1. Omission of the entire ‫سند‬.
2. Omission of the entire ‫ سند‬excluding the ‫صحايب‬.
3. Omission of the entire ‫ سمند‬excluding the ‫ صمحايب‬and the
‫تابعي‬.
 When a ‫ راوى‬omits the name of ‫ َمن ح يدثه‬and attributes the ‫حديث‬
to ‫ممن فوقمه‬,
َ we will have to see whether ‫ َممن فوقمه‬was also his ‫شميخ‬.
If that is the case, there is a difference of opinion whether
this action of the ‫ راوى‬will be called ‫ تعليمق‬or not. The correct
opinion, however, is that if it is known by means of ‫ نم‬or
‫ اسمتقراء‬that that the ‫ راوى‬who did this had committed ‫ تمدليس‬on

3
He says ‫ قال‬or ‫عن‬
4
For example, ‫حدثنا‬
pg. 27
 other occasions, this action of his will also be regarded as
‫تمدليس‬. On the contrary, if there is no other occasion wherein
he was accused of ‫تدليس‬, this action of his will be regarded as
‫تعليق‬.
 ‫ احلمديث املعليمق‬is always ‫ ممردود‬unless if it is mentioned in a ‫ كتماب‬in
which the author has made ‫ التمزا‬to mention ‫ أحاديمث صمحيحة‬only;
for example, the ‫ صحيح البخارى‬and the ‫صحيح مسلم‬.
 The reason why ‫ املعليمق‬is ‫ ممردود‬in all other instances is that
unawareness of the unmentioned ‫ راوى‬means unawareness
of whether he is reliable or not. Therefore if the
unmentioned ‫ راوى‬is identified through another ‫طريممق‬, this
particular ‫ معليق‬should be accepted.

The ‫ تعليقات‬of ‫ البخاري‬and ‫مسلم‬

1. While all the ‫ تعليقا‬of ‫ صحيح مسملم‬are ‫صمحيح‬, there are two types
of ‫ تعليقا‬in ‫صحيح البخارى‬:
 Those in which Imaam Bukhaari employs ‫ صميغة ازمز‬e.g. ‫قمال‬,
‫ كر‬, ‫ حكى‬and ‫َروى‬
ِ
 Those in which he employs ‫ صيغة التمريض‬e.g. ‫ي‬ َ ‫ ُرِو‬and ‫ ُكَر‬.

2. In the first type the ‫ سمند‬until the ‫ معليمق عنمه‬is definitely ‫صمحيح‬.
However, the ‫ سند‬after the ‫ معليق عنه‬is not always ‫صحيح‬. Hence:
 When Imaam Bukhaari says ‫ قال ابن عباس‬his ‫ سمند‬to ‫ ابمن عبماس‬is
definitely ‫صحيح‬.

pg. 28
  When he says ‫قال طاؤوس قال ابن عباس‬, the ‫ سمند‬is ‫ صمحيح‬until ‫طماؤوس‬
only. Thereafter it is ‫ منقطع‬because ‫ طاؤوس‬never met ‫ابن عباس‬
3. The second type of ‫ تعليقما‬does not even guarantee ‫ صمحة‬of
the ‫ سند‬until the ‫معليق عنه‬. Thus, some of these ‫ تعليقا‬are ‫ضعيف‬

‫الحديث المرسل‬
1. When ‫ سق‬occurs after the ‫ تابعى‬at the end of the ‫سند‬, the ‫حديث‬
is called ‫مرسمل‬.َ Putting it differently, ‫املرسمل‬ َ is when a ‫ تمابعى‬says:
'. . . ‫ 'قمال رسمول اهلل صملى اهلل عليمه و سملم‬or '. . . ‫'فعمل رسمول اهلل صملى اهلل عليمه و سملم‬
(In this instance the ‫ سمق‬is between the ‫ تمابعى‬and Rasulullah
‫صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬.)
2. The reason for regarding ‫املرسمل‬ َ ‫ احلمديث‬as ‫ ممردود‬is unawareness of
the credentials of the ‫ راوى‬between the ‫ تمابعى‬and Rasulullah
‫صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬.
3. The ‫ راوى‬between the ‫ تمابعى‬and Rasulullah ‫ صملى اهلل عليمه و سملم‬could
be a ‫ صحايب‬or another ‫تابعى‬.
4. If he is a ‫صمحايب‬, the rule of all the ‫ صمحابة‬being ‫ عمدول‬demands
that this ‫ حديث‬should be ‫مقبول‬.
5. If he is another ‫تمابعى‬, he is either ‫ ضمعيف‬or ‫ثقمة‬. If he is ‫ ضمعيف‬the
‫ حمديث‬is ‫ممردود‬. However, if he is ‫ثقمة‬, he could be narrating from
a ‫ صمحايب‬or another ‫ تمابعى‬who is also ‫ ضمعيف‬or ‫ثقمة‬. Logically, this
cycle can carry on forever. However, we know from ‫اسمتقراء‬
that the most this can happen is six to seven times.

pg. 29
6. Due to unawareness of the credentials of the missing ‫راوى‬
the ‫ حمديث مرسمل‬can neither be ‫ مقبمول‬nor ‫ممردود‬. The ‫ حممدثني‬therefore
neither accept nor reject it.
7. The ‫ حنفية‬and ‫ مالكية‬always accept it as authorative.
8. Imaam Shaafi'ie only accepts it if it is narrated through a
second, totally different ‫ طريمق‬even if this second ‫ طريمق‬is also
‫مرسل‬.

Example of ‫المرسل‬:
‫ حدثىن حممد بن رافع ثنا حجني ثنا الليث عن عقيل عن ابن شهاب‬:‫ما أخرجه مسلم ىف صحيحه قال‬
‫عن سعيد بن املسيب أن رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه و سلم هنى عن املزابنة‬
This ‫ حديث‬is ‫ مرسل‬because Sa’eed bin Musayyib is a ‫ تابعى‬and he is
narrating the ‫ حديث‬directly from Rasulullah ‫صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬
without mentioning ‫( واسطة‬link) between himself and Rasulullah
‫صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬.

‫ضل‬
َ ‫المع‬
1. If at any one place in the ‫ سمند‬two or more ‫ رواة‬are omitted,
the ‫ حديث‬is called ‫معضل‬.
َ
2. The relationship between ‫معضمل‬ َ and ‫ معليمق‬is that of ‫عممو خصمو‬
ِ
‫ – ممن وجمه‬only some (not all) ‫معضمل‬
َ are ‫ معليمق‬and vice versa, only
some (not all) ‫ معليق‬are ‫معضل‬.
َ Thus:
 If in the beginning of the ‫ سمند‬two or more ‫ رواة‬are omitted
one after the other as a result of ‫تص يمرف املصمنف‬, the ‫ حمديث‬is
‫ معليق‬and ‫معضل‬.
َ

pg. 30
  If the above omission of two or more narrators one
after the other does not occur in the beginning of the
‫سند‬, the ‫ حديث‬is ‫معضل‬
َ only.
 If the above omission of two or more ‫ رواة‬one after the
other is not the result of ‫تصرف املصنف‬,
‫ ي‬the ‫ حديث‬is only ‫معضل‬.
َ
 If only one ‫ راوى‬is omitted in the beginning of the ‫سمند‬, the
‫ حديث‬is only ‫معليق‬

Example of ‫ضل‬
َ ‫المع‬
‫ما رواه احلاكم بسنده اىل القعنىب عن مالك أنه بلغه أن أبا هريرة قال قال رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه و‬
‫ للمملوك طعامه و كسوته باملعروف و ال يكلف من العمل اال ما يطيق‬:‫سلم‬
This ‫ حديث‬is ‫معضل‬
َ because we know from other sources that two
narrators, Muhammed bin ‘Ajlaan and his father, have been
omitted between Imaam Maalik and Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah
(ra).

