Series of answers by the eminent scholar Ata Bin Khalil Abu Al-Rashtah, Ameer of Hizb ut-Tahrir
to questions from followers on his Facebook page "Fiqhi"
**Answer to a Question**
To Nizar Steitieh
Question:
Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu. May Allah grant you victory and keep you firm in carrying the banner.
The question: Does rejecting a Hadith based on dirayah (content) affect the Hadith's riwayah (transmission)? In other words, if it is proven that a certain Hadith is rejected based on dirayah, does that lead to discrediting (tajreeh) one of its narrators, whether it is the final narrator conveying the report or the first one who reported what he witnessed or heard?
May Allah reward you with goodness.
Answer:
Walaikum Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu.
The acceptance of a solitary report (khabar al-ahad) only occurs after fulfilling the conditions of its authenticity in terms of both riwayah (transmission) and dirayah (content):
As for fulfilling the conditions of riwayah, this means the isnad (chain of narrators) of the Hadith must be authentic (sahih). That is, from the beginning of the chain to its end, the conditions of authenticity must apply to its narrators. This means the narrator of the Hadith must be a Muslim, an adult, sane, upright (adl), truthful, precise (dhabit) in what he hears, and remembering it from the time he received it until the time he conveyed it, etc. This is what is called the Hadith being authentic in riwayah.
As for fulfilling the conditions of its authenticity in dirayah, this means the matn (text) of the Hadith must not contradict something stronger than it, such as a Quranic verse, a mutawatir (mass-transmitted) Hadith, or a mashhur (well-known) Hadith...
This means that if there is a weakness in one of the narrators or an unknown narrator in the chain, it is rejected based on riwayah...
However, if the narrators of the chain are beyond reproach, but only the text contradicts what is stronger than it, then it is rejected based on dirayah...
Therefore, rejection based on dirayah does not indicate that one of the narrators is weak or discredited (majruh), etc. If there were such a flaw in the chain, the Hadith would have been rejected based on riwayah. The meaning of its rejection based on dirayah is that the narrators of the chain are beyond reproach, but the text contradicts what is stronger than it.
- It is stated in the book The Islamic Personality (Ash-Shakhsiyyah al-Islamiyyah), Volume 1, p. 188:
"(Rather, the matter in that regard is that if a Hadith comes contradicting what has come in the Quran with a definitive meaning, then the Hadith is rejected in dirayah, i.e., in its text, because its meaning contradicts the Quran. This is like what was narrated from Fatima bint Qais that she said:
طَلَّقَنِي زَوْجِي ثَلَاثاً عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَأَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ لِي سَكَناً وَلَا نَفَقَةً
'My husband divorced me three times during the time of the Messenger of Allah (saw), so I came to the Prophet (saw), and he did not provide me with housing or maintenance.'
So this Hadith is rejected because it contradicts the Quran, as it opposes the saying of the Almighty:
أَسْكِنُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ سَكَنتُم مِّن وُجْدِكُمْ
'Lodge them [in a section] of where you dwell out of your means.' (Surah At-Talaq [65]: 6)
Thus, the Hadith is rejected at that time because it contradicted the Quran, which is definitive in its status of revelation (qati’ al-thubut) and definitive in its indication (qati’ al-dalalah). However, if the Hadith does not contradict the Quran, by including things that the Quran did not mention or adding to what is in the Quran, then the Hadith is taken, and the Quran is taken. It is not said that we suffice with the Quran and what is mentioned in the Quran, because Allah commanded both together, and belief in both together is obligatory.)"
- And it is stated in the book The Islamic Personality (Ash-Shakhsiyyah al-Islamiyyah), Volume 3, pp. 90-91:
"(Conditions for accepting a solitary report (khabar al-ahad): A solitary report is accepted if it fulfills its conditions in riwayah and dirayah. As for the conditions of its acceptance in riwayah, they are that the narrator of the Hadith be a Muslim, an adult, sane, upright (adl), truthful, precise (dhabit) in what he hears, and remembering it from the time he received it until the time he conveyed it. The scholars of Usul (principles) and the scholars of Hadith terminology (Mustalah al-Hadith) have explained the conditions of riwayah in detail, and have explained the history of the men of Hadith and their narrators, detailing each narrator and the characteristics fulfilled in him. As for the conditions of accepting a solitary report in dirayah, they are that it does not contradict what is stronger than it, such as a verse or a mutawatir or mashhur Hadith, such as what was narrated from Fatima bint Qais that she said:
طَلَّقَنِي زَوْجِي ثلاَثاً فَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ سُكْنَى وَلاَ نَفَقَةً
'My husband divorced me three times, and the Messenger of Allah (saw) did not provide me with housing or maintenance.' (Narrated by Muslim).
This Hadith contradicts the saying of the Almighty:
أَسْكِنُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ سَكَنتُم مِّن وُجْدِكُمْ
'Lodge them [in a section] of where you dwell out of your means.' (Surah At-Talaq [65]: 6)
Therefore, it must be rejected, and it is not permissible to act upon it...)"
I hope this is sufficient, and Allah is All-Knowing and Most Wise.
Your brother, Ata Bin Khalil Abu Al-Rashtah
30 Shawwal 1443 AH Corresponding to 30/05/2022 CE
Link to the answer from the Ameer's page (may Allah protect him) on Facebook
Link to the answer from the Ameer's page (may Allah protect him) on the Web