The Hadith on Ijtihad: Examination of Chain and Meaning
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
◈ The Hadith
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent Mu‘adh (RA) to Yemen, he asked him:
❖ “With what will you judge?”
He replied:
بكتاب الله
“With the Book of Allah.”
❖ The Prophet ﷺ asked: “If you do not find it there?”
He replied:
فبسنة رسول الله
“Then with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah.”
❖ The Prophet ﷺ asked: “If you do not find it there either?”
He replied:
فبرأيي
“Then I will exert my own opinion.”
[Darimi: 1/60, Ahmad: 5/230, Bayhaqi: 10/114, Tiyalisi: 1/286, Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d: 2/347, al-Jami‘ by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr: 2/55, al-Ahkam by Ibn Hazm: 6/26, al-Faqih wal-Mutafaqqih by al-Khatib: 1/154]
◈ Criticism on the Chain
✔ Imam Bukhari (رحمه الله): This narration is mursal.
[al-Tarikh al-Kabir: 2/277]
✔ Ibn Hazm (رحمه الله): In its chain is Harith bin ‘Amr, who is majhool (unknown).
[al-Ahkam: 6/35]
✔ Shaykh Hamdi bin ‘Abd al-Majid Salafi transmitted its weakening from the following scholars:
① Bukhari
② Tirmidhi
③ ‘Uqayli
④ Dar Qutni
⑤ Ibn Hazm
⑥ Ibn Tahir Maqdisi
⑦ Jawzaqani
⑧ Ibn al-Jawzi
⑨ Dhahabi
⑩ Subki
⑪ ‘Iraqi
⑫ Ibn al-Mulaqqin
⑬ Ibn Hajar
[Tahqiq Kitab al-Mu‘tabar lil-Mazrakshi: p.68]
✔ Shaykh al-Albani (رحمه الله): Included this narration in al-Silsilah al-Da‘ifah.
[al-Silsilah al-Da‘ifah: 2/273, 881]
✔ Ibn al-Jawzi (رحمه الله): This Hadith is not authentic, though all jurists have cited it in their books relying upon it.
[al-‘Ilal al-Mutanahiyah: 2/758, 1264]
◈ Scholars Who Considered It Acceptable
✔ Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله): Its chain is good.
[Daqa’iq al-Tafsir: 1/110]
✔ Ibn Kathir (رحمه الله): Its chain is jayyid (sound).
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir: 1/4]
✔ Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله): This Hadith is sahih.
[I‘lam al-Muwaqqi‘in: 1/202]
✔ Shaykh Zahid al-Kawthari (رحمه الله): This Hadith is hujjah (authoritative).
[Maqalat: pp.60–61]
✔ Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir Arna’ut (رحمه الله): This Hadith is sahih.
[Takhrij Jami‘ al-Usul: 10/178]
◈ Discussion on the Meaning
Some scholars acknowledged the possibility that the meaning of the narration is correct, as reported by Ibn al-Jawzi (رحمه الله).
[al-‘Ilal al-Mutanahiyah: 1264]
Shaykh al-Albani (رحمه الله) also said:
هو صحيح المعنى فيما يتعلق بالا جتهاد عند فقدان النص
“Its meaning is correct in relation to ijtihad when no textual evidence exists.”
[al-Silsilah al-Da‘ifah: 2/286]
◈ Preferred View (الراجح)
According to our knowledge, although this narration is weak in chain, it is authentic in meaning.
