بسم الله وحده والصلاة والسلام على من لا نبي بعده
ʿĀlimah Siddiqa al-Fārsiyyah
Student, Takhassus Fil Hadith
Checked and Approved:
Mufti Ismail Moosa
www.ulumalhadith.com
Title: Ḥukm al-‘Amali Bi al-Ḥadīth adh-Dha‘īf
Genre: Ḥadīth
Language: Arabic
Author: Shaykh Muḥammad ʿAwwāmah
Publisher: Dār al-Yusr + Dār al-Minhāj
Pages: 240
The Author
Shaykh Muḥammad bin Muḥammad ʿAwwamah is a prominent scholar born on January 1st, 1940, in the city of Aleppo, in Syria. He has studied under many luminaries such as Shaykh ʿAbdullāh Sirāj ad-Dīn [2002 C.E.] (may Allāh have mercy on him) and Shaykh ʿAbdul Fattāh Abū Ghuddah [d. 1997 C.E.] (may Allāh have mercy on him) and is considered as the most exceptional student of both these great personalities. He has been in the service of knowledge and its seekers for the past 60 years and continues to be so in Istanbul, Turkey today.
Overview
Hukm al-‘Amali Bi al-Ḥadīth adh-Dha‘īf is one of the books authored by Shaykh Muḥammad ʿAwwāmah on the ruling of acting upon a Dha‘īf Ḥadīth. In the introduction of the book, he discusses the importance of studying this topic as it has become very misunderstood in the modern era. He mentions that there is a clear-cut distinction between the opinions of the early scholars such as Imām Sufyān ath-Thawri and Ibn al-Mubārak versus the claims made by Shaykh Shawkānī in the 13th century when he rejected the permissibility of acting upon weak narrations altogether. Thereafter, many scholars followed him and endorsed his opinion. He mentions that the practice of the past scholars has been on the permissibility of acting upon weak narrations in the categories of Fadhā’il al-A’māl (virtues of actions), Targhīb (encouragements), Tarhīb (warnings), and in some categories of Ihtiyāṭ (precaution). At times, they are even used to give preference between two apparently contradictory evidences of the Shari’ah. He dedicates several individual chapters of the book in proving this opinion.
Definition of a Dha’īf Ḥadīth
After discussing the importance of this topic and that of a chain of transmission (Sanad), he briefly defines what a Dha‘if Ḥadīth is in a single paragraph. He writes:
“They have defined a Dha‘īf Ḥadīth as: A Ḥadīth whose chain of transmission (Sanad) or text (Matan) does not meet the conditions of a Maqbūl narration with its types: Ṣaḥīḥ Li Dhātihi and Li Ghairihi, and Ḥasan Li Dhātihi and Li Ghairihi. Thus, a Dha‘īf Ḥadīth is the one which has raised with its Mutāba‘āt and Shawāhid (corroborators) to the level of Hasan.”
Statements of Scholars
Shaykh ʿAwwāmah then dedicates 28 pages to the statements of those scholars who permitted acting upon weak narrations in its specific categories. He asserts the statements of 45 scholars and the following are three of those statements:
- Imām ‘Abd ar-Rahmān bin Mahdī [d. 198 AH]: “When we narrate pertaining to reward [of good deeds] and punishment [of sins] and the virtues of actions, we are lenient with their Asānīd (chains of narrations) and Rijāl (narrators). However, when we narrate pertaining to Halāl and Harām and laws, we are stringent with the narrators [of Ḥadīth].”
- Imām Ahmad bin Hambal [d. 241 AH]: “When we narrate from the Prophet ﷺ regarding Halāl and Harām, Sunnahs, Ahkām (laws), we are stringent [over accepting] their transmission chains (Asānīd). However, when we narrate from the Prophet ﷺ regarding Fadhā’il al-A’māl (virtues of actions), and what does not form a ruling, we are relaxed with their Asānīd.”
