بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

7 Dhul Qa’dah, 1444 AH (Sunday, 28 May , 2023)

وهو إما متواتر، إذا بلغ رواته مبلغًا يمنع العقلُ تواطؤهم على الكَذبِ، من تَواتر الرِّجالُ: إذا جاؤوا واحدًا بعد واحدٍ بفترة، قال الله تعالى: {ثُمَّ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا تَتْرَى} [المؤمنون: 44] أي: رسولًا بعد رسول بفترة، وهو يفيد اليقين، كحديث: “مَن كَذَب عليَّ فلْيتبوَّأُ مقعده من النَّار“.

In the text, the author, ‘Allāmah Abūl Ḥasan at-Tabrīzī did not give a proper definition of Mutawātir, nor did he mention all of the conditions.

Conditions of Mutawātir

Basically, Tawātur is all about a person becoming convinced when he hears the information. That is the essence of Tawātur. Scholars however placed few conditions to ensure that a person really does become convinced.

Since the author preferred not to expound on Mutawātir, we will borrow points from his contemporary and from his teacher’s book. ‘Allāmah Sharaf ad-Dīn aṭ-Ṭībī:

وله شرطان:

الأول: أن يكون علمهم ضروريا مستندا إلى محسوس، بأن يكون المخبر عنه محسوسا، إذ لو أخبرونا عن حدوث العالم أو عن صدق الأنبياء أو عن ظن لم يحصل لنا العلم.

الثاني: أن يستوي طرفاه والوسط في عدم تواطئهم على الكذب لكثرتهم. ويدوم هذا الحد، فيكون أوله كآخره، ووسطه كطرفيه (الخلاصة في معرفة الحديث – ص: 30)

His teacher, ‘Allāmah Badr ad-Dīn Ibn Jamā‘ah, explained the conditions of Mutawātir saying:

وشروط ‌المتواتر ثلاثة تعدد المخبرين تعددا يستحيل معه التواطؤ على الكذب واستنادهم إلى الحس واستواء الطرفين والوسط إلى أصله وشرط قوم فيه شروطا أخر كلها ضعيفة والصحيح أنه لا يشترط في ‌المتواتر سوى الثلاثة المذكورة. (المنهل الروي في مختصر علوم الحديث النبوي – ص: 31)

In Nuzhāh an-Nadhar, Ḥāfiḍ Ibn Ḥajar divided the first condition into two. That is how he got four. Otherwise, the conditions of Nuzhah an–Naḍar are the exact same as mentioned in al-Manhal ar-Rawī.

Through these conditions we can now understand why the beliefs of other religions will not be Tawātur despite millions of people passing the information to millions of people over the last few centuries. ‘Allāmah Ṭībī explained:

ولأجل ذلك لم يحصل لنا العلم بصدق اليهود مع كثرتهم في نقلهم أن موسى – عليه السلام – كذب كل ناسخ لشريعته، ولا يصدق الشيعة بنقل النص على إمامة علي – رضي الله عنه -، والبكرية على إمامة أبي بكر – رضي الله عنه – لأن هذا وضعه الآحاد أولا، وأفشوه، ثم كثر الناقلون في عصره وبعده في الأعصار. (الخلاصة في معرفة الحديث – ص: 31)

Definition of Mutawātir

To define Mutawātir accurately, we need to take those conditions and make them into a definition. The definition, thus, could be as follows:

خبر جماعة بلغوا في الكثرة مبلغا تحيل العادة تواطؤهم على الكذب فيه بلا حصر عدد معين عن محسوس و تبقى تلك الكثرة في كل طبقة

“The report of something witnessed by an extremely large and unrestricted group of people that it would be impossible for such an amount to collude on a lie. This large group is in every link of the chain.”

Example of Mutawātir

To illustrate how sure and convinced a person should be when something is conveyed to him through Tawātir, ‘Allāmah Ibn al-Jamā’ah said:

كالمخبرين عن وجود مكة وغزوة بدر. (المنهل الروي في مختصر علوم الحديث النبوي – ص: 31)

Knowledge Obtained From Mutawātir

The author then mentions the outcome of Mutawātir and he presents an example:

وهو يفيد اليقين،

Mullā ‘Ali al-Qārī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) explained that the person is actually forced to accept the information. He wrote:

والمراد بالعلم هنا الضروري، وهو الذي يضطر إليه كما سيجيء سواء كان نظريا أو لا، يعني عقليا، أو نقليا (شرح علي القاري على النزهة – ص: 173)

“Knowledge here refers to what is necessary; what a person is compelled to accept, as will be mentioned, whether it is Naḍrī (through inference) or not, meaning: logical or learnt through transmission.” (Commentary of ʿAlī al-Qārī on Nuzhah, page: 173)

كحديث: “مَن كَذَب عليَّ فلْيتبوَّأُ مقعده من النَّار“.

