INTEGRITY
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم الحمد لله و الصلاة و السلام على رسول الله و على أهله و صحبه و من تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين اما بعد:
From the amazing affairs of today, is that we take our narrations from every مبهم و مجهول (Ambiguous and Unknown person).
Included in the scheme of things, are also the criminals and individuals which no one really knows who they truly are. Some hide behind Kunyas, Luqabs (nicknames) and/or names that cannot even be verified if it is actually them at all.
They fill social media sites with their words, translations, and Fitnah. A part of this is due to us leaving off the principles which we learned from our scholars and teachers that we once held tightly to. Currently, it seems that all one has to do is say he's Salafi, and no one even verifies if a trustworthy Salafi knows this person, has ever had dealings with this person or can verify their trustworthiness.
These unknown individuals who are in jail or other than jail, whose identification and integrity cannot be verified have become more reliable (with some) than those who are known (in real time and in person) by reliable people. Due to this unfortunate and acrimonious circumstance and situation we find ourselves in today, and due to the fact of these unknown criminals becoming more reliable (with some) than those who are known (in real time, an in-person) by the reliable people; the question must be asked, what makes them known?! Who are they and who can attest to their truthfulness?!
Even-though these simple questions cannot be answered, people still spread their speech like Hadeeth, without asking, "Who is this person?" or saying to them, "Name for us your men." Henceforth, we will use the science of Hadeeth, to clarify this grave mistake and leniency we have adopted. Let us first begin with the Book of Allaah about accepting the narrations of sinners, which also includes those whose condition is unknown.
Allaah says what translates to mean: "O you who believe! *If a Faasiq comes to you with any news, verify it, lest you should harm people in ignorance,* and afterward you become regretful for what you have done” (al-Hujuraat 49:6)
The scholars of Usulul Fiqh say: (مفهوم المخالفة) The opposite is understood from this ayah: "If a trustworthy person comes to you with news, accept his report." It seems that we are doing the opposite and are rejecting the reports of the trustworthy ones and are accepting the reports of the unknown (criminals).
This lackadaisical practice has lead us to accept the narrations of liars also. In the science of Hadeeth, the scholars accept the narrations of one who spread lies amongst the people, but only after his repentance. As it relates to lying on the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم then there is ikhtilaaf as it relates to his statements being accepted after his repentance.
As for us (unfortunately), we accept the statements of the liars, the unknown, the vague, the insane, and, and, and; even without the person repenting. All he has to do is say, "I'm Salafi." Individuals who narrate everything that they hear and the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said about such person on the authority of:
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
كَفَى بِالْمَرْءِ كَذِبًا أَنْ يُحَدِّثَ بِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعَ صحيح مسلم
“It is sufficient(calling) a person a lair, that he narrates everything he hears.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim )
Imaam Adh-Dhahabi رحمه الله outlines a foundation for us as it relates to an authentic narration in
:الموقظة في علم مصطلح الحديث: " الحديث الصحيح هو ما دار على عدل
"An authentic narration is what revolves around 'Adl ('Adaalah)..." pg42
The scholars say that from uprightness (al-‘Adaalah) in deen is: "one free from Fisq (sinfulness)..." A person who is known for crime and to be a criminal is considered a Faasiq, so how can his words be trusted and narrations are accepted without verification?
Likewise, an unknown and/or ambiguous person, how can we ascertain that he is upon uprightness ('Adaalah)? Coupled with this Fisq, the criminals' situation becomes even more doubtful when they are ambiguous and unknown, which adds to their untrustworthy nature. Thus, this should cause one to reject their narration(s) coupled with the fact that they are not able to verify the accuracy of it.
The scholars of the science of Hadeeth say that a Majhool is: "The one whose state, integrity and precision is unknown and the level of his knowledge...and the narrations of the unknown with its two categories:
1. مجهول عين: The one who is not known at all. Example: a man narrated or a shaykh narrated. 2.مجهول الحال: The one who is known, but whose condition (i.e. integrity and precision) is not known.
Such an individual, narration is not accepted by him, unless the state of being unknown is lifted and his integrity and precision have been verified (and or similar wording). The people of the past took knowing men and their narrations so serious, they dedicated chapters in their writings and authored books about men.
One such chapter is الجرح و التعديل (praise and criticism). Imaam Adh-Dhahabi رحمه الله laid down this Manhaj of understanding men in:
ميزان الاعتدال في نقد الرجال Meezaanul I'tidaal Fee Naqd Al-Rijaal
In it, when defining men who are trustworthy in their narrations, he used terms such as:
صدوق إن شاء الله, وثبت حافظ,و لا بأس به، وشيخ حسن الحديث, ثبت حجة، و نحو ذلك
Truthful in shaa Allaah, precise memorizer. There is no problem with him. Shaykh sound (Hasan) in Hadeeth. Precise evidence (Hujjah)... and the likes of that.
