Tirmidhi

The eminent hadith scholars have declared many such ahadith to be weak and unestablished, even though they have numerous chains of transmission. According to the principle of “weak plus weak,” some scholars have even classified them as hasan li-ghayrihi (good due to supporting chains). In fact, among them are some narrations which, according to our research, are hasan li-dhatihi (good in themselves).

In this article, ten such narrations are presented upon which the senior scholars of hadith have made criticism, which is evidence that they did not consider the commonly accepted hasan li-ghayrihi (good due to supporting chains) that is based on “weak plus weak” to be authoritative:

— Number 2 —

Hadith: Performing khilal (passing fingers through) the beard, i.e., takhleeel al-lihyah during ablution (wudu).

A few chains of this hadith are as follows:

1: From Ammar bin Yasir radi Allahu anhu (Tirmidhi: 29, 30; Ibn Majah: 429; Al-Hakim 1/149)

2: From Uthman bin Affan radi Allahu anhu (Tirmidhi: 31; Ibn Majah: 340; Hakim 1/149; Bayhaqi 1/54)

3: From Anas bin Malik radi Allahu anhu (Abu Dawud: 145; Bayhaqi 1/54)

Imam Abu Hatim al-Razi rahimahullah said:

“La yathbut ‘an al-nabi ﷺ fi takhleeel al-lihyah hadith.”

No hadith regarding the khilal of the beard is established from the Prophet ﷺ.

(‘Ilal al-Hadith 1/252, no. 101)

It is thus established that, according to Imam Abu Hatim, the commonly accepted hasan li-ghayrihi narration based on “weak plus weak” is not authoritative. Also see Tarikh Baghdad (2/76, no. 455) and Al-Hadith Hazro: 83, p. 25.

Regarding the hadith of khilal of the beard, Ibn Hazm said:

And none of these narrations are authentic.

(Al-Muhalla 2/36, issue 190)

Note: In my view, the hadith from Sayyiduna Uthman radi Allahu anhu is hasan li-dhatihi, and the criticism of the trustworthy narrator Isra’il bin Yunus by Ibn Hazm is rejected because it is contrary to the majority.

Benefit:
Passing the fingers through the beard (khilal) is established from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and is a Sunnah practice.