Islamic Methodologies Made Easy by Ehab Shawky - HTML preview
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so
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ip
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o
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tio
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ater
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as late
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p
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et
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s b
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rm
o
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an
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you w
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e,
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t.
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ate
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o
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ip
ea
th
f th
g
in
th
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at
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ip
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ash
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lin
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ar
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o
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W
o
tu
W
th
Descr
T
p
h
W
clea
.2
.3
.0
I.N.
6
6
7
53
t
e
g
.
’t
th
u
m
se
g
’t
e
n’t
le
in
in
to
i-
n
ip
ell
au
d
d
r in
eler
b
ld
ated
r, b
sib
ec
av
A
u
w
g
ea
ar
ea
n
doesn
is
r. So
av
b
tr
n
co
e
y had
t
ro
tw
m
tr
tw
e
ca
n
ree
n
so
reg
relate
o
f Ib
al
n
e
o
er
ee
d
id
e
e
fo
r th
o
so
purit
m
) ab
fo
-Ja
y
er
e
n
:6
e
s p
n
w
a
dy e
fo
er
ng as h
.
ree
et
(5
is ritu
th
w
v
p
f Ib
b
e
r w
h
n
ff th
ip
itio
or im
im
ag
er
it
o
n
T
ea
sh
ad
th
t a
aj
h
is
se
v
o
d
at
a
er
n
g
tr
m
o
at
t.
s co
tw
s as lo
e
f d
v
g
ctio
n
n
o
in
ar
e
th
th
th
itio
n
e
k
d
allen
o
at
in
ti
fo
th
w
n
w
m
itio
ts h
ef
ip
ad
is
e
ta
sa
an
sock
b
so
th
sa
tr
d
ad
d
ted
e
e
tr
th
n
p
her
ea
f w
ts
a
e
er
, a
resen
ited
at
R
e
settle
v
ce
s o
ris
f th
g
p
as h
m
le
off and th
n
ad
in
o
n
li
ju
o
g
f th
g
se
ac
h
e
m
bbās saw
4
e
m
ra
e
itio
se
elli
lek
e
ts
in
ein
st o
ca
m
th
th
h
ti
ad
th
au
b
o
ip
av
c
Mā
ma
er
e
ec
ris
m
w
tr
‘E
e
v
Ibn ‘A
tr
b
ju
&
su
b
o
tak
i
.
tic”
ed
ar
m
m
h
tic”
ed
k”
ed
ood
ree
rd
k
sli
rd
sliu
rd
w
then
o
u
then
o
ea
o
Deg
ec
B
ec
M
ec
y
Mu
y
“W
“Au
R
b
&
“Au
R
b
R
by Dā
-
s
m
n
a
f
s
1
“I
7
ng
hen
r Al
o
he
ca
s?’
d
w
Isla
d
ay
d
at,
’
e
prophet
W
is
te
e
io
, “T
d
ent.”
an
r?’
id
th
?’
’
ch
as lo
th
ap
er
r
] 3
ea
r.”
n.”
p
g
’
s.’
e
ce
the
at
brac
ea
eler
res
day
ip
n
ea
f ch
e
in
orted
prophet,
, ‘Yes.
nd 3 day
I rea
’ ”
e
th
o
tw
av
e
d for 2 days?’
th
o
ip
r a
, ‘Yes.
id
ld
n
elatio
g
tr
‘O
, ‘Ye
till
, ‘W
ke.
v
“I em
fo
[w
e
r th
rep
y footw
said
, ‘Yes.
