بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

19 Raj’ab 1444 AH (Saturday, 11 February, 2023).  

We thus far spoke about the history of the principles of Aḥādīth in the first two centuries. Scholars over these two hundred years had their individual principles. You may have noticed:

1.The principles were being introduced naturally and organically

2.Scholars had their own principles

3.Scholars differed on their principles

4.Principles were mentioned in passing. 

This was until Imām Shāfi’ī wrote an informal letter to ‘Abdur Raḥmān ibn Mahdī. This letter was written in the year 195 AH, and it was sent to ‘Abdur Raḥmān ibn Mahdī. This is known as: 

• • • Ar-Risālah al-Qadīmah, 
    • or Ar-Risālah al-‘Atīqah, 
    • or Ar-Risālah al-Baghdādiyyah, 
    • or ‘Irāqiyyah. 

Since it was a private letter to ‘Abdur Raḥmān ibn Mahdī, it has not been circulated, and we do not have this original letter. Shaykh Aḥmad Shākir mentioned:

وليس في أيدي الناس الان إلا الرسالة الجديدة، وهي هذا الكتاب. (مقدمة الرسالة – ص: 11)

In 199 AH, Imām Shāfi’ī now edited and transformed that informal letter into a formal book, and he dictated it. The astonishing thing is that Imām Shāfi’ī wrote this entire book from memory:

وقد تبين لنا من استقراء كتب الشافعي الموجودة التي ألف بمصر أنه ألف هذه الكتب من حفظه، ولم تكن كتبه كلها معه. (مقدمة -ص:11)

Despite that, Imām Shāfi’ī gathered lots of useful points and important information in this book. ‘Allāmah Fakhr ad-Dīn ar-Rāzī said:

اعلم أن الشافعي رضى الله عنه صنف كتاب الرسالة ببغداد، ولما رجع إلى مصر أعاد تصنيف كتاب الرسالة، وفي كل واحد منهما علم كثير (مناقب الشافعي – ص: 57)

(This proves he had access to the initial letter as well, that is how he was able to comment).

Shaykh Aḥmad Shākir claimed that the preferred opinion is that Imām Shāfi’ī dictated the book to Rabīʿ. 

والراجح أنه أملى (كتاب الرسالة) على الربيع إملاء. (مقدمة الرسالة – ص: 12)

This gives Imām Shāfī the merit and honour of being the first person to write the principles of Aḥādīth. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Fattāḥ Abu Ġuddah (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) says:

ويمكن أن يقال: أن الإمام الشافعي رضي الله عنه هو أول من دون بعض المباحث الحديثية في كتابه الرسالة …… (لمحات من تأريخ السنة وعلوم الحديث – ص: 206)

“You could probably say that Imām ash-Shāfi’ī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) was the first to document a few principles in his book: ar-Risālah.” (Lamḥāt min Tārīkh as-Sunnah, page: 206)

In this book, Imām Shāfi’ī covers the following crucial and important points (and we will most probably refer to this book of his, in shā Allāh, when we reach the relevant sections):

1. 1. 1. History of the Sunnah
      2. Refutation on those who reject Aḥādīth
      3. Conditions of an authentic narration
      4. Conditions for a reliable narrator
      5. Discussions on Mursal narrations
      6. Missing links in the chains of transmission
      7. The authority and status of a Khabr al-Wāḥid
      8. Ruling on attaining a supporting chain
      9. Various principles regarding transmission

Prints

Since Ar-Risālah is such an important book, there are numerous prints. Eight prints of the book stand out, and it is worth it to get any of these prints:

1. 1. 1. Al-Maṭba’at al-Ilmiyyah (1312 AH)
      2. Al-Matba‘ah ash-Sharfiyyah (1314 AH). This is based on a manuscript that was transcribed from the copy of Rabī’
      3. Al-Maṭba‘at al-Amīriyyah. (1321 AH). This is together with Kitāb al-Umm
      4. Muṣṭafā al-Bābī (1358 AH). This is Shaykh Aḥmad Shākirs edition. It was then photocopied and published by Dār Dhakhāir. This will probably be the absolute best edition. Shaykh Aḥmad Shākir used two very valuable manuscripts. The first is before Rajab 204 AH, and it has the handwriting of Rabī’, and it was written in the life of Imām Shāfi‘ī
      5. Dār al-Kitāb al-‘Arabī (1421 AH). They relied on Shaykh Aḥmad Shākir’s edition, but corrected some quotations, and added footnotes.
      6. Dār an-Nafā’is (1429 AH). Also relied on the print of Shaykh Aḥmad Shākir, and simply added footnotes.
      7. The edition of Rif’ah Fawzī, which is in the beginning of his research of Kitāb al-Umm. He used two manuscripts.
      8. Dār ibn Jawzi (1439 AH). The editor of this is ‘Alī ibn Muḥammad. He used six manuscripts.

