PRINCIPLES OF HADITH CLASS NOTES

Transcription

1 Sources for derivation of rulings in Islam are four. They are also known as Four proofs of Ahlussunnah wal Jama a (Hanafi,Maliki,Shaf ai,hambali). First two are original (Haqiqi). 1. Qur an 2. Hadith Next two are Metaphor (Majaazi). 3. I jma (Consensus) 4. Qiyaas (Analogy) Hadith: Formal meaning: New or antonym of old or something that just accrued. Idiomatic Definition: What is attributed to the Prophet peace be upon him weather be a saying or action or approval (Taqreer) or a quality, or what is attributed to a Companion (Sahabi) or a successor Tab ai. [Tadreeb ur Raavi] Proof of authority: Thus whatever the Messenger brings to you (from God), then you shall take it. And whatever he has forbidden you, you shall desist from it. [59/7] General terms of the verse apply to every injunction and prohibition of the Prophet peace be upon him. Example: Do not reserve the night of Jumuah (Friday) for prayer among other nights and do not reserve the day of Jumuah for fasting from among other days, unless it comes in a fast that one of you is accustomed to fasting. [Muslim] Ruling Hukm of Hadith: To have faith on it and practice it unless there is Ta aarudh (conflict of proofs) and in that case a mujtahid (expert jurist) will give tarjeeh (preference) to one Hadith over the other through set principles. Sunnah: Formal Meaning: Road or practice defined by the predecessors and adopted by the successors, be it good or bad. Thus shall We, thrust this into the hearts of the defiant unbelievers. They do not believe in this though the precedents of the early generations have already passed. [15; 12-13] The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: Whoever introduces a good practice and is followed by others, will have his own reward and a reward equal to that of those who

2 follow him, without it detracting from their reward in any way. Whoever starts a bad thing and is followed by others, will bear the burden of his sin and a burden equal to that of those who follow him, without it detracting from their burden in any way. [Tirmidhi] Idiomatic Meaning: Path or practice adopted in Islam or path or practice admirable in Islam. As all the faith is nothing but good & admirable, thus the sunnah will be none but good. Because in sunnah is present meaning of acceptance & application, thus it will only associate to those whose imitation or obedience is commanded by Islam. Based on above stated definition of Hadith, the Hadith will be composition of sanad & matan (chain & text) and thus will not be equivalent to sunnah. For that reason, when Abdurrahman bin Mahdi was asked about Imam Sufyan Thawri, Imam Awzaa i & Imam Malik, he responded by saying that Sufyan is Imam of Hadith & not of Sunnah, Awzza i is Imam of Sunnah & not Hadith and Malik is Imam of both, Hadith & Sunnah. Those to be followed and application of the term sunnah: The Messenger peace be upon him Yet, very truly, in the Messenger of God there is an excellent model for you for whoever has hope in God and the Last Day and remembers God much. (Uswatun ma uta aasaa bihi) [al- Ahzab/21] Prophet peace be upon him said, I left among you two articles, you will most definitely not fall stray as long as held on to them, Book of Allah and the sunnah of the Prophet. [Mu atta] The caliphs & the companions: So if they believe in the same as you (Sahabah) believe in, then they have been guided, but if they turn away, then it is they are who are in schism with God s religion [al- Baqarah/137] My companions are like stars, thus whomever from among them you pursued, you will be guided to the right path. [Bayhaqi] Hold fast to my sunnah & the sunnah of the guided caliphs. [Ahmad]

3 Whoever wants to adopt someone s sunnah, he should assume the ways of those who have passed, indeed the living are feared for being deluded by fitna, and those are the companions of Muhamamd (peace be upon him) (Razeen) The Tabi een (Successors to Sahabah): The actions, ways or manners of Tabi een have not been referred to as being Sunnah explicitly by the Messenger peace be upon him, nor by the Companions may God be pleased with them. However, owing to the Hadith The best of the eras is my era, and the one after that and the one after that, the era of the Tabi een and Taba Tabi een are being lauded by the Prophet peace be upon him. Therefore Imam Maalik & Imam Awzai who were from the Taba Tabi een, regarded the actions of the Tabi een as Sunnah & worthy of being followed. Unlike these two Imams, Imam Abu Hanifah was himself a Taba e & thus he would say, The way of the Prophet peace be upon him, which reaches us, we accept wholeheartedly. Those narrations and ways of the Sahaabah which reach us, we choose one from amongst them without omitting anything there from. As for those ways which reach us regarding the Tabi een, we are men and they are men. However as for the senior Tabi een, whose rulings became widespread during the existence of some Sahabah, their statements are regarded as being worthy of standing as proofs by the Ahnaaf because it has the tacit approval of the Sahaabah. Categories of Hadith: First Division: Regarding the number of narrators Hadith divides into two categories. 1. Mutawatir 2. Khabr e Wahid By the blessings of companionship of the Prophet authentic (thiqah)., all sahabah were just (adil) and Formal Meaning: Consecutive. Idiomatic Definition: Hadith that is reported by so many people that the listener believes in it with certainty and there is no chance that such a number can collectively report a lie.

