Ilm ar-Rijal
Encyclopedia
Biographical evaluation, , literally: "knowledge of men", refers to a discipline of Islam
ic religious studies within hadith terminology
in which the narrators of hadith
are evaluated. Its goal is to distinguish authentic hadith
from hadith
unacceptable in establishing sanctioned religious knowledge or practice. `Ilm ar-rijal is synonymous with what is commonly referred to as al-Jarḥ wa al-Taʻdīl – the criticism and declared acceptance of hadith narrators.
, Ibn al-Salah
, a renowned hadith
specialist, explained the importance of the study of hadith narrators. Introducing the chapter entitled, 'Recognizing the trustworthy, reliable narrators and those who are weak and unreliable,' Ibn al-Salah
said, "This is from the most distinguished and noble types (of hadith study) as it results in recognizing the authenticity of a hadith or its weakness." He then explained that any criticism directed at a narrator was permissible due to the "maintenance of the Sharia
h, purging it of any mistakes or misinformation."
Stressing the importance of biographical evaluation, Ali ibn al-Madini
, an early authority on the subject, said, "Knowing the narrators is half of knowledge."
ic verses are numerous that praise the Companions and criticize the hypocrites, both as a group and specific individuals from amongst them – as well as criticism of specific individuals other than the hypocrites. The most well known of these is a verse of the Quran stating, “Oh you who believe, if a wrongdoer should approach you conveying information, then verify that so as not to fall into ignorance thus regretting what you have done.” While this verse was revealed regarding a particular individual, it is a general principle. Following this example, were the Prophet and then His Companions
.
narrated hadith
, according to Ahmad ibn Hanbal
there were six who were the most prolific narrators of them, who lived long lives enabling them narrate to a large extent. They were: Abu Huraira
, Abdullah ibn Umar
, Aisha
, Jabir ibn Abdullah
, Ibn Abbas
and Anas ibn Malik
with Abu Huraira
being the most prolific of them. According to Ibn al-Salah
the most prolific narrators from the Companions
was Abu Huraira
followed by Ibn Abbas
.
In spite of the Companions' efforts in narrating their hadith
, there was no need for them to evaluate each others narrating capabilities or trustworthiness. This is because, as Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi
said, that Allah and his Prophet declared the Companions
to be upright and trustworthy, and, therefore, there is no need to investigate their reliability, however, one must investigate the condition of those after them. However, there are many established narrations originating from the Companions praising some of the Followers with some criticism of specific individuals from them.
, their praise of narrators was plentiful, while disparagement from them was seldom. Those narrators who were criticized from the Followers were not criticized for fabricating hadith, but, instead, due to heresy, such as the Kharijites
, or due to weak memory or due to their condition as narrators being unknown.
Evaluating the narrators of hadith
began in the generation following that of the Companions based upon the statement of Muhammad Ibn Sirin
, “They did not previously inquire about the isnad. However, after the turmoil occurred they would say, ‘Name for us your narrators.’ So the people of the Sunnah
would have their hadith accepted and the people of innovation would not.” The turmoil referred to is the conflicting ideologies of the Kharijites
and extreme Shias that had emerged at the time of the third khalifas Uthman ibn Affan's assassination and the social unrest of the Kharijites
in opposition to the succeeding rulers, Ali
and Muawiyah
. The death of Uthman was in the year 35 after the migration.
In the following generation, that after the Followers, and afterward, the weak, unacceptable narrators increased in number, necessitating that a group of scholars clarify the condition of the narrators and distinguishing any narrations that were not authentic.
, quoting an early religious authority, the first to specialize in the study of hadith
narrators was Shu'bah ibn al-Hajjaj, followed by Yahya ibn Sa'id al-Qattan and then Ahmad ibn Hanbal
and Yahya ibn Ma'in
. Al-Bulqini added some names to the aforementioned: Ali ibn al-Madini
and 'Amr ibn 'Ali al-Fallas, and then mentioned Malik ibn Anas
and Hisham ibn Urwah
as having preceded them in evaluating narrators.
is subject to criticism on the basis of two matters. The first relates to the continuity of the hadith's chain of narration; if there is discontinuity between two or more narrators, that hadith is criticized on this basis as discussed in depth in the hadith terminology
article. The second relates to criticism of a narrator, or more, in the chain of narration of a particular hadith.
