The Use of Weak Hadiths in Issues of Morals

The Use of Weak Hadiths in Issues of Morals

Ibn al-Mubàrak said: "One may narrate from [a weak narrator] to a certain extent or those hadïths pertaining to good conduct (adab), admonition (maw'iza), and simple living (zuhd)."[i][1] This con­ditional rule for narrating weak hadïths is in confor­mity with the unanimous view of the Salaf who permitted their use in fadà'il al-a'màl as op­posed to 'aqïda or the rulings pertaining to halàl and haràm. This is stated or practiced by Sufyàn al-Thawrï, Ibn 'Uyayna, 'Alï ibn al-Madïnï, Yahyà ibn Ma'ïn, Ahmad, 'Abd al-Rahmàn ibn Mahdï, Ibn Abï Hàtim, al-Bukhàrï in al-Adab al-Mufrad, al-Tirmidhï, and others. [ii][2] This rule was men­tioned by Ibn al-S.alàh. and others in Ma'rifat 'Ulþm al-Hadïth and its com­men­taries.[iii][3] It is the view of the Con­sensus of the Ulema ac­cording to al-Bayhaqï, Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, al-Nawawï, Ibn Taymiyya, al-Qàrï, and 'Alawï ibn 'Abbàs al-Màlikï in his manual al-Manhal al-Latïf fï Ma'rifat al-Hadïth al-Da'ïf, provided certain conditions are met. [iv][4] Ibn Daqïq al-'Ïd, al-'Iràqï, and Ibn H.ajar list three condi­tions: that the hadïth not be very weak; [v][5] that it match a principle already estab­lished in the Religion; and that one not positively hold that the Prophet r said or did it. [vi][6]

The dissents reported from Imàm Muslim, Ibn Hazm, and Ibn al-'Arabï are
inaccurate. The correct position of Imàm Muslim in the introduction to his Sahïh. is that he forbade the use of forgers and other abandoned narrators, not of truthful weak ones, in con­formity with the posi­tion of Ahmad and the rest of the Salaf. [vii][7] Muslim also says: "The sound reports from the trustwor­thy (thiqàt) narrators and those whose reli­ability is convincing are more than that we should be forced to transmit re­ports from those who are not trustwor­thy and whose reliability is not con­vincing." The difference is clear between saying we are not forced to use weak narrators and saying that one abso­lutely cannot transmit from them. A proof of this is his use of the weak nar­ration from 'À'isha: "Treat people ac­cording to their ranks" and the fact that his strict­ness in narrators drops a notch or two in the hadïths of raqà'iq or fadà'il al-A'màl in the Sahïh., as in the case of Shaddàd ibn Sa'ïd Abþ Talhà al-Ràsibï or al-Walïd ibn Abï Walïd.[viii][8]

The correct position of Ibn al-'Arabï is as he states himself regarding a certain weak hadïth: "Its chain is unknown, but it is preferable to put it into prac­tice..." [ix][9] As for Ibn Hazm's state­ment against the use of weak narrations in absolute terms: [x][10] he elsewhere states preferring the use of weak hadïth over the use of juridical opinion (ra'ï), as does Ibn al-'Arabï him­self. [xi][11]

GF Haddad -
Ramadàn 1423
_____

[i][1]Narrated by Ibn Abï Hàtim in Muqaddimat al-Jarh. wal-Ta'dïl (2:30) and cited by Ibn Rajab in Sharh. 'Ilal al-Tirmidhï (1:73).

[ii][2]Cf. al-Khatïb, al-Kifàya (p. 162-163=133-134), Ibn Abï Hàtim, Muqaddimat al-Jarh. wal-Ta'dïl (2:30-38), Ibn Rajab, Sharh. 'Ilal al-Tirmidhï (1:73), Ibn Hajar, end of al-Nukat 'alà Ibn al-S.alàh. (2:887-888), al-Suyþt.ï, Tadrïb al-Ràwï, al-Lacknawï, al-Ajwiba al-Fàdila, etc.

[iii][3]Ibn al-Salàh., 'Ulþm al-Hadïth (p. 93=1984 ed. p. 103).

[iv][4]Al-Bayhaqï, Dalà'il al-Nubuwwa (1:33-34); Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, al-Tamhïd
(1:127); al-Nawawï, al-Majmþ' (5:63), Irshàd Tullàb al-Haqà'iq (p. 107-108), Sharh. S.ah.ïh. Muslim (introduction), and al-Adhkàr (introduction p. 5) cf. Ibn 'Allàn, al-Futþhàt al-Rabbàniyya (1:84); Ibn Taymiyya, Sharh. al-'Umda (1:171), Majmþ' al-Fatàwà (18:26, 18:65-66), and Miswaddat Àl Taymiyya (p. 233, 246, 461); al-Qàrï, Sharh. al-Shifà' (2:91) and Mirqàt al-Mafàtïh. (2:381); 'Itr, Manhaj al-Naqd (p. 291-296) and Usþl al-Jarh. wal-Ta'dïl (p. 140-143).

[v][5]Even so, al-Sakhàwï said in al-Qawl al-Badï' (p. 432) of a certain hadïth: "In sum, it is a very weak hadïth (da'ïf jiddan) that is written in meritorious deeds (yuktabu fï fadà'il al-a'màl), but as for its being forged, no, it is not [forged]."

[vi][6]Cf. l-Sakhàwï, al-Qawl al-Badï' and al-Suyþtï, Tadrïb (p. 196).

[vii][7]Cf. al-Nawawï, Sharh. Sahïh. Muslim (introduction), Ibn al-Qayyim,
I'làm al-Muwaqqi'ïn (1:31), al-Sakhàwï, al-Qawl al-Badï' (p. 474), and 'Itr, notes on Ibn Rajab's Sharh. 'Ilal al-Tirmidhï (1:75-76).

[viii][8]The claim of a handful of authors such as al-Qàsimï in Qawà'id al-Tahdïth (p. 94) or 'Ajàj al-Khatïb in Usul al-H.adïth (p. 231) that Ibn al-'Arabï and Ibn Ma'ïn were op­posed to the use of weak hadïths in absolute terms, stems from good faith in Ibn Sayyid al-Nàs, al-'Iràqï, al-Sakhàwï, and al-Suyutï's claims to that effect.

[ix][9]Ibn al-'Arabï, 'Àridat al-Ahwadhï (10:205) cf. Fath. al-Bàrï (10:606) as cited by Muhammad 'Awwàma in his marginalia on al-Qawl al-Badï' (p. 472).

[x][10]Ibn Hazm, al-Fisal fïl-Milal wal-Nihal (2:83=2:69).

[xi][11]Cf. Ibn Hazm, al-Ihkàm (6:225-226) and Ibn al-'Arabï, al-Mahsþl (p. 98) and Maràqï al-Zulaf as cited in Ibn 'Arràq, Tanzïh al-Sharï'a (2:209-210).