Authored by: Ibn al-Hasan al-Muhammadi
In the assessment of narrators, we focus on their truthfulness, justice, and accuracy. Whether a narrator is an innovator—such as a Murji’ah, Nasibi, Qadari, Mu'tazili, Shi'i, etc.—is not a primary concern. According to the correct opinion, even if a just and reliable narrator is an innovator and invites others to their innovation, it does not harm the acceptability of their narration, even if it appears to support their innovation.
He wrote about the narrator Aban bin Taghlib:
"He was a staunch Shi'i, but truthful. We consider his truthfulness, and his innovation will be held against him alone."
(Mizan al-I'tidal, 1/5)
If someone questions how an innovative narrator can be considered reliable and just, Hafiz al-Dhahabi himself provides the answer:
"Innovation is of two types: Minor Innovation, such as excessive Shi'ism or Shi'ism without excess or distortion. This was prevalent among many of the Tabi'in and their followers despite their religiosity, piety, and truthfulness. If the narrations of these individuals were rejected, a significant portion of the prophetic traditions would be lost, which is a clear harm. Major Innovation, on the other hand, such as complete Rafdh, excessive veneration, disparaging Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), and inviting others to this, disqualifies a narrator from being used as evidence or honored. Furthermore, I cannot recall anyone from this type of innovation who was both truthful and trustworthy, as lying, Taqiyyah (dissimulation), and hypocrisy are their trademarks. How can the narration of someone like this be accepted? Absolutely not! The extreme Shi'a during the time of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) was one who spoke ill of Uthman, Zubair, Talha, Muawiya, and those who fought Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and criticized them. However, the extremist in our time is one who declares these noble figures disbelievers and dissociates from the two Shaykhs (Abu Bakr and Umar). Such a person is utterly misguided. As for Aban bin Taghlib, he did not criticize the two Shaykhs at all; rather, he believed Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was superior to them."
(Mizan al-I'tidal, 1/5-6)
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 774 AH) writes:
"There is no doubt in rejecting his narration."
(Ikhtisar 'Ulum al-Hadith, p. 83)
Imam Ibn Adi (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
"The narrators whom I have not mentioned are all reliable or truthful, even if some are accused of leaning towards certain opinions. However, they were involved in those opinions due to a specific interpretation."
(Al-Kamil fi Du'afa' al-Rijal, 1/16)
The collective approach of the Hadith scholars indicates that the narration of an innovative narrator will be accepted as long as his innovation does not expel him from the fold of Islam or make his blood lawful.
Benefit 1:
If a narrator is reliable and truthful, and is guilty of non-disbelief innovation, his narration is accepted even if it appears to support his innovation. This is the correct and sound view.
Allama Juzjani (d. 259 AH) states that if the narration of an innovative narrator supports his innovation, it is not accepted .
However, it is worth noting that Juzjani himself was a staunch Nasibi and an innovator, making his opinion questionable .
Benefit 2:
Imam al-Sunnah, Nuaim bin Hammad al-Khuza'i (may Allah have mercy on him), narrates that he asked Imam Abdullah bin al-Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) why the scholars of Hadith declared Amr bin Ubaid as abandoned. The Imam replied:
"Amr bin Ubaid was an inviter to the Qadari belief."
(Taqaddumah al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil li Ibn Abi Hatim: 273, and its chain is Hasan)
If one argues that the narration of an innovator who invites to his innovation is accepted, why then was Amr bin Ubaid abandoned for being an inviter to Qadar? The answer is that the criticisms by the scholars of Hadith indicate that he was also a liar and fabricator. Certainly, he deemed it permissible to lie and fabricate Hadith in support of his innovation. Thus, his invitation to his innovation was combined with lies and fabrications, making him unreliable and untrustworthy, and thus, abandoned by the scholars of Hadith.
It is important to mention that being labeled as a Qadari does not necessarily mean one denies predestination. Rather, the Qadari belief was that evil originates from Satan or is purely a human act. In contrast, the correct belief is that both good and evil are created by Allah. However, attributing evil directly to Allah is incorrect because Allah created evil under divine wisdom, making it good in essence. Thus, Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah affirm that there is no evil in Allah's actions, although evil may exist in His creation. This subtle point was misunderstood by the rejecters of Hadith, who then criticized the Hadith scholars, accusing them of denying predestination.
Benefit 3:
Imam Ibn Hibban (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
"Muhammad bin al-Hasan al-Shaybani, a proponent of opinion and Murji'ah, was an inviter to Irja’. He was the first to oppose the people of Madinah and support his teacher, i.e., Nu'man. He was rational but unreliable in Hadith, narrating from trustworthy narrators while making errors. Due to the abundance of his mistakes, he became deserving of abandonment because he invited people to the Murji'ah school."
(Kitab al-Majruhin li Ibn Hibban, 2/275-276)
Muhammad bin al-Hasan al-Shaybani is unanimously considered a weak narrator. Imam Yahya bin Ma'in (may Allah have mercy on him) even labeled him a liar. It becomes evident that he was involved in activities similar to Amr bin Ubaid's. Like Amr, his invitation to his innovation was coupled with lies, making him unreliable.