Hadith
narrators are evaluated in light of two qualities in determining the overall grading of a hadith. These qualities are derived from the definition of a hadith that is sahih constituting two of its five conditions. The first, uprightness (al-ʻadālah), is defined as the ability an individual possesses to adhere to moralistic decorum (al-taqwā) and maintaining proper social graces(al-murūʼah). The second, precision (al-ḍabṭ), is of two types, the first is pertaining to memorization and the second to writing. Precision in memorization (ḍabṭ al-ṣadr) refers to the ability to retain the specified information, recalling and conveying it at will. Precision in writing (ḍabṭ al-kitāb) is the preservation of the written information from the time it was heard until its transmission.
identified and enumerated ten qualities in which a narrator could be criticized. Five relate to trustworthiness and the other five to precision; however, he presented these ten qualities in order according to severity:
scholars of the past employed various methods by which to evaluate the narrating abilities of a narrator. From these means are the following:
gathered the various terms and arranged them in order of strength. He quoted four levels of strength for praise from Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn al-Salah
, adding that al-Dhahabi
and Abd al-Rahim ibn al-Husain al-'Iraqi added an additional level and Ibn Ḥajr
one above that. Thus according to al-Suyūṭī, there are six levels of praise. Similarly, al-Suyūṭī described six levels of terms used to criticize a narrator; he arranged them beginning with the least severe and concluding with the most severe criticism.
:
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic religious studies within hadith terminology
Hadith terminology
Hadith terminology is the body of terminology which specify the acceptability of the narrations, hadith, attributed to the Islamic Prophet, Muhammad, as well as other early figures of religious significance...
in which the narrators of hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
are evaluated. Its goal is to distinguish authentic hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
from hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
unacceptable in establishing sanctioned religious knowledge or practice. `Ilm ar-rijal is synonymous with what is commonly referred to as al-Jarḥ wa al-Taʻdīl – the criticism and declared acceptance of hadith narrators.
Significance
In his Introduction to the Science of HadithIntroduction to the Science of Hadith
Introduction to the Science of Hadith is a 13th-century book written by `Abd al-Raḥmān ibn `Uthmān al-Shahrazūrī, better known as Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ, which describes the Islamic discipline of the science of hadith, its terminology and the principals of biographical evaluation...
, Ibn al-Salah
Ibn al-Salah
Abū `Amr `Uthmān ibn `Abd al-Raḥmān Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn al-Kurdī al-Shahrazūrī , commonly known as Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ, was a Shafi'i hadith specialist and the author of the seminal Introduction to the Science of Hadith...
, a renowned hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
specialist, explained the importance of the study of hadith narrators. Introducing the chapter entitled, 'Recognizing the trustworthy, reliable narrators and those who are weak and unreliable,' Ibn al-Salah
Ibn al-Salah
Abū `Amr `Uthmān ibn `Abd al-Raḥmān Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn al-Kurdī al-Shahrazūrī , commonly known as Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ, was a Shafi'i hadith specialist and the author of the seminal Introduction to the Science of Hadith...
said, "This is from the most distinguished and noble types (of hadith study) as it results in recognizing the authenticity of a hadith or its weakness." He then explained that any criticism directed at a narrator was permissible due to the "maintenance of the Sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
h, purging it of any mistakes or misinformation."
Stressing the importance of biographical evaluation, Ali ibn al-Madini
Ali ibn al-Madini
Abū al-Ḥasan ʻAlī ibn ʻAbdillāh ibn Jaʻfar al-Madīnī was a ninth century Sunni Islamic scholar who was influential in the science of hadith.-Biography:...
, an early authority on the subject, said, "Knowing the narrators is half of knowledge."
History
The beginning of narrator evaluation
The Qur'anQur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
ic verses are numerous that praise the Companions and criticize the hypocrites, both as a group and specific individuals from amongst them – as well as criticism of specific individuals other than the hypocrites. The most well known of these is a verse of the Quran stating, “Oh you who believe, if a wrongdoer should approach you conveying information, then verify that so as not to fall into ignorance thus regretting what you have done.” While this verse was revealed regarding a particular individual, it is a general principle. Following this example, were the Prophet and then His Companions
Sahaba
In Islam, the ' were the companions, disciples, scribes and family of the Islamic prophet...