‫المنقطع‬
Considering the ‫ لغموى‬meaning of ‫انقطما‬, the ‫ متقم يدمني‬used to regard
every broken ‫ سمند‬as ‫منقطمع‬. However, the ‫ متمأخرين‬confine ‫ انقطما‬to
every form of breakage in the ‫ سمند‬besides ‫تعليمق‬, ‫ إرسمال‬and ‫إعضمال‬. In
their opinion a ‫ حديث‬with a broken ‫ سند‬will only be called ‫ منقطع‬if it
is neither ‫ معليق‬nor ‫مرسل‬
َ and ‫معضل‬.
َ

Example of ‫المنقطع‬
‫ ان وليتموها أبا بكر‬:‫ما رواه عبد الرزاق عن الثورى عن أيب اسحاق عن زيد بن يثيع عن حذيفة مرفوعا‬
‫فقوى أمني‬
pg. 31
‫‪ from Abu Ishaaq; he heard it‬حديث ‪Az-Zuhri did not hear this‬‬
‫‪from Shareek and Shareek heard it from Az-Zuhri. However,‬‬
‫مرسل ‪ is neither‬سق ‪. Since this‬سند ‪Shareek is not mentioned in the‬‬
‫َ‬
‫‪,‬معضل ‪ or‬معليق ‪nor‬‬
‫َ‬ ‫‪it‬‬ ‫‪is‬‬ ‫‪.‬منقطع‬

‫الرسول‬ ‫ابن عباس‬ ‫عوسجة‬ ‫عمرو بن دينار‬ ‫ابن عيينة‬ ‫الرتمذى‬ ‫السند املتصل‬ ‫‪1‬‬

‫الرسول‬ ‫=‬ ‫=‬ ‫=‬ ‫الرتمذى‬ ‫املعلق‬ ‫‪2.1‬‬

‫الرسول‬ ‫ابن عباس‬ ‫=‬ ‫=‬ ‫=‬ ‫الرتمذى‬ ‫املعلق‬ ‫‪2.2‬‬

‫الرسول‬ ‫ابن عباس‬ ‫عوسجة‬ ‫=‬ ‫=‬ ‫الرتمذى‬ ‫املعلق‬ ‫‪2.3‬‬

‫الرسول‬ ‫ابن عباس‬ ‫عوسجة‬ ‫عمرو بن دينار‬ ‫=‬ ‫الرتمذى‬ ‫املعلق‬ ‫‪2.4‬‬

‫الرسول‬ ‫=‬ ‫عوسجة‬ ‫عمرو بن دينار‬ ‫ابن عيينة‬ ‫الرتمذى‬ ‫املرسل‬ ‫‪3‬‬

‫الرسول‬ ‫ابن عباس‬ ‫عوسجة‬ ‫=‬ ‫=‬ ‫الرتمذى‬ ‫املعضل‬ ‫‪4.1‬‬

‫الرسول‬ ‫ابن عباس‬ ‫=‬ ‫=‬ ‫ابن عيينة‬ ‫الرتمذى‬ ‫املعضل‬ ‫‪4.2‬‬

‫الرسول‬ ‫ابن عباس‬ ‫عوسجة‬ ‫=‬ ‫ابن عيينة‬ ‫الرتمذى‬ ‫املنقطع‬ ‫‪5.1‬‬

‫الرسول‬ ‫ابن عباس‬ ‫=‬ ‫عمرو بن دينار‬ ‫=‬ ‫الرتمذى‬ ‫املنقطع‬ ‫‪5.2‬‬

‫الرسول‬ ‫ابن عباس‬ ‫=‬ ‫عمرو بن دينار‬ ‫ابن عيينة‬ ‫الرتمذى‬ ‫املنقطع‬ ‫‪5.3‬‬

‫‪pg. 32‬‬
‫ المدلّس‬and ‫المرسل الخفي‬
َ
1. When a ‫ راوى‬narrates from a ‫معاصمر‬ ِ a ‫ حمديث‬which he never
heard from him, there are two possibilities:
 He had met him.
 He had never met him.
2. In the first instance the ‫ حديث‬is called ‫ املمدليس‬and in the second
instance it is called ‫املسل اخلفي‬.
َ
3. In addition to having met the ‫معاصممر‬ ِ from whom he is
narrating, the ‫ حمديث‬will only be ‫( ممدليس‬with a ‫ فتحمة‬on the ‫ )ال‬if
the ‫ راوى‬uses a vague ‫ صمميغة اآلداء‬which merely creates the
impression that he heard the ‫ حمديث‬from the ‫ممروى عنمه‬. (If he
uses a ‫ صيغة‬that is ‫( صريح‬explicit) in this regard, he is a liar and
his ‫ حديث‬will be ‫مردود‬.)
4. A ‫ راوى‬who makes ‫ تمدليس‬is called ‫( ممدليس‬with a ‫ كسمرة‬on the ‫)ال‬. If
he is ‫عدل‬, the ‫ حمدثني‬only accept those ‫ أحاديث‬in which he makes
‫ تصريح‬that he heard them from the ‫مروى عنه‬.
5. Some ‫ حمدثني‬claim that ‫ تدليس‬is when a ‫ راوى‬narrates from a ‫معاصمر‬ِ
a ‫ حممديث‬which he did not hear from him irrespective of
whether he had met him or not. This is incorrect because:
 If that is true, there will be no difference between ‫املمدليس‬
and ‫املسل اخلفي‬.
َ
 If that is true, the ‫ أحاديمث‬of the ‫ ُخمض َمرمني‬should be ‫ممدليس‬
instead of ‫مسممل خفممي‬.
َ This, however, contradicts the
agreement of all the ‫أهل العلم‬.

pg. 33
Example of ‫المدلّس‬
Ibn Khashram narrates that they were sitting with Ibn ‘Uyainah
when he started narrating a ‫ حمديث‬saying ‫ ع ْمن الزهمري‬He was asked:
“Did Az-Zuhri narrate it to you?” He kept quite for a little while
and then recommenced the narration saying ‫قمال الزهمري‬. This time
they asked him: “Did you hear it from Az-Zuhri?” He replied: “I
neither heard from Az-Zuhri nor from somebody who heard it
from him. Abdur Razzaaq narrated it to me from Ma’mar and
Ma’mar heard it from Az-Zuhri.”

Example of ‫المرسل الخفي‬

َ
"‫ "رحم اهلل احلارس‬:‫ما رواه ابن ماجه من طريق عمر بن عبد العزيز عن عقبة بن عامر مرفوعا‬
This ‫ حديث‬is an example of Al-Mursal Al-Khafiy because Umar
bin Abdil Azeez never met ‘Uqbah bin ‘Aamir although they
ِ
were ‫معاصر‬.

Question: How do we know that the ‫ راوى‬never met the ‫?مروى عنه‬

Answer: We know that the ‫ راوى‬never met the ‫ ممروى عنمه‬when we

are informed by the ‫ راوى‬himself or an ‫ إمما‬who is an expert in ‫طمرق‬
ِ
and ‫علل‬.

Note: The presence of one or more links between the ‫ راوى‬and

the ‫ ممروى عنمه‬in one ‫ طريمق‬does not prove that the ‫ طريمق‬in which such
links are absent is ‫ منقطمع‬because this could be an example of ‫املزيمد‬
‫ىف متصل األسانيد‬. See page 41-42

pg. 34
 CHAPTER SEVEN
‫الطعن فى الراوى‬
‫الموضوع والمتروك و الممنكر و المعلل‬

There are ten reasons for ‫( طعمن‬criticism) of ‫رواة‬. Five are related
to ‫ عدالمة‬and five are related to ‫ضمب‬. The five related to ‫ عدالمة‬are
‫كمذب‬, ‫هتممة بالكمذب‬, ‫فسمق‬, ‫ بدعمة‬and ‫ جهالمة‬and the five related to ‫ ضمب‬are
‫فحم الغلم‬, ‫سموء احلفمظ‬, ‫غفلمة‬, ‫ كثمرة األوهما‬and ‫خمالفمة الثقما‬. However, the
sequence of the following discussion is not based on
differentiating between the five that are related to ‫ عدالمة‬and
then the five that are related to ‫ضمب‬. Instead, it is based on the
level and severity of the ‫طعمن‬. Since ‫( كمذب‬fabrication of ‫)أحاديمث‬
is the worst criticism of a ‫راوى‬, we commence with ‫احلمديث املوضمو‬.
(This chapter will also discuss ‫املرتوك‬, ‫ املنكر‬and ‫املعليل‬.)

pg. 35
 ‫الطعن فى الراوى‬

‫الطعن فى الضبط‬ ‫الطعن فى العدالة‬

‫فحش الغلط‬ ‫الكذب‬

‫سوء الحفظ‬ ‫التهمة بالكذب‬
‫الغفلة‬ ‫الفسق‬
‫كثرة األوهام‬ ‫البدعة‬
‫مخلفة الثقاة‬ ‫الجهالة‬

‫الحديث الموضوع‬
1. The worst criticism of a ‫ راوى‬is ‫( كمذب ىف احلمديث‬he fabricates
‫)أحاديث‬. The ‫ حديث‬of such a ‫ راوى‬is called ‫موضو‬.
2. The ruling that a ‫ حمديث‬is ‫ موضمو‬is ‫ ظمىن‬instead of ‫ قطمع‬because ‫قمد‬
‫( يصدق الكذوب‬Liars sometime speak the truth.)
3. Sometimes a ‫ حمديث‬is declared ‫ موضمو‬due to acknowledgment
of the ‫( واضمع‬fabricator). However, even in such instances the
ruling that the ‫ حمديث‬is ‫ موضمو‬is still ‫ ظمىن‬because it is possible
that this acknowledgment is false.