Benefit 4:
If someone claims that a narrator named 'Abbad bin Yaqub al-Rawajni Abu Sa'id al-Kufi, who was a well-known Rafidhi and an inviter to innovation, is found in Sahih al-Bukhari, it should be clarified that this narrator is deemed Hasan al-Hadith and has been authenticated by the majority of scholars of Hadith. The narration of any reliable and truthful narrator is acceptable as long as he is not disqualified due to his reliability.
Furthermore, none of his narrations are part of the core principles (usul) of Sahih al-Bukhari.
Hafiz al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) writes in this regard:
"Imam al-Bukhari narrated a Hadith from him in his Sahih, but paired it with another reliable narrator."
(Mizan al-I'tidal, 2/379)
Thus, Imam al-Bukhari did not use him as evidence in Sahih al-Bukhari.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
"Other chains for this Hadith exist besides his narration in al-Bukhari."
(Hady al-Sari li Ibn Hajar)
Therefore, this objection is resolved. All praise is due to Allah.
If someone claims that a narrator named 'Imran bin Hattan, who was a leader of the Kharijites, is found in Sahih al-Bukhari, the response is that even if the accusation of rebellion is proven, it does not harm the Hadith, as he was truthful and Hasan al-Hadith. The majority of Hadith scholars have authenticated him. Additionally, none of his narrations are part of the core principles of Sahih al-Bukhari, as Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
"There is only one Hadith of his in Mutaba'at (supporting chains), and there are many other chains for it as well."
(Hady al-Sari li Ibn Hajar, p. 433)
In the assessment of narrators, we focus on their truthfulness, justice, and accuracy. Whether a narrator is an innovator—such as a Murji’ah, Nasibi, Qadari, Mu'tazili, Shi'i, etc.—is not a primary concern. According to the correct opinion, even if a just and reliable narrator is an innovator and invites others to their innovation, it does not harm the acceptability of their narration, even if it appears to support their innovation.
Types of Innovation:
Hafiz al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) has categorized innovation into two types:- Minor Innovation (Bid'ah Sughra)
- Major Innovation (Bid'ah Kubra)
He wrote about the narrator Aban bin Taghlib:
"He was a staunch Shi'i, but truthful. We consider his truthfulness, and his innovation will be held against him alone."
(Mizan al-I'tidal, 1/5)
If someone questions how an innovative narrator can be considered reliable and just, Hafiz al-Dhahabi himself provides the answer:
"Innovation is of two types: Minor Innovation, such as excessive Shi'ism or Shi'ism without excess or distortion. This was prevalent among many of the Tabi'in and their followers despite their religiosity, piety, and truthfulness. If the narrations of these individuals were rejected, a significant portion of the prophetic traditions would be lost, which is a clear harm. Major Innovation, on the other hand, such as complete Rafdh, excessive veneration, disparaging Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), and inviting others to this, disqualifies a narrator from being used as evidence or honored. Furthermore, I cannot recall anyone from this type of innovation who was both truthful and trustworthy, as lying, Taqiyyah (dissimulation), and hypocrisy are their trademarks. How can the narration of someone like this be accepted? Absolutely not! The extreme Shi'a during the time of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) was one who spoke ill of Uthman, Zubair, Talha, Muawiya, and those who fought Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and criticized them. However, the extremist in our time is one who declares these noble figures disbelievers and dissociates from the two Shaykhs (Abu Bakr and Umar). Such a person is utterly misguided. As for Aban bin Taghlib, he did not criticize the two Shaykhs at all; rather, he believed Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was superior to them."
(Mizan al-I'tidal, 1/5-6)
Acceptance of Narrations from Minor Innovators:
The narration of a narrator who is guilty of Minor Innovation, provided he is reliable and truthful, is acceptable. Equating non-disbelief innovation with shirk and kufr is incorrect.Rejection of Narrations from Major Innovators:
The narration of a narrator guilty of Major Innovation, which amounts to disbelief, is rejected because his justice (adalah) is compromised. The primary condition for justice is Islam, which is lost in such cases.Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 774 AH) writes:
"There is no doubt in rejecting his narration."
(Ikhtisar 'Ulum al-Hadith, p. 83)
Imam Ibn Adi (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
"The narrators whom I have not mentioned are all reliable or truthful, even if some are accused of leaning towards certain opinions. However, they were involved in those opinions due to a specific interpretation."
(Al-Kamil fi Du'afa' al-Rijal, 1/16)
The collective approach of the Hadith scholars indicates that the narration of an innovative narrator will be accepted as long as his innovation does not expel him from the fold of Islam or make his blood lawful.
Benefit 1:
If a narrator is reliable and truthful, and is guilty of non-disbelief innovation, his narration is accepted even if it appears to support his innovation. This is the correct and sound view.
Allama Juzjani (d. 259 AH) states that if the narration of an innovative narrator supports his innovation, it is not accepted .
