Fatwa #4576919 July 2020Pakistan
What is khabar e waahid and what is the status of Khabar e Waahid Ahadith in Shariah?
Question
Assalamualaikum mufti sahab
1-- What is khabar e waahid and what is the status of khabar e waahid ahadith in islamic shariah??
2-- certain ahadith became very popular with a number of sahaba narrating these ahadith while on the other hand majority of ahadith are narrated by just 1 or 2 sahaba. What is the reason for majority of ahadith not becoming popular??
3-- Can khabar e waahid alone be used for farz, waajib and sunnat e muwakkada rulings??
4-- Molana manazir hasan geelani (r.a) writes in his famous book "tadveen e hadees" that sahaba were intentionally stopped from narrating khabar e waahid in the first few decades of islam so that these ahadith do not get as popular as mutawatir part of islam and the legal status of khabar e waahid is reduced. Is this an accepted opinion??
5-- Please tell me any book in english or urdu in which i can get all the answers to the common misconceptions against ahadith. If possible then share the link for a pdf copy of the book.
I request you to please answer all the above questions.
May Allah immensely reward you for the good work you are doing.
Aameen
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
1)Khabr Wahid, literally means a tradition or report going back to one single authority. However, terminologically, it refers to that narration which does not fulfil the requirements of Mutawatir. [i][i]
Such narrations can be evaluated from two perspectives,
- Theoretically
- Practically
Theoretically, such narrations do not impart positive knowledge on its own (Qat’a) unless it is supported by extraneous or circumstantial evidence.[ii][ii]
Practically, such narrations still remain obligatory to act upon and failure to comply with the obligations of Shariah results in great Sin. [iii][iii]
2)Popularity of a hadith is loosely based upon its significance within Shariah. Those commandments of Shariah which hold more significance have been reported with multiple chains of narrations or extraneous evidences, whereas those commandments which have less significance have been narrated less frequently.
This concept is not only found within Shariah but can also be understood within our day to day lives. The more a particular idea/commandment is repeated/narrated the more importance the speaker is trying to place upon that idea/commandment. Therefore, failure to comply to such emphasised idea’s/commandments, the more severe the violation.
Accordingly, there is no blame or criticism upon the Sahabah, neither the Tabioon nor beyond for a hadith not becoming extremely popular. Rather, the Sahabah, Tabioon and those who came after, all fulfilled the command of Nabi (Sallalahu Alayhi Wasallam)
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: بَلِّغُوا عَنِّي وَلَوْ آية
Translation: The prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, “Convey (my teachings) to the people even if it were a single sentence. (Bukhari, 3461)[iv][iv]
Therefore, today we have a countless amount of Hadith present ahead of us today.
3)It is important to note, the categorisation of the Hadith is not the only factor which decides the legal status of a commandment. Rather many more factors are considered, like whether the narration was actually acted upon by the Sahabah, Tabioon, or whether scholars deemed the narration as authentic despite the ‘apparent weakness’ in the chain of narration.[v][v]
However, loosely speaking a Khabr Wahid alone can be used for establishing Sunnah Muakkadah. If a particular order has been established through many different Khabr Wahid it can also be used to establish Wajib.[vi][vi]
4)We are unaware of the exact statements of Moulana Munaazir Ahsan Geelani. Nevertheless, the understanding provided above of Sahabah being intentionally stopped from narrating particular hadith to reduce its legal status is an incorrect understanding. Rather, the Sahabah were encouraged to narrate the Ahadith as shown from the aforementioned hadith.
5)Books that consist of similar discussions and answers to misconceptions regarding ahadith are
a) Hujjiyati Hadith by Mufti Taqi Usmani (Urdu)
b) Taareekh Tadween Hadeeth by Moulana Abdur Rashid Numani (Urdu and English)
C) Hadith: Status and Role: An Intriduction to the Prophets Tradition by Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (English)
D) Kitabat e Hadith Ahd e Rislat o Ahd Sahaba mein by Mufti Rafi Usmani (Urdu)
E) Nusratul Hadith by Moulana Habib ur Rahman Azmi (Urdu)
We appreciate your interest for the field of Hadith and recommend you identify a local scholar who may be able to clarify any such misconceptions and who may aid you in furthering your knowledge in the science of Hadith.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mohammed
Student Darul Iftaa
UK
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
[vii][i] فتح الغفار (ص. ٧٨)
وهو كل خبر يرويه الواحد او الاثنان فصاعدا لا عبرة للعدد فيه بعد ان يكون دون المشهور والمتواتر
[viii][ii] تدريب الراوي في شرح تقريب النواوي (1/ 75)
(وَإِذَا قِيلَ) هَذَا حَدِيثٌ (صَحِيحٌ فَهَذَا مَعْنَاهُ) أَيْ: مَا اتَّصَلَ سَنَدُهُ مَعَ الْأَوْصَافِ الْمَذْكُورَةِ، فَقَبِلْنَاهُ عَمَلًا بِظَاهِرِ الْإِسْنَادِ (لَا أَنَّهُ مَقْطُوعٌ بِهِ) فِي نَفْسِ الْأَمْرِ، لِجَوَازِ الْخَطَأِ وَالنِّسْيَانِ عَلَى الثِّقَةِ خِلَافًا لِمَنْ قَالَ: إِنَّ خَبَرَ الْوَاحِدِ يُوجِبُ الْقَطْعَ، حَكَاهُ ابْنُ الصَّبَّاغِ عَنْ قَوْمٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْحَدِيثِ، وَعَزَاهُ الْبَاجِيُّ لِأَحْمَدَ وَابْنُ خُوَيْزِ مَنْدَادَ لِمَالِكٍ، وَإِنْ نَازَعَهُ فِيهِ الْمَازِرِيُّ، بِعَدَمِ وُجُودِ نَصٍّ لَهُ فِيهِ، وَحَكَاهُ ابْنُ عَبْدِ الْبَرِّ عَنْ حُسَيْنٍ الْكَرَابِيسِيِّ وَابْنُ حَزْمٍ عَنْ دَاوُدَ.