Signs of ‫الحديث الموضوع‬

‫ احلديث املوضو‬is recognised by any of the following:
 ‫( إقرار‬acknowledgment) of the ‫راوى‬

pg. 36
 Something that is equivalent to ‫إقمرار‬, for example: when
asked about his date of birth or when he heard the ‫حمديث‬
from the ‫مروى عنمه‬, he mentions a date that is after the demise
of the ‫مروى عنه‬.
 An indication in the ‫راوى‬, for example: he is a ‫ رافضمي‬and the
‫ حديث‬he is narrating concerns the ‫ فضيلة‬of the ‫أهل البيت‬.
 An indication in the in the ‫مروى‬, for example:
- It is in conflict with ‫القمرنن‬, ‫ السمنة املتمواترة‬or ‫ اإلمجما القطعمى‬and ‫ توفيمق‬is
not possible.
- It contradicts ‫عقممل‬, ‫حممس‬, ‫ مشمماهدة‬and ‫ تمماريخ‬and ‫ تأويممل‬is
impossible.
- Its meaning is extremely feeble, for example: it
mentions extremely high reward or punishment for a
small act.
- Despite the fact that ‫ تمدوين احلمديث‬took place a long time
ago, it can be found in neither ‫ بطون الكتب‬nor ‫صدور العلماء‬.
- ‫( اسممتقراء‬intensive and comprehensive) study of a
particular aspect reveals that there is not a single ‫حمديث‬
‫ صممحيح‬regarding it. In this case the ‫ حم م يدثني‬may say
something like:
‫مل يصح ىف هذا الباب شيء‬
"There isn't anything saheeh in this regard."

The Causes of Fabrication

Ibn Hajar has mentioned five basic causes of fabrication:
1. ‫( زندقة‬irreligiousness)

pg. 37
2. ‫( جهالة‬ignorance)
3. ‫تعصب‬
‫( ي‬fanatic following of an Imaam or a madh-hab.
4. Pleasing the desire of rulers.
5. ‫( إغراب‬saying something strange in order to gain fame)

The Ruling of ‫الحديث الموضوع‬

There is consensus among the ‫ علماء‬of the ‫ أهل السنة‬that:
- Fabrication of ‫ حديث‬is a major sin.
- It is ‫ حمرا‬to narrate a ‫ حممديث موضممو‬without informing the
audience that it is ‫موضو‬.

‫المتروك‬
The second criticism of a ‫ راوى‬is ‫( هتممة بالكمذب‬he is suspected of
fabrication because:
- The ‫ حديث‬he is narrating is not narrated by anybody else and
it contradicts the basic principles of the ‫شريعة‬.
- Although he has never been found guilty of fabrication of
‫حديث‬, he is a confirmed liar in his day-to-day speech.
‫ املمرتوك‬is the name of the ‫ حمديث‬of a ‫ راوى‬against whom the above
criticism is levelled.

‫المنكر‬
The third, fourth and fifth criticisms are:
3. ‫ – فح الغل‬he makes too many errors.
4. ‫ – غفلة‬he is negligent and therefore inaccurate.

pg. 38
5. ‫ – فسق‬although his speech and actions constitute ‫فسق‬, they do
not reach the extent of ‫كفر‬.

‫المعلّل‬
1. ‫( وهمم‬misconception) is the sixth criticism of a ‫ راوى‬and the
‫ حديث‬of a ‫ راوى‬who is criticised thereof is called ‫معليل‬.
2. Examples of such ‫ أوها‬are:
- He regards the ‫ حديث‬as ‫ موصول‬whereas it is ‫مرسل‬. َ
- He regards the ‫ حديث‬as ‫ موصول‬whereas it is ‫منقطع‬.
- He confuses one ‫ حديث‬with another.
3. Such ‫ أوهما‬can only be detected by means of ‫ كثمرة التتبيمع‬and ‫مجمع‬
‫الطرق‬
4. However, this area of study is the most difficult aspect of ‫علم‬
‫ احلمديث‬as a result of which very few ‫ حمم يدثني‬excelled in it. Some
of the ‫ حمم يدثني‬who excelled in this field are Ali Ibn-ul-Madeeni,
Ahmed bin Hambal, Muhammed bin Isma'eel Al-Bukhaari,
Ya'qoob bin Abi Shaibah, Abu Haatim Ar-Raazi and Abu
Zur'ahAr-Raazi.

pg. 39
 CHAPTER SEVEN
)‫الطعن فى الراوى (مستمر‬
‫المخالفة و أنواعها‬
‫ خمالفمة‬is the seventh criticism and comprises five different
types:
1. ‫املدرج‬
َ
2. ‫املقلوب‬
3. ‫املزيد ىف متصل األسانيد‬
4. ‫املضطرب‬
5. ‫املصحف‬ ‫ي‬ and ‫حرف‬‫الْ ُم ي‬

This chapter discusses the five types of ‫ خمالفمة‬and the issues of

‫ اختصار‬and ‫رواية باملعىن‬.

The First Type of ‫مخالفة‬: ‫المدرج‬

ُ
‫ الْ ُمدرج‬is of two types:
1. ‫مدرج اإلسناد‬ َ
2. ‫مدرج الْ َمنت‬
َ

‫ مخالفاة‬in the ‫ سمياق‬of the ‫ سمند‬is called ‫ ممدرج اإلسمناد‬and occurs in the
following manners:

pg. 40
1. A group of ‫ رواة‬narrate a ‫ حمديث‬with different ‫ أسمانيد‬and then
somebody narrates the same ‫ حممديث‬from all of them
incorporating all the different ‫ أسانيد‬into one.
2. When a person narrates one part of a ‫ حديث‬from one person
and the rest of the ‫ حمديث‬from another person, but his
student narrates the whole ‫ حديث‬from only one of them.
3. When a ‫ راوى‬narrates two ‫ أحاديمث‬with two different ‫( أسمانيد‬one
‫ سمند‬per ‫)حمديث‬, but his student narrates both ‫ أحاديمث‬from him
mentioning only one of the two ‫أسانيد‬.
4. When a ‫ راوى‬narrates two ‫ أحاديمث‬each with a different ‫سمند‬, but
his student narrates one of them with the correct ‫ سمند‬and
adds to it certain points from the other ‫ حممديث‬without
mentioning its ‫سند‬.
5. A ‫ حمم يد‬mentions the ‫ إسمناد‬of a ‫ حمديث‬and then something
happens due to which he makes a statement that is not
part of the ‫حمديث‬. The student does not realise and includes
this statement of the ‫ أستا‬as part of the ‫حديث‬.

‫ مخالفة‬in the ‫ سياق‬of the ‫ منت‬is called ‫ مدرج املنت‬and occurs when:
1. ‫ كمال‬that is not part of the ‫ حمديث‬is added to the ‫ممنت‬. Although
this happens more at the end of the ‫ممنت‬, it does happen in
the beginning and the middle also.
2. A ‫ حممديث موق مموف‬is joined to a ‫ ح ممديث مرفممو‬without any
differentiation between the two.

pg. 41
Question: How is ‫ إدراج‬detected?
Answer: ‫ إدراج‬is detected by:
1. A detailed narration in which the addition is differentiated
from the original text.
2. Clarification of the ‫ راوى‬himself.
3. Clarification of an expert ‫إما‬.
4. The impossibility of that statement being uttered by
Rasulullah ‫صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬.

The Second Type of ‫مخالفة‬: ‫المقلوب‬

If ‫ خمالفمة‬is due to ‫ تقمدم‬and ‫ تمأخري‬in the names of the ‫رواة‬, the ‫ حمديث‬is
called ‫مقلموب‬. An example of ‫ مقلموب‬is the alteration of Murrah bin
Ka'b to Ka'b bin Murrah.

‫ خمالفمة‬due to ‫ تقمدم‬and ‫ تمأخري‬also occurs in the ‫ممنت‬. An example of this

would be the alteration of:
‫ال تعلم مشاله ما تنفق ميينه‬
to
‫ال تعلم ميينه ما تنفق مشاله‬
in the ‫ حديث‬of Abu Hurairah (ra) in the ‫صحيح مسلم‬.

The Third Type of ‫مخالفة‬: ‫المزيد فى متصل األسانيد‬

This happens when one ‫ راوى‬mentions an additional link in the
‫ سممند‬and another ‫ راوى‬who is ‫( أتقممن‬more accurate) does not
mention it.

pg. 42
 ‫السند الثانى‬ ‫السند األول‬
Shu’aib Shu’aib
Yusuf Yusuf
Ahmad
Ibrahim Ibrahim
Moosa Abdullah

1. The above represent two ‫ طرق‬of the same ‫سند‬

2. The difference between the two is the
presence/absence of Ahmad between Ibrahim and
Yusuf.
3. The first ‫ سند‬will be regarded as ‫ متصل‬if:
a. Abdullah is ‫ أوثق‬in comparison to Moosa
b. Ibrahim made ‫ تصريح‬of ‫ مسا‬from Yusuf
4. In this instance the second ‫ سند‬will be ‫مزيد ىف متصل‬
‫الألسانيد‬
5. The second ‫ سند‬will be regarded as ‫ متصل‬if:
a. Moosa is ‫ أوثق‬in comparison to Abdullah or
b. Ibrahim did not make ‫ تصريح‬of ‫ مسا‬from Yusuf
6. In this instance the second ‫ سند‬will be ‫ متصل‬and the
first ‫ سند‬will be ‫مرسل خفي‬

pg. 43
Study the following ‫ أسانيد‬of the hadith ‫ال جتلسوا على القبور‬

‫عبد اهلل بن مبارك عن ابن يزيد حدثىن بسر بن عبيد اهلل قال مسعت ابا ادريس قال مسعت واثلة قال‬
. . . ‫مسعت أبا مرثد يقول مسعت رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه و سلم يقول‬

