بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

18 Raj’ab 1444 AH (Friday, 10 February, 2023).

‘Allāmah Ibn as-Ṣalāḥ thus far made two claims:

1. Studying ‘Ilm al-Ḥadīth is from the best actions
2. ‘Ilm al-Ḥadīth is the most beneficial of sciences

He then passed a remark about which type of individuals will take a liking for this science.

 ‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāḥ now makes a third claim and says:

وهو من أكثر العلوم تولجا في فنونها، 

“It is such that most other sciences integrates into its branches.”

In this claim, ‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāḥ again uses the word ‘min’.

Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar explains the word Tawalluj:

أي دخولا في فنونها. (النكت على كتاب ابن الصلاح لابن حجر – 1 /  39)

But which ‘Ulūm’ is he referring to? 

Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar explained that the ‘Ulūm that ‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāḥ is referring to the three basic and fundamental sciences of Sharī’ah:

والمراد بالعلوم هنا: الشرعية وهي: التفسير، والحديث، والفقه. (النكت على كتاب ابن الصلاح لابن حجر – 1 /  39)

As for the manner and reason that most other sciences integrate and are relevant to this science, Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar explained:

وإنما صار أكثر، لاحتياج كل من العلوم الثلاثة إليه. (النكت على كتاب ابن الصلاح لابن حجر – 1 /  39)

All those sciences are based on this discipline. Outwardly it might seem the Qur’ān and Ḥadīth is the basis, and every other science has to be based on those and integrated with the sources of Sharī’ah.

However, this science is actually the basis of those sciences.

To explain this:

We explained previously that for Tafsīr, we need to inspect the chains firstly to the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and then to the expert commentators of this Ummah to determine the authenticity. Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar writes:

وأما التفسير، فإن أولى ما فسر به كلام الله تعالى – ما ثبت عن نبيه – صلى الله عليه وسلم – “ويحتاج الناظر في ذلك إلى معرفة ما ثبت مما لم يثبت. (النكت على كتاب ابن الصلاح لابن حجر – 1 / 39)

For Ḥadīth, it is very apparent and absolutely obvious how this science is needed and important.

Likewise, if anything is transmitted regarding the Sīrah or even if we want to study history, then we need to determine the accuracy of the report.  

For Fiqh, the Mujtahid needs to derive the ruling from Ḥadīth, which again, makes him in need of this science.  Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar explained:

وأما الفقه فلاحتياج الفقيه إلى الاستدلال بما ثبت من الحديث دون ما لم يثبت، ولا يتبين ذلك إلا بعلم الحديث. (النكت على كتاب ابن الصلاح لابن حجر – 1 / 40)

Till today, Muftīs study the conformity of verdicts to Aḥādīth, especially when there are contradictory reports and verdicts from earlier scholars. This shows the importance of becoming a Mufti and doing Takahaṣṣuṣ fī ‘l-Ḥadith.

Likewise, when quoting classical Arabic poems to prove the meaning of a word, then that too is in need of Asānīd.  

In short, all the other branches of Islāmic knowledge are not only based, but actually in need and entirely dependent upon this science. It is only because of this science that we can know what to accept and what to reject. 

 ‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāḥ singles out Fiqh and now says:

لا سيما الفقه الذي هو إنسان عيونها.

“especially applied law (fiqh), which is the central science.”

Regarding the word Insān al-‘Uyūn, it is a metaphorical way of saying that something is the core of the central point.  The famous book on Sīrah of Sibṭ al-‘Ajamī (1044 AH) is titled: Insān al-‘Uyūn Fī Sīrah al-Amīn wal Ma’mūn.

The reason for singling out Fiqh and also referring to Fiqh as a central point  because we need Fiqh for every action that we do or any word that we say. We need to know the ruling of every action and statement of ours. Even that important science is based on ‘Ulūm al-Ḥadīth.

Another point could be considered here: ‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāḥ refers to Fiqh as the eyes due to their importance, but just as the eyes are a sensitive organ and can be easily injured, so too can Fiqh be easily corrupted and led wayward. For mankind, the protection of the eyes is done via eyelids. For Fiqh, its protection is done via the blessed Aḥādīth. Whenever the scholars disagree or fear corruption in their era, they may always return to Hadith and preserve the correct stances in Fiqh. Similarly, whenever one fears dirt or dust entering their eyes, they can cover them with their eyelids.

