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A critical analysis of the Modernists and the Hadeeth ... - Islam House

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On page, 356-57 he writes,<br />

"The first thing that is examined in judging a narration is<br />

<strong>the</strong> status <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> narrators. In this regard, each <strong>and</strong> every<br />

narrator is examined through various manners, whe<strong>the</strong>r he<br />

is a liar, careless in narrating narrations, sinner or heretic,<br />

dubious or weak in his memory, whe<strong>the</strong>r his condition is<br />

unknown or his condition is known. By all <strong>the</strong>se conditions<br />

<strong>the</strong> status <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> narrators were examined by <strong>the</strong><br />

Muhaddi<strong>the</strong>en, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>y thus presented a glorious<br />

collection on Asmaa' ar-Rijaal (<strong>the</strong> study <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> narrators)<br />

which are beyond doubt invaluable. But what amongst this<br />

is not prone to mistakes? Firstly, it is difficult to accurately<br />

know <strong>the</strong> biography <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> narrators, <strong>the</strong>ir memory <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong>ir o<strong>the</strong>r inner qualities. Secondly, those people<br />

<strong>the</strong>mselves who formed an opinion about <strong>the</strong>m were not<br />

free from human weaknesses. Nafs (desires) accompany<br />

everyone <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>re is a strong possibility that personal<br />

opinions interfered in forming an opinion, good or bad,<br />

about individuals…"<br />

Clarification<br />

Firstly: The science <strong>of</strong> hadeeth <strong>and</strong> isnads (chains <strong>of</strong> narrators) is one<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> special characteristics <strong>of</strong> this ummah. No o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

nation paid attention as this ummah did to <strong>the</strong><br />

chains <strong>of</strong> narration through which <strong>the</strong>ir books<br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir religion were transmitted. This is<br />

why <strong>the</strong> texts <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r nations were<br />

subjected to distortions <strong>and</strong> fabrications,<br />

<strong>and</strong> it became impossible for <strong>the</strong>m to<br />

- 131 -

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