‫على بن حجر و الوليد بن مسلم و عيسى بن يونس و غريهم عن ابن يزيد حدثىن بسر بن عبيد اهلل‬
. . . ‫قال مسعت واثلة قال مسعت أبا مرثد يقول مسعت رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه و سلم يقول‬

 The first ‫ سمند‬has an additional link (Abu Idrees) between

Busr bin Ubaidillah and Waathilah which is not found in the
second ‫سند‬.
 If those who do not mention this additional link (Ali bin
Hujr, Waleed bin Muslim and 'Eesa bin Yunus) are ‫ أتقمن‬and
Busr makes ‫ تصمريح‬that he heard this ‫ حممديث‬directly from
Waathilah, their ‫ سند‬will be ‫ متصمل‬and the first ‫ سمند‬will be ‫مزيمد ىف‬
‫متصل األسانيد‬.
 If the ‫ راوى‬who mentions the additional link (Ibn Mubaarak)
is ‫ أتقمن‬or Busr does not make ‫ تصمريح‬that he heard the ‫حمديث‬
from Waathilah, the second ‫ سند‬will be regarded as ‫مرسل خفي‬.
َ
 The opinion of Imaam Bukhaari and other ‫ أئمممة‬is that
inclusion of Abu Idrees between Busr and Waathilah is
incorrect. Hence Ibn Mubaarak's ‫ حديث‬is ‫مزيد ىف متصل األسانيد‬.

pg. 44
Note: It is clear from the above that in order for ‫مزيمد ىف متصمل األسمانيد‬
to take place there must be ‫ تصمريح‬in the ‫موضمع الزيمادة‬. (In the above
example, the ‫ موضع الزيادة‬is between Busr and Waathilah.)

The Fourth Type of ‫مخالفة‬: ‫المضطرب‬

1. If ‫ إبدال المراوى‬is the cause of ‫ خمالفمة‬between two narrations of the
same ‫ حمديث‬and we are unable to give preference to one
narration over the other, the ‫ حديث‬is called ‫مضطرب‬.
2. ‫ اضطراب‬occurs predominantly in ‫ إسناد‬and seldom in ‫منت‬.
3. Sometimes ‫ إبدال‬takes place intentionally for the sake of ‫امتحان‬
(in order to test a scholar's memory; like what the ‫ حممدثني‬of
Baghaad did to Imaam Bukhaari). In this case ‫ إبمدال‬is only
permissible for the duration of the ‫امتحان‬. The ‫ راوى‬must desist
from ‫ إبدال‬the moment the ‫ امتحان‬is over.
4. If ‫ إبمدال‬occurs intentionally and there is no valid reason for
doing so; the intention is merely ‫ إغمراب‬or something similar,
the ‫ حديث‬will be regarded as ‫موضو‬.
5. If ‫ إبمدال‬occurs unintentionally, the ‫ حمديث‬will be either ‫ مقلموب‬or
‫معليل‬.

The Fifth Type of ‫مخالفة‬: ‫المصحف‬

ّ and ‫المحرف‬
ّ
If ‫ خمالفمة‬is caused by alteration of one ‫ حمرف‬or more but the ‫صمورة‬
(appearance of the ‫ )حرف‬remains unaffected and:

pg. 45
1. The change is in the dots, the ‫ حديث‬is called ‫مصحف‬. ُ Example:
Abu Bakr As-Souli’s alteration of ‫ ِستيا‬to ‫ شيئا‬in the ‫حديث‬:
‫من صا رمضان و أتبعه ستا من شوال‬

2. The change is in the ‫شمكل‬, the ‫ حمديث‬is called ‫حممرف‬. ُ Example:

Ghundar’s alteration of Ubay to Aby in the ‫حديث‬:
‫رمى أيب يو األحزاب على أكحله فكواه رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه وسلم‬

‫اختصار الحديث‬
Most ‫ حممدثني‬are of the opinion that ‫ اختصممار احلمديث‬is permissible
ِ has knowledge of the meanings of words and
provided the ‫خمتصمر‬
the ways in which meanings are altered. ‫ اختصار‬is permissible for
such a ‫ راوى‬because:
 He will only delete what is irrelevant. Thus the meaning of
what he is retaining will not be affected.
 He will only omit something which can still be understood
from what he is retaining.

‫الرواية بالمعنى‬
1. There are a number of different opinions in the regard:
 It is only permissible in ‫ مفردا‬and not in ‫مركبا‬.
 It is only permissible if the ‫ راوى‬remembers the original word
(because only he will be able to choose an appropriate
substitute).
 It is only permissible for one who forgot the original word
but still remembers its meaning.

pg. 46
2. However, most ‫ حممدثني‬are of the opinion that it is permissible.
One of their strongest proofs is that there is ‫ إمجما‬that it is
permissible to explain the ‫ شمريعة‬to non-Arabs in their native
languages. If it is permissible to substitute Arabic with
another language, it should be permissible to substitute an
Arabic word for another.
3. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that it is better to narrate
the original text without any alteration.

CHAPTER EIGHT
)‫الطعن فى الراوى (مستمر‬
‫الجهالة و البدعة و سوء الحفظ‬
In this chapter we discuss the eighth, ninth and tenth
criticisms viz. ‫جهالة‬, ‫ بدعة‬and ‫ ُسوء احلفظ‬and ‫احلديث احلسن لغريه‬

There are two reasons for ‫جهالة بالراوى‬:

1. The ‫ راوى‬has too many descriptions – his name, ‫كنيمة‬, ‫لقمب‬, ‫صمفة‬,
‫ ِحرفمة‬and ‫ – نسمب‬but he is more commonly known by one of
them only. Take the example of Muhammed bin Saa-ib bin
Bishr Al-Kalbi. He is also known as Muhammed bin Bishr,
Hammaad bin Saa-ib, Abu-Nadr, Abu Sa'eed and Abu
Hishaam. Somebody who is unaware of the situation would
think that they are all different individuals whereas they all
refer to the same person.
pg. 47
2. The ‫ راوى‬is unknown to many people because he narrates so
few ‫أحاديث‬
3. For the sake of brevity the ‫ راوى‬sometimes omits the name of
the ‫ ممروى عنمه‬and merely refers to him as fulaan, rajul, shaikh,
‫ بعضممهم‬etc. (In this instance the unnamed ‫ راوى‬could be
identified if it is mentioned in another ‫طريق‬.)

The Ruling of ‫الراوى المبهم‬

 The ‫ ح ممديث‬of ‫ ال مراوى امل ممبهم‬is unacceptable because the
prerequisite for the acceptance of any ‫ حديث‬is ‫ عدالمة‬of the ‫راوى‬.
How do we prove his ‫ عدالة‬if we do not even know who he is?
 Even if ‫ المراوى املمبهم‬is described as ‫( عمدل‬for example, the the
person narrating from him says ‫)أخمربىن الثقمة‬, the ‫ حمديث‬is still
unacceptable because it is possible that while the ‫راوى عنممه‬
regards him as ‫ثقة‬, others regard him quite the opposite.
 Some ‫ حممدثني‬were of the opinion that ‫َت يسمكا بالظماهر‬,َ the ‫ حمديث‬of
‫ الراوى املبهم‬should be accepted because ‫ ازرح خمالف اإلصمل‬However,
the previous opinion is more correct.)

‫مجهول العين‬
If the name of the ‫ راوى‬is mentioned but only one person
narrates from him, he is ‫ جمهمول العمني‬and must be treated like ‫المراوى‬
‫ املبهم‬Hence, his ‫ حديث‬will only be accepted if he is declared ‫ ثقة‬by:
 Somebody other than the person who narrates from him.
 The person who narrates from him provided such a person
is qualified to do so.
pg. 48
‫مجهول الحال‬
 When two or more people narrate from a ‫ راوى‬but nobody
ever declared him ‫ثقة‬, he is known as ‫ جمهول احلال‬and ‫مستور‬.
 Although some ‫ حممدثني‬accepted the ‫ حمديث‬of such a ‫ راوى‬under
all circumstances, the ‫ مجهمور‬disagree. They say that we can
neither unconditionally accept nor reject his ‫حمديث‬. Instead,
we must make ‫ توقمف‬until such time that his condition is
clarified