 

Until today, it is so importance for a person to combine Takhaṣṣuṣ Fī ‘l-Fiqh/Iftā with Takhaṣṣuṣ Fīl Ḥadīth.

The summary of all the above that the field of ‘Ilm al-Ḥadīth is: 

1. The greatest and most virtuous science, 
2. The most beneficial discipline,

And hence only real man would be willing to plunge into it. Cowards will be hesitant.

1. Such that all other branches of knowledge – especially Fiqh – is integrated, merged and dependent upon it.

‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāḥ now mentions the outcome of all of this:

ولذلك كثر غلط العاطلين منه من مصنفي الفقهاء، وظهر الخلل في كلام المخلين به من العلماء.

“For that reason, the errors of those writers on applied law who are unfamiliar with the science of ḥadīth are numerous and the imperfections in the remarks of those scholars who forsake it are explicit.”

When a person does not have a mastery of ‘Ilm al-Ḥadīṭḥ, is bound to err. And this is the reality and exactly what transpired; many scholars who were not proficient in this science made huge mistakes and embarrassing blunders. 

Of course, this refers to the latter day self-proclaimed scholars who did not want to learn about the status of narrations and the meanings of the rulings of earlier scholars. Earlier scholars (most definitely) did not neglect this important science, and therefore, they had such mastery of the mentioned sciences, and they were able to contribute so much.

‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāh now changes the discussion from ‘Uṣūl al-Ḥadīth to the actual Aḥādīth of the Prophet (ṣallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). (The definition of Ḥadīth has been presented in the first lesson of Lamaḥāt).

‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāḥ now presents a background and gives a brief history of the importance that the earlier scholars had for Ḥadīth itself.  He speaks about the great interest, passion, craving and regard that the people before him had for the study of Ḥadīth

He explains how there would be multitudes of people who would gather in the majālis of Ḥadīth. There was great importance, a burning desire and a lot of attention for this blessed science. Due to that, there would be an abundance of scholars studying the Aḥādīth of the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam), and a great number of Ḥadīth experts.

But then, in the following paragraph he elaborates on how all of that started to change and took a rapid decline, and by his time already; people no more willing to study the blessed words and actions of the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam). They gradually lost interest until they now had no desire at all.

 He says:

‌ولقد ‌كان ‌شأن ‌الحديث فيما مضى عظيما، 

“Formerly the stature of ḥadīth was exalted.

عظيمة جموع طلبته،

The throngs of ḥadīth students were massive.

In the text, the word ‘Aḍīman is next to the word ‘Aḍīmatan. ‘Allāmah Zarkashī explains why both of these words have a Naṣb:

أما عظيما فنصبه لأنه خبر كان

This is simple and very understandable and straight forward. However, as for why Aḍīmatan has a Naṣb, he mentions two reason:

 وأما عظيمة ففي نصبه وجهان: أحدهما: أنه خبر ثان لكان، ثانيهما: أنه بدل مما قبله

However, Aḍīmatan is Muannath. Can a Muannath be a Mubdal (substitute) for a Mudhakkar?

‘Allāmah Zarkashī responds that it is permissible, and since the words after (Jumū’ Ṭalabatihī) are plural, Aḍīmatan may have the Tā Marbūṭah:

وساغ ذلك وإن كان عظيمة مؤنثا لأنه في الأصل مذكر]  واكتسب التأنيث مما بعده )النكت على مقدمة ابن الصلاح للزركشي – 1 / 26)

‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāḥ is explaining in this paragraph the amount of attention the previous scholars had for Aḥādīth.

