Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
Can the narration of a trustworthy narrator (thiqah) be declared defective (maʿlūl) due to its conflict with the narration of a weak narrator (ḍaʿīf)?
If a trustworthy narrator reports something in opposition to a weak narrator, the narration of the trustworthy narrator cannot be considered defective. The narration of a weak narrator is not accepted, nor is it acted upon.
Since it is not permissible to take evidence from a weak, solitary narration in the first place, then how can such a narration ever be used to reject the report of a trustworthy narrator?
✔ Imam al-Nasā’ī رحمه الله (303 AH):
“Judgment is not passed against trustworthy narrators based on weak ones.”
(السنن الكبرى, no. 5967)
✔ Hafiz al-Bayhaqī رحمه الله (458 AH):
“The narrations of trustworthy narrators are not considered defective because of the narrations of weak narrators.”
(السنن الكبرى: 10/168)
Conclusion:
The narration of a trustworthy narrator is never undermined by the narration of a weak narrator. Weak reports have no weight in comparison and cannot be used to challenge the reliability of authentic narrations.
◈ Question:
Can the narration of a trustworthy narrator (thiqah) be declared defective (maʿlūl) due to its conflict with the narration of a weak narrator (ḍaʿīf)?
◈ Answer:
If a trustworthy narrator reports something in opposition to a weak narrator, the narration of the trustworthy narrator cannot be considered defective. The narration of a weak narrator is not accepted, nor is it acted upon.
Since it is not permissible to take evidence from a weak, solitary narration in the first place, then how can such a narration ever be used to reject the report of a trustworthy narrator?
❀ Statements of the Scholars
✔ Imam al-Nasā’ī رحمه الله (303 AH):
“Judgment is not passed against trustworthy narrators based on weak ones.”
(السنن الكبرى, no. 5967)
✔ Hafiz al-Bayhaqī رحمه الله (458 AH):
“The narrations of trustworthy narrators are not considered defective because of the narrations of weak narrators.”
(السنن الكبرى: 10/168)
Conclusion:The narration of a trustworthy narrator is never undermined by the narration of a weak narrator. Weak reports have no weight in comparison and cannot be used to challenge the reliability of authentic narrations.