The Ninth Criticism: ‫البدعة‬

 There are two types of ‫مبتدعني‬:
1. Those whose ‫ بدعة‬is ‫مك يفرة‬.
2. Those whose ‫ بدعة‬is ‫مفسقة‬.
 There is considerable amount of ‫ اخمتالف‬regarding the ‫أحاديمث‬
of both types.
 However, the correct opinion regarding the first type is
that:
- We should only reject the ‫ أحاديممث‬of a person who
rejects such a part of deen which is ‫ متواتر‬and ‫معلو بالضرورة‬
- Hence there is no harm in accepting the ‫ أحاديمث‬of a ‫مبتمد‬
who, together with not rejecting any ‫ متمواتر‬aspect of ‫ديمن‬,
possesses the qualities of ‫ضب‬, ‫ ور‬and ‫تقوى‬.
 With regards to the second type of ‫مبتمد‬, there are two
requisites for accepting his ‫حديث‬:
1. He does not propagate his ‫بدعة‬

pg. 49
 2. This particular ‫ حمديث‬does not lend credibility to his ‫بدعمة‬
This is the opinion of Abu Ishaaq Al-Jawzjaani who was
the ‫ شيخ‬of Abu Da-ud and Nasa-i.
3. Some ‫ حممدثني‬held the opinion that the ‫ أحاديمث‬of both types
of ‫ مبتمدعني‬should only be rejected if they believe that it is
permissible to lie in support of their ‫بدعة‬
4. There is another opinion that the ‫ أحاديممث‬of all ‫مبتممدعني‬
should always be rejected because not doing so
promotes their ‫ بدعمة‬Even if this opinion is accepted we
should still accept the ‫ حمديث‬of a ‫ مبتمد‬if it is narrated by
somebody else who is not a ‫مبتد‬

The Tenth Criticism: ‫سوءُ الحفظ‬

There are two types of ‫سوء احلفظ‬:
1. ‫ – الز‬When the ‫ راوى‬always suffered from weak memory.
According to some ‫ حممدثني‬the ‫ حمديث‬of such a ‫ راوى‬is also called
‫شا‬
2. ‫ – طمار‬When the ‫ راوى‬had a good memory but later on his
memory became weak due to old age, loss of sight, burning
of his books etc. Such a ‫ راوى‬is called ‫ خممتل‬and the ruling
regarding his ‫ أحاديث‬is that:
- If we can differentiate between what he narrated before
‫ اخمتالط‬and what he narrated thereafter, we should accept
whatever he narrated before ‫اختالط‬
- If differentiation is not possible we will have to make ‫توقيف‬

pg. 50
Note: The difference between the third and the tenth criticism
is that in the third criticism his ‫ غلم‬exceeds his ‫ صمواب‬and in the
tenth criticism his ‫ صواب‬exceeds his ‫غل‬

‫رواية الحديث الضعيف‬

The opinion of the ‫ مجهمور‬is that besides ‫ احلمديث املوضمو‬which cannot
be narrated without explicit reference to the fact that it is ‫موضو‬,
it is permissible to narrate all other types of ‫أحاديممث ضممعيفة‬
provided:
 They are not related to ‫( عقيدة‬for example, the ‫ صفا‬of Allah).
 They do not discuss any ‫ أحكا شرعية‬related to ‫ حالل‬and ‫حرا‬
 They comprise of ‫مواعظ‬, ‫ ترغيب‬and ‫ترهيب‬, ‫ قص‬etc.
However, when narrating such ‫ أحاديمث ضمعيفة‬without any ‫إسمناد‬, the
‫ راوى‬should refrain from direct attribution to Rasulullah. Thus he
should not say ‫قمال رسمول اهلل صملى اهلل عليمه و سملم‬. Instead, he should say:
َ ‫ ُرِو‬or . . . ‫بلغما َع ْمن رسممول اهلل صملى اهلل عليمه و سمملم‬
. . . ‫ي ع ْمن رسمول اهلل صملى اهلل عليممه و سملم‬
or something similar.

‫العمل بالحديث الضعيف‬

The opinion of the ‫ مجهمور‬is that it is ‫ مسمتحب‬to make ‫ عممل‬on ‫احلمديث‬
‫ الضعيف‬regarding ‫ فضائل األعمال‬provided that:
 The ‫ضعف‬ ُ is not severe.
 The subject matter falls under the ruling of an accepted
principle of the ‫شريعة‬.
 The ‫ نية‬should be ‫ احتياط‬instead of ‫ ثبوط‬and ‫ُسنية‬

pg. 51
An Important Rule
 If a ‫ راوى‬narrates a particular ‫ حديث‬from a ‫شيخ‬, but the ‫شيخ‬
emphatically denies having narrated it saying ‘You are
lying’, ‘I have never narrated this ‫ ’حديث‬etc. the ‫ حديث‬will not
be accepted because one of them – the ‫ شيخ‬or the ‫ – راوى‬is
definitely lying. However, this will not disparage either of
them because we do not know with certainty who exactly is
the liar.
 If in the above situation, the ‫ شيخ‬does not emphatically deny
narrating the ‫حديث‬, but he is not sure whether he narrated it
or not (for example, he says ‘I do not remember this ‫’حديث‬, ‘I
do not know this ‫ ’حديث‬etc.), the ‫ حديث‬will be accepted and
the hesitation of the Shaikh will be treated as forgetfulness.

pg. 52
 ‫اسم احلديث‬ ‫سبب الطعن‬ ‫السبب‬
‫املوضو‬ ‫الكذب على الرسول‬ ‫األول‬
‫املرتوك‬ ‫التهمة بالكذب‬ ‫الثاىن‬
‫املنكر‬ ‫فح الغل‬ ‫الثالث‬
‫املنكر‬ ‫كثرة الغفلة‬ ‫الرابع‬
‫املنكر‬ ‫الفسق‬ ‫اخلامس‬
‫املعلل‬ ‫الوهم‬ ‫السادس‬
‫املخالفة للثقا‬ ‫السابع‬

‫‪ -‬ما غري سياق إسناده‬

‫املدرج‬
‫‪ -‬ما أدخل ىف متنه ما ليس منه‬
‫املقلوب‬ ‫إبدال لفظ بآخر ىف السند أو املنت‬

‫املزيد ىف متصل األسانيد‬ ‫زيادة راو ىف سند ظاهره االتصال‬

‫املضطرب‬ ‫ما روى على أوجه خمتلفة متساوية ىف القوة‬

‫املصحف‬ ‫تغيري الكلمة إىل غري ما رواها الثقا لفظا أو معىن‬

‫الشا‬ ‫خمالفة الثقة لألوثق أو زماعة من الثقا‬

‫املنكر‬ ‫خمالفة الضعيف للثقة‬

‫ليس له اسم خا‬ ‫ازهالة‬ ‫الثامن‬

‫ليس له اسم خا‬ ‫البدعة‬ ‫التاسع‬

‫ليس له اسم خا‬ ‫سوء احلفظ‬ ‫العاشر‬

‫‪pg. 53‬‬
 CHAPTER NINE
‫تقسيم الحديث من حيث من أسنِد إليه‬

As mentioned in the beginning of chapter one, there are two

methods of classification of ‫حديث‬:
1. According to the number of ‫ رواة‬in the sanad.
2. According to ‫( من أسنِد إليه‬whom the ‫ حديث‬is attributed).

We have thus far completed the first method of classification

and now commence with the second method.

When ‫ حمديث‬is classified according to whom it is attributed, there

are three types:
1. ‫املرفو‬
2. ‫املوقوف‬
3. ‫املقطو‬

‫الحديث المرفوع‬
When the ‫ سمند‬of a ‫ حمديث‬reaches Nabi ‫صملى اهلل عليمه و سملم‬, irrespective
of whether it is ‫ متصل‬or not and irrespective of whether all the ‫رواة‬
are ‫ عمدل‬and ‫ ضماب‬or not, the ‫ حمديث‬is called ‫مرفمو‬. It is therefore
possible to find a ‫ حديث مرفو‬that is ‫ضعيف‬

There are two types of ‫احلديث املرفو‬

pg. 54
1. ‫الصاريحي‬: when there is ‫ إضمافة صمر ة‬to Rasulullah ‫صملى اهلل عليمه و سملم‬
‫الحكمي‬: when the ‫ إضافة‬to Rasulullah ‫ صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬is not ‫صر ة‬

However, even if the ‫ إضافة‬to Rasulullah ‫ صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬is not ‫صر ة‬,
the ‫ حديث‬will only be ‫ مرفو حكمي‬if:
1. The ‫ صحايب‬who narrates it does not narrate any ‫إسرائيليا‬
2. There is no scope for ‫ اجتهاد‬in the subject matter of the ‫حديث‬.
3. It is neither related to ‫ لغة‬nor ‫شرح الغريب‬, for example:
- It concerns something which happened in the past (the
beginning of the creation, stories of the previous Ambiyaa
etc).
- It tells us of future events (‫مالحم‬, ‫فنت‬, ‫ قيامة‬etc.)
- It tells us of specific reward or punishment for doing certain
actions.