.
The time of the Companions
While many CompanionsSahaba
In Islam, the ' were the companions, disciples, scribes and family of the Islamic prophet...
narrated hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
, according to Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hanbal Abu `Abd Allah al-Shaybani was an important Muslim scholar and theologian. He is considered the founder of the Hanbali school of fiqh...
there were six who were the most prolific narrators of them, who lived long lives enabling them narrate to a large extent. They were: Abu Huraira
Abu Hurairah
Abu Hurairah , was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the narrator of Hadith most quoted in the isnad by Sunnis.-Early life:...
, Abdullah ibn Umar
`Abd Allah ibn `Umar
Abdullah ibn Umar was the son of the second Caliph Umar ibn Khattab. He was a prominent authority in hadith and law, and was known for his neutrality toward factions engaged in the first civil war within the Muslim community ....
, Aisha
Aisha
Aisha bint Abu Bakr also transcribed as was Muhammad's favorite wife...
, Jabir ibn Abdullah
Jabir ibn Abd-Allah
Jabir ibn 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn Haram al-Ansari was a prominent companion of Muhammad and his descendants, the Shi'a Imams.-Early life:Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari was born in Yathrib 15 years before the Hijra. He belonged to a poor family of Yathrib. He was from the tribe of Khazraj. His mother...
, Ibn Abbas
`Abd Allah ibn `Abbas
Abd Allah ibn Abbas was a paternal cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He is revered by Muslims for his knowledge and was an expert in Tafsir , as well as an authority on the Islamic Sunnah.-Family:...
and Anas ibn Malik
Anas ibn Malik
Anas bin Malik ibn Nadar al-Khazraji Al-Ansari was a well-known sahabi of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.He was an Ansar of the Banu Khazraj . He is not to be confused with Malik ibn Anas. Anas ibn Malik, the last of the Companions of the Prophet died at al-Basrah in 93 AH aged 103.-Muhammad's...
with Abu Huraira
Abu Hurairah
Abu Hurairah , was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the narrator of Hadith most quoted in the isnad by Sunnis.-Early life:...
being the most prolific of them. According to Ibn al-Salah
Ibn al-Salah
Abū `Amr `Uthmān ibn `Abd al-Raḥmān Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn al-Kurdī al-Shahrazūrī , commonly known as Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ, was a Shafi'i hadith specialist and the author of the seminal Introduction to the Science of Hadith...
the most prolific narrators from the Companions
Sahaba
In Islam, the ' were the companions, disciples, scribes and family of the Islamic prophet...
was Abu Huraira
Abu Hurairah
Abu Hurairah , was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the narrator of Hadith most quoted in the isnad by Sunnis.-Early life:...
followed by Ibn Abbas
`Abd Allah ibn `Abbas
Abd Allah ibn Abbas was a paternal cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He is revered by Muslims for his knowledge and was an expert in Tafsir , as well as an authority on the Islamic Sunnah.-Family:...
.
In spite of the Companions' efforts in narrating their hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
, there was no need for them to evaluate each others narrating capabilities or trustworthiness. This is because, as Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi
Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi
Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn `Ali ibn Thabit ibn Ahmad ibn Mahdi al-Shafi`i, commonly known as al-Khatib al-Baghdadi or the lecturer from Baghdad , was a Sunni Muslim scholar and historian.-Early life:...
said, that Allah and his Prophet declared the Companions
Sahaba
In Islam, the ' were the companions, disciples, scribes and family of the Islamic prophet...
to be upright and trustworthy, and, therefore, there is no need to investigate their reliability, however, one must investigate the condition of those after them. However, there are many established narrations originating from the Companions praising some of the Followers with some criticism of specific individuals from them.
After the Companions
As for the Followers, the generation following the CompanionsSahaba
In Islam, the ' were the companions, disciples, scribes and family of the Islamic prophet...
, their praise of narrators was plentiful, while disparagement from them was seldom. Those narrators who were criticized from the Followers were not criticized for fabricating hadith, but, instead, due to heresy, such as the Kharijites
Kharijites
Kharijites is a general term embracing various Muslims who, while initially supporting the authority of the final Rashidun Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib, the son-in-law and cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, then later rejected his leadership...