However, despite the great value of this book of his, the following points should be kept in mind:

1. 1. 1. It is not primarily meant to be a book on Uṣūl al-Ḥadīth.
      2. It covers other topics as well. It covers so many principles of Fiqh that some scholars regard this as a book of Uṣūl al-Fiqḥ, and confer upon Imām Shāfi’ī the merit of being the first to write in Uṣūl al-Fiqh. This is why Imām Shāfi’ī is considered as a Mujaddid: He mastered the school of those who were referred to as Ahl al-Ḥadīth, and he also mastered the school of those who were referred to as Ahl ar-Ray. He then merged and the two together and tried to reconcile between them. 

Nevertheless, it is a wonderful contribution and a valuable resource. And this is the reason of discussing these books; A) We will be referring to them, B) What we study is based on the information in these books, C) These are guaranteed principles which were applied by earlier scholars.

Hence, in the first two centuries, scholars would mention their principles in passing and also only when the need arose. There was no formal lesson given on the principles of Aḥādīth, and there was no formal book; besides what Imām Shāfi’ī added to this book of his. 

The reason why the scholars of this first 200 years did not formally teach Uṣūl is because they were more concerned about documenting the actual Aḥādīth of the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam). That was more important for the preservation of the Sunnah, rather than worrying about dedicating time to gathering all the principles and putting them into one book. In fact, the gathering of narrations meant that many principles would also be amended. Therefore, the scholars simply mentioned their rules and principles to their students. 

Their students were also focused on documenting their teacher’s narrations.  

Towards the end of this century and at the beginning of the third century, many books of Aḥādīth were already written and these books were also being circulated.

It was at this time that ‘Alī ibn al-Madīni (161 – 234) came on the scene. He dedicated a lot of time to writing, and he was the most prolific author of that period. 

To understand his status: He was one of the main teachers of Imām al-Bukhāri (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him). Imām al-Bukhāri (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) said:

ما استصغرت نفسي عند أحد إلا عند علي بن المديني (الكامل في ضعفاء الرجال – 1 / 120)

“I never had an inferiority complex in front of any teacher like what I had in front of ‘Ali ibn al-Madīni” (Al-Kāmil Fī Ḍu’afā ar-Rijāl, 1 / 120)

For every other teacher Imām al-Bukhāri (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) knew that he could learn more than that teacher and that he could even surpass that teacher. But ‘Ali ibn al-Madīni (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) was so advanced and such a master in Ḥadīth that even a professional and expert like Imām al-Bukhāri (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) felt incompetent in front of him.

This is sufficient to show the calibre and status of ‘Ali ibn al-Madīni (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him).

‘Alī ibn al-Madīnī wrote on numerous different topics of ‘Ulūm al-Ḥadīth. Imām al-Ḥākim (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) says in his Ma’rifah ‘Ulūm al-Ḥadīth:

سمعت الشريف القاضي أبا الحسن محمد بن صالح الهاشمي قاضي القضاة يقول: هذه أسامي مصنفات علي بن المديني: كتاب الأسامي والكنى ثمانية أجزاء كتاب الضعفاء عشرة أجزاء كتاب المدلسين خمسة أجزاء كتاب أول من نظر في الرجال وفحص عنهم ، جزء كتاب الطبقات عشرة أجزاء كتاب من روى عن رجل لم يره جزء كتاب علل المسند ثلاثون جزءا كتاب العلل لـ إسماعيل القاضي أربعة عشر جزءا كتاب علل حديث ابن عيينة ثلاثة عشر جزءا كتاب من لا يحتج بحديثه ولا يسقط جزءان كتاب الكنى خمسة أجزاء كتاب الوهم والخطأ خمسة أجزاء كتاب قبائل العرب عشرة أجزاء كتاب من نزل من الصحابة سائر البلدان خمسة أجزاء كتاب التاريخ عشرة أجزاء كتاب العرض على المحدث جزءان كتاب من حدث ثم رجع عنه جزءان كتاب يحيى وعبد الرحمن في الرجال خمسة أجزاء كتاب سؤالاته يحيى جزءان كتاب الثقات والمثبتين عشرة أجزاء كتاب الأشربة ثلاثة أجزاء كتاب تفسير غريب الحديث خمسة أجزاء كتاب الإخوة والأخوات ثلاثة أجزاء كتاب من تعرف باسم دون اسم أبيه جزءان كتاب من يعرف باللقب جزء كتاب العلل المتفرقة ثلاثون جزءا وكتاب مذاهب المحدثين جزءان