وَحَكَى السُّهَيْلِيُّ عَنْ بَعْضِ الشَّافِعِيَّةِ ذَلِكَ بِشَرْطِ أَنْ يَكُونَ فِي إِسْنَادِهِ إِمَامٌ مِثْلُ مَالِكٍ وَأَحْمَدَ وَسُفْيَانَ، وَإِلَّا فَلَا يُوجِبُهُ.
[ix][iii] فتح الغفار (ص. ٧٨)
(وانه) أي خبر الواحد (يوجب العمل) لإفادته غلبة الظن بالصدق عند استجماع شرائطه وهي كافية لوجوب العمل (دون علم اليقين) أي ولا يوجب علما يقينيا وهو مذهب اكثر العلماء وجميع الفقهاء
انظر: المدخل الي علم السنن (١٧٥-١٧٦/١)
[x][iv] صحيح البخاري - ط الشعب (4/ 207)
3461حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ الضَّحَّاكُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ ، أَخْبَرَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ ، حَدَّثَنَا حَسَّانُ بْنُ عَطِيَّةَ ، عَنْ أَبِي كَبْشَةَ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: بَلِّغُوا عَنِّي وَلَوْ آيَةً ، وَحَدِّثُوا عَنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ ، وَلاَ حَرَجَ ، وَمَنْ كَذَبَ عَلَيَّ مُتَعَمِّدًا ، فَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ.
[xi][v] تدريب الراوي في شرح تقريب النواوي (1/ 66)
وَكَذَا مَا اعْتُضِدَ بِتَلَقِّي الْعُلَمَاءِ لَهُ بِالْقَبُولِ. قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: يُحْكَمُ لِلْحَدِيثِ بِالصِّحَّةِ إِذَا تَلَقَّاهُ النَّاسُ بِالْقَبُولِ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ إِسْنَادٌ صَحِيحٌ.
قَالَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ الْبَرِّ فِي الِاسْتِذْكَارِ: لِمَا حُكِيَ عَنِ التِّرْمِذِيِّ أَنَّ الْبُخَارِيَّ صَحَّحَ حَدِيثَ الْبَحْرِ: «هُوَ الطَّهُورُ مَاؤُهُ» ، وَأَهْلَ الْحَدِيثِ لَا يُصَحِّحُونَ مِثْلَ إِسْنَادِهِ، لَكِنَّ الْحَدِيثَ عِنْدِي صَحِيحٌ؛ لِأَنَّ الْعُلَمَاءَ تَلَقَّوْهُ بِالْقَبُولِ. وَقَالَ فِي التَّمْهِيدِ: رَوَى جَابِرٌ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الدِّينَارُ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ قِيرَاطًا» ، قَالَ: وَفِي قَوْلِ جَمَاعَةِ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَإِجْمَاعِ النَّاسِ عَلَى مَعْنَاهُ غِنًى عَنِ الْإِسْنَادِ فِيهِ.
وَقَالَ الْأُسْتَاذُ أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ الْإِسْفَرَايِينِيُّ: تُعْرَفُ صِحَّةُ الْحَدِيثِ إِذَا اشْتُهِرَ عِنْدَ أَئِمَّةِ الْحَدِيثِ بِغَيْرِ نَكِيرٍ مِنْهُمْ.
وَقَالَ نَحْوَهُ ابْنُ فُورَكَ، وَزَادَ بِأَنْ مَثَّلَ ذَلِكَ بِحَدِيثِ: «فِي الرِّقَةِ رُبُعُ الْعُشْرِ وَفِي مِائَتَيْ دِرْهَمٍ خَمْسَةُ دَرَاهِمَ» .
وَقَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ بْنُ الْحَصَّارِ فِي تَقْرِيبِ الْمَدَارِكِ، عَلَى مُوَطَّأٍ مَالِكٍ: قَدْ يَعْلَمُ الْفَقِيهُ صِحَّةَ الْحَدِيثِ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي سَنَدِهِ كَذَّابٌ بِمُوَافَقَةِ آيَةٍ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ أَوْ بَعْضِ أُصُولِ الشَّرِيعَةِ، فَيَحْمِلُهُ ذَلِكَ عَلَى قَبُولِهِ وَالْعَمَلِ بِهِ
تدريب الراوي في شرح تقريب النواوي (1/ 69)
وَمِنْهَا: أَنَّ أَبَا حَنِيفَةَ اشْتَرَطَ فِقْهَ الرَّاوِي.
قَالَ شَيْخُ الْإِسْلَامِ: وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ إِنَّمَا يُشْتَرَطُ عِنْدَ الْمُخَالَفَةِ أَوْ عِنْدَ التَّفَرُّدِ بِمَا تَعُمُّ بِهِ الْبَلْوَى.
[xii][vi] كشف الاسرار (٥٤٨/ ٢)
إذا اجتمع الاحاد حتي تواترت حدث حقية الخبر ولزوم الصدق باجتماعهم وذلك وصف حادث مثل اجماع الامة اذا ازدحمت الاراء سقطت الشبهة