Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 2 of 2

544 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijitcs and Shia
They did very well in this regard, tracing narrators and studying their
lives, history and biography, what was hidden about them and what
was known, never fearing the blame of the
They set out guidelines and rules and applied them in order to
determine whose reports were to he accepted and whose were to he
rejected, whose reports were to be written down and whose reports
were not to he written down. Among the most important categories of
rejected reporters, whose hadiths are not to be accepted, are:
3.7.3.a. Those who tell lies about
the Messenger of Allah (&)
The scholars unanimously agreed that the hadith of one who
tells lies about the Prophet (s) is not to be accepted. They also
unanimously agreed that this is the gravest of major sins, but they
differed as to whether such a person is a disbeliever or not. Some said
that he is a disbeliever, and some said that he is to he executed, and
they differed as to whether his repentance is acceptable or not.
3.7.3.b. Those who tell lies in their general talk, even if
they do not tell lies about the Messenger of Allah (&)
The scholars unanimously agree that if a person is known to
have told a lie, even once, his hadith is to he rejected.
3.7.3.c. Followers of innovation and whims and desires
The scholars also agreed that no hadith can be accepted from a
follower of innovation if his innovation constitutes dishelief. If his
innovation does not constitute disbelief, hut he regards lying as
permissible, his hadiths are not accepted either. What if he follows an
innovation that does not constitute disbelief and he does not regard
lying as permissible - can his reports he accepted or not? Is there a
differentiation between one who promotes innovation and calls
others to it, and one who does not? Ibn Katheer said: "Concerning
this issue, there has been a dispute from early times until more