4 o Mutawatir is four types; 1. Mutawatir ul Isnaad (Mass transmission) Example: Whosoever forges lie upon me, for he may make his abode in fire (hell). 2. Mutawatir ut Tabaqah (Distribution in entire land) Example: Quran 3. Mutawatir ul A mal (Action of masses) Example: Prayer, Miswaak etc. 4. Mutawatir ul qadaril mushtarik (One subject in numerous narrations) Example: The miracles of the Prophet Khabr e Wahid Idiomatic Definition: Hadith which, in any one or more eras, is narrated by lesser number then what is required by tawatur. o If the narrators are trustworthy and honest, the presumption (dhan ul galib) is that the statement is true. Khabr e Wahid is presumed evidence. Mutawatir is definite evidence. Use of word dhann in Qur an 1. Those who realize that they will, assuredly, meet their Lord, and that, indeed, it is to Him alone that they are returning for Judgment in the Hereafter. [al-baqarah/46] 2. If you, when you heard it, the believing men and the believing women thought good of themselves, and said: This is clearly wicked slander! [al-nur/12] 3. Though they have no sure knowledge therein. They follow nothing but mere conjecture-and conjecture avails nothing against the truth. [al-najm/28] Basis on which khabr e wahid becomes strong presumption: Authenticity or trustworthiness of narrators Validity of content Authenticity & integrity of narrators: Following are considered essentials for acceptance of a Hadith 1. Truthfulness (throughout his life he must never have spoken any lie regarding any Hadith of the Prophet peace be upon him

5 2. Soundness of mind (not unintelligent or dense in the mind so that he doesn t err in understanding the Hadith. 3. Good memory (he must not have excessive forgetfulness, doubts and misgivings). 4. Reliability and piety (must not be fasiq (sinner), faajir (open-sinner) or immoral person. 5. Caution and prudence (in narrating and relating any Hadith he must not have a careless and easygoing attitude. 6. He must be well-known to contemporaries and not unknown i.e. people of knowledge, taqwa and piety must be aware of him. Subject & Content of the Narration: Following are considered essentials for acceptance of a Hadith 1. Must not be contrary to any explicit verse of Qur an. 2. Must not be against any mutawatir Sunnah. 3. Must not be against absolute Ijma. 4. Must not be impossible to rational reasoning. 5. Must not be against general principles or accepted decrees of sharia. 6. Must not be a Hadith which speaks of an issue that is a must know for all Mukallafeen and no obstacle stands between acquiring its knowledge, but still only a few narrate it. Khabr e Wahid is a valid proof in Shari a. Oh you who believe! If a sinner (faasiq) comes to you with news, then verify it. [al- Hujuraat/6] Khabr e Wahid is thus 2 types. 1. Excepted Hadith (Maqbool) 2. Rejected Hadith (Gair Maqbool) Excepted Hadith (Maqbool) is 3 types. 1. Hadith Saheeh 2. Hadith Hasan 3. Hadith Mursal Unaccepted Hadith (Gair Maqbool) is 2 types. 1. Hadith Mawdoo 2. Hadith Da eef

6 Excepted Hadith (Maqbool) o Hadith Saheeh: Which contains the following: 1) All of its narrators are mentioned. 2) Each narrator is adult, wise, just, pious and dignified. 3) Each narrator must have the Hadith well preserved through excellent memory or inscription. 4) Content must not be contrary to another Hadith higher in its authenticity. 5) Must not have a hidden fault. o Hadith Hasan (in itself): Which contains the following: 1) All of its narrators are mentioned. (ittisaal) 2) Each narrator is adult, wise, just, pious and dignified. (adalat) 3) Content must not be contrary to another Hadith higher in its authenticity. (shuzooz) 4) Must not have a hidden fault. (illat) 5) Narrators are relatively week in memory. (zabt) o Hadith Mursal: When a sahabi, taba i or taba taba i narrates the Hadith from the Prophet peace be upon him without stating the name or names of those whom they heard the Hadith from. Unaccepted Hadith (Gair Maqbool) o Hadith Mawdoo Hadith that someone forges and falsely refers it to the Prophet peace be upon him. o Hadith Da eef Hadith, which is neither Mursal nor holds up to conditions of Hasan. Notes: o Hadith that is Da eef in its chain becomes authentic due to following reasons: 1. When mujtahid (expert jurist) takes this Hadith as evidence. 2. When scholars, through their words or actions, accept this Hadith at large.

7 3. When this Hadith is narrated by numerous chains. 4. In case some Muhadditheen consider a Hadith to be Saheeh or Hasan while others consider it to be Da eef, the Hadith will be Hasan and same applies to the narrators.