, or due to weak memory or due to their condition as narrators being unknown.
Evaluating the narrators of hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
began in the generation following that of the Companions based upon the statement of Muhammad Ibn Sirin
Ibn Sirin
Muhammad Ibn Sirin , was a Muslim interpreter of dreams who lived in the 8th century. He is a contemporary of Anas ibn Malik.-Biography:...
, “They did not previously inquire about the isnad. However, after the turmoil occurred they would say, ‘Name for us your narrators.’ So the people of the Sunnah
Sunnah
The word literally means a clear, well trodden, busy and plain surfaced road. In the discussion of the sources of religion, Sunnah denotes the practice of Prophet Muhammad that he taught and practically instituted as a teacher of the sharī‘ah and the best exemplar...
would have their hadith accepted and the people of innovation would not.” The turmoil referred to is the conflicting ideologies of the Kharijites
Kharijites
Kharijites is a general term embracing various Muslims who, while initially supporting the authority of the final Rashidun Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib, the son-in-law and cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, then later rejected his leadership...
and extreme Shias that had emerged at the time of the third khalifas Uthman ibn Affan's assassination and the social unrest of the Kharijites
Kharijites
Kharijites is a general term embracing various Muslims who, while initially supporting the authority of the final Rashidun Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib, the son-in-law and cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, then later rejected his leadership...
in opposition to the succeeding rulers, Ali
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
and Muawiyah
Muawiyah I
Muawiyah I was the first Caliph of the Umayyad Dynasty. After the conquest of Mecca by the Muslims, Muawiyah's family converted to Islam. Muawiyah is brother-in-law to Muhammad who married his sister Ramlah bint Abi-Sufyan in 1AH...
. The death of Uthman was in the year 35 after the migration.
In the following generation, that after the Followers, and afterward, the weak, unacceptable narrators increased in number, necessitating that a group of scholars clarify the condition of the narrators and distinguishing any narrations that were not authentic.
Early specialists
According to Ibn al-SalahIbn al-Salah
Abū `Amr `Uthmān ibn `Abd al-Raḥmān Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn al-Kurdī al-Shahrazūrī , commonly known as Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ, was a Shafi'i hadith specialist and the author of the seminal Introduction to the Science of Hadith...
, quoting an early religious authority, the first to specialize in the study of hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
narrators was Shu'bah ibn al-Hajjaj, followed by Yahya ibn Sa'id al-Qattan and then Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hanbal Abu `Abd Allah al-Shaybani was an important Muslim scholar and theologian. He is considered the founder of the Hanbali school of fiqh...
and Yahya ibn Ma'in
Yahya ibn Ma'in
-Biography:He was a close friend of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal.He is often quoted regarding Ilm ar-RijalImam Yahya ibn Ma’een was a famous Muhaddith and expert of Rijaal...
. Al-Bulqini added some names to the aforementioned: Ali ibn al-Madini
Ali ibn al-Madini
Abū al-Ḥasan ʻAlī ibn ʻAbdillāh ibn Jaʻfar al-Madīnī was a ninth century Sunni Islamic scholar who was influential in the science of hadith.-Biography:...
and 'Amr ibn 'Ali al-Fallas, and then mentioned Malik ibn Anas
Malik ibn Anas
Mālik ibn Anas ibn Mālik ibn Abī 'Āmir al-Asbahī is known as "Imam Malik," the "Sheikh of Islam", the "Proof of the Community," and "Imam of the Abode of Emigration." He was one of the most highly respected scholars of fiqh in Sunni Islam...
and Hisham ibn Urwah
Hisham ibn Urwah
Hishām ibn ʿUrwah was a prominent narrator of hadith, son of Urwah ibn al-Zubayr, grandson of Zubayr ibn al-Awwam and Asma bint Abu Bakr. In Medinah, his pupils included people as well known as Malik ibn Anas....
as having preceded them in evaluating narrators.