E
n, ‘A
, “I saw
o
footw
in
h
s to
rev
d
e
, ‘Fo
ed
said
t f
m
n, ‘An
ai
said
ask
said
al
a
elatio
ar
th
r th
h
ra
ed
said
you li
g
said
its
w
ai
e
his
ag
to
r w
er
ig
ma
over
d he
he
L
r said
rev
v
ts fo
prophet,
prophet
He
ag
as
e
, he
ter
reg
ed
o
allo
h
nd
e
e
I ask
ed
An
ked
So
u
en he
ree
ree
th
h
af
g
et
ig
n
i-‘E
ip
he
e over
a
said
in
h
b
th
So
tin
p
n
a
T
n
s, th
-Ja
ip
-Ja
re
’id
li
ip
d
A
ed
I w
I as
n
n
o
ay
w
ro
n
I ask
ef
‘A
w
p
an
d
So
day
Ib
Ib
b
Ma
Ib
ask
So
I co
le
le
le
le
r
,
r
s
r
r
,
r
s
r
,
r
s
g
ts
as
n
me
o
y
ts
ts
fo
g
ile
aj
rit
't n
.
fo
fo
lin
h
issib
issib
issib
issib
en
s fo
eler
n
ca
th
u
u
en
s fo
eler
en
s fo
eler
u
ay
ay
u
p
w
m
p
ad
allen
oy ay
ay
ay
ay
R
m
m
m
m
d
av
o
n
e
h
ef
d
av
d
av
er
er
er
er
1
d
tr
y
ee
o
im
b
1
d
tr
1
d
tr
P
P
P
P
resid
3
As lo
k
th
resid
3
resid
3
h
l
h
l
i
a
i
a
t
ifa
b
ifa
b
n
n
n
n
ris
lek
lek
Ju
-Ha
-Ha
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-Ha
u
Mā
Shafe‘
n
u
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Shafe‘
n
b
b
A
Ib
A
Ib
n
t
r
er
k
u
.
le
r
er
r.
tio
g
e
ic
n
g
n
v
ea
p
r
fo
ip
in
th
ric
s) if
o
ile
in
u
ea
tio
e
d
o
e
ip
ad
h
g
er
tw
m
h
p
o
issib
o
. leath
s, th
ck
h
e
y
lu
T
m
io
in
th
tw
W
v
fab
w
ee
o
o
fo
ck
so
uo th
k
ab
er
er
ip
Descr
(i.e
fo
so
y
P
p
w
.1
.2
I.N.
7
7
54
e
tees
lik
e
2 ts
:
e
t
g
d
t.
y
an
th
e
ar
a
.
n
th
et
g
ar
p
s
ts
in
n
ich
fee
h
to
s.
u
ject
in
th
a
tter
s a
sis
h
p
b
r
n
er
th
a
ip
y
is
alo
ser
.
G
ed
w
ris
w
er
w
h
ro
su
n
w
les i
fo
ee
ts
ju
m
f w
g
al
d
h
an
slim
es)
le
t
o
P
&
n
w
lo
e
sa
e
n
y
h
v
p
n
ar
d
o
fin
an
h
o
as
g
e
tio
so
et
e
p
n
t
y
’s clo
t th
er
e
b
u
ills
r Mu
m
en
b
th
f th
a
u
n
ree
en
b
w
ro
rea
er
s &
d
ed
hat
ed
g
p
n
o
an
e
fo
rized
– Sla
e sim
ree
s m
e
in
p
th
fer
d
in
th
o
ar
– W
n
n
er
u
itio
m
h
if
u
la
se
o
ag
th
h
ip
e
rest o
r ab
e
it
d
f tear
it
ff an
p
led
teg
res
n
is
x
on w
f w
res).
itio
e
at
w
e
ad
ea
w
o
n
ea
u
g
th
th
o
tr
th
e
ad
it o
g
ca
:
su
d
f d
t e
sett
ad
s ar
at
d
k
cl
n
n
h
ce
ag
e
o
in
d
g
rs o
ea
is
o
ll
lek
th
an
ile
e
o
o
y
m
k
n
’s
g
in
e
tr
ce
th
n
t tr
h
ea
d
e
based
n
w
er
h
e
ro
as
it
rin
w
o
al
so
en
ce
Mā
le
e
resen
ce
n
p
to
said
b
, w
e
s w
iffer
b
p
th
st ta
b
ics an
llo
ris
d
n
ea
ce
. T
d
u
w
, so
p
o
fer
t.