The author presents this example for Mutawātir. He also discusses about Mutawātir later in this book, and he cites this same example again there. From page 286 to page 288 of the print he writes:

78 – والمتواتر إما لفظهُ متواتر كحديث: “مَن كَذب علي متعمدًا، فلْيتبوأ مقعدَه من النار”، فإنه رواه عن رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – خلْق كثير، قيل: أربعون وقيل: اثنان وستون، وقيل: مئتان. وممن رواه العشرةُ المشهود لهم بالجنة. قال بعض الحفاظ: “لا يُعرف حديث اجتمع على روايته العشرة غيره، ولا يعرف حديث رواه أكثر من ستين صحابيُّا غيره، ولم يزل عدد رواته في ازدياد” (الكافي في علوم الحديث – ص 286)

Since he does discuss this there, we too, will elaborate more and go into more detail when we reach that point. He also discusses the two types of Mutawātir, and that too, we will discuss at that point.

Khabr al-Wāḥid

The first category of Khabr was Mutawātir. The author now mentions the second category of Akhbār. This is known as Āḥād, and it is also commonly known as a Khabr al-Wāḥid.

وإما آحاد: وهو الذي لم يبلغ رواته هذا الحدَّ. ثم إنْ زاد رواته على ثلاثة يسمى مستفيضًا أيضًا، وهو يفيد الظَّنَّ القويَّ إن كان مستجمعًا للشُّروط على ما يُذْكَر إن شاء الله تعالى. ويجب العملُ به بالإجْماع

وإما آحاد:

Āhād is the plural of the word Wāḥid, and it is not the plural of the word Aḥad. Abū Manṣūr Azharī said:

وأخبرني المنذري عن أبي العباس أنه ‌سئل ‌عن ‌الآحاد: أهي جمع الأحد؟ فقال: معاذ الله ليس للأحد جمع؛ ولكن إن جعلته جمع الواحد فهو محتمل، مثل شاهد وأشهاد، قال وليس للواحد تثنية ولا للاثنين واحد من جنسه. (تهذيب اللغة (5/ 126)

Therefore, Āḥād is definitely the plural of the word Wāhid. This also shows the greatness of the Qur’ān. Allāh Ta’ālā said:

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

“Say He Allāh is one.”

Allāh Ta’ālā used such a word that has no plural, to emphasise His oneness.

Question

If we claim that Āḥād originates from the word Wāḥid (and it is the same as Shāhid and Ashhād), then the term ought to be Awḥād. Why are we pronouncing it as Āḥād?

Answer

The reason it is Āḥād and not Awḥād is because the wāw was first changed to Hamza, so from Awḥād it became A’ḥād. Then because there were two Hamzas together, they were converted to an Alif. This is how Āḥād is the plural of Wāhid. Āḥād is not the plural of the word Aḥad.

The author defines Āḥād/Khabr al-Wāḥid by saying:

وهو الذي لم يبلغ رواته هذا الحدَّ.

A Khabr al-Wāḥid is that which does not reach the status of Mutawātir. This is the technical meaning.

As for the literal meaning, it refers to the first number, which is number one. ‘Allāmah Jawharī said:

‌‌[أحد] أحد بمعنى الواحد، ‌وهو ‌أول ‌العدد. تقول: أحد واثنان، وأحد عشر وإحدى عشرة. (الصحاح تاج اللغة وصحاح العربية – 2 / 440)

Thus, the meaning of Khabr al-Wāḥid will be:

وخبر الواحد في اللغة: ما يرويه شخص واحد. (نزهة النظر في توضيح نخبة الفكر – ص: 17)

“Khabr al-Wāḥid’ linguistically: That which one person narrated.”

