Conditions for the Acceptance of Trusted Narrators

Hadith 3963

وَيُرْوَى عَنْ عَبْدِاللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ قَالَ: كَانَ سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ يَقُولُ: كَانَ عَبْدُالْمَلِكِ بْنُ أَبِي سُليْمَانَ مِيزَانًا فِي الْعِلْمِ.

It is narrated from Abdullah bin Mubarak that Sufyan Thawri used to say: Abdul Malik bin Abi Sulayman is the scale of knowledge.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِاللَّهِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ يَحْيَى بْنَ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ فَقَالَ: تَرَكَهُ شُعْبَةُ مِنْ أَجْلِ الْحَدِيثِ الَّذِي رَوَاهُ فِي الصَّدَقَةِ يَعْنِي حَدِيثَ عَبْدِاللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: "مَنْ سَأَلَ النَّاسَ وَلَهُ مَا يُغْنِيهِ كَانَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ خُمُوشًا فِي وَجْهِهِ، قِيلَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! وَمَا يُغْنِيهِ؟ قَالَ: "خَمْسُونَ دِرْهَمًا أَوْ قِيمَتُهَا مِنْ الذَّهَبِ".

Ali bin Al-Madini says: I asked Yahya bin Sa’id Al-Qattan about Hakim bin Jubair, so he said: Shu’bah abandoned narrating from him because of the hadith about charity, that is, the hadith of Ibn Mas’ud that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever asks (for charity) while he possesses wealth that makes him independent of others, then on the Day of Resurrection he will come with scratches on his face.” It was asked: O Messenger of Allah! What makes a person independent of others? He said: “Fifty dirhams (of silver) or its equivalent in gold.”

قَالَ عَلِيٌّ: قَالَ يَحْيَى: وَقَدْ حَدَّثَ عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ، وَزَائِدَةُ.

It is narrated from Ali bin Al-Madini that Yahya bin Saeed Al-Qattan says: Sufyan Thawri and Zaidah narrated from Hakeem bin Jubair.

قَالَ عَلِيُّ: وَلَمْ يَرَ يَحْيَى بِحَدِيثِهِ بَأْسًا.

And Ali bin Al-Madini says that, according to Yahya bin Saeed Al-Qattan, there is no problem in the hadith of Hakeem bin Jubair.

حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلانَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ آدَمَ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ، عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ بِحَدِيثِ الصَّدَقَةِ.

Tirmidhi says: Mahmood bin Ghailan narrated to us, from Yahya bin Adam, Yahya narrated from Sufyan Thawri, he says that Hakeem bin Jubair narrated the hadith regarding charity.

قَالَ يَحْيَى بْنُ آدَمَ: قَالَ عَبْدُاللَّهِ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ صَاحِبُ شُعْبَةَ لِسُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ: لَوْ غَيْرُ حَكِيمٍ حَدَّثَ بِهَذَا؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ سُفْيَانُ: وَمَا لِحَكِيمٍ لا يُحَدِّثُ عَنْهُ شُعْبَةُ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، فَقَالَ سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ: سَمِعْتُ زُبَيْدًا يُحَدِّثُ بِهَذَا عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِالرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ.

Yahya bin Adam says: Abdullah bin Uthman, a student of Shu’bah, said to Sufyan Thawri: If the hadith about charity had been narrated by someone other than Hakim bin Jubair, what would be the ruling? Sufyan Thawri replied: What happened to Hakim that Shu’bah did not narrate from him? Abdullah bin Uthman said: Yes! (It is so, Shu’bah did not narrate from Hakim.) So Sufyan Thawri said: I heard Zubayd narrate this hadith from Muhammad bin Abdur Rahman bin Yazid.

قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى: وَمَا ذَكَرْنَا فِي هَذَا الْكِتَابِ "حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ"؛ فَإِنَّمَا أَرَدْنَا بِهِ حُسْنَ إِسْنَادِهِ عِنْدَنَا.

Imam Tirmidhi says: In this book, whenever we have called a hadith "Hasan," we mean that its chain of narration is "Hasan."

كُلُّ حَدِيثٍ يُرْوَى لا يَكُونُ فِي إِسْنَادِهِ مَنْ يُتَّهَمُ بِالْكَذِبِ، وَلا يَكُونُ الْحَدِيثُ شَاذًّا، وَيُرْوَى مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهٍ نَحْوَ ذَاكَ؛ فَهُوَ عِنْدَنَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ.

Every hadith in whose chain of narration there is no narrator accused of falsehood, nor is it shaadh (irregular), and it is narrated through other routes, then according to us, it is "hasan" 1.

