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Mawdu' (Fabricated) and Daif (Weak) Hadiths: Difference between revisions
Mawdu' (Fabricated) and Daif (Weak) Hadiths (view source)
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Mawdu' (Fabricated) and Da'if (Weak) Hadiths}} | {{DISPLAYTITLE:Mawdu' (Fabricated) and Da'if (Weak) Hadiths}} | ||
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'''Mawdu'''' (fabricated) hadiths are a specific variety of '''da'if''' (weak/unreliable) hadiths. While a da'if hadith does not have to be mawdu' (as a hadith may be considered unreliable for reasons other than fabrication), a hadith that is identified as mawdu' (that is, as a fabrication), then it must consequently be da'if. The term da'if, like the term sahih, describes a final evaluative judgement about a narration rather than specifying the reasoning for the judgement. Also, because there are more ways for a hadith to be unreliable than reliable, there is greater diversity of reasons for which a hadith maybe da'if (by contrast, while there are different types of sahih hadith, the number of distinct types is much more limited). Among the different reasons for which a hadith can be da'if, being identified as an outright fabrication is perhaps the strongest form of weakness on the basis of which a hadith can be rejected. | '''Mawdu'''' (fabricated) hadiths are a specific variety of '''da'if''' (weak/unreliable) [[Hadith|hadiths]]. While a da'if hadith does not have to be mawdu' (as a hadith may be considered unreliable for reasons other than fabrication), a hadith that is identified as mawdu' (that is, as a fabrication), then it must consequently be da'if. The term da'if, like the term sahih, describes a final evaluative judgement about a narration rather than specifying the reasoning for the judgement. Also, because there are more ways for a hadith to be unreliable than reliable, there is greater diversity of reasons for which a hadith maybe da'if (by contrast, while there are different types of sahih hadith, the number of distinct types is much more limited). Among the different reasons for which a hadith can be da'if, being identified as an outright fabrication is perhaps the strongest form of weakness on the basis of which a hadith can be rejected (other forms of weakness include, for instance, a hadith being ''mursal'', which means that the companion narrating the hadith from Muhammad is missing in the chain of transmitters, although it can get a lot more complicated than this, particularly when multiple hadiths with the same/similar message are considered together). | ||
Whereas fabricated and weak hadiths in general play a limited role in the determination of [[Shari'ah (Islamic Law)|Islamic laws]] and beliefs<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503547442|title= May People Act According to a Weak Hadith?|publisher= Islam Online|author= Muzammil Siddiqi|series= Fatwa Bank|date= September 27, 2003|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=https%3A%2F%2Fweb.archive.org%2Fweb%2F20061216005731%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.islamonline.net%2Fservlet%2FSatellite%3Fpagename%3DIslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaE%26cid%3D1119503547442&date=2014-03-15|deadurl=yes}}</ref> (with some important exceptions, particularly in Hanbali [[Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence)|fiqh]]), they have very frequently been used in sermons and other forms of da'wah, or calling to Islam (whether for a Muslim or non-Muslim audience). Classical Muslim scholars often permitted the use of known weak and even fabricated hadiths in various forms of preaching on the consideration that such usage would strengthen people's faith while at the same time not impacting formal Islamic law or doctrine. Though such general permission did not go uncritiqued, it was very often the norm, especially when it involved popular preachers over whom the scholars did not have much control. This practice has largely persisted into modern times but has faced growing criticism. There are two reasons why this shift in thinking may be taking place. On the one hand, with modern communications technology, weak hadiths can spread rapidly, and scholars are wary of the consequences of this. On the other hand, preachers' audiences now have access to the internet which can be used to verify the authenticity of a hadith and, as a result, preachers are wary of quoting material that their audiences will sooner or later come to realize is unreliable (thus undermining their own credibility). | |||
== | While this transition is ongoing, recent generations of Muslims across the world, particularly in past decades, frequently encounter hadiths that are known to be both weak and fabricated in sermons. Indeed, even today, some of the most famous hadiths popularly known and referenced in the Muslim world are of weak or fabricated variety. | ||
==On narrating weak and fabricated hadiths== | |||
=== Sahih (authentic) hadith === | |||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|3|106}}, See also: {{Bukhari|1|3|108}}, {{Bukhari|1|3|109}}, and {{Bukhari|1|3|110}}|Narrated 'Ali: | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|3|106}}, See also: {{Bukhari|1|3|108}}, {{Bukhari|1|3|109}}, and {{Bukhari|1|3|110}}|Narrated 'Ali: | ||
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===Fatwas=== | ===Fatwas=== | ||
{{Quote|1=|2=''Question:'' What is the ruling regarding narrating stories I have heard, but am unaware as to their authenticity, in the path of da’wah to some people, and likewise narrating stories which I know are fabricated (lies)? And what is the ruling regarding narrating a hadeeth whilst I do not know whether it is authentic or weak? | {{Quote|1=Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, As-Sahwah al-Islaamiyyah, Question 5 [[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.defenderofsunnah.com/fatwa/concise-fatwa/miscellaneous/dawah/2132-narrating-unverified-stories-in-the-path-of-dawah|2=2011-06-04}} Narrating Unverified Stories In The Path Of Da'wah]], Page 105, May 2, 2005|2=''Question:'' What is the ruling regarding narrating stories I have heard, but am unaware as to their authenticity, in the path of da’wah to some people, and likewise narrating stories which I know are fabricated (lies)? And what is the ruling regarding narrating a hadeeth whilst I do not know whether it is authentic or weak? | ||