The reason for regarding such ‫ أحاديمث‬as ‫ مرفمو‬is that if the subject
matter of the ‫ حممديث‬is not based on ijtihaad, the ‫ صمحايب‬who
narrates it must have been informed by somebody. This
informer could only be Nabi ‫ صملى اهلل عليمه و سملم‬or somebody who
narrates from the previous scriptures. Hence, when a ‫ صمحايب‬who
does not narrate ‫ إسمرائيليا‬narrates a ‫ حمديث‬which cannot be the
result of his ‫ اجتهماد‬and which is related to neither ‫ لغمة‬nor ‫شمرح الغريمب‬,
his ‫ حمديث‬will be regarded as ‫ مرفمو‬even though he did not make
‫ إضافة صر ة‬to Rasulullah ‫صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬

pg. 55
A Few More Types of ‫المرفوع الحكمي‬
Here are a few more types of ‫املرفو احلكمي‬:
1. When a ‫ تمابعي‬narrates a ‫ حمديث‬from a ‫ صمحايب‬using a phrase that
is ‫ كناية‬for ‫ إضافة‬to Rasulullah ‫صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬. Thus he utters one
of the following:
‫ رواية‬, ‫ رواه‬,‫ ينويه‬,‫ يبلغ به‬,‫ يرويه‬,‫يرفع احلديث‬
2. When a ‫ صحايب‬says ‫ِمن السنة كذا‬
3. When a ‫ صحايب‬says ‫ ِأمرنا بكذا‬or ‫عن كذا‬ ْ ‫ُهنينا‬
4. When a ‫ صحايب‬says ‫كنا نفعل كذا‬
5. When a ‫ صحايب‬describes a particular action as ‫ طاعة‬or ‫معصية‬

‫ِمن السنة كذا‬

Most ‫ حمدثني‬regard this statement of a ‫ صحايب‬as ‫مرفو حكممي‬. Ibn Abdil
Barr says that there is ‫ إمجما‬in this regard. (In fact, he also says
that even a non-Sahaabi utters this statement it will be
regarded as ‫ مرفممو حكمممي‬so long as he does not make ‫ إضممافة‬to
anybody other than Rasulullah ‫صملى اهلل عليمه و سملم‬. Therefore, the
statement ‫ سنة العمرين‬is not ‫مرفو حكمي‬.)

Abu Bakr Ar-Raazi, Abu Bakr As-Sayrafi and Ibn Hazm never
regarded the ‫ ِممن السمنة كمذا‬statement of a ‫ صمحايب‬as ‫مرفمو حكممي‬. Even
Imam Shaafi'i has two opinions in this regard.5 These ‫ علمماء‬argue
that ‫ سمنة‬is not confined to the actions of Rasulullah ‫صملى اهلل عليمه و‬

5
Ibn Abdil Barr's claim that there is ‫ إمجا‬in this issue is therefore debatable.

pg. 56
‫سملم‬. Thus an action of a ‫ صمحايب‬is also called ‫سمنة‬. The answer of the
‫ مجهمور‬is that when the ‫ صمحابة‬used the word ‫سمنة‬, it is very unlikable
that they were referring to anybody other than Rasulullah ‫صلى اهلل‬
‫عليه و سلم‬.

‫ أمرنا بكذا‬and ‫نهينا عن كذا‬

The ‫ اخمتالف‬in this issue is similar to the ‫ اخمتالف‬in the previous
issue. The ‫ مجهمور‬classify this statement of a ‫ صمحايب‬as ‫مرفمو حكممي‬
because when the ‫ صممحابة‬make such a statement it is very
unlikely that the ‫ نمممر‬or ‫ نمماهى‬whom they are referring to is
anybody other than Rasulullah ‫صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬.

‫الحديث الموقوف‬
When the ‫ سمند‬of a ‫ حمديث‬reaches a ‫ صمحايب‬only and does not reach
Rasulullah ‫صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬, the ‫ حديث‬is called ‫ موقوف‬even if the ‫ سمند‬is
not ‫ متصمل‬and all the ‫ رواة‬are not ‫ عمدا‬and ‫ضماب‬. Thus, there are
saheeh and da'eef ‫أحاديث موقوفة‬

‫المقطوع‬
When the ‫ سند‬of a ‫ حديث‬does not reach furthter than a ‫تابعي‬, ‫تابع‬
‫ التابعي‬or somebody thereafter, the ‫ حديث‬is called ‫مقطو‬.

Note: The difference between ‫ مقطو‬and ‫ منقطع‬is that former is a

description of a ‫ حديث‬in relation to its ‫ منت‬and the latter is a
description in relation to its ‫سند‬.

pg. 57
The Definition of a ‫صحابي‬
A ‫ صحايب‬is a person who met Rasulullah ‫ صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬in a state
of ‫ إميان‬on Rasulullah ‫ صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬and was in a state of ‫ إميان‬when
he passed away even though he may have become ‫ مرتد‬in-
between.

Note:
1. The meaning of meeting Rasulullah ‫ صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬is ‫عا‬.
There is therefore no difference between sitting with
Rasulullah ‫صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬, walking with him or merely
reaching him without having an opportunity to converse
with him.
2. It is inaccurate to define a ‫ صحايب‬as a person who saw
Rasulullah ‫ صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬because that would mean that
Abdullah bin Ummi Maktoom who was blind was not a
‫صحايب‬.
3. Insertion of the clause of ‫ إميان‬is important because if we do
not do so those ‫ كفار‬who met Rasulullah ‫ صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬will
also be ‫صحابة‬.
4. It is also important to stipulate ‫ إميان‬on Rasulullah ‫صلى اهلل عليه و‬
‫ سلم‬in order to exclude those who had ‫ إميان‬on Nabi Moosa
and Nabi ‘Eesa (the Jews and Christians) but did not have
‫ إميان‬on Rasulullah ‫صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬.
5. We understand from the clause of ‫ إميان‬at the time of death
that a person who met Rasulullah ‫ صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬in a state of

pg. 58
 ‫ إميان‬and later became ‫( مرتد‬for example, Abdullah bin Jahsh
and Ibn Khatl) is not a ‫صحايب‬.
6. The clause ‘even though he may have become a ‫ مرتد‬in-
between’ is based on the more preferred opinion that a
person who met Rasulullah ‫ صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬in state of ‫إميان‬,
then became ‫ مرتد‬but later repented and reverted to ‫ إسال‬is
still a ‫ صحايب‬even if he did not meet Rasulullah ‫صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬
after reverting to ‫ إسال‬for the second time.The proof that
this is the more preferred opinion is the story of Ash’ath bin
Qays. There is no difference among the scholars in including
him among the ‫ صحابة‬and recording his ‫ أحاديث‬in the ‫ مسانيد‬and
other books of ‫ حديث‬even though he turned ‫ مرتد‬for some
time after meeting Rasulullah ‫ صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬in a state of ‫إميان‬.
(In fact, when he re-entered the fold of ‫إسال‬, Abu Bakr gave
him his sister in marriage.)

The Definition of a ‫تابعي‬

A ‫ تابعي‬is a person who met a ‫ صحايب‬and possessed ‫ إميان‬at the time
of his death.

Note:
1. Here too the meaning of meeting a ‫ صحايب‬is ‫عا‬. Thus a person
will be a ‫ تابعي‬even if he did not actually speak to the ‫ صحايب‬he
met.
2. It is incorrect to stipulate that in order for a person to be a
‫ تابعي‬. . .

pg. 59
  He must have been old enough to understand.
 He must have actually heard the ‫صحايب‬.
He must have stayed with the ‫ صحايب‬for a considerable
period of time.
3. While the requisite for a ‫ صحايب‬to be a ‫ صحايب‬is that he had to
have ‫ إميان‬on Rasulullah ‫ صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬when meeting him, it is
not required of a ‫ تابعي‬to have had ‫ إميان‬when he met the ‫صحايب‬.
Thus a ‫ كافر‬who met a Sahaabi and later accepted Islaam but
thereafter never met any ‫ صحايب‬is also a ‫تابعي‬.

The Definition of ‫المخضرم‬

The ‫ خمضرمني‬are people who lived in ‫ جاهلية‬and ‫ إسال‬but never met
Rasulullah ‫ صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬There is a difference of opinion among
the scholars whether they should be included among the ‫صحابة‬
or ‫تابعني‬. The correct opinion, however, is that they are senior
‫ تابعني‬irrespective of whether they accepted ‫ إسال‬in the lifetime of
Rasulullah ‫( صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬for example, Najaashi) or thereafter.

‫المسنَد‬
When the scholars of ‫ حديث‬refer to a ‫ حديث‬as ‫ مسنَد‬they mean that
it is ‫( مرفو‬attributed to Rasulullah ‫)صلى اهلل عليه و سلم‬, narrated by a
‫ صحايب‬and its ‫ سند‬is apparently ‫متصل‬. Thus:

pg. 60
 The ‫ حديث مرفو‬of a ‫ تابعي‬or anybody after him cannot be ‫مسنَد‬.
The former is ‫مرسل‬
َ while the latter is either ‫معضل‬ َ or ‫معليق‬.
 A ‫ حديث‬cannot be ‫ مسنَد‬if its ‫ سند‬is apparently ‫منقطع‬.
 A ‫ حديث‬will still be ‫ مسنَد‬if the ‫ انقطا‬in its ‫ سند‬is ‫( خفي‬as in the ‫عنعنة‬
of the ‫ مدليس‬and the ‫ ُمعاصر‬whose meeting with the ‫ مروي عنه‬is
not established).

The above explanation is in accordance with Haakim’s

definition of ‫املسنَد‬. Khateeb, however, defined ‫ املسنَد‬as ‫املتصل‬.
According to this definition a ‫ حديث موقوف‬that has a ‫سند متصل‬
should also be regarded as ‫مسنَد‬. Although Khateeb claims that
there are ‫ أحاديث موقوفة‬with ‫أسانيد متصلة‬, he acknowledges that such
narrations are few.