 قال الحاكم : إنما اقتصرنا على فهرست مصنفاته في هذا الموضع ليستدل به على تبحره وتقدمه وكماله (معرفة علوم الحديث – ص: 71)

“I heard the honourable Qāḍī Abū al-Ḥasan Muḥammad bin Ṣāliḥ al-Hāshimī, the senior judge, saying, ‘Kitāb al-Asāmī wa’l Kunā consists of eight volumes, Kitāb aḍ-Ḍuʾafā consists of ten volumes, Kitāb al-Mudallisīn with 5 volumes, a volume of Kitāb Awwal man Naḍhara Fī ar-Rijāl, 10 parts of Kitāb aṭ-Ṭabaqāt, a volume of the Book regarding one who narrates from someone that he did not see, Kitāb ʿIlal al-Musnad with thirty volumes, Kitāb ʿIlal of Ismāʿīl al-Qāḍī which had fourteen volumes, Kitāb ʿIlal Ḥadīth Ibn ʿUyaynah comprises of thirteen, Kitāb man Lā Yuḥtajj bi-Ḥadīthih; 2 volumes, five volumes of Kitāb al-Kunā, five volumes of Kitāb al wahm wa’l Khaṭa, ten volumes on the Book of the Tribes of the Arabs, Kitāb man-Nazal min aṣ-Ṣaḥābah in five volumes, ten volumes on Tārīkh, two volumes regarding the narrations that are presented to the Muḥaddith, two chapters regarding one who narrates then retracts, five volumes of Kitāb Yaḥyā and ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān, two volumes of The Book on His Queries from Yaḥyā, Kitāb ath-Thiqāt wa’l Muthabbitīn in 10 volumes, three parts of Kitāb al-Ashribah, five parts of Tafsīr Gharāib al-Ḥadīth, three volumes of Kitāb al-Ikhwah wa’l Akhawāt, two volumes regarding one who is famously known by other than his father’s name, one part regarding one who is know by his title, thirty volumes of Kitāb ʿIlal al-Mutafarriqūn, two portions of the Maḍāhib of the Muḥaddithūn.’

Ḥākim said, ‘We have abridged the catalogue of books, to hint towards his ocean of knowledge, his precedence and perfection.” (Maʾrifah ʿUlūm al-Ḥadīth, page: 71)

These are but a few topics of ‘Ulūm al-Ḥadīth upon which he wrote such detailed works. Imām ‘Alī ibn al-Madīnī wrote many other books as well. 

Imām Nawawi (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) quotes from ‘Allāmah Khatīb al-Baġdādi (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) that ‘Ali ibn al-Madīni wrote more than two hundred different books. In Tahḏīb at-Tahḏīb it comes:

وقال الشيخ محي الدين النووي نقلا من جامع الخطيب صنف علي بن المديني في الحديث مائتي مصنف (تهذيب التهذيب – 7 / 312)

“Shaykh Muḥiyy ad-Dīn an-Nawawī quotes from Al-Khaṭīb, ʿAlī bin al-Madīnī compiled two hundred compilations in Ḥadīth.” (Tahḏīb at-Tahḏīb, 7 / 312)

After mentioning the names of some of these books, ‘Allāmah al-Khatīb al-Baġdādi (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) said:

وجميع هذه الكتب قد انقرضت ولم نقف على شيء منها إلا على أربعة أو خمسة حسب (الجامع لأخلاق الراوي وآداب السامع – 2 / 361)

“All of these books are extinct, we are not aware of any of them except about four or five.” (Al-Jāmiʾ li-Akhlāq ar-Rāwī, 2 / 361)

‘Allāmah al-Khatīb al-Baġdādi (392 AH – 463 AH) mentioned that these books are no more in circulation. They are – so to say – ‘extinct’. This was in the fifth century! This was hardly even two hundred years after ‘Ali ibn al-Madīni (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him)!