However, it is worth noting that Juzjani himself was a staunch Nasibi and an innovator, making his opinion questionable .
Benefit 2:
Imam al-Sunnah, Nuaim bin Hammad al-Khuza'i (may Allah have mercy on him), narrates that he asked Imam Abdullah bin al-Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) why the scholars of Hadith declared Amr bin Ubaid as abandoned. The Imam replied:
"Amr bin Ubaid was an inviter to the Qadari belief."
(Taqaddumah al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil li Ibn Abi Hatim: 273, and its chain is Hasan)
If one argues that the narration of an innovator who invites to his innovation is accepted, why then was Amr bin Ubaid abandoned for being an inviter to Qadar? The answer is that the criticisms by the scholars of Hadith indicate that he was also a liar and fabricator. Certainly, he deemed it permissible to lie and fabricate Hadith in support of his innovation. Thus, his invitation to his innovation was combined with lies and fabrications, making him unreliable and untrustworthy, and thus, abandoned by the scholars of Hadith.
It is important to mention that being labeled as a Qadari does not necessarily mean one denies predestination. Rather, the Qadari belief was that evil originates from Satan or is purely a human act. In contrast, the correct belief is that both good and evil are created by Allah. However, attributing evil directly to Allah is incorrect because Allah created evil under divine wisdom, making it good in essence. Thus, Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah affirm that there is no evil in Allah's actions, although evil may exist in His creation. This subtle point was misunderstood by the rejecters of Hadith, who then criticized the Hadith scholars, accusing them of denying predestination.
Benefit 3:
Imam Ibn Hibban (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
"Muhammad bin al-Hasan al-Shaybani, a proponent of opinion and Murji'ah, was an inviter to Irja’. He was the first to oppose the people of Madinah and support his teacher, i.e., Nu'man. He was rational but unreliable in Hadith, narrating from trustworthy narrators while making errors. Due to the abundance of his mistakes, he became deserving of abandonment because he invited people to the Murji'ah school."
(Kitab al-Majruhin li Ibn Hibban, 2/275-276)
Muhammad bin al-Hasan al-Shaybani is unanimously considered a weak narrator. Imam Yahya bin Ma'in (may Allah have mercy on him) even labeled him a liar. It becomes evident that he was involved in activities similar to Amr bin Ubaid's. Like Amr, his invitation to his innovation was coupled with lies, making him unreliable.
Benefit 4:
If someone claims that a narrator named 'Abbad bin Yaqub al-Rawajni Abu Sa'id al-Kufi, who was a well-known Rafidhi and an inviter to innovation, is found in Sahih al-Bukhari, it should be clarified that this narrator is deemed Hasan al-Hadith and has been authenticated by the majority of scholars of Hadith. The narration of any reliable and truthful narrator is acceptable as long as he is not disqualified due to his reliability.
Furthermore, none of his narrations are part of the core principles (usul) of Sahih al-Bukhari.
Hafiz al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) writes in this regard:
"Imam al-Bukhari narrated a Hadith from him in his Sahih, but paired it with another reliable narrator."
(Mizan al-I'tidal, 2/379)
Thus, Imam al-Bukhari did not use him as evidence in Sahih al-Bukhari.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
"Other chains for this Hadith exist besides his narration in al-Bukhari."
(Hady al-Sari li Ibn Hajar)
Therefore, this objection is resolved. All praise is due to Allah.
If someone claims that a narrator named 'Imran bin Hattan, who was a leader of the Kharijites, is found in Sahih al-Bukhari, the response is that even if the accusation of rebellion is proven, it does not harm the Hadith, as he was truthful and Hasan al-Hadith. The majority of Hadith scholars have authenticated him. Additionally, none of his narrations are part of the core principles of Sahih al-Bukhari, as Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
"There is only one Hadith of his in Mutaba'at (supporting chains), and there are many other chains for it as well."
(Hady al-Sari li Ibn Hajar, p. 433)
General Principles Regarding Innovators in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim:
- There is no narration in Sahihain from a narrator guilty of Major Innovation (Bid'ah Kubra) that leads to disbelief.
- Sahihain contains narrations from reliable and truthful innovators. Their narrations do not pose any harm.
- Sahihain contains narrations from reliable and truthful narrators who were also inviters to their innovation. This also does not cause any harm.
- Sahihain contains narrations from reliable and truthful narrators who were only accused of being innovators.
- Sahihain contains narrations from reliable and truthful narrators who were accused of innovation because they praised an innovator.
- Sahihain contains narrations from reliable and truthful narrators who were once innovators but later repented.
- It is possible that the innovator narrated the Hadith before adopting his innovation.
- Sahihain contains narrations from reliable and truthful narrators whose narrations, at first glance, seem to support their innovation. However, this does not harm the Hadith because a truthful and just narrator may interpret a sound Hadith incorrectly. When the narrator is truthful and just, his incorrect interpretation does not damage the sound Hadith. Thus, there is no obstacle to accepting his narration.