CHAPTER TEN
‫صيغ األداء و طرق التحمل‬
In this chapter we discuss:
 The various ‫( ِصيغ‬words) which the ‫ رواة‬employ
when narrating ‫أحاديث‬.
 The methods of ‫( حتمل‬gaining knowledge) of
‫حديث‬.

There are eight degrees of ‫صيغ األداء‬:

pg. 61
Level One ‫ ح يدثىن‬، ‫مسعت‬
ُ

Level Two ‫ قرأ ُ عليه‬، ‫أخربىن‬

Level Three ‫أمسع‬

ُ ‫قُرأ عليه و أنا‬
Level Four ‫أنبأىن‬

Level Five ‫ناولىن‬

Level Six ‫شافهىن‬

Level Seven ‫إل‬

‫كتب ي‬
َ
Level Eight ‫عن‬
ْ

 The word ‫مسعت‬

ُ is the highest and clearest degree; it is even
clearer than ‫ ح يدثىن‬because while a ‫ مدليس‬could use ‫ ح يدثىن‬in the
meaning of ‫( إجازة‬in which instance there will be a ‫واسطة‬
between the ‫ راوى‬and the ‫)مروى عنه‬, there is no possibility of
any ‫( واسطة‬unmentioned link) between the ‫ راوى‬and the ‫مروى عنه‬
when the ‫ راوى‬says ‫مسعت‬.
ُ
 The first two words ( ‫مسعت‬
ُ and ‫ )ح يدثىن‬are only used when the
‫ شيخ‬spoke (narrated the ‫)حديث‬, the student heard and there
were no other students with him. If there were other
students with him, he will use the words ‫ مسعنا‬and ‫ح يدثنا‬.
 The words ‫ أخربىن‬and ُ ‫ قرأ‬are used when the student read the
‫ حديث‬to the ‫ شيخ‬and he was the only student. If there were
other students with him, he will say ‫ أخربنا‬or ‫قرأنا‬.

pg. 62
 The above differentiation between ‫ إخبار‬and ‫( حتديث‬usage of
‫مسعت‬
ُ and ‫ ح يدثىن‬in the first instance and ‫ أخربنا‬and ‫ قرأنا‬in the
second instance) is based on the ‫ اصطالح‬of the ‫ حم يدثني‬of the
‫مشرق‬. As far as ‫ لغة‬is concerned, there is no difference
between the two. Hence there is no difference between
them in the ‫ اصطالح‬of the ‫مغاربة‬.
 ُ ‫ قُ ِرأ عليه و أنا‬is used when one student read and the others
‫أمسع‬
listened. In such an instance it would be better for the
reader himself to say ُ ‫ قرأ‬instead of ‫أخربىن‬.

Note: The ‫ مجهور‬regard ‫( القراءة على الشيخ‬reading to the ‫ )شيخ‬as one of

the methods of ‫حتمل‬. ‫ ي‬Imaam Maalik and other scholars of
Madeenah strongly opposed those scholars of Iraq who
disagreed. In fact, some of them exaggerated the issue giving
preference to ‫ القراءة‬over ‫( السما من لفظ الشيخ‬hearing the ‫ حديث‬recited
by the ‫)شيخ‬. However, Imaam Bukhaari and many other scholars
are of the opinion that both methods are equal.

‫اإلنباء‬
 As far as ‫ لغة‬and the ‫ اصطالح‬of the ‫ متق يدمني‬are concerned, there
is no difference between ‫( إنباء‬usage of ‫ )أنبأىن‬and ‫( إخبار‬usage
of ‫)أخربىن‬. According to the ‫متأخرين‬,
‫ ي‬however, ‫ إنباء‬is like the word
‫;ع ْن‬
َ they are both used for ‫إجازة‬.
 The ‫ عنعنة‬of a ‫ معاصر‬is interpreted as ‫ مسا‬unless if he is a ‫مدليس‬.
Some scholars like Ali Ibn-ul-Madeeni and Al-Bukhaari
pg. 63
 stipulate that in order for the ‫ عنعنة‬of the ‫ معاصر‬to be regarded
as ‫ مسا‬there must be evidence that the ‫ راوى‬and the ‫مروى عنه‬
met at least once – otherwise there is a possibility that the
‫ حديث‬is ‫مرسل خفي‬.
َ (This second opinion is preferred.)

‫المصافحة‬
‫ املصافحة‬is when the ‫ راوى‬received verbal ‫ إجازة‬from the ‫مروى عنه‬. Thus
when the ‫ راوى‬uses the word ‫شافهىن‬, he means the ‫ مروى عنه‬gave him
‫ إجازة‬verbally.

‫المكاتبة‬
In the ‫ اصطالح‬of the latter-day scholars (‫)متأخرين‬,
‫ي‬ ‫ املكاتبة‬is when the
‫ مروى عنه‬posted the ‫ حديث‬and the ‫ إجازة‬to the ‫راوى‬. However, in the
‫ اصطالح‬of the earlier scholars (‫ )متق يدمني‬it is used when the ‫مروى عنه‬
posted the ‫ حديث‬to the ‫ راوى‬irrespective of whether he gave him
‫ إجازة‬or not. Nevertheless many scholars from both groups are of
the opinion that it is permissible for the ‫ راوى‬to narrate on the
basis of ‫ مكاتبة‬that was not accompanied with ‫إجازة‬. There
argument is that if the ‫ مروى عنه‬did not want to confer the ‫راوى‬
with ‫إجازة‬, why would he even post the ‫ حديث‬to him? There
seems to be no reason for this ‫ مكاتبة‬other than ‫إجازة‬

pg. 64
‫المناولة‬
There are two types of ‫مناولة‬:

1. When the shaikh presents his student with his ‫( أصل‬original)

or a copy thereof and says: ‘This is my ‫ رواية‬from so-and-so.
You may narrate it from me.’
2. The student shows the shaikh a copy of the shaikh’s ‫رواية‬
from someone and upon checking it, the ‫ شيخ‬says: ‘This is
my ‫ رواية‬from so-and-so. You may narrate it from me.’

Note:
1. In order for ‫ الرواية باملناولة‬to be valid, the shaikh has to have
verbally permitted the student to narrate from him. If this is
the case, ‫ الرواية باملناولة‬is the highest form of ‫إجازة‬.
2. With regards to the first type, it is also necessary for the
shaikh to make the student the owner of the ‫( أصل‬or a copy
thereof). If he cannot make him the owner, he must at least
loan it to him so that he can make a copy of it and then
compare his copy it with the original.
3. However, if the shaikh showed him the ‫ أصل‬and took it back
immediately thereafter, there will be no difference
between this ‫ مناولة‬and ‫( اإلجازة املعيينة‬The meaning of ‫ اإلجازة املعيينة‬is
that the shaikh gives the student permission to narrate
from him a specific ‫ كتاب‬in a specific manner.)

pg. 65
4. If there was no verbal ‫ إجازة‬at the time of ‫مناولة‬, the ‫ مناولة‬will be
treated the same as ‫( مكاتبة‬when the shaikh posted a copy of
the ‫ أحاديث‬to the student from one city to another)

‫الوجادة‬
‫ الوجادة‬is when a person finds a ‫ حديث‬in written form and he
recognizes the handwriting as being that of so-and-so’s. In this
instance it will be permissible for him to narrate saying: ‘I found
this ‫ حديث‬in the writing of so-and-so.’ However, it will not be
permissible for him to say ‫( أخربىن فالن‬so-and-so informed me)
unless if so-and-so had previously given him permission to
narrate from him.

‫الوصية‬
‫ وصية‬means to bequest. Some ‫ أئمة‬among the ‫ متقدمني‬were of the
opinion that when a shaikh bequests his ‫( أصل‬or ‫ )أصول‬to a
specific person, it will be permissible for that person to narrate
from the shaikh on the basis of this ‫وصية‬. However, the ‫ مجهور‬say
that this person may only narrate from the shaikh if he had
previously received ‫ إجازة‬from him.

‫اإلعالم‬
‫ اإلعال‬is when a shaikh informs a particular student that he
narrates such-and-such ‫ كتاب‬from so-and-so. In this instance,

pg. 66
the student will be permitted to narrate this particular ‫كتاب‬
from the shaikh provided he did also receive ‫ إجازة‬from him.
Thus this ‫ إعال‬will have no significance in the absence of ‫إجازة‬.

Note:
1. ‫العامة‬
‫ اإلجازة ي‬is not recognized by the scholars as a valid method
of ‫حتمل‬.
‫ ي‬Examples of ‫العامة‬‫ اإلجازة ي‬are when a shaikh gives ‫ إجازة‬to
all the Muslims or ‘everybody who is presently alive’ or all
the inhabitants of a particular city etc.
2. Similarly, ‫ اإلجازة للمجهول‬and ‫ اإلجازة للمعدو‬are also invalid. An
example of ‫ اإلجازة للمعدو‬is that he says ‘I give ‫ إجازة‬to any child
that will be born to you.’
3. ‫ اإلجازة للمعلو‬is also invalid if it is ‫( معليق‬depended) on somebody
else’s consent.