''Answer:'' It is not permissible for a person, a storyteller or one who gives advice, to narrate a hadeeth and attribute it to the Messenger (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) whilst he does not know if it is authentic. And it is (also) not permissible for him to narrate a hadeeth whilst he knows it to be weak. However, if he narrates a weak hadeeth to reveal it’s weakness and warn the people from it, then that is obligatory. | ''Answer:'' It is not permissible for a person, a storyteller or one who gives advice, to narrate a hadeeth and attribute it to the Messenger (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) whilst he does not know if it is authentic. And it is (also) not permissible for him to narrate a hadeeth whilst he knows it to be weak. However, if he narrates a weak hadeeth to reveal it’s weakness and warn the people from it, then that is obligatory. | ||
Likewise, he should not narrate stories which he assumes are worthy (of being narrated) without checking (their authenticity), and he should not narrate stories which he knows are fabricated, because that is being dishonest and deceiving the people. | Likewise, he should not narrate stories which he assumes are worthy (of being narrated) without checking (their authenticity), and he should not narrate stories which he knows are fabricated, because that is being dishonest and deceiving the people.}} | ||
{{Quote|1=|2=Spreading da’wah messages and letters which contain explanations of shar’i rulings, or preaching and beneficial stories, is an important means of doing good, because many people receive them, and it is easy to send them. But we should make sure that the content is sound and that the ahaadeeth contained in it are saheeh (sound), because some people are abusing this great blessing (of easy communication) and are spreading fabricated ahaadeeth and false stories. <BR><BR>It is not permissible for anyone to say, “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said…” when he knows that the hadeeth is mawdoo’ (fabricated) or false. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever tells lies about me deliberately, let him take his place in Hell.” ... It is haraam to narrate a fabricated hadeeth for one who knows that it is fabricated or who thinks it most likely that it is fabricated. Whoever narrates a hadeeth which he knows or thinks it most likely to be fabricated, and does not explain that it is fabricated, is included in this warning and is included among those who tell lies about the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). | {{Quote|1={{cite web|url= http://islamqa.info/en/66273|title= He sent a hadeeth in order to spread good, then he found out that it is a fabricated hadeeth. What should he do?|publisher= Islam Q&A|author= |series=Fatwa No. 66273|date= accessed March 16, 2014|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fislamqa.info%2Fen%2F66273&date=2014-03-16 |deadurl=no}}|2=Spreading da’wah messages and letters which contain explanations of shar’i rulings, or preaching and beneficial stories, is an important means of doing good, because many people receive them, and it is easy to send them. But we should make sure that the content is sound and that the ahaadeeth contained in it are saheeh (sound), because some people are abusing this great blessing (of easy communication) and are spreading fabricated ahaadeeth and false stories. <BR><BR>It is not permissible for anyone to say, “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said…” when he knows that the hadeeth is mawdoo’ (fabricated) or false. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever tells lies about me deliberately, let him take his place in Hell.” ... It is haraam to narrate a fabricated hadeeth for one who knows that it is fabricated or who thinks it most likely that it is fabricated. Whoever narrates a hadeeth which he knows or thinks it most likely to be fabricated, and does not explain that it is fabricated, is included in this warning and is included among those who tell lies about the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).}} | ||
==Da`if ( | ==Da`if (weak) hadiths== | ||
==='Seeking knowledge is a duty upon every Muslim'=== | |||
This hadith has been classed by many hadith scholars as da`if (weak). | |||
This hadith has been classed by many as da`if (weak). | |||
{{Quote|Kashf al-Khafa, no. 1665: Sahih al-Jami al-Saghir, no. 3913-4|This hadith has many chains of narrations of the authority of more than a dozen Companions, including twenty Successors apparently reporting from Ans alone. They are collected by Ibn Majah, al-Bahihaqi, al-Tabarani and others, but all of them are da'if, according to Ahmad bin Hanbal, Ishaq bin Rahuwaih, Ibn Abd al-Barr and others, although some scholars authenticated a few of the chains. Al-Baihaqi said that its text is mashhur while its isnad is da'if, while al-Hakim and Ibn al-Salah regarded it as a prime example of a mashhur hadith which is not sahih. However, it is regarded by later sholars of Hadith as having enough chains of narration to be strengthened to the level of hasan or sahih, a view which is stated by al-Mizzi, al-Iraqi, Ibn Hajr, al-Suyuti and al-Albani.<ref name="Suhaib Hassan"></ref>}} | {{Quote|Kashf al-Khafa, no. 1665: Sahih al-Jami al-Saghir, no. 3913-4|This hadith has many chains of narrations of the authority of more than a dozen Companions, including twenty Successors apparently reporting from Ans alone. They are collected by Ibn Majah, al-Bahihaqi, al-Tabarani and others, but all of them are da'if, according to Ahmad bin Hanbal, Ishaq bin Rahuwaih, Ibn Abd al-Barr and others, although some scholars authenticated a few of the chains. Al-Baihaqi said that its text is mashhur while its isnad is da'if, while al-Hakim and Ibn al-Salah regarded it as a prime example of a mashhur hadith which is not sahih. However, it is regarded by later sholars of Hadith as having enough chains of narration to be strengthened to the level of hasan or sahih, a view which is stated by al-Mizzi, al-Iraqi, Ibn Hajr, al-Suyuti and al-Albani.<ref name="Suhaib Hassan"></ref>}} | ||