Overview
Narrator criteria
A hadithHadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
is subject to criticism on the basis of two matters. The first relates to the continuity of the hadith's chain of narration; if there is discontinuity between two or more narrators, that hadith is criticized on this basis as discussed in depth in the hadith terminology
Hadith terminology
Hadith terminology is the body of terminology which specify the acceptability of the narrations, hadith, attributed to the Islamic Prophet, Muhammad, as well as other early figures of religious significance...
article. The second relates to criticism of a narrator, or more, in the chain of narration of a particular hadith.
Hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
narrators are evaluated in light of two qualities in determining the overall grading of a hadith. These qualities are derived from the definition of a hadith that is sahih constituting two of its five conditions. The first, uprightness (al-ʻadālah), is defined as the ability an individual possesses to adhere to moralistic decorum (al-taqwā) and maintaining proper social graces(al-murūʼah). The second, precision (al-ḍabṭ), is of two types, the first is pertaining to memorization and the second to writing. Precision in memorization (ḍabṭ al-ṣadr) refers to the ability to retain the specified information, recalling and conveying it at will. Precision in writing (ḍabṭ al-kitāb) is the preservation of the written information from the time it was heard until its transmission.
Grounds for criticism
The grounds upon which a narrator is subject to criticism are numerous some relating to moral uprightness and others to precision. Ibn ḤajrIbn Hajar al-Asqalani
Al-Haafidh Shihabuddin Abu'l-Fadl Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Muhammad, better known as Ibn Hajar due to the fame of his forefathers, al-Asqalani due to his family origin , was a medieval Shafiite Sunni scholar of Islam who represents the entire realm of the Sunni world in the field of Hadith...
identified and enumerated ten qualities in which a narrator could be criticized. Five relate to trustworthiness and the other five to precision; however, he presented these ten qualities in order according to severity:
- A narrator intentionally lying, claiming a statement to be a Prophetic hadithHadithThe term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
when it is not. The inclusion of a narrator of a hadith as such renders that hadith fabricated (mawdūʻ). - An accusation of fabricating a hadith. This would be due a narration which clearly contradicts established religious principles originating from the direction (as it pertains to that hadith's chain of narration) of that individual. Or, that a narrator is known to lie in his ordinary speech but not while narrating hadith.
- Plenitude of mistakes in a narrator's hadith.
- Lack of attention to accuracy.
- The commission of wrongdoing by statement or action so long as it does not constitute apostasy.
- Misconception due to narrating on the basis of misunderstanding.
- Contradiction of that narrator's hadith of another established narrator.
- Unspecification of that narrator's standing in their narrating capabilities.
- Heresy, being the belief in an innovated matter which contradicts the established religious practice originating with the Prophet due to a misconception, not obstinateness.
- Poor memory, differing from number three above in that the mistakes of that narrator outnumber instances in which they are correct.
Methods of evaluation
HadithHadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
scholars of the past employed various methods by which to evaluate the narrating abilities of a narrator. From these means are the following:
- Observing that narrator's religiosity and asking others about it.
- Requesting the narrator in question to narrator from a particular living scholar and then returning to that scholar and comparing his narrations with those of the narrator under examination.
- If the narrator narrates from a deceased scholar, inquiring when he, the narrator in question, was born, when he met that scholar and where and then comparing the dates provided in his response to the recognized dates of that scholars death and travels. So, perhaps, the dates provided by the narrator may contradict the established dates, for example, claiming that he heard from a particular scholar after the recognized death of that scholar.
- Comparing the narrations of the narrator with those of narrators of established reliability, comparing them seeking any distinctions that might be unique to that narrator, in particular, while contradicting the others.
- Examination of the narrations either written or memorized by that narrator after the passage of time observing any discrepancies with their initial narrations.
- Deliberately altering the wording of a hadith or more for the purpose of examining the ability of the narrator being examined to detect those alterations. These is considered an acceptable practice so long as those alterations are brought to light following the examination process.
