Meaning of “Jumhoor Muhaddithin” and the Principle of Their Identification
Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Vol. 3, Chapter: Issues of Tawheed and Sunnah, p. 80
Who are meant by “Jumhoor” (the majority)? In many of your writings, the term “Jumhoor” is mentioned. What do you mean by it, and which Muhaddithin and scholars are included in this category?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾAmma baʿd:
In the science of Asmāʾ al-Rijāl, “Jumhoor” refers to the majority of the Muhaddithin who are:
◈ Thiqah (trustworthy)
◈ Ṣadūq (truthful)
◈ Ṣaḥīḥ al-ʿAqīdah (of sound belief)
Meaning: If, regarding a certain issue, one scholar is on one side and two or more are on the other, the opinion of the two or more is considered the view of the Jumhoor.
Faliḥ ibn Sulaymān al-Madanī رحمه الله — a narrator in both Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim — has been criticized (jarḥ) by some Muhaddithin, while others have authenticated (taʿdīl) him.
Total: 10 Muhaddithin
Note: The criticism attributed to Imām Abū Dāwūd رحمه الله is not authentically established, so it should not be cited.
Total: 17 Muhaddithin
Reference: Tahqīqī Maqālāt, Vol. 4, pp. 368–370
Al-Bayhaqī رحمه الله:
Reconciliation:
صحيح الحديث في غيرها ما أنكر عليه
— The narration is authentic in other chains; only certain parts were objected to.
This detailed research shows that Faliḥ ibn Sulaymān is considered by the Jumhoor Muhaddithin to be:
◈ Thiqah
◈ Ṣadūq
◈ Ṣaḥīḥ al-ḥadīth or Ḥasan al-ḥadīth
Therefore, the criticism against him is rejected.
The Jumhoor Muhaddithin and scholars belong to various generations:
➊ The Ṣaḥābah رضي الله عنهم
➋ The Tābiʿīn رحمهم الله
➌ The Atbāʿ al-Tābiʿīn رحمهم الله
➍ The Atbāʿ Atbāʿ al-Tābiʿīn رحمهم الله — i.e., the first three centuries known as Khayr al-Qurūn
➎ The era of ḥadīth compilation (up to the 6th Hijri century)
➏ The scholars of Islam up to the 9th Hijri century
Date: 18 August 2013
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Vol. 3, Chapter: Issues of Tawheed and Sunnah, p. 80
Question:
Who are meant by “Jumhoor” (the majority)? In many of your writings, the term “Jumhoor” is mentioned. What do you mean by it, and which Muhaddithin and scholars are included in this category?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾAmma baʿd:
Definition of Jumhoor
In the science of Asmāʾ al-Rijāl, “Jumhoor” refers to the majority of the Muhaddithin who are:
◈ Thiqah (trustworthy)
◈ Ṣadūq (truthful)
◈ Ṣaḥīḥ al-ʿAqīdah (of sound belief)
Meaning: If, regarding a certain issue, one scholar is on one side and two or more are on the other, the opinion of the two or more is considered the view of the Jumhoor.
Example for Clarification
Faliḥ ibn Sulaymān al-Madanī رحمه الله — a narrator in both Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim — has been criticized (jarḥ) by some Muhaddithin, while others have authenticated (taʿdīl) him.
Muhaddithin who Criticized Him:
- Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn رحمه الله
- Abū Ḥātim al-Rāzī رحمه الله
- Al-Nasāʾī رحمه الله
- Abū Aḥmad al-Ḥākim ʿAlī ibn al-Madīnī رحمه الله
- Abū Kāmil Muẓaffar ibn Mudrik
- Abū Zurʿah al-Rāzī رحمه الله
- Al-ʿUqaylī رحمه الله
- Ibn al-Jawzī رحمه الله
- Al-Bayhaqī رحمه الله
Total: 10 Muhaddithin
Note: The criticism attributed to Imām Abū Dāwūd رحمه الله is not authentically established, so it should not be cited.
Muhaddithin who Authenticated Him:
- Imām al-Bukhārī رحمه الله
- Imām Muslim رحمه الله
- Imām al-Bayhaqī رحمه الله
- Imām Ibn Khuzaymah رحمه الله
- Imām al-Tirmidhī رحمه الله
- Imām al-Ḥākim رحمه الله
- Imām Ibn ʿAdī رحمه الله
- Imām al-Dhahabī رحمه الله
- Imām Ibn Ḥibbān رحمه الله
- Imām al-Dāraqutnī رحمه الله
- Imām Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī رحمه الله
- Imām Ibn al-Jārūd رحمه الله
- Imām Abū ʿAwanah رحمه الله
- Imām Abū Nuʿaym al-Aṣbahānī رحمه الله
- Imām Ḍiyāʾ al-Maqdisī رحمه الله
- Imām al-Baghawī رحمه الله
- Imām Ibn Shāhīn رحمه الله
- And others
Total: 17 Muhaddithin
Reference: Tahqīqī Maqālāt, Vol. 4, pp. 368–370
Important Note:
Al-Bayhaqī رحمه الله:
- Declared one narration authentic
- Declared another as munkar
Reconciliation:
صحيح الحديث في غيرها ما أنكر عليه
— The narration is authentic in other chains; only certain parts were objected to.
Conclusion:
This detailed research shows that Faliḥ ibn Sulaymān is considered by the Jumhoor Muhaddithin to be:
◈ Thiqah
◈ Ṣadūq
◈ Ṣaḥīḥ al-ḥadīth or Ḥasan al-ḥadīth
Therefore, the criticism against him is rejected.
Scope of “Jumhoor” According to Me:
The Jumhoor Muhaddithin and scholars belong to various generations:
➊ The Ṣaḥābah رضي الله عنهم
➋ The Tābiʿīn رحمهم الله
➌ The Atbāʿ al-Tābiʿīn رحمهم الله
➍ The Atbāʿ Atbāʿ al-Tābiʿīn رحمهم الله — i.e., the first three centuries known as Khayr al-Qurūn
➎ The era of ḥadīth compilation (up to the 6th Hijri century)
➏ The scholars of Islam up to the 9th Hijri century
Conditions to be Counted Among the Jumhoor:
- Sound creed (ṣaḥīḥ al-ʿaqīdah)
- Trustworthy (thiqah)
- Truthful (ṣadūq)
Not Included in the Jumhoor:
- Weak (ḍaʿīf) or criticized (majrūḥ) narrators
- People of innovation (ahl al-bidʿah) from deviant sects
- Their inclusion or exclusion makes no difference, as they carry no weight in this matter.
Date: 18 August 2013
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