There are so many incidents and reports of the huge crowds that would gather for the Majālis of Ḥadīth. ‘Allāmah  Zarkashī says:

 هذا شيء كالمتواتر عند من نظر تراجمهم  وأحوالهم. (النكت على مقدمة ابن الصلاح للزركشي – 1 / 27)

By way of example – and there are so many to present, but we will simply suffice with a few – ‘Allāmah Sam’ānī narrates with his chain to ‘Umar ibn Ḥafṣ where he explains a Majlis of ‘Āṣim ibn ‘Ali al-Wāsiṭī:

وكان عاصم بن علي يجلس على ‌سطح المسقطات وينتشر الناس في الرحبة وما يليها فيعظم الجمع جدا حتى سمعته يوما يقول: ثنا الليث بن سعد ويستعاد فأعاد أربع عشرة مرة والناس لا يسمعون! قال: فكان هارون المستملي يركب نخلة معوجة ويستملي عليها فبلغ المعتصم كثرة الجمع فأمر بحزرهم فوجه بقطاعي الغنم فحزروا المجلس عشرين ألفا ومائة ألف. (أدب الإملاء والاستملاء – ص: 16)

This is just one Majlis, and it is the Majlis of an average narrator. ‘Āṣim ibn ‘Alī was not a leading or even a prominent scholar.  He is graded as someone who just made it for his narrations to be accepted. 

‌عاصم ‌ابن ‌علي ‌ابن ‌عاصم ابن صهيب الواسطي أبو الحسن التيمي مولاهم صدوق ربما وهم من التاسعة مات سنة إحدى وعشرين خ ت ق. (تقريب التهذيب – ص: 286)

Can you imagine! This is the condition of that Majlis of a scholar who was not that popular, and nor was he known to be of the greatest, yet he attracted more than 120 000 students.  One can well imagine how huge the Majālis of the main scholars of Aḥādīth would be in his time. 

Imām Bukhārī; even when he was visiting Baghdād, a place where the scholars differed with him, then too there would be thousands who would gather. ‘Allāmah Ṣam’ānī narrates from his teacher, who in turn narrated from his teacher, Ṣalīḥ ibn Muḥāmmad al-Baghdādī who said:

كان محمد بن إسماعيل يجلس ببغداد وكنت أستملي له ويجتمع في مجلسه أكثر من عشرين ألفا  (أدب الإملاء والاستملاء – ص: 17)

Regarding the Majlis of another scholar, Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad said:

لم يكن بالبصرة مجلس أكثر من مجلس عمرو بن مرزوق كان فيه عشرة آلاف رجل قال ابن عدي وقد كنا نشهد ‌مجلس ‌الفريابي وفيه عشرة آلاف أو أكثر (أدب الإملاء والاستملاء – ص: 17)

An audience of above 10 000 people in one Majlis was like the norm.

Abūl Faḍl az-Zuhrī says:

لما سمعت من جعفر الفريابي رحمه الله كان في مجلسه من أصحاب المحابر من يكتب حدود عشرة آلاف إنسان ما بقي منهم غيري سوى من كان لا يكتب

Regarding this same person, ‘Umar ibn Zayyāt says:

لما ورد أبو بكر جعفر بن محمد الفريابي إلى بغداد استقبل بالطيارات والزبازب ووعد له الناس إلى شارع المنار بباب الكوفة ليسمعوا منه فاجتمع الناس فحزر من حضر مجلسه لسماع الحديث فقيل نحو ثلاثين ألفا وكان المستملون ثلاثمائة وستة عشر. (أدب الإملاء والاستملاء – ص: 17)

These are sufficient to give a glimpse on the great desire that earlier scholars had for Aḥādīth. Hours could be spent giving examples of the burning desire and deep craving, because it was the general culture. 

In short, because so many people had the craving for learning Aḥādīth, average gatherings would attract thousands of students. For more examples, you may refer to: Al-Jāmi’ li Akhlāq ar-Rāwī of ‘Allāmah Khaṭīb, and Adab al-Imlā of ‘Allāmah Sam’ānī.

Additionally, scholars of Aḥādīth were well respected. People looked up to them. People honoured them, respected them, went out of their way for them; and in that manner, they could benefit from them. 

To illustrate what respect the scholars of Ḥadīth demanded, ‘Allāmah Khatīb quotes with his chain to Ash’ath ibn Shu’bah al-Miṣīṣī that he said:

قدم هارون الرشيد أمير المؤمنين الرقة، فانجفل الناس خلف عبد الله بن المبارك، وتقطعت النعال، وارتفعت الغبرة، فأشرقت أم ولد لأمير المؤمنين من برج من قصر الخشب، فلما رأت الناس، قالت: ما هذا؟ قالوا: عالم من أهل خراسان قدم الرقة يقال له: عبد الله بن المبارك، فقالت: هذا والله الملك ‌لا ‌ملك ‌هارون الذي لا يجمع الناس إلا بشرط وأعوان. (تاريخ بغداد – 11 / 393)