وَمَا ذَكَرْنَا فِي هَذَا الْكِتَابِ "حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ" فَإِنَّ أَهْلَ الْحَدِيثِ يَسْتَغْرِبُونَ الْحَدِيثَ لِمَعَانٍ:

And in this book, the ahadith which we have termed as "Ghareeb," the term "Ghareeb Hadith" has various meanings according to the scholars of hadith:

1- رُبَّ حَدِيثٍ يَكُونُ غَرِيبًا لا يُرْوَى إِلا مِنْ وَجْهٍ وَاحِدٍ مِثْلُ حَدِيثِ حَمَّادِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَبِي الْعُشَرَائِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! أَمَا تَكُونُ الذَّكَاةُ إِلا فِي الْحَلْقِ وَاللِّبَّةِ؟ فَقَالَ: "لَوْ طَعَنْتَ فِي فَخِذِهَا أَجْزَأَ عَنْكَ" .

1- Sometimes the strangeness of a hadith is that it is narrated through only one chain, such as the hadith of Hammad bin Salamah, which he narrates from Abu Al-Ash'ara, and he from his father. Al-Ash'ara says: I said: O Messenger of Allah, is the place of slaughter only the throat and the neck? So he said: "If you wound its thigh, that will also be sufficient."

فَهَذَا حَدِيثٌ تَفَرَّدَ بِهِ حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الْعُشَرَائِ، وَلا يُعْرَفُ لأَبِي الْعُشَرَائِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ إِلا هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ مَشْهُورًا عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ؛ وَإِنَّمَا اشْتُهِرَ مِنْ حَدِيثِ حَمَّادِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ، لا نَعْرِفُهُ إِلا مِنْ حَدِيثِهِ.

Hammad bin Salamah is unique in narrating this hadith from Abu’l-Ash’ara; only this one hadith is known from Abu’l-Ash’ara from his father, although this hadith is well-known among the scholars, and it is famous only through the narration of Hammad bin Salamah. Our knowledge of it is only through his narration.

2-وَرُبَّ رَجُلٍ مِنْ الأَئِمَّةِ يُحَدِّثُ بِالْحَدِيثِ لا يُعْرَفُ إِلا مِنْ حَدِيثِهِ، فَيَشْتَهِرُ الْحَدِيثُ لِكَثْرَةِ مَنْ رَوَى عَنْهُ مِثْلُ مَا رَوَى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ "أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَهَى عَنْ بَيْعِ الْوَلائِ وَعَنْ هِبَتِهِ". وَهَذَا حَدِيثٌ لا نَعْرِفُهُ إِلا مِنْ حَدِيثِ عَبْدِاللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، رَوَاهُ عَنْهُ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ، وَشُعْبَةُ، وَسُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ، وَمَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ، وَابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، وَغَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ الأَئِمَّةِ.

2- And sometimes a hadith scholar narrates a hadith which is known only through that scholar, and the fame of the hadith is due to the large number of those who narrate from him, such as the narration of Abdullah bin Dinar from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the buying, selling, and gifting of wala’. We know this hadith only from the narration of Abdullah bin Dinar, and from him it has been narrated by Ubaidullah bin Umar, Shu’bah, Sufyan Thawri, Malik bin Anas, Sufyan bin ‘Uyaynah, and many other scholars.

وَرَوَى يَحْيَى بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِاللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ؛ فَوَهِمَ فِيهِ يَحْيَى بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ، وَالصَّحِيحُ هُوَ "عَنْ عُبَيْدِاللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنْ عَبْدِاللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ" . هَكَذَا رَوَى عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ الثَّقَفِيُّ، وَعَبْدُاللَّهِ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِاللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ عَبْدِاللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، وَرَوَى الْمُؤَمِّلُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ فَقَالَ شُعْبَةُ: لَوَدِدْتُ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ دِينَارٍ أَذِنَ لِي حَتَّى كُنْتُ أَقُومُ إِلَيْهِ فَأُقَبِّلُ رَأْسَهُ.

Yahya bin Salim has narrated this hadith with the chain «عبیداللہ بن عمر عن نافع عن ابن عمر», Yahya bin Salim has made a mistake in this narration, the correct chain is «عبیداللہ بن عمر عن عبداللہ بن دینار عن ابن عمر». Similarly, this hadith has been narrated by Abdulwahab Thaqafi and Abdullah bin Numair with the chain «عبیداللہ بن عمر عن عبداللہ بن دینار عن ابن عمر». Mu’ammal has narrated this hadith from Shu’bah, Shu’bah says: I would like Abdullah bin Dinar to permit me so that I may go to him and kiss his head.

3- قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى: وَرُبَّ حَدِيثٍ إِنَّمَا يُسْتَغْرَبُ لِزِيَادَةٍ تَكُونُ فِي الْحَدِيثِ.

3- Tirmidhi says: Sometimes the strangeness (gharabah) in a hadith is due to the addition of certain words.