CHAPTER ELEVEN
‫الجرح و التعديل‬

The ‫ حمدثني‬use various phrases for ‫ازرح و التعديل‬. Just as these

phrases are not equal in strength and meaning, some of them
do not necessarily mean that the ‫ حديث‬under discussion has to
be totally rejected. This chapter discusses the various phrases
and degrees of ‫ ازرح و التعديل‬and a few related issues.

pg. 67
The Degrees of ‫الجرح‬
1. The severest form of ‫ جرح‬is to describe a ‫ راوى‬in a manner
that is indicative of ‫مبالغة‬. The clearest phrases in this regard
are those which are on the scale of ‫ ;صيغة التفضيل‬for example,
‫أكذب الناس‬. Also in this category are the phrases ‫إليه املنتهى ىف الود‬
(he is the limit in fabrication) and ‫( هو ركن الكذب‬he is the pillar
of lies).
2. The next degree is when a ‫ راوى‬is described as ‫دجال‬, ‫ودا‬ ‫ ي‬and
‫كذاب‬. Although these words also indicate ‫مبالغة‬, they are not
as severe as those mentioned above.
3. The weakest degree of ‫ جرح‬is when a ‫ راوى‬is described as ‫لني‬, ‫ي‬
‫سيء احلفظ‬
‫ي‬ or ‫مقال‬ ‫فيه‬.
4. Statements like ‫مرتوك‬, ‫ساق‬, ‫ فاح الغل‬and ‫ منكر احلديث‬are more
severe than statements like ‫ضعيف‬, ‫ ليس بالقوي‬and ‫فيه مقال‬.

The Degrees of ‫تعديل‬

1. The highest form of ‫ تعديل‬is also when a ‫ راوى‬is described in a
manner that is indicative of ‫مبالغة‬. Here too, the clearest
phrases are those that are on the scale of ‫ ;صيغة التفضيل‬for
example, ‫ أوثق الناس‬and ‫أثبت الناس‬. Also in this category is the
phrase ‫إليه املنتهى ىف التثبت‬.
2. The next degree of ‫ تعديل‬is when the ‫ راوى‬is described with
one or two qualities indicating that he is ‫ ;عدل‬for example, ‫ثقة‬
‫ثقة‬, ‫ثبة ثبة‬, ‫ثقة حافظ‬, ‫ عدل ضاب‬etc.

pg. 68
3. The lowest degree of ‫ تعديل‬is when the phrase used to
describe the ‫ راوى‬is close to the weakest level of ‫ ;جرح‬for
example, ‫شيخ‬, ‫يُروى حديثُه‬, ‫ يُعترب حديثُه‬etc.

A Few Rules
1. ‫ )تعديل( تزكية‬of a ‫ راوى‬is only accepted if the person making ‫ تزكية‬is
acquainted with its ‫( أسباب‬causes).
2. If the person making ‫ تزكية‬is fully acquainted with its ‫أسباب‬, his
‫ تزكية‬of the ‫ راوى‬will be accepted even if he is the only person
doing so. Comparing ‫ تزكية‬to ‫ شهادة‬some people claim that the
‫ تزكية‬of a single person is unacceptable; there must be at least
two people making ‫تزكية‬. However, this is incorrect. ‫ تزكية‬is like
the judge’s ‫حكم‬. Just as the ‫ حكم‬of a single judge is valid (and
therefore binding), the ‫ تزكية‬of a single person should also be
accepted.
3. Both ‫ جرح‬and ‫ تعديل‬should only be accepted if pronounced by
a person who is ‫ عدل‬and ‫( متي يقظ‬alert). Hence we should not
accept the ‫ جرح‬of a person who exaggerates issues thereby
making ‫ جرح‬for reasons which do not necessitate rejection of
the ‫حديث‬. Similarly we should not accept the ‫ تزكية‬of a person
who only considers the ‫ ظاهر‬qualities and behaviour of a ‫راوى‬.
4. When somebody has made ‫ جرح‬of a ‫ راوى‬and nobody has
made ‫تعديل‬, the preferred opinion is that the ‫ جرح‬will be
accepted even if the ‫ سبب‬for the ‫ جرح‬was not mentioned.

pg. 69
 (However, this is on condition that the person who made
the ‫ جرح‬is fully aware of the ‫ أسباب‬of ‫جرح‬.)
5. If there is ‫ جرح‬and ‫ تعديل‬of a particular ‫راوى‬, the ‫ جرح‬will be
given preference if:
a. The ‫ سبب‬is mentioned.
b. The ‫ جرح‬is pronounced by somebody who is acquainted
with the ‫ أسباب‬of ‫جرح‬.
6. Hence, ‫ تعديل‬will have preference over ‫ جرح‬if one or both of
the above-mentioned conditions are absent.

pg. 70
 APPENDIX
Ibn-ul-Humaam and many subsequent scholars have contested
the soundness of the division of ‫ احلديث الصحيح‬into seven
categories, the highest being a ‫ حديث‬that is recorded by Imaam
Bukhaari and Imaam Muslim (ra). The gist of their argument is
that ‫ أصحية‬is based on the ‫ شروط‬of these two Imaams. Hence,
when a ‫ حديث‬that neither Bukhaari nor Muslim recorded fulfils
their ‫ شروط‬it should be included in the same category as a ‫حديث‬
recorded by both of them. As argued by ‘Allaamah Qaasim, the
‫ قوة‬of a ‫ حديث‬depends on its ‫ رجال‬rather than its presence in such-
and-such ‫كتاب‬

Furthermore, Imaam Bukhaari and Imaam Muslim’s judgement

that a particular ‫ راوى‬fulfils their ‫ شروط‬is not ‫( قطعي‬categorical) and
could contradict the actual situation. For example, Imaam
Muslim (ra) recorded ‫ أحاديث‬from a number of narrators who
were never disparaged by any of the scholars. On the other
hand, there are some ‫ متكلم فيه‬narrators in the Bukhaari. Hence,
such judgement is ultimately based on the ‫ اجتهاد‬of the ‘ulamaa.
In fact, the same is true with regards the ‫ شروط‬Accordingly, if
one Imaam stipulates a particular ‫ شرط‬and another does not, the
latter will not be obliged to observe the ‫ شرط‬of the former in
instances of ‫ معارضة‬Hence, a ‫ حديث‬cited by the latter would suffice
for ‫ معارضة‬of the ‫ حديث‬cited by the former even though it lacks his
‫شرط‬

pg. 71
Shaikh Ahmad Shaakir (ra) also alluded to the inconsistency of
the above division of ‫ احلديث الصحيح‬He writes in his introduction to
the ‫ صحيفة‬of Hammaam bin Munabbih which is recorded by
Imaam Ahmad (ra) in his Musnad that: This ‫ صحيفة‬is proof that
‫ أحاديث‬recorded by Imaam Bukhaari and Imaam Muslim do not
always belong to a higher level of ‫ صحة‬than a ‫ حديث‬recorded by
only one or none of them. What has to be considered in all of
this is fulfilment of the ‫ شروط‬of ‫ صحة‬or the ‫ شروط‬of ‫أعلى درجا الصحة‬
irrespective of the ‫ حديث‬and whether it was recorded by Imaam
Bukhaari and Imaam Muslim or not.

Shaikh Abd-ul-Fattaah Abu Ghuddah explains that there are

one hundred and fourty two ‫ أحاديث‬in the above ‫ صحيفة‬Twenty
three are found in both books Bukhaari and Muslim, sixteen are
found in Bukhaari only and fifty eight are in Muslim only. The
‫ سند‬for all these ‫ أحاديث‬is:
. . . ‫عبد الرزاق عن معمر عن مها عن أيب هريرة‬
This ‫ سند‬does not fall under the category of ‫ أعلى الصحيح‬Hence, the
claim that a ‫ حديث‬recorded by Imaam Bukhaari and Imaam
Muslim is more ‫ صحيح‬than any other ‫( حديث‬at least with regards
the twenty three ‫ أحاديث‬of the above ‫)صحيفة‬.

Shaikh Abd-ul-Fattaah Abu Ghuddah raised a few other issues.

However, for the sake of brevity (lest this appendix becomes
too long for the actual book), we will suffice with one more
issue.

pg. 72
Imaam Bukhaari (ra) is ‫ منفرد‬in the narration of ceratin ‫ أحاديث‬in
the ‫ أسانيد‬of which there ‫ رواة متكلم فبهم‬while Imaam Muslim (ra) is
‫ منفرد‬in the narration of ceratin ‫ أحاديث‬in the ‫ أسانيد‬of which there
are no ‫ رواة متكلم فبهم‬How can a ‫ حديث‬in Bukhaari that has a ‫راو متكلم‬
‫ فيه‬be more ‫ صحيح‬than a ‫ حديث‬in Muslim that does not have any ‫راو‬
‫?متكلم فيه‬

For further details refer to Shaikh Abdul-Fattaah Abu Ghuddah (ra)’s

footnotes on Shaikh Taahir Al-Jazaa’ri (ra)’s Tawjeeh-un-Nadhar
(Pg.290-296).

pg. 73