- Imām Ibn as-Salāh [d. 643 AH] in his famous book ‘Ulūm al-Ḥadīth: “According to the people of Ḥadīth and others, it is permissible to be lenient in the chains (of Ḥadīth) and in narrating all the types of weak narrations, except fabrications, without announcing their weakness. This does not apply to (the Aḥadīth of) the Sifāt of Allāh Ta‘ālā, and the Ahkām of the Sharī‘ah such as Halāl and Harām. Rather, it applies to (the Aḥadīth of) Mawā‘idh (advice), Qisas (Stories), Fadhā’il al-A’māl (virtues of actions), and all the categories of exhortations and warnings, and all that which does not relate with laws and Aqā‘id (beliefs).
Acting upon Dha’īf Ḥadīth
From the statements of the scholars which he mentioned, Shaykh ʿAwwāmah discusses that the ruling of acting upon weak narrations can be looked at from two different angles. The first is by looking at the statements of the early scholars, and the second is by looking at their practice. When looking at their statements, it becomes evident that their statements fall into one of three categories:
- Scholars who explicitly mentioned the permissibility and Istihbāb of acting upon weak narrations in their restricted categories.
- Scholars who did not explicitly state anything, neither approval nor disapproval.
- Scholars whose statements allude to the preference of such narrations, although they have not explicitly stated anything.
When looking at their usage of such narrations by scholars, it becomes clear that many scholars — including the leading Imāms of the Madhāhib — were of the opinion of the permissibility of using weak narrations. We see this in the differences they had in the secondary matters of ‘Masnūn’ and ‘Makrūh’. In extracting these rulings, it is evident that at times they used rigorously authentic narrations, while at other times, they use weak narrations. Wherever the evidence was authentic and decisive, they extracted Fardh, Wājib and Harām rulings, and wherever the evidence was weaker, they extracted rulings such as Makrūh and Mustahab.
Conditions of a Dha’īf Ḥadīth
In the fourth discussion, Shaykh ʿAwwāmah mentions the eight conditions that have been stipulated by different scholars for acting upon weak narrations, and he discusses each one in detail. The eight conditions mentioned are:
- It is permissible to use a weak narration only in the categories of Fadhā’il al-A’māl (virtues of actions), Targhīb (encouragements), Tarhīb (warnings), and not in the categories of Halāl and Harām.
- The weak narration must not be a Mawdhū’ (fabricated) narration.
- The weak narration must not be severely weak.
However, right after, he brings the examples of forty scholars who — despite stipulating this condition — practiced upon severely weak narrations. At the end, Shaykh ʿAwwāmah says that he mentions this long list of scholars for two main reasons: 1) To pose the question of whether claiming that there is consensus on not using narrations that are severely weak is correct in the first place? And 2) He is not encouraging the usage of severely weak narration. However, since such prominent scholars have used them, he does not fully reject it either, with an exception of those narration that clearly make no sense and are very strange.
- The weak narration should have a proper basis upon which it can be established.
- The one acting upon the narration must not believe that it is an established practice.
- He must not expose it in front of the people.
- He must not believe it to be an established Sunnah.
Shaykh ʿAwwāmah objects on this condition and questions its source. Instead, he says that a person can hope for reward when practising upon a Mustahab act of Salāh, or when avoiding a Makrūh. In both cases, the evidence may be weak, but one can still hope for reward.
- The weak narration must not contradict a Sahih narration.
Shaykh ʿAwwāmah adds to this condition and says that this is only when the evidence cannot be reconciled and all other aspects of giving preference have been taken into consideration. Thus, a narration that is stronger in its authenticity does not get automatic preference.
Conclusion
Towards the end of the book, Shaykh ʿAwwāmah speaks about the early scholars to whom the opinion of the impermissibility of acting upon weak narrations has been attributed. He delves into the most authentic quotes from them in an effort to clarify their real stances. He also speaks about five contemporary scholars who have promoted and popularized the opinion of the impermissibility of acting upon weak narrations and why he believes their stances are not in line with that of the early scholars. Overall, this book covers a wide range of discussions related to the topic of ‘Acting upon Weak Narrations’ that a student of knowledge would find very beneficial.
Find the PDF of the book here.