d
ry
e
n
en
d
n
R
n
th
rd
ld
fo
if
en
e
o
’t d
ce
er
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atio
n
u
n
m
ad
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e
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ati
d
id
m
esira
ato
ed
o
th
r a
n
atter
m
y
s – P
ts
o
s an
w
id
h
o
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55
Please note that:
Studying the Islamic jurisprudence from books written more than 1000 years ago is like walking in a mine field. Normally, it’s always hard to understand the jurisprudential opinions based upon people’s customs or welfare back at that time. Most jurists didn’t have the comprehensive books which we have today. They didn’t have the computerized search programs which we use on daily basis. They didn’t have the internet to use as a means of correspondence or communication; the postal system during their time depended on postmen traveling on horses for months. Many authentic traditions didn’t reach them before they placed their opinions, etc.
The reader should be able to understand that the different jurisprudential schools of thought which most Muslims hold on to very tight are not Islam; they are opinions and interpretative judgments given by fallible men. No matter how knowledgeable and great those men were, they will always remain fallible men who were neither inspired through archangels, nor did they ever claim that their opinions were the absolute correct ones. From this point, it should be clear that the door to practicing interpretative judgment ( Ijtihad Ar-Ra’y) must be kept wide open, and the practice itself should never stop.
Every day we need new jurisprudential opinions that suit our modern lives and the circumstances forced upon us. Those fancy jurists who love to issue opinions based only on the famous schools of thought should really start looking at the wider view of this life; they should leave that dark box in which they have imprisoned their minds, and seek to give Muslims new enlightening opinions that can help the nation move forward and achieve progress.
All jurists say that insurance is a kind of usury and gambling, but they never present a solution for a Muslim investor who imports raw materials costing millions through sea shipments; what should he do to protect both, his business and the future of 300 workers and their families from the hazards that face his investment if his shipment was lost at sea?! All jurists stipulate that bank interest on investment loans is usury, but they never submit any solid suggestion of a detailed law to the parliament explaining the changes they deem necessary in order to rectify the bank transactions so that they would become lawful. Many scholars find it easier to say this is Haram or forbidden than to seek a lawful solution and a way out for our nation. This should really stop. Detailed solutions should be sought by the knowledgeable scholars instead of the widely-spread undefined catchy slogans which are always raised by the so-called Islamists.
56
The Methodology of Classifying the Prophetic Traditions
Traditionist ( Muhad-deth) is the name given to any scholar who contributes in collecting, recording, and propagating the prophetic traditions. We have already spoken about the emergence of this science, and named the most famous figures who contributed in its foundation. In this section of the book, we are going to define the methodology followed by the scholars of the next generations in classifying the prophetic traditions, known as ( ‘Elm Mustalah Al-Hadith).
Any prophetic tradition is divided into 2 parts: the chain of narrators “CON” ( Al-Sanad), and the body of the tradition itself ( Al-Matn). CON could be defined as a list of the names of those who have reported the tradition. Every narrator reports what he heard from his sheikh, until the list reaches a companion who narrates a deed, a saying or an incident related to the prophet P.B.U.H. In each level of this list, there could be more than one narrator who had heard and reported the tradition from his sheikh1.
CON goes as follows:
Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H.
Level 1: The Companions.
(E.g., Lady ‘Āʾishah)
Level 2: The Followers.
(E.g., ‘Urwah Ibn Az-Zubair)
Level 3: The Third Generation.
(E.g., Hesham Ibn ‘Urwah)
Level 4: The Fourth Generation.
(E.g., Imam Mālek)
Level 5: The Fifth Generation.
(E.g., ‘Abdullah Ibn Yousuf)
Level 6: The Sixth Generation.