Evaluation terminology
As a result of the evaluation of narrators, each scholar would then conclude by describing the standing of each narrator. A system of terminology developed to codify the standing of each narrator, with some variation in usage of terms between the individual evaluators. These are divided into two categories, those terms which constitute praise (taʻdīl) and those that constitute criticism (jarḥ). al-SuyūṭīAl-Suyuti
Jalaluddin Al-Suyuti also known as Ibn al-Kutub was an Egyptian writer, religious scholar, juristic expert and teacher whose works deal with a wide variety of subjects in Islamic theology. He was precocious and was already a teacher in 1462. In 1486, he was appointed to a chair in the mosque of...
gathered the various terms and arranged them in order of strength. He quoted four levels of strength for praise from Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn al-Salah
Ibn al-Salah
Abū `Amr `Uthmān ibn `Abd al-Raḥmān Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn al-Kurdī al-Shahrazūrī , commonly known as Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ, was a Shafi'i hadith specialist and the author of the seminal Introduction to the Science of Hadith...
, adding that al-Dhahabi
Al-Dhahabi
Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn `Uthman ibn Qaymaz ibn `Abd Allah, Shams al-Din Abu `Abd Allah al-Turkmani al-Diyarbakri al-Fariqi al-Dimashqi al-Dhahabi al-Shafi`i , known as Al-Dhahabi , a Shafi'i Muhaddith and historian of Islam.-Biography:...
and Abd al-Rahim ibn al-Husain al-'Iraqi added an additional level and Ibn Ḥajr
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani
Al-Haafidh Shihabuddin Abu'l-Fadl Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Muhammad, better known as Ibn Hajar due to the fame of his forefathers, al-Asqalani due to his family origin , was a medieval Shafiite Sunni scholar of Islam who represents the entire realm of the Sunni world in the field of Hadith...
one above that. Thus according to al-Suyūṭī, there are six levels of praise. Similarly, al-Suyūṭī described six levels of terms used to criticize a narrator; he arranged them beginning with the least severe and concluding with the most severe criticism.
Levels of praise
- Ibn ḤajrIbn Hajar al-AsqalaniAl-Haafidh Shihabuddin Abu'l-Fadl Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Muhammad, better known as Ibn Hajar due to the fame of his forefathers, al-Asqalani due to his family origin , was a medieval Shafiite Sunni scholar of Islam who represents the entire realm of the Sunni world in the field of Hadith...
held that the highest level of praise was expressed was through the use of the superlative, for example, the most established of the people (athbat al-nās), or the most reliable of the people (awthaq al-nās). - Al-'Iraqi and al-Dhahabi were of the opinion that the highest level was the repetition of adjective, or adjectives, in praising a narrator. For example, reliable, reliable (thiqah thiqah), or reliable, firm (thiqah thabt).
- The highest level according to Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn al-Salah the highest is the use of a single adjective in describing a narrator. Examples of this are: reliable (thiqah), precise (mutqin) or firm (thabt).
- Trustworthy (ṣadūq) and worthy of trust (maḥallahu al-ṣidq) are both examples of the next category to Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn al-Salah while al-'Iraqi and al-Dhahabi consider the latter term to be from the next level.
- Next is respectable (shaykh) along with worthy of trust (maḥallahu al-ṣidq) according to some. This level would also be inclusive of an individual accused of heresy.
- The lowest of the levels of praise is, for example, satisfactory in hadith (ṣāliḥ al-ḥadīth), meaning according to Ibn ḤajrIbn Hajar al-AsqalaniAl-Haafidh Shihabuddin Abu'l-Fadl Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Muhammad, better known as Ibn Hajar due to the fame of his forefathers, al-Asqalani due to his family origin , was a medieval Shafiite Sunni scholar of Islam who represents the entire realm of the Sunni world in the field of Hadith...
, this includes acceptable (maqbūl) meaning, when supported by other narrators.
Levels of criticism
- The least severe level for the criticism of a narrator is soft in hadith (layyin al-ḥadīth) and, according to al-'Iraqi, they have spoken about him (takallamū fīhi). This level would also be taken into consideration as a corroborating narrator, but at a level less than the lowest level of praise.
- Next is he is not strong (laysa bi l-qawī). The hadith of a narrator determined to be at this level would also be taken into consideration, as with the previous level, however, this narrator is weaker than one of the previous level.
- More severe than he is not strong is weak in hadith (ḍaʻīf al-ḥadīth), however, none of these first three categories are rejected outright.
- The fourth of the levels of severity of criticism includes terms such as: his hadith is rejected (rudd al-ḥadīth) and very weak (ḍaʻīf jiddan).