Therefore, even the rulers would look up to the Muḥāddīthīn and confess that those engaged in the study of Ḥadīth indeed have a noble and high status. Yaḥyā ibn Aktum said:

قال لي الرشيد: ‌ما ‌أنبل ‌المراتب؟ قلت: ما أنت فيه يا أمير المؤمنين. قال: فتعرف أجل مني؟ قلت: لا، قال: لكني أعرفه: رجل في حلقة يقول: حدثنا فلان عن فلان قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم. قال: قلت: يا أمير المؤمنين هذا خير منك، وأنت ابن عم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وولي عهد المسلمين؟ قال: نعم. ” ويلك، هذا خير مني، لأن اسمه مقترن باسم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، لا يموت أبدا. نحن نموت ونفنى، والعلماء باقون ما بقي الدهر (شرف أصحاب الحديث للخطيب البغدادي – ص: 99)

They had this great interest and this fervent desire. Due to that:

رفيعة مقادير حفاظه وحملته.

and number of the experts in the discipline and the transmitters of ḥadīth were high. 

There were an abundance of experts and specialists.

‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāḥ says:

وكانت علومه بحياتهم حية،

Through their living, the different sciences of ḥadīth were thriving,

وأفنان فنونه ببقائهم غضة، 

Through their continued existence the branches of the various sub-disciplines of ḥadīth were kept fresh

There are two words with the same root letters, but both words have different meanings: Afnān and Funūn. 

Afnān is the plural of the word Fanan, which means branches.

الأفنان: جمع فنن ، والأفانين جمع الجمع (النكت على مقدمة ابن الصلاح للزركشي – 1 / 38)

Regarding the meaning of this, ‘Allāmah Zarkashī quotes from ‘Allāmah Jawharī (393 AH) said:

والفنن جمعه أفنان، ثم أفانين، وهى الاغصان. (الصحاح تاج اللغة وصحاح العربية – 6 / 2178)

That is regarding the first word, which is Afnān. 

As for the second word; Funūn, ‘Allāmah Jawharī explained:

الفن: واحد الفنون، وهي الأنواع. والأفانين: الأساليب، وهي ‌أجناس ‌الكلام وطرقه. (الصحاح تاج اللغة وصحاح العربية – 6 / 2177)

It means: sub-sciences. Thus, the meaning of Afnān Funūnihī is: branches of the sub-sciences.

The word ‘Ghaḍḍah’ means fresh. 

أي طرية (النكت على كتاب ابن الصلاح لابن حجر – 1 / 42)

This is a figurative way of saying the all the subsidiary branches of ‘Ilm al-Ḥadīth were also alive and flourishing. Ḥadīth itself used to be read, and lessons on the affiliated sciences which later became known as ‘Uṣul al-Ḥadīth were also booming. 

Everywhere that a person went, he would hear the sound of ḥadīth. 

ومغانيه بأهله آهلة،

and the abodes of ḥadīth were occupied by its students.

The word in this sentence is definitely Maghānī; with a Ghayn, and not Ma’ānī, with a ‘Ayn. ‘Allāmah Zarkashī says:

المغاني – بالغين المعجمة – كذا الرواية عن خط المؤلف (النكت على مقدمة ابن الصلاح للزركشي – 1 / 38)

The reason for clarifying that is that it is not precise to use the word Magnā at this point.

Maghānī refers to discarded houses.

والمغنى: واحد المغاني، وهي المواضع التى كان بها أهلوها. (الصحاح تاج اللغة وصحاح العربية – 6 / 2450)

Maghānī actually applies to houses in which people used to live in. In the past people used to live there, but right now they are empty. 

However, ‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāh intends explaining that the houses were brimming it with people. 

Technically, he ought to bring a word which illustrates how the houses are still filled and vibrant with people. He is mentioning how the Majālis of Aḥādīth were alive and thriving, so even if he is figuratively explaining it like a house, he ought to show how the houses are buzzing with crowds of people. He is not supposed to speak about an abandoned building here.