‘Allāmah al-Khatīb al-Baġdādi (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) mentioned that there are only four or five books which remained. Thereafter he says:

ولعمري إن في انقراضها ذهاب علوم جمة وانقطاع فوائد ضخمة وكان علي بن المديني فيلسوف هذه الصنعة وطبيبها ولسان طائفة الحديث وخطيبها رحمة الله عليه وأكرم مثواه لديه (الجامع لأخلاق الراوي وآداب السامع – 2 / 361)

“Most definitely! From its extinction is the loss of lots of knowledge, and the cessation of enormous benefits, ʿAlī bin al-Madīnī was a philosopher on this field, and an expert, the orator of the People of Ḥadīth, may Allāh have mercy on him and honour his abode near Him.” (Al-Jāmiʾ li Akhlāq al-Rāwī, 2 / 361)

Since ‘Ali ibn al-Madīni (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) wrote all of these, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Fattāḥ Abu Ġudda (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) regards him as the absolute first who wrote on ‘Ulūm al-Ḥadīth independently. On page eight of the introduction of Lamahāt min Ta’rīkh as-Sunnah wa ‘Ulūmihā, he says:

ويقدر أن أقدم من ألف في مباحثه مستقلا: الإمام علي بن المديني ، ثم تابعه من جاؤوا بعده فجمعوا ورتبوا ، ونقحوا وبوبوا (مقدمة لمحات من تأريخ السنة وعلوم الحديث – ص: 8)

“It is possible that he was from the foremost that compiled this discussion independently: Imām ʿAlī bin al-Madīnī, consequently there were others that follows suit and compiled and organised, they revised and classified into chapters.” (Introduction to Lamḥāt min Tārīkh as-Sunnah, page: 8)

In the introduction he said that it could be estimated (Yuqaddaru). However, on page 201 of this same book, he mentioned with conviction:

وفي أواخر القرن الثاني بُدئ بالتأليف بعض المباحث منه ، على شكل أبواب مستقلة في موضوعها ، يَجمع الموضوع الواحد منها جزء أو أجزاء تكون كتابا لطيفا بمقايسنا اليوم. وأقدم من يمكن إضافة ذلك إليه -في علمي الضعيف – هو الإمام على بن المديني ، البصري ، المولود سنة 161 ه والمتوفى سنة 234 ه رحمه الله تعالى ، فقد الف في جملة أنواع من علوم الحديث ، خص كل نوع منها بكتاب على حدة (لمحات من تأريخ السنة وعلوم الحديث – ص 201)

“At the end of the second century, some researchers began compiling following the pattern of chapters in its respected subject, that would gather a portion or a few volumes on one topic that would become a small book, according to the prints of today. The first to advance towards such, according to my humble knowledge, is Imām ʿAlī bin al-Madīnī, al-Baṣrī, born in the year 161 AH and passed away in 234 AH, may Allāh have mercy on him, he compiled a comprehensive study in the different sciences of Ḥadīth, allocating a separate book for each topic.” (Lamḥāt min Tārīkh as-Sunnah, page: 201)

This was with regards to ‘Ali ibn al-Madīni (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him). Although we do not have his books, fortunately, some statements of his are quoted in latter day books.

Imām ‘Abdullāh ibn Zubayr al-Ḥumaydi (219 AH), another teacher of Imām al-Bukhāri (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him), also wrote a treatise called: Risālah Fī ‘Ilm al-Mustalah. ‘Allāmah Khaṭīb quotes from this in his al-Kifāyah.

Third Century

It was now in the beginning of this third century when many more scholars started to document principles. By this time, there were already numerous books of Aḥādīth that were in circulation. Hence, scholars could consider documenting   

There are five different ways in which principles were gathered in this period. The scholars who wrote books in this era either: 

1. 1. Mentioned principles in the chapter headings.

For example, Imām al-Bukhārī brings the following chapters in his Ṣaḥīḥ:

باب قول المحدث حدثنا أو أخبرنا وأنبأنا (صحيح البخاري – 1 / 22)

‌‌باب ما يذكر في المناولة وكتاب أهل العلم بالعلم إلى البلدان. (صحيح البخاري – 1 / 23)

‌‌باب قول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم رب مبلغ أوعى من سامع. (صحيح البخاري – 1 / 24)

‌‌باب: متى يصح سماع الصغير. (صحيح البخاري – 1 / 26)1

 (Imām al-Bukhāri (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) also added few chapters like these in his Ta’rīkh al-Kabīr)

Imām Dārimī also cites many principles in this manner

‌‌باب من رخص في كتابة العلم. (مسند الدارمي – 1 / 428)

