Classification, Application, and

DifferencesWeek 4 of Understanding the Prophetic Sunnah

Review: Grading Hadith• Saheeh – Most Authentic and Sound

– Intrinsically Saheeh– Extrinsically Saheeh

• Hasan – Acceptable, Good– Intrinsically Hasan– Extrinsically Hasan

• Da’eef – Weak– Weakness due to Sanad– Weakness due to Matn

Hadith Da’eef• Does not meet by itself (intrinsically) the 5

discussed conditions for being accepted (Saheeh or Hasan)

– Connected and Continuous Sanad– Integrity of the Narrator– Precision of the Narrator– Not shadh– Not ma’loool

• Weaknesses are of many types and levels– Some are minor and easily strengthened– Some are severe and not to be considered

• Differences between scholars on application– In Acts of Worship– In Virtuous Deeds that are not obligatory (Fadaail)

Types of Weakness1. Due to the Continuity of the Sanad

• ‘Ilm of the Maraaseel (Science of Breaks in Continuity)• Dates of Birth and Death of Narrators• Where they lived• Countries and cities visited and when they were there• Names of Teachers and Students

2. Due to a Shortcoming or Flaw in the Narrator• ‘Ilm al-Jarh wa al-Ta’deel (Science of Grading

Narrators)• Biographies of the Narrators• Knowledge of the memory of the narrators

3. Due to a Flaw in the Matn (Shudhudh or ‘Illah)• ‘Ilm ‘Illal al Hadith (Science of the Flaws in Hadith)

How to Look at a Sanad

Flaws in the Sanad• Lack of Continuity

– Where in the Sanad?– How many gaps?1. Mu’allaq (Hanging)2. Mursal 3. Munqati’ 4. Mu’dal

• Is the Gap Apparent or Slight?– Apparent – Known by History– Slight (Khafi, Mudallas)

• Contemporaries who never heard from one another• Contemporaries who heard

Hadith Mu’allaq• A Hadith where the bottom part of

the chain is broken. – Farthest from the Origin of the Hadith– Can be One or More Narrators Missing– Could be for a Specific Purpose

• Various Types of Hanging Narrations– Remove the Entire Chain – Remove everyone but last narrator or

two– Remove the last narrator (apparent)

Mu’allaqat in Bukhari• 1341 in Bukhari

1. Clearly Attributed to Someone (Jazm)2. Not clearly attributed (yurwa, dhukira)3. Continuous elsewhere in the book – MOST4. Not Connected in the book – 160 Total

• Ruling on these Narrations– All of Category 1 are Saheeh– Category 2 Not Automatically Saheeh

• Saheeh by others conditions• Hasan • Da’eef – Hasan extrinsically or he is stating the

weakness

Hadith Mursal• A hadith where the top part of the

chain is broken, where the tabi’ee narrates directly from the Prophet.

– If any tabi’ee says, “the Prophet said…” and skips whoever is above him.

– Wrong to say “where the Sahabi is missing”

– Mursal is often a term used for any type of hole in the sanad

Hadith Mursal…• Ruling on using Muraseel as evidence

1. Generally Allowed 2. Not Allowed – Majority of Hadith Scholars (up to 6 or

7 missing)3. Depends on the tabi’ee

• Narrates from thiqaat – Allowed• Narrates from others – Not allowed

4. Allowed with Conditions and Supporting Narrations• Saheeh until the tabi’ee (before break)• Tabi’ee only narrates from acceptable people• Tabi’ee is himself thiqa (trusted, confidence in him)• Must be from the elder tabi’een• Another Narration with the same meaning or words• Another mursal narration from another sanad

– Not taken from the teachers of the other tabi’ee’s narration

– Agrees with the words of some of the companions– Agrees with the words of many scholars

Hadith Munqati’• A hadith where there is a singular

break in middle of the sanad, even if in more than one location.

– Only one narrator missing in a particular location.

– The break is before the companion

Hadith Munqati’

Hadith Mu’dal• A hadith where there is a

break in middle of the sanad and includes two or more continuous narrators

– Examples• If Imam Malik narrates on the

Prophet (2+ missing)• Younger tabi’ee narrations• Shafi’ from ibn Umar

– Can be Mu’dal and Mu’allaq– Can be Mu’dal and Mursal

Flaws in the Narrators• Related to his Integrity

– Lies concerning the Prophet– Lies in his worldly affairs– Open and Flagrant Sinner – Character cannot be vouched for– Innovator

• Related to his Precision and Memory– Makes Horrendous Mistakes Often– Quite Forgetful– Confused at Times– Contradicts others– Poor Memory – sometimes right, sometimes

wrong

Flaws in the Matn• Mixes Words or Letters• Combines Narrations• Mixes mutoon and asaaneed

Acting Upon Weak Hadith1. Not Allowed at All

2. Allowed if there is nothing else narrated on the issue, with conditions

3. A Distinction in what the hadith calls to:– Allowed in encouraging and motivating as well

as extra virtuous deeds, with conditions– Not allowed in ‘aqeedah or ‘fiqh

Conditions for Acting Upon Weak Hadith

1. Weakness must not be severe

2. Must be supported by a general principle which is accepted

3. The one acting must realize the issue is not agreed upon or absolute

Causes for Differences• Differences in Usool al Fiqh (Legal

Theory)• Differences in Hadith Sciences • Differences in Hadith Interpretations

– Linguistic Differences– Intended Meaning

• Differences in Knowledge

Differences in Legal Theory

“Whoever touches his penis must make wudu.”

“…is it anything other than a part of your body?”

– Hanafi’s - If the hadith is a general necessity, it must be mutawatir

– Difference over abrogation and tarjeeh

Differences in Legal Theory

“Surely there is zakat due upon grazing livestock.”

– Al Mafhum al Mukhaalafa – Zakat not due if the livestock is not

grazing

Differences in Hadith Acceptance

“There is no nikkah without a wali”– Weak according to Yahya ibn Maeen– Hanafi’s don’t use this hadith

“Any woman who marries herself without the permission of her wali, then her nikkah is invalid.

– Al Zuhri forgot about the particular hadith– Hanafi’s reject the hadith if the narrator

forgot it (like eye witness)

Differences in Waqf and Raf’

“There is no ‘itikaaf without fasting.”

– Narrated by Aisha– Narrated as being attributed to the Prophet – Also narrated as the words of Aisha

• Shafi’ school say it’s the words of Aisha and not of the Prophet

• Response – No contradiction– Attributed to the Prophet correctly– Attributed to a fatwa of Aisha

Interpretation of a Hadith

“There is no prayer for the neighbor of the masjid except in the masjid.”

– Which of the following does it mean?• No prayer is accepted or valid• No prayer is complete and perfect

– Are there other hadith to explain this?• "Prayer in congregation is superior to praying

individually twenty-seven times." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Other Differences…• Increase by a Trustworthy Narrator• Hadith Reached an Imam in Different

Ways• Conditions on the Narrator’s Knowledge• Differences in Grading a Narrator

– ibn Hajar– Dhahabi– Bukhari– Yahya ibn Ma’een

Conclusion• Must We Follow a Madhab?• Can We Pick and Choose from the Opinions?

1. Having a Methodology in Legal Theory2. Having a Methodology in the Hadith Sciences3. Following Scholarship is the Key4. No One is Infallible except the Prophet5. Many other considerations other than the

literal and possible situational reasons for a narration.