However, when using it as a terminology, Āḥād and Khabr al-Wāḥid does not refer to what is transmitted by only one person. Rather, it includes what is transmitted by two or three, or even five or ten people, as long as it is not Mutawātir. Technically and as a terminology, Āḥād (and Khabr al-Wāḥid) means: ‘that narration that is not Mutawātir’. ‘Allāmah Ibn al-Jamā ‘ah mentioned the technical meaning saying:

وأما أخبار الآحاد فخبر الواحد كل ما لم ينته إلى التواتر. (المنهل الروي في مختصر علوم الحديث النبوي – ص: 32)

Linguistically, the term is restricted to just one person. However, when using the term in the Science of Ḥadīth, it refers to any narration that does not fulfil all of the conditions of Tawātur, irrespective of the amount of narrators.

ثم إنْ زاد رواته على ثلاثة يسمى مستفيضًا أيضًا

Āḥād is divided into different categories. The author mentioned that if more than three narrators – meaning four or more narrators transmitted the narration, then this is called Mustafīḍ. This is the meaning that he chose for the word Mustafīḍ, otherwise, other scholars defined the term differently. In Nuzhah an-Naḍar, Ḥāfiḍ Ibn Ḥajar discussed the linguistic meaning of Mustafīḍ and the different views regarding its definition. Kindly refer to lesson 18 of Nuzhah an-Nadar for further details on that.

At this point, the author only mentioned the name of one category of Āḥād. However, there are other categories as well. The author discusses those categories from page 281, and we will, in shā Allāh discuss those categories in more details at that point.

For now, you may just remember that according to the Muḥaddithūn, Āḥād is divided into three types:

1. Mashhūr (also called Mustafīḍ)
2. ‘Azīz
3. Gharīb

There are differences of opinion on the definitions of these terms. According to scholars before Ibn Ḥajar, the meanings of these terms were:

1) Mashhūr/Mustafīḍ: There is a minimum of four narrators in any link and it does not reach the status of Mutawātir.

2) ‘Azīz: There are only exactly two or three narrators in one link, and there are no less than that in any other link

3) Gharīb: There is only one narrator in any link of the chain, irrespective of how many narrators there are in other links.

This was the view of the Muḥaddithīn before Ḥāfiḍ Ibn Ḥajar. Ḥāfiḍ Ibn Ḥajar then suggested that moving forward, these terms should be used like this:

1) Mashhūr/Mustafīḍ: There is a minimum of three or more narrators in any link and it does not reach the status of Mutawātir.

2) ‘Azīz: There are two in one link and there are no less than two in any other link

3) Gharīb: There is only one narrator in any link of the chain, irrespective of how many narrators there are in other links.

We will discuss about these more when we reach those chapters, from page 281, in shā Allāh.

وهو يفيد الظَّنَّ القويَّ إن كان مستجمعًا للشُّروط على ما يُذْكَر إن شاء الله تعالى.

“It gives the benefit of strong reason to believe and accept the report if it fulfils the applicable conditions that will be mentioned shortly, if Allāh wills.”

The author intends to say that if a Khabr al-Wāḥid fulfils the conditions of a Ṣaḥīḥ narration, then a person will not get full conviction, but he will have a strong inclination to accept the report.

In the footnotes, the editor is going into detail in refuting this claim of the author. However, what the author said is correct, and the editor is simply making Taqlīd of Ibn Taymiyyah.

To prove that this statement of this claim of the author is correct, I will quote from two earlier scholars who were authorities and experts in this field, and they attributed that view of Āḥād not conveying knowledge to the overwhelming majority of scholars.

The first is the great scholar of the West, ‘Allāmah Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, who said:

والذي عليه أكثر أهل العلم منهم: أنه يوجب العمل دون العلم وهو قول الشافعي وجمهور أهل الفقه والنظر ، ولا يوجب العلم عندهم إلا ما شهد به على الله، وقطع العذر بمجيئه قطعا، ولا خلاف فيه. (مقدمة التمهيد – المطبوع ضمن خمس رسائل – ص: 51)

“That which most of the people of knowledge are upon, from amongst them (is): Indeed, it necessitates action without knowledge, and it is the statement of ash-Shāfi’ī and majority of the people of Fiqh and Naẓar. Nothing conveys knowledge according to them unless a testimony is taken with the name of Allāh ﷻ, or all excuses are cut off, because it reaches one through certainty. There are no differences on this.” (Introduction of at-Tamhīd, printed with Khamsah Rasāil, page: 51)