(E.g., Bukhari)
Traditions are classified according to their authenticity into the following two kinds: 1. Recurrent ( Mutawater): is the tradition reported by at least 6 scholars in each level of its CON (the preferred number by most scholars is 10), whose agreement on a lie is inconceivable. It could be:
a) Recurrent in wording ( Mutawater Lafdhan): This means that all narrators reported exactly the same wording. Scholars counted the traditions of this kind to be 10 traditions. These are the most authentic of all traditions.
b) Recurrent in meaning ( Mutawater Ma‘nan): This means that the narrators stated exactly the same meaning but with different wording. Scholars counted the traditions of this kind to be approximately 310 traditions.
2. Narrations of Individuals NOI ( Āhād): is the tradition reported by less than 6 scholars in each level of its CON. It could be:
a) Widely Spread ( Mash-hoor): it is the tradition reported by 3, 4, or 5 scholars in each level of its CON. It might have 1 or 2 reporters at the primary levels of its CON but in the next levels it becomes widely spread.
b) Rare ( ‘Aziz): is the tradition reported by 2 scholars in each level of its CON.
c) Strange ( Ghareeb): is the tradition reported by 1 scholar in one or more levels of its CON. It is either Absolutely Strange ( Ghareeb Mutlaq) if it is narrated by 1 companion, or Relatively Strange ( Ghareeb Nisbee) if it has 1 narrator in any level of its CON after the level of the companions.
1: For simplicity, we are going to refer to “chain of narrators” with the abbreviation CON
and “narrations of individuals” with NOI.
57
Recurrent traditions were considered authentic without the need for further investigation.
On the other hand, traditionists agreed that NOI were speculative, meaning that their relation to the prophet is indecisive as the number of its narrators did not reach the minimum limit of frequency that may establish certitude. But since that this kind constitutes the majority of the traditions, they decided to make further investigation aiming to authenticate it. Although they agreed that its primary classification as an indecisive tradition stands still, they also agreed that it is the duty of every Muslim to adhere to the teachings of such traditions if authenticated, but they do not accuse the one who rejects any NOI for logical scholarly reasons of apostasy or disbelief.
Let’s get to know how they defined and classified the different NOI.
Classification of NOIs (From the strongest to the weakest):
1. Authentic NOI ( Saheeh): is any tradition having a continuous chain of narrators who are all known to be trustworthy, accurate, and having sound memories. It must not be defective or errant.
a) Continuous CON: is the chain in which each narrator is known to have studied, or at least met the one from whom he reported the tradition.
b) Trustworthy Narrator: is any Muslim who was never known of lying not even once, who was never known of having committed any major sin or of being an innovator or an immoral person. His reputation of having full knowledge of what he narrates is indisputable, and he totally understands how different expressions may alter the meaning intended.
c) A Narrator having Sound Memory: is the narrator who can memorize what’s reported to him, and report it back accurately with exactly the same CON
and wording. His reports agree with those of the leading authorities in this field.
d) An Accurate scribe: is the traditionist who is known to have written down and recorded the traditions reported to him accurately. The narrations taken from him must be from his books and records.
e) Defective Tradition ( Ma‘lool): is a tradition that appears to be authentic; nonetheless, with further investigation, it turns out to be incorrect.
f) Errant Tradition ( Shadh): is a tradition reported by a trustworthy accurate narrator, but its meaning or CON contradicts in a clear manner another tradition having a more reliable CON; or else, it contradicts a group of traditions with similar status. Such tradition is classified as errant or irregular.
2. Authenticated by another ( Saheeh Lighaireh): is a good well accepted tradition ( Hasan) that is elevated to the rank of an authentic one due to the existence of supporting evidences.
a) Supporting Evidence: is an expression that refers to the existence of numerous narrations of similar status to the one under study, or the existence of a more authentic narration implying the same meaning. This raises the status of the well accepted tradition to become authenticated by another.
