QUESTION:
As Salaamu Alaikum,
I have a question then. Is it true that regarding a hadith if a muhaddith grades it as weak or many declare it weak but a fuqaha or some fuqaha accept it use it/ then is the hadith considered authentic overall and is the verdict of a fuqaha preferred over the muhaddith or does it depend on the situation and both differences/grades are valid?
ANSWER:
Wa Alaikum As Salaam,
The Fuqaha (expert scholars of Fiqh) are well-versed in the science of Hadith and they are also scholars of Hadith. Each of these groups from the Muhadithin and Fuqaha have their own Usool (principles) and guidelines by which they classify Ahadith as weak (Dha’eef), sound (Saheeh), good (Hasan) etc., and these must be understood based on the explanation each has given.
If a Muhaddith has graded a hadith as being weak, this does not mean that it is weak to other Muhadithin or to the Fuqaha. They (the Fuqaha) may grade it as being sound, good and acceptable based on the criterion which they have implemented for the acceptance and non-acceptance of Ahadith. Therefore, one must give due consideration to the explanation given by the Fuqaha for the Ahadith which they have preferred for Amal, and which they have used as evidences for their opinions and Fatawa. Therefore, if a Muhaddith or some Muhaddith have graded a hadith as weak, but the Fuqaha have accepted it and used it for ‘Amal’, (practice), then it does not mean that they (the Fuqaha) have accepted or used weak Ahadith for their opinions/rulings. The Fuqaha themselves would have investigated and looked into the hadith, and seen that it is good enough to be accepted for Amal (practice) to be made on it.
And Allah Knows best
Mufti Waseem Khan
05/10/2022