‌‌باب الاقتداء بالعلماء. (مسند الدارمي – 1 / 297)

‌‌باب اتقاء الحديث عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، والتثبت فيه. (مسند الدارمي – 1 / 303)

‌‌باب من رخص في الحديث إذا أصاب المعنى. (مسند الدارمي – 1 / 347)

           2. Writing of Introductions 

Imām Muslim (204 – 261) wrote his Ṣaḥīḥ in the first half of this century. In the beginning of this book, he wrote a detailed introduction in which numerous principles of Aḥādīth are explicitly mentioned. If they are not very explicit, then they are extracted or derived. He quotes with his chains from earlier scholars, and he also mentions some principles from his own side. He speaks about:

1. 1. 1. The division of Aḥādīth
      2. The categories of narrators based on their retentive skills
      3. A narration that is Munkar
      4. If a narrator transmits something independently with no support.
      5. Ruling of weak narrations
      6. Discarding narrations of liars.
      7. The importance of a chain of transmission
      8. Simply transmitting everything that one hears.
      9. Necessity of criticizing narrators, and proving that it does not fall under backbiting
      10. He goes into detail about narrators using the word ‘an’

Again, during the lessons of Muqaddimah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāḥ, we will refer to the principles documented here.

Imām Muslim also transmitted some principles in his Kitāb at-Tamyīz.

       3. Writing Addendums, documents of letters about a book.

In his famous letter to the people of Makkah, Imām Abū Dāwūd (202 AH – 275) wrote the methodology, conditions and principles that he implemented in his Sunan. Since he implemented the important principles that the scholars before him laid out (and hence he mentioned them in this book), his book contains a number important principles which became the basis for those after him. 

He discusses some important issues, like:

1. 1. 1. 1. Ruling on Mursal narrations
         2. The total amount of Aḥādīth
         3. A Gharīb Ḥadīth
         4. A Shād narration
         5. Authentic narrations
         6. Narrations with missing links
         7. A Mudallis
         8. Words used when hearing a narration

We will read through this book when discussing about Sunan Abī Dāwūd, 

Imām Tirmīdhī (209 AH – 279 AH) wrote an addendum to his book, and this is his ‘Ilal aṣ-Ṣaghīr. In this book, he defines important terminologies; making this book essential for Muṣṭalaḥ al-Ḥadīth. During the discussion of Ḥasan and Gharīb, we will be going through what he mentioned. He also discussed:

1. 1. 1. The methods of obtaining a narration (he elaborates on Ijāzah)
      2. Paraphrasing a narration
      3. A reliable narrator adding more information (Ziyādah ath-Thiqah)
      4. Categories of narrators
      5. Mu’allall and Mursal
      6. Why Muḥaddithūn would reject a narration.

Besides these, he quotes the verdicts of earlier scholars. (We will read through this book when in the lessons of Muqaddimah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāḥ, in shā Allāh.)

Ibn Rajab Ḥanbalī (736 AH – 795 AH) wrote a detailed commentary on this, and we will also be quoting frequently from there, in shā Allāḥ.

   4. Students gathering questions which they asked their teachers

It became frequent for students to question their teachers, and they then documented the answers. These have been published as books, and there are numerous important principles that are written. Some were dedicated to one topic of Uṣūl al-Ḥadīth; like Al-Jarḥ wa ‘t-Ta’dīl. The following are some books from which we learn some principles

1. 1. 1. Su’ālāt ibn al-Junayd li Abī Zakariyyā Yaḥyā ibn Ma‘īn (233 AH)
      2. Su’ālāt Abī Dāwūd Lil Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal (164 AH – 241 AH)
      3. Min Suālāt Abū Bakr al-Athram Abā ‘Abdillāh Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal
      4. Suālāt Muḥammad ibn ‘Uthmān ibn Abī Shaybah Li ‘Aliyy ibn al-Madīnī

In shā Allāh, we will derive some important principles from these, especially when we reach the chapter of al-Jarḥ wat ta’dīl.

       5. Books on hidden defects

This is one chapter from the various chapters of ‘Ulūm al-Ḥadīth. Scholars wrote specifically on this topic. Amongst others:

1. 1. 1. Al-‘ilal li ‘bn al-Madīnī (234 AH)
      2. Al-‘Ilal wa ma’rifah ar-Rijāl li Aḥmad 
      3. Al-‘Ilal li ‘bn Abī Ḥātim

Books written on these help us to derive certain laws – albeit just a little.