3. Good, well accepted Tradition ( Hasan): is the strongest after the previous two kinds. The difference between it and the authentic tradition is that its CON includes a narrator who is trustworthy but has a mediocre level of accuracy. He may also be
“screened” ( Mastoor), meaning that no prominent person reported from him; nonetheless, he was never known of being careless.
58
4. Well accepted by another ( Hasan Lighaireh): is a weak tradition ( Da‘eef) that is elevated to the rank of a good well accepted one due to the existence of supporting evidences.
5. Weak Tradition ( Da‘eef): after the previous 4 kinds of NOI, scholars classified any weaker tradition according to the reason of its weakness mainly into 12 kinds.
In addition to the defective and errant traditions defined above, the following 10 kinds are classified as weak:
a) Ascribed Tradition ( Mursal): is a tradition whose CON lacks the name of the companion who reported it from the prophet P.B.U.H. Some jurists agree that if the follower was trustworthy, then the tradition is considered legitimate evidence as much as an authentic one. That’s because all companions are trustworthy as testified for them by the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Other jurists, like Imam Shāfe‘i, stipulated that the follower must be a famous, trustworthy, elder one, so that his narrations would be accepted; e.g., Shāfe‘i accepted the ascribed reports of Sa‘eed Ibn Al-Musayyab. Imam Ahmad accepted ascribed and weak traditions if no text opposing them was found.
Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H.
--------
Level 2: The Followers.
Level 3: The Third Generation.
Level 4: The Fourth Generation.
Level 5: The Fifth Generation.
Level 6: The Sixth Generation.
b) Disconnected Tradition ( Munqate‘): is a tradition whose CON lacks one of the names between the narrator and the companion who reported it1. The table below is a simplified illustration of this.
Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H.
Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H.
Level 1: The Companions.
Level 1: The Companions.
--------
Level 2: The Followers.
Level 3: The Third Generation.
--------
Level 4: The Fourth Generation.
Level 4: The Fourth Generation.
Level 5: The Fifth Generation.
Level 5: The Fifth Generation.
Level 6: The Sixth Generation.
Level 6: The Sixth Generation.
Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H.
Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H.
Level 1: The Companions.
Level 1: The Companions.
Level 2: The Followers.
Level 2: The Followers.
Level 3: The Third Generation.
Level 3: The Third Generation.
--------
Level 4: The Fourth Generation.
Level 5: The Fifth Generation.
--------
Level 6: The Sixth Generation.
Level 6: The Sixth Generation.
This kind should not be confused with the “severed tradition” ( Maqtu‘), which is a narration from a successor that neither reaches a companion, nor is it ascribed to the prophet P.B.U.H. This kind could only be accepted as a prophetic tradition after thorough investigation. Al-Muwatta’ has approximately 285 Maqtu‘ traditions.
1: For any incomplete CON, the narrators mentioned could all be trustworthy but the missing name or names weaken the tradition and give preponderance to its fallacy unless stronger evidence raises its status to a Hasan tradition.
59
c) Problematic Tradition ( Mu‘dal): is a tradition whose CON lacks 2 consecutive names between the narrator and the prophet P.B.U.H. The following table is a simplified illustration of this.
Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H.
Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H.
--------
Level 1: The Companions.
--------
--------
Level 3: The Third Generation.
--------
Level 4: The Fourth Generation.
Level 4: The Fourth Generation.
Level 5: The Fifth Generation.
Level 5: The Fifth Generation.
Level 6: The Sixth Generation.
Level 6: The Sixth Generation.
Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H.
Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H.
Level 1: The Companions.
Level 1: The Companions.
Level 2: The Followers.
Level 2: The Followers.
--------
Level 3: The Third Generation.
--------
--------
Level 5: The Fifth Generation.
--------
Level 6: The Sixth Generation.
Level 6: The Sixth Generation.
d) Hanging Tradition ( Mu‘allaq): is a tradition whose CON lacks the names of the narrators between the one reporting it and the prophet or the companion or the follower. The table below is a simplified illustration of this.
Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H.