When it came to criticism of men, he used terms such as:
دجَّال كذَّاب، ومتفق على تركه، ثم متروك ليس بثقة، هالك، وساقط، وضعيف جدًا، وواه، ومنكر الحديث، وفيه ضعف، ليس بالقوي، ليس بحجة, اختلف فيه، صدوق لكنه مبتدع، لين ونحو ذلك.
- Imposter Liar
- Consensus upon his abandonment
- Rejected/Not Upright (Thiqqah)
- Destroyed
- Dropped (Saaqit)
- Very Weak (in his narrations)
- Flimsy (as it relates to what he narrates)
- denied
- In him is weakness
- Not strong (as regards to his memory)
- (He’s) not an evidence
- There differing about him (whether he's trustworthy or not)
- Truthful, but he's an innovator.
- Lenient (as it relates to what he narrate), and so on (from the phrases that indicate the status of the denial of the narrator's).
The science of Jarh (criticism) and Ta’deel (praise) of men and knowing men is not just for the books of Hadeeth, nor is it dead and/or buried. It is alive and used in our 'Aqeedah and Manhaj on a daily basis.
To this the eminent Shaykh, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih Al-Utahymeen رحمه الله responded:
أنا أخشى أن تكون هذه كلمة حق أريد بها باطل ، الْجَرح والتعديل لَم يَمُت ولَم يدفن ولَم يُمْرض ولله الحمد ، هو قائم .
“I fear that this is a statement of truth, intending by it falsehood. Jarh (criticism) and Ta'deel (praise) is not dead, nor is it buried, nor is it sick. All praise be for Allaah, it is (well) established (and alive)
…" فالْجَرح والتعديل لا يزال باقيًا ما دَام نوع الإنسان باقيًا...
“The (science of) Jarh and the Ta'deel remains as long as the human species exist…
" إلا إذا رأينا شخصًا مُعينًا قد فُتِنَ الناس به ، وهو يَدْعو إلى بدْعة أو إلى ضَلالة ، فَحِينئذ لا بدّ منْ التّعيين حَتى لا يَغترّ الناس به. “Except if we see a certain person who the people are fascinated with and he calls to innovation or misguidance, then it is necessary (in that case) to specify him by name, so that the people will not be deceived by him.” [http://www.multiupload.com/RIJ1J1CW7P]
Today, how many people are fooled, dazzled by and lured into the words of the unknown (Majhool), ambiguous (Mubham), liars, and unreliable individuals via social media to the point a criminal (in jail) can narrate and be accepted as trustworthy, hands down, no questions asked!
For this, Imaam Muslim رحمه الله wrote in his introduction:
عن محمد بن سيرين: إن هذا العلم دين، فانظروا عمن تأخذونه. Muhammad ibn Sireen رحمه الله said: "Indeed this knowledge is deen, therefore look from those you take (it) from."
And he said: وقال : لم يكونوا يسألون عن الإسناد فلما وقعت الفتنة قالوا: سموا لنا رجالكم، "They (the Salaf) did not (previously) ask about the the chain of narrators, but when the trials and tribulations occurred they said, ‘Name to us your men.’
" فينظر إلى أهل السنة فيؤخذ حديثهم، وينظر إلى أهل البدعة فلا يؤخذ حديثهم، “So the people of Sunnah would be looked at and their Hadeeth were taken and the people of innovation would be looked at and their Hadeeth would not be taken.”
لذلك لا تقبل إلا رواية المعلوم عينا وحالا. “Therefore, none save the narration of the known individual, whose person (i.e. name etc.) and condition (are known), is accepted.” [End Quote]
I say:
أين نحن من هؤلاء "Where are we in comparison to them?"
For starters, we have left the principles of accepting authentic reports, from reliable people and have begun narrating from every claimant. May Allaah Ta'ala guide me and you, to what He loves and is pleased with. All good contained within is from Allaah and Allaah alone. Any and all mistakes are from myself and the Shaytaan.
Written: By the hands of the one in need of His Mercy, Abu 'AbdilHaadee Khaleel Davis
Edited and checked by: Abu Saalih Ilyas Aidarus al-Kanadi (Student at Umul Qura University Faculty of Kitab and Sunnah)
Edited: Abu Yusuf Khalifah (Student of knowledge who studied in Egypt for a number of years and is currently the Imaam of Masjid Nur Allah in Queens, New York)