- The fifth includes terms such as: his hadith is abandoned (matrūk al-ḥadīth) and destroyed (hālik).
- From the most severe level of terms of criticism are: compulsive liar (kadhdhāb), he lies (yakdhib) and fabricator (waḍḍāʻ) among other terms.
Collections of narrator biographies
Collections of narrator biographies are sometimes general and sometimes specific to particular categories of narrators. Among the most common of these categories are:General evaluation
- The Great HistoryThe Great HistoryThe Great History is a book by ninth-century Islamic scholar Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari in the field of biographical evaluation.-Overview:...
by Muhammad al-BukhariMuhammad al-BukhariMuhammad Ibn Ismail Ibn Ibrahim Ibn al-Mughirah Ibn Bardizbah al-Bukhari , popularly known as Bukhari or Imam Bukhari, , was a Sunni Islamic scholar of Persia... - al-Jarḥ wa al-Taʻdīl by Ibn Abi Hatim
Particular to a specific period of time
Books particular to the CompanionsSahaba
In Islam, the ' were the companions, disciples, scribes and family of the Islamic prophet...
:
- The Book of Knowledge about the Companions by Ali ibn al-MadiniAli ibn al-MadiniAbū al-Ḥasan ʻAlī ibn ʻAbdillāh ibn Jaʻfar al-Madīnī was a ninth century Sunni Islamic scholar who was influential in the science of hadith.-Biography:...
- The Comprehensive Compilation of the Names of the Prophet's Companions by Yusuf ibn abd al-BarrYusuf ibn abd al-BarrYusuf ibn Abdallah ibn Mohammed ibn Abd al-Barr, Abu Umar al-Namari al-Andalusi al-Qurtubi al-Maliki, commonly known as Ibn Abd-al-Barr was a famous Sunni Maliki Islamic Scholar...
- Finding the Truth in Judging the Companinons by Ibn Ḥajr
- The Lions of the Forest and the knowledge about the Companions by Ali ibn al-AthirAli ibn al-AthirAbu al-Hassan Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad, better known as Ali 'Izz al-Din Ibn al-Athir al-Jazari was a Kurdish Muslim historian from the Ibn Athir family...
General chronology
- The Book of the Major Classes by Ibn Sa'd al-Baghdadi
- Tadhkirat al-huffaz, The Memorial of the Hadith Masters, a chronological history of hadith scholars' biographies by al-Dhahabi
Geographically specific
- History of Baghdad by Al-Khatib al-BaghdadiAl-Khatib al-BaghdadiAbu Bakr Ahmad ibn `Ali ibn Thabit ibn Ahmad ibn Mahdi al-Shafi`i, commonly known as al-Khatib al-Baghdadi or the lecturer from Baghdad , was a Sunni Muslim scholar and historian.-Early life:...
- History of Damascus by Ibn AsakirIbn Asakir-Name:His full name was Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn Hibat Allah ibn `Abd Allah, Thiqat al-Din, Abu al-Qasim, known as Ibn `Asakir al-Dimashqi al-Shafi`i al-Ash`ari.-Works:...
Evaluation of the narrators of specific books
- Al-Kamal fi Asma' al-RijalAl-Kamal fi Asma' al-RijalAl-Kamal fi Asma' al-Rijal is a collection of biographies of hadith narrators within the Islamic discipline of biographical evaluation by the 12th-century Islamic scholar Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi.-Overview:...
, by Abd al-Ghani al-MaqdisiAbd al-Ghani al-MaqdisiAbd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi is a classical Sunni Islamic scholar and a prominent Hadith master.-Works:He is the author of many famous works, including :*al-Kamal fi Asma' al-Rijal *Umdat al-Ahkam -References:...
, is a collection of the biographies of the narrators of the hadith contained in the Six major Hadith collectionsSix major Hadith collectionsThe six major Hadith collections are collections of hadith by Islamic scholars who, approximately 200 years after Muhammad's death and by their own initiative, collected "hadith" attributed to Muhammad...
Further reading
- The Development of Early Sunnite Hadith Criticism: The Taqdima of Ibn Abi Hatim Al-Razi, translated by Eerick Dickinson. Brill Academic Publishers, November 15, 2001. ISBN 90-04-11805-5