Yes, in the next paragraph, when he explains about the decline and ‘how people deserted those ‘houses’ (Majālis of Aḥādīth), there he could have used the word Magnā. At this particular point the word Magnā cannot be used because the houses are not only filled, they are overpopulated. 

‘Allāmah Zarkashī interprets his usage of the word:

وعلى هذا فاستعمال المصنف فيه تجوز باعتبار ما يؤول إليه. (النكت على مقدمة ابن الصلاح للزركشي –  / 39)

Going to the next paragraph, it portrays the drastic change, ‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāh explains that this all then took a decline. Interest in Ḥadīth was beginning to diminish and now people were no more desirous of learning.  Very few people were going into this field, and many would just go and heedlessly listen. Remember, this was all in his time, in 634 AH. Today the condition is much worse.

فلم يزالوا في انقراض، ولم يزل في اندراس حتى آضت به الحال إلى أن صار أهله إنما هم شرذمة قليلة العدد، ضعيفة العدد. لا تعنى على الأغلب في تحمله بأكثر من سماعه غفلا، ولا تتعنى في تقييده بأكثر من كتابته عطلا، مطرحين علومه التي بها جل قدره، مباعدين معارفه التي بها فخم أمره.

These students and experts have now died off and the sciences of ḥadīth have been obliterated to such an extent that the practitioners in ḥadīth are only a tiny band, few and weak in number. For the most part, in taking up ḥadīth they are concerned with nothing more than hearing them heedlessly, and in recording ḥadīth they do not expend more effort than to write them down defectively. They toss aside the various sciences of ḥadīth through which the stature of ḥadīth became exalted and they have made themselves remote from the bodies of knowledge which made it magnificent.”

فلم يزالوا في انقراض، 

These students and experts have been continuously decreasing

Inqaraḍa has the meaning of ending and terminating:

(‌انقرض) الشيء انقطع والقوم ذهبوا ولم يبق منهم أحد. (المعجم الوسيط – 2 / 727)

It refers to a gradual decline until the rock bottom:

‌‌[الانقراض]: ‌انقرض القوم: أي درجوا فلم يبق منهم أحد. (شمس العلوم ودواء كلام العرب من الكلوم – 8 / 5467)

This means that the interest took a gradual decline to a very low level.

ولم يزل في اندراس 

and the sciences of ḥadīth have been obliterated 

Indirās means: to fade away. Raḍī ad-Dīn Ṣaghānī (d. 650 AH) said:a

‌واندرس الشيء: أي انطمس. (العباب الزاخر – 1 / 105)

Fīrozābādī (817) said: 

‌واندرس: انطمس. (القاموس المحيط – ص: 545)

حتى آضت به الحال

to such an extent

‘Allāmah Azdī explained the meaning Āḍat:

فأما قولهم: ‌آض ‌يئيض ‌أيضا فهو في معنى رجع؛ يقال: آض فلان إلى أهله أي رجع إليهم. (جمهرة اللغة – 1 / 58)

Ibn Sīḍah defined the word saying:

‌آض ‌يئيض ‌أيضا سار وعاد وآض إلى أهله رجع إليهم. (المحكم والمحيط الأعظم – 8 / 255)

إلى أن صار أهله إنما هم شرذمة قليلة العدد،

that the practitioners in ḥadīth are only a tiny band, few and weak in number

Shirdhimah means: a small portion.  Abu Hilāl al-‘Ask’arī (395 AH) said:

‌شرذمة أي قطعة. (معجم الفروق اللغوية – ص: 298)

Ibn Mandhūr defined and explained the word saying:

الشرذمة القليل من الناس، وفي التنزيل العزيز: إِنَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ ‌لَشِرۡذِمَةٞ قَلِيلُونَ ٥٤ [الشعراء: 54]  ؛ قال ابن بري: حكى الوزير عن أبي عمر ‌شرذمة وشردمة، بالذال والدال، والله أعلم.