The second is none other than Imām Nawawī. He mentioned in his commentary of Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim:

فالذي عليه ‌جماهير المسلمين من الصحابة والتابعين فمن بعدهم من المحدثين والفقهاء وأصحاب الأصول أن خبر الواحد الثقة حجة من حجج الشرع يلزم العمل بها ويفيد الظن ولا يفيد العلم. (شرح النووي على مسلم – 1 / 131)

“The view which the majority of Companions and Successors and those after them from the Muḥaddithīn and Fuqahāʾ and scholars of Uṣul adopt is that the Khabr al-Wāḥid of a reliable narrator is a proof from the proofs of Sharī’ah. It necessitates practice, and conveys consideration (Ẓann). It cannot convey knowledge.” (Sharḥ an-Nawawī, 1 / 131)

This is with regards to the knowledge and the conviction that a person obtains from a Khabr al-Wāḥid. Logically, we really cannot be absolutely convinced that the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) uttered those words. If there is only one or two or even three people in a whole era and an entire generation who are the only ones quoting something from the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam), and in turn they are quoting from just a handful of scholars, and it is possible and it is the reality that a great scholar and the most pious Imām could also make a mistake, then how can we be absolutely convinced?

But yes, we will have reason to believe those conveying the report, since all the narrators in the various links are all reliable and have good retentive skills (‘Adl and Ḍābiṭ). Therefore, we will be more inclined to accepting the reporting.

This is with regards to the knowledge and conviction that we gain from a Khabr al-Wāḥid. The author now mentions about the ‘Amal:

ويجب العملُ به بالإجْماع

If the narration is Ṣaḥīḥ, then it is necessary to practice upon it. Even though we more not have absolute conviction, it is still necessary to practice upon such a narration. We just quoted that Imām Nawawī said:

فالذي عليه ‌جماهير المسلمين من الصحابة والتابعين فمن بعدهم من المحدثين والفقهاء وأصحاب الأصول أن خبر الواحد الثقة حجة من حجج الشرع يلزم العمل بها ويفيد الظن ولا يفيد العلم. (شرح النووي على مسلم – 1 / 131)

“The view which the majority of Companions and Successors and those after them from the Muḥaddithīn and Fuqahāʾ and scholars of Uṣul adopt is that the Khabr al-Wāḥid of a reliable narrator is a proof from the proofs of Sharī’ah. It necessitates practice, and conveys consideration (Ẓann). It cannot convey (definitive) knowledge.” (Sharḥ an-Nawawī, 1 / 131)

Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar also attributed this to the majority of scholars. He wrote:

وهو ما يجب العمل به عند الجمهور.

From the Ḥanafī scholars, ‘Allāmah Jaṣṣāṣ ar-Rāzī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) mentions in his Al-Fuṣūl:

يوجب العمل بموجب حكمه (الفصول في الأصول – 3 / 85)

“It necessitates practicing on the implications of its ruling.” (Al-Fuṣūl Fī al-Uṣūl, 3 / 85)

‘Allāmah al-Bazdawī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) wrote:

باب خبر الواحد وهو الفصل الثالث من القسم الأول وهو كل خبر يرويه الواحد أو الاثنان فصاعدا لا عبرة للعدد فيه بعد أن يكون دون المشهور والمتواتر وهذا يوجب العمل ولا يوجب العلم يقينا عندنا (أصول البزدوي – ص: 152)

“The chapter of Khabar al-Wāḥid: Itis the third category from the first type, and it is every report that one or two onwards narrated it, consideration is not given to the number in it after it is less than Mashhūr and Mutawātir, and this necessitates action, and it does not necessitate ‘Ilm al-Yaqīn according to us.” (Uṣūl al-Bazdawī, page: 152)

Thus, when a narration is accepted, it is essential to practice upon it. This is the general principle, but it is governed by principles. For example, ‘Allāmah Ibn al-‘Arabī said:

‌إذا ‌جاء ‌خبر ‌الواحد ‌معارضًا ‌لقاعدة ‌من ‌قواعد الشرع هل يجوز العمل به أم لا؟ فقال أبو حنيفة لا يجوز العمل به وقال الشافعي يجوز العمل به وتردد مالك في المسألة ومشهور قوله والذي عليه المعول أن الحديث إذا عضدته قاعدة أخرى قال به وإن كان وحده تركه. (القبس في شرح موطأ مالك بن أنس – ص: 812)