قَالَ: وَزَادَ مَالِكٌ فِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ "مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ".

Malik has narrated the word «من المسلمین» in addition in this hadith.

وَرَوَى أَيُّوبُ السَّخْتِيَانِيُّ، وَعُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ، وَغَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ الأَئِمَّةِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ. وَلَمْ يَذْكُرُوا فِيهِ: "مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ" .

Ayyub Sakhtiyani, Ubaidullah bin Umar, and several Imams of Hadith have narrated this hadith with the chain «نافع عن ابن عمر», but they did not mention the word «من المسلمین» in it.

وَقَدْ رَوَى بَعْضُهُمْ عَنْ نَافِعٍ مِثْلَ رِوَايَةِ مَالِكٍ مِمَّنْ لا يُعْتَمَدُ عَلَى حِفْظِهِ.

Some narrators have narrated from Nafi’ a narration similar to that of Malik, who are not reliable in memorization.

وَقَدْ أَخَذَ غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ الأَئِمَّةِ بِحَدِيثِ مَالِكٍ، وَاحْتَجُّوا بِهِ، مِنْهُمْ: الشَّافِعِيُّ، وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ قَالا: إِذَا كَانَ لِلرَّجُلِ عَبِيدٌ غَيْرُ مُسْلِمِينَ لَمْ يُؤَدِّ عَنْهُمْ صَدَقَةَ الْفِطْرِ، وَاحْتَجَّا بِحَدِيثِ مَالِكٍ.

Many hadith scholars have relied upon Malik's hadith, among whom are Shafi'i and Ahmad bin Hanbal. Both of them say that if a man has non-Muslim slaves, he will not pay Zakat al-Fitr on their behalf. And they have deduced this from Malik's hadith.

فَإِذَا زَادَ حَافِظٌ مِمَّنْ يُعْتَمَدُ عَلَى حِفْظِهِ قُبِلَ ذَلِكَ عَنْهُ.

And if a trustworthy narrator with reliable memory narrates an additional word in a hadith, then his addition will be accepted.

4- وَرُبَّ حَدِيثٍ يُرْوَى مِنْ أَوْجُهٍ كَثِيرَةٍ، وَإِنَّمَا يُسْتَغْرَبُ لِحَالِ الإِسْنَادِ.

4- And sometimes a hadith is narrated through many chains, but its strangeness is with respect to a specific chain of transmission.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، وَأَبُو هِشَامٍ الرِّفَاعِيُّ، وَأَبُو السَّائِبِ، وَالْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ الأَسْوَدِ قَالُوا: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِاللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى، عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: "الْكَافِرُ يَأْكُلُ فِي سَبْعَةِ أَمْعَائٍ، وَالْمُؤْمِنُ يَأْكُلُ فِي مِعًى وَاحِدٍ".

Tirmidhi says: Abu Kurayb, Abu Hisham Rifa’i, Abu Sa’ib, and Husayn bin Al-Aswad narrated to us; they say that Abu Usamah narrated to us. Abu Usamah, with chain «برید بن عبداللہ بن ابی بردة عن جدہ ابی بردة», narrates that it is reported from Abu Musa Ash’ari that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “A believer eats in one intestine, and a disbeliever eats in seven intestines.” 1.

قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ مِنْ قِبَلِ إِسْنَادِهِ.

Tirmidhi says: This hadith is rare with this chain, and it is narrated in a marfu’ form through multiple routes.

وَقَدْ رُوِيَ مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهٍ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، وَإِنَّمَا يُسْتَغْرَبُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَبِي مُوسَى.

Strangeness is only in the narration of Abu Musa.

سَأَلْتُ مَحْمُودَ بْنَ غَيْلانَ عَنْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ؟ فَقَالَ: هَذَا حَدِيثُ أَبِي كُرَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ.

Tirmidhi says: I asked Mahmood bin Ghailan about this hadith, and he said: It is narrated only through the narration of Abu Kuraib, from Abu Usamah.

وَإِنَّمَا يَصِحُّ إِذَا كَانَتْ الزِّيَادَةُ مِمَّنْ يُعْتَمَدُ عَلَى حِفْظِهِ مِثْلُ مَا رَوَى مَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: "فَرَضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ زَكَاةَ الْفِطْرِ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ حُرٍّ أَوْ عَبْدٍ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَى مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ صَاعًا مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ صَاعًا مِنْ شَعِيرٍ".

The addition of words will be correct when it is from the narration of a trustworthy narrator in terms of memorization, such as the narration of Malik bin Anas with the chain «نافع عن ابن عمر» that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) made Zakat al-Fitr in Ramadan obligatory upon every Muslim, free and slave, male and female, one sa’ of dates or one sa’ of barley.

Hadith Reference سنن ترمذي / کتاب العلل / 3963