شرذم: الشرذمة: القطعة من الشيء. (لسان العرب – 12 / 322)

لا تعنى على الأغلب في تحمله بأكثر من سماعه غفلا،

For the most part, in taking up ḥadīth they are concerned with nothing more than hearing them heedlessly,

As for the word Ghufl, it is read with a Dhammah on the Ghayn, and a Sukūn on the Fā

بضم الغين المعجمة وسكون الفاء. (النكت على كتاب ابن الصلاح لابن حجر – 1 / 43) 

‘Allāmah Jawharī explains this word: Ghufl:

يقال: أرض غفل: ‌لا ‌علم ‌بها ولا أثر عمارة. وقال الكسائي: أرض غفل: لم تمطر. ودابة غفل: لا سمة عليها. وقد أغقلتها، إذا لم تسمها. ورجل غفل: لم يجرب الأمور. (الصحاح تاج اللغة وصحاح العربية – 5 / 1783)

Thus, Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar explains:

وهي ‌استعارة (النكت على كتاب ابن الصلاح لابن حجر – 1 / 43)

He then says:

فكأنه شبه الكتاب بالأرض، والتقييد بالنقط والشكل والضبط – بالعمران. (النكت على كتاب ابن الصلاح لابن حجر – 1 / 43)

This means that the students would suffice by the first step and the starting point of ‘Ulūm al-Ḥadīth; and that is listening to the narration. But even at that beginning stage, they do not accomplish it properly.

 ولا تتعنى في تقييده بأكثر من كتابته عطلا،

and in recording ḥadīth they do not expend more effort than to write them down defectively.

‘Allāmah Zarkashī explains the meaning of ‘Utulan:

وعطل -بضمتين- ويجوز إسكان الطاء ومعناه الخلو من الشيء. (النكت على مقدمة ابن الصلاح للزركشي – 1 / 40)

Regarding both the words Ghuflan and ‘Uṭlan, they are not plurals. Hence,  ‘Allāmah Zarkashī says:

قلت: الظاهر أن غفلا وعطلا حالان من الفاعل وهو إنما يصح إذا ‌كانا ‌جمعين بتأويل غافلين وعاطلين وليس كذلك بل هما من صفات المفرد ويجمع غفل على أغفال كقفل وأقفال هذا هو المنقول في اللغة. (النكت على مقدمة ابن الصلاح للزركشي – 1 / 40)

He presents one possible interpretation:

ويحتمل أن ينزل كلام المصنف على أنهما حالان من المفعول وهو المسموع أي خاليتين. (النكت على مقدمة ابن الصلاح للزركشي – 1 / 40)

The second portion of the first step is to write the narrations, or make notes. Even in this, the students were weak. 

In this paragraph, to illustrate how low the interest has declined, ‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāh speaks about the basic steps, and that is simply listening to narrations. Even that they were not doing properly. In short:

1) They sufficed only with the first step, and not even considering all the other branches. 

2) They did not even accomplish this first step correctly.

This was the era of ‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāḥ. 

After the era of ‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāh, this continued.  ‘Allāmah Dhahabī (d. 748 AH), a scholar who was born three decades after the demise of ‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāh, and lived until a century later, said:

فعلم الحديث صلف فأين ‌علم ‌الحديث؟ وأين أهله؟ كدت أن لا أراهم إلا في كتاب أو تحت تراب. (تذكرة الحفاظ – 1 / 10)

‘Allāmah Zarkashī (d. 794 AH), who was in the latter part of this century, says:

قلت فزماننا هذا الذي كسد فيه العلم وبار وولت عساكره الأدبار فكأنه برق تألق بالحمى ثم انطوى مكانه لم يلمع (النكت على مقدمة ابن الصلاح للزركشي – 1 / 32)

In our present day, the condition is even worse compared to what ‘Allāmah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāḥ eloquently described.  In South Africa, in all the ḥadīth classes, there will be a maximum of 2,500 students in total. From those, the amount who are actually listening and following the lesson will be less than even 1%.

In the Indo-Pak, where there is a greater Muslim population, it would hardly reach 100,000 studying Saḥīḥ al-Bukhārī. 

Such a small percentage of the Ummah is studying Aḥādīth.  Then, those who are studying, they study the Matn of a few narrations in great depth, but the only confine themselves to the Matn (text) of a narration. It is very seldom for a scholar to delve into the chain. That too, is only for a few narrations. The remaining Aḥādīth of the Ṣiḥāḥ as-Sitta are recited at a speed with absolutely no understanding at all.

It is very seldom to find scholars who even know the basics of the chains of transmission. It is rare to find scholars who are acquainted with even the most famous narrators of before.

 

May Allāh Taʿālā have mercy on them all.

 

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