Furthermore, this ruling of compulsion refers to those narrations that denote upon compulsion. As for those that that denote upon Istiḥbāb, it will be preferable to practice upon those. As for those that denote upon Ibāḥah, it will be permissible to practice upon them. ‘Allāmah Ibn al-Jamā‘ah said:

والتعبد بها جائز عند جمهور علماء المسلمين والعمل بها واجب عند أكثرهم. (المنهل الروي في مختصر علوم الحديث النبوي – ص: 32)

THE WORD AL-ATHAR

‌‌[‌الأثر: لغة واصطلاحا]:

9 – ومنها ‌الأثر: وهو في الأصل: ما ظهر من مشي الشخص على الأرض، قال زهير:

والمرء ما عاش ممدود له امل … لا ينتهي العمر حتى ينتهي ‌الأثر

أي: إذا مات لا يبقى لقدمه أثر على الأرض. وفي الاصطلاح: يطلق على الحديث المرفوع والموقوف، وعند كثير من الناس عند الإطلاق مخصوص بالموقوف

Linguistic Meaning of Athar

The next word that the author discusses is the word Athar. He says:

9 – ومنها ‌الأثر: وهو في الأصل: ما ظهر من مشي الشخص على الأرض، قال زهير:

والمرء ما عاش ممدود له امل … لا ينتهي العمر حتى ينتهي ‌الأثر

أي: إذا مات لا يبقى لقدمه أثر على الأرض.

It is also used in this meaning in the noble Qur‘ān. For example, ‘Allāh Ta’ālā says in Verse 70 of Surah as-Ṣāffāt:

فَهُمْ عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ يُهْرَعُونَ

“So, they run in their footsteps.”

Footsteps are the traces that a person leaves when he is walking. Hence, this complies with the first meaning that we presented.

Likewise, ‘Allāh mentions in Surah az-Zukhruf, Verses 22 and 23:

وَإِنَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ مُهْتَدُونَ

“And we are on their footprints, fully guided.”

وَإِنَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ مُقْتَدُونَ

“And we are following their footprints.”

From this meaning of footsteps:

قال الخليل: والأثر بقية ما يرى من كل شيء وما لا يرى بعد أن تبقى فيه علقة. (مقاييس اللغة – 1 / 54)

This is the one linguistic meaning.

‘Allāmah Zarkashī mentioned other meanings as well. He wrote that there are three primary meanings, and all other meanings would come under those. He wrote:

يخرج من كلام اللغويين وغيرهم أن مادة الأثر تدور على ثلاثة معان (النكت على مقدمة ابن الصلاح للزركشي – 1 / 418):

Remnants and traces:

أحدها البقي واشتقاقه من ‌أثرت الشيء أثره أثرة وأثارة كأنها بقيته تستخرج فتثار ومنه قوله تعالى {أو أثارة من علم} أي بقية منه (النكت على مقدمة ابن الصلاح للزركشي – 1 / 418)

‘Allāmah Jawharī explained:

وأثارة من علم، أي بقية منه. (الصحاح تاج اللغة وصحاح العربية – 2 / 576)

Transmit and relate:

والثاني من الأثر: الذي هو الرواية> ومنه قولهم: هذا الحديث يؤثر عن فلان (النكت على مقدمة ابن الصلاح للزركشي – 1 / 418)

‘Allāmah Abū ‘Ubayd said:

ويأثرها قرن عن قرن أي يتحدث بها كقولك: ‌أثرت ‌الحديث آثره أثرا ولهذا قيل: حديث مأثور فمأثره مفعلة من هذا – أي من أثرت. (غريب الحديث – 1 / 288)

A Sign:

الثالث من الأثر بمعنى العلامة

Then ‘Allāmah Zarkashī also added that the word Athārah refers to: ‘Something Beautiful’

قال المبرد قالوا الأثارة للشيء الحسن البهي في العين فيقال للناقة ذات أثارة إذا كانت ممتلئة تروق العين ووجه الاستعارة منه في الأحاديث ظاهر (النكت على مقدمة ابن الصلاح للزركشي – 1 / 418)

وفي الاصطلاح: يطلق على الحديث المرفوع والموقوف،

By Marfū’ and Mawqūf, the author intends that it is used for that which is attributed to the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and that which is attributed to the Ṣaḥābah. In the footnotes it is written about the title of the book of Imām al-Bayhaqī:

ولكن تسمية البيهقي كتابه “معرفة السنن والآثار” ينبئ عن حصر الأثر فيما يروى عن الصحابة، وعليه يدل كلام الشافعي في “الرسالة” (ص 218) قال: ” … أخذناه استدلالا بالكتاب والسنة والآثار” ونحوه فيه (ص 508) وفي “الأم” (5/ 106)، (تعليقة الكافي في علوم الحديث – ص: 122)

However, many scholars also included what is attributed to the Tābi’īn. If we include what is attributed to the Tābi’īn, then Athar and Khabr and Ḥadīth will all mean the same thing. All three words will be synonymous with each other. Many Muḥaddithīn considered all three terms to mean the same.

Thus, Athar encompasses anything attributed to the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhī wa-sallam), and also the statements and actions of the Ṣaḥābah and the Tābi’īn.

There were scholars of Ḥadīth who wrote books and they used the term Athar (or the plural: Āthār) in the titles of their books, yet their books contains narrations that reaches up to the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhī wa-sallam), and also includes statements and actions of the Ṣaḥābah and the Tābi’īn. For example:

1) Imām Muḥammad (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) called his book: Kitāb al-Āthār;

2) Imām aṭ-Ṭaḥāwī named his books: Sharḥ Ma’āni al-Āthār al-Mukhtalafah al-Ma’thūrah (take note of the full name) and Sharḥ Mushkil al-Āthār;

3) Ibn Jarīr (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) named his book, Tahẓīb al-Āthār.

In these books, they gathered everything from the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam), the Ṣaḥābah and the Tābi’īn.

In the footnotes, Shaykh Mashhūr Āl Salmān wrote:

ظاهر تسمية الطحاوي لكتابه “شرح معاني الآثار” يدل عليه، لاشتماله عليهما، وكذا الطبري في كتابه “تهذيب الآثار”. (تعليقة الكافي في علوم الحديث – ص: 122)

This is according to majority of the scholars of Ḥadīth. Mawlāna ‘Abd al-Ḥayy al-Lakhnawi attributed this view (of Athar and Ḥadīth having the same meaning) to majority of the scholars. In Zafr al-Amāni, he first defines Athar as:

هو المروي عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أو عن صحابي أو عن تابعي مطلقا (ظفر الأماني – ص: 25)

“It is that which is reported from the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhī wa-sallam), or from a companion or from a Tabi’ī unrestrictedly.” (Zafr al-Amāni, page: 25)

He used the term Muṭlaqan. In the footnotes, Shaykh ‘Abdul Fattāḥ Abū Ġuddah (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) explains that Muṭlaq means that irrespective whether it is a senior Tābi’i or whether it is a junior Tābi’ī, you may used the word Athar when attributing anything to him.

Mawlāna ‘Abd al-Ḥayy al-Lakhnawi then says:

وعليه جمهور المحدثين من السلف والخلف، وهو المختار عند الجمهور، كما ذكره النووي في شرح صحيح مسلم (ظفر الأماني – ص: 25)

“And upon this (opinion) are the majority of the Muḥaddithīn from the Salaf and the Khalaf, and it is the chosen opinion according to majority, just as Imām an-Nawawī mentioned it in his commentary of Saḥiḥ Muslim.” (Zafr al-Amāni, page: 25)

In short, this statement of the author contradicts how most scholars used the term.

وعند كثير من الناس عند الإطلاق مخصوص بالموقوف

These were the scholars of Khurāsān.

The Fuqahā of Khurāsān only used Athar for the reports of the Ṣaḥābah (Mawqūfāt), and not for that which is related from the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhī wa-sallam). If something pertained to the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ʿalayhī wa-sallam), then it cannot be called Athar according to them.

The famous Shāfi’ī scholar of the fifth century who was from Khurāsān, ‘Allāmah ‘Abul Qāsim ‘Abdur Rahmān ibn Muḥammad al-Furāni al-Marwazi (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) said:

الفقهاء يقولون الخبر ما كان عن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم والأثر ما يروى عن الصحابة (فتح المغيث – 1 / 187)

“The Fuqahā say that Khabar is that which is reported from the Prophet (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhī wa-sallam) and Āthār is that which is reported from his Companions.” (Fatḥ al-Mughīth, 1 / 187)

May Allāh Taʿālā have mercy on them all

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