In Refutation of those who reject Weak Hadith
Especially in the Ihya
This is a wonderful video clip of Shaykh Habib ‘Ali Jifri, the Yemeni Sufic Imam who embodies the pure Prophetic way, valiantly defending the utilization of “weak” hadith in the
Ihya ‘Ulum Ad-Din of the master of the arts and sciences Al-Ghazali.
Everyone who loves the Sunnah should take the 10 minutes out of their day and listen to this discourse and pick up on the many jewels found therein of knowledge and of ettiquete, which unfortunately does not hold the same weight through translation.
There are several amazing jewels in this discourse that I took away from this lecture, and feel free to add what you like in the comments: Here
The recognition of Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad, T.J. Winters, as the Ghazali of the west. There is no doubt in my mind, after hearing his multitude of lectures and listening to his deep insight, that Shaykh Abdal Hakim has a strong command of the sciences, and he has achieved this – as Shaykh Habib is pointing out – through his mastery of the Ihya Ulum Ad-Din!
The Shaykh clearly uses the Sunni Imams – particularly Imam Ahmad – for the solidification of weak hadith as a source of benefit and meritorious acts and – regarding Imam Ahmad – as a source of fiqh when there is nothing authentic related regarding a fiqh issue.
He also refers the student to the agreeable words of Al-Hafith Ibn Hajr Al-’Asqalani, Ibn As-Salah in his Muqaddimah, Imam As-Suyuti in Tadrib Ar-Rawi, Imam An-Nawawi in his introduction to his Al-Adhkaar. He states clearly that the scholars of hadith – the vast majority [jumhur] of them hold this to be the case.
I should point out that regarding the hadith which Shaykh Habib – a Shafi’i – is alluding to regarding the measure of water being a qullatayn and not carrying najasah with it, that the translator does not translate his words precisely – which he is certainly excused for. The shaykh says – and note his mastery of the nomenclature of the Ulum Al-Hadith – that this chain is mutakallim fihi, i.e. that there is scholarly debate regarding the authenticity of this narration. He then goes to say that what is – in his opinion – the closer view to the truth [aqrab] is that it has weakness [note he did not call it da’if absolutely, but that its weakness is closer to truth.
Another point the Shaykh correctly makes is that in no chapter of the Ihya does Imam Al-Ghazali make his point or argument by only weak hadith, but that he always uses ayaat from the Qur’an or rigorously authentic (sahih) hadith to prove his point, adding along with it weak hadith.
Lesson in Adab:
The Shaykh points out that Hafith Al-’Iraqi – the master of Ibn Hajr Al-Asqalani – when doing his takhrij (research and commentary regarding the hadith quoted in the Ihya) would say – and this is known only to one who has delved into the works takhrij –
‘I could not find this hadith’.
In other words, ‘Iraqi would not bash and degrade the hadith being quoted as fabricated or even weak ’ having no source for it’ as the extremist polluters of the religion the pseudo-salafis and their ilk do, but he would simply admit that he did not know of the source of the hadith – which is an incredibly gentle way of saying there is not an isnaad (chain) that I have found for this hadith, but it may exist so I should have enough humility to say it like it is.
In fairness, some of the pseudo-salafis do say that they ‘can’t find’ a hadith or a biography for a reporter, but interestingly enough, when they do say such they immediately conclude that the athar or hadith is weak, unlike Hafith Al-’Iraqi and the masters of the past.
I recently came upon a horrid example of this regarding the very authentic words of Imam Ash-Shafi’i ‘There are two types of Bida’ah’.
Halabi
&
Hilali
^two pseudo-salafi Albanites who have polluted the works of the scholars with their immense ignorance of hadith, claimed that Muhammad ibn Musa ibn Fadl As-Sayrafi was unknown because they could ‘not find a biography for him‘!
Lo and Behold, beloved ummah of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم,
an ignorant non-scholar – myself – found his biography in less than 5 minutes of simple research!
You can read the research and the refutation of them here with the scans and the references!
Imam Ash-Shafi’i on Evil and Good Bida’ah:
A Refutation of the Pseudo-Salafi Weakening of His Narration
( here )
This is an example of the treachery in abandoning the tradition of the traditionists!
The extremists that Shaykh Habib Ali Jifri, qaddasa Allahu sirruh, refers to in this discourse are in fact the so-called “salafis” who have polluted Sunni works with their blatant lies and manipulations for the past 150 years – unless you include Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab in their cult and then you have to add about another 300.
May Allah (SWT) bless the Sunni ‘Ulama’ for their defense of the tradition as it is attacked by the pseudo-salafis and the modernists of this era amin!
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Abu Layth
(Edited by ADHM)
