Principle of Ḥadīth Authentication by Imām Ibn Khuzaymah and the Status of Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah
Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah (Tawḍīḥ al-Aḥkām), Vol. 2, p. 303
Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah and authentic ḥadīths – What is the meaning of Imām Ibn Khuzaymah’s authentication?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
Imām Ibn Khuzaymah al-Naysābūrī رحمه الله stated at the beginning of his famous book Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah:
"مختصر المختصر من المسند الصحیح عن النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم"
(Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah, Vol. 1, p. 3)
By this statement, Imām Ibn Khuzaymah رحمه الله intended to classify his work as “al-Musnad al-Ṣaḥīḥ” — meaning a compilation of authentic ḥadīths.
From this, it becomes clear that all the ḥadīths included in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah are authentic according to him, except in cases where he explicitly declared a narration weak or indicated its weakness through a comment.
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī’s teacher, Ḥāfiẓ Ibn al-Mulaqqin, wrote regarding one ḥadīth in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah:
"وصححه ابن خزیمۃ أیضا لذکره إیاه فی صحیحه"
Meaning: “Ibn Khuzaymah also authenticated it by including it in his Ṣaḥīḥ.”
(al-Badr al-Munīr, Vol. 1, p. 619)
The method followed by both scholars and the general Muslim public has been:
If Imām Ibn Khuzaymah records a ḥadīth in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah without any criticism or objection, they declare it authentic by saying:
Ḥadīth:
"هو الطهور ماؤه، الحلال میتته"
(Meaning: The water of the sea is pure, and its dead (fish) is ḥalāl)
(Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah: 111, 112)
Regarding this narration, Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله wrote:
"وصححه ابن خزیمۃ"
(Bulūgh al-Marām: 1)
Meaning: “It was authenticated by Ibn Khuzaymah.”
A ḥadīth narrated from Sayyidunā Abū al-Samh رضي الله عنه regarding the urine of a small child was recorded by Imām Ibn Khuzaymah رحمه الله in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah (Vol. 1, p. 143, ḥadīth no. 283).
Regarding this narration, Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Nimawī رحمه الله said:
"وصححه ابن خزیمۃ"
(Āthār al-Sunan, p. 37, ḥadīth no. 48)
Meaning: “Ibn Khuzaymah authenticated this ḥadīth.”
Although Imām Ibn Khuzaymah did not explicitly state “its chain is authentic”, the mere inclusion of the narration in his Ṣaḥīḥ without any criticism constitutes authentication.
It is incorrect to assume that only those narrations in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah are authentic which have the phrase “its chain is authentic” written beside them.
The reality is:
All narrations in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah in which Imām Ibn Khuzaymah has not indicated weakness or mentioned any criticism are considered authentic according to him.
If he considered a narration weak, he would have stated it explicitly or indicated it through his commentary.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah (Tawḍīḥ al-Aḥkām), Vol. 2, p. 303
Question:
Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah and authentic ḥadīths – What is the meaning of Imām Ibn Khuzaymah’s authentication?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
Imām Ibn Khuzaymah al-Naysābūrī رحمه الله stated at the beginning of his famous book Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah:
"مختصر المختصر من المسند الصحیح عن النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم"
(Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah, Vol. 1, p. 3)
By this statement, Imām Ibn Khuzaymah رحمه الله intended to classify his work as “al-Musnad al-Ṣaḥīḥ” — meaning a compilation of authentic ḥadīths.
From this, it becomes clear that all the ḥadīths included in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah are authentic according to him, except in cases where he explicitly declared a narration weak or indicated its weakness through a comment.
Clarification by the Muḥaddithīn
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī’s teacher, Ḥāfiẓ Ibn al-Mulaqqin, wrote regarding one ḥadīth in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah:
"وصححه ابن خزیمۃ أیضا لذکره إیاه فی صحیحه"
Meaning: “Ibn Khuzaymah also authenticated it by including it in his Ṣaḥīḥ.”
(al-Badr al-Munīr, Vol. 1, p. 619)
Approach of Scholars and the General Public
The method followed by both scholars and the general Muslim public has been:
If Imām Ibn Khuzaymah records a ḥadīth in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah without any criticism or objection, they declare it authentic by saying:
- “It has been authenticated by Imām Ibn Khuzaymah” or
- “According to Imām Ibn Khuzaymah, this ḥadīth is authentic.”
Example 1
Ḥadīth:
"هو الطهور ماؤه، الحلال میتته"
(Meaning: The water of the sea is pure, and its dead (fish) is ḥalāl)
(Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah: 111, 112)
Regarding this narration, Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله wrote:
"وصححه ابن خزیمۃ"
(Bulūgh al-Marām: 1)
Meaning: “It was authenticated by Ibn Khuzaymah.”
Example 2
A ḥadīth narrated from Sayyidunā Abū al-Samh رضي الله عنه regarding the urine of a small child was recorded by Imām Ibn Khuzaymah رحمه الله in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah (Vol. 1, p. 143, ḥadīth no. 283).
Regarding this narration, Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Nimawī رحمه الله said:
"وصححه ابن خزیمۃ"
(Āthār al-Sunan, p. 37, ḥadīth no. 48)
Meaning: “Ibn Khuzaymah authenticated this ḥadīth.”
Although Imām Ibn Khuzaymah did not explicitly state “its chain is authentic”, the mere inclusion of the narration in his Ṣaḥīḥ without any criticism constitutes authentication.
Important Clarification
It is incorrect to assume that only those narrations in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah are authentic which have the phrase “its chain is authentic” written beside them.
The reality is:
- Simply recording a ḥadīth in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah without any criticism or weakness mentioned is itself a declaration of authenticity from Imām Ibn Khuzaymah.
Conclusion
All narrations in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah in which Imām Ibn Khuzaymah has not indicated weakness or mentioned any criticism are considered authentic according to him.
If he considered a narration weak, he would have stated it explicitly or indicated it through his commentary.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