Fourth Century

In the latter part of this century and in the next century, there are more books written like the above. For example:

• • • Al-Jarḥ wat Ta’dīl li ‘bn Abī Ḥātim (240 AH – 327 AH)
    • Al-‘Ilal li ‘bn Abī Ḥātim

Imām Ṭaḥāwī (238 AH – 321 AH) wrote a dedicated book on the ruling of Ḥadathanā and Akhbaranā, and we will, in shā Allāh go through this entire book. There are miscellaneous principles that we derive from his other books.

Ibn Ḥibbān (270 AH – 354) also mentioned numerous principles in various books, and we will be referring to his books: Ath-Thiqāt, Al-Majrūḥīn, Aṣ-Ṣaḥīḥ ‘alā ‘t-Taqāsīm wal Anwā’.

Until this point, we learn that many laws were indeed documented, but they were scattered in various different books. 

It was at this time that ‘Allāmah Hasan ibn ‘Abd ar-Raḥmān al-Khallād Rāmahurmūzī (260 AH – 360 AH) came, and he wrote a book that consisted of more principles than the books that preceded him. Thus, Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar said:

فمن أول من صنف في ذلك – القاضي أبو محمد الرامهرمزي في كتابه: “المحدث الفاصل” (نزهة النظر في توضيح نخبة الفكر – ص: 4)

From the first to compile something of the genre is: Al-Qāḍī Abū Muḥammad ar-Rāmahurmuzī in his book: Al-Muḥaddith al-Fāṣil, 

By saying ‘min’, Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) is acknowledging the existence of the books that we spoke about.

The full name of this book is: Al-Muḥāddith al-Fāṣil Bayna ar-Rāwī wal Wā’ī .

In Nuzhah, Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar says:

لكنه لم يستوعب (نزهة النظر في توضيح نخبة الفكر – ص: 4)

“but he did not make it ‘all-encompassing’.”

However, for that period, it was the most encompassing. In Al-Muʿjam al-Mufahras, Ḥāfiḍ Ibn Ḥajar writes that this was the first book to be written in a comprehensive and encompassing way.

لكن هذا أجمع ما جمع في ذلك في زمانه ، ثم توسعوا في ذلك (المعجم المفهرس – 1 \ 186)

“but this is the most encompassing that was compiled in his time, then it was expanded.” (Al-Muʿjam al-Mufahras, 1 / 186)

Prints of al-Muḥaddith al-Fāṣil

This book was first printed with the research of Muḥammad ‘Ajāj al-Khatīb. It was printed by Dār al-Fikr. This print is in 678 pages. This is the copy that I have.

Then it was also printed by An-Nāshir al-Mutamayyiz with the research of Abū Humām al-Bayḍāwi in 821 pages. It is a much better print than the previous.

It was also printed with the research of Muḥammad Muḥib ad-Dīn Abū Zayd in 800 pages, and published by Dār Ḏakhā’ir and Ṭāriq ibn ‘Iwaḍallāh wrote the forward for that print.

Allāmāh ar-Rāmahurmuzi (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) brings his chain to a particular scholar, and then quotes the principle which he mentioned. He then groups similar principles together and put them under one chapter.

It is important to note that – although this book gathers a really large amount of principles – this book was not written primarily for nomenclature or to define Ḥadīth terminology. Likewise, the main objective was not to explain principles. This may be gathered from the very title of the book, which is, Al-Muḥaddith al-Fāṣil Bayn ar-Rāwī wa ‘l-Wā’ī.

The title is enough to reveal that his main objective is to teach the etiquettes for a teacher and student; therefore, he elaborates on all the etiquettes of receiving and transmitting a narration. This book will, in shā Allāh, be a primary source for our lessons of Muqaddimah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāḥ, and we will be referring to it frequently.

 ‘Allamah adh-Dhahabi (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) says under his entry:

‌‌55 – الرامهرمزي الحسن بن عبد الرحمن بن خلاد 

الإمام، الحافظ، البارع، محدث العجم، أبو محمد الحسن بن عبد الرحمن بن خلاد الفارسي الرامهرمزي القاضي، مصنف كتاب (المحدث الفاصل بين الراوي والواعي) في علوم الحديث، ‌وما ‌أحسنه ‌من ‌كتاب!

قيل: إن السلفي كان لا يكاد يفارق كمه، يعني في بعض عمره. (سير أعلام النبلاء – 16 / 73)

May Allāh Taʿālā have mercy on them all.

سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك ، أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت ، أستغفرك وأتوب إليك