Hadith Munqati and the famous students!

A Hadith Munqati is a Hadith, whereby a narrator is missing in the middle of the Sanad. The narrator who is missing in the Sanad, can be an authentic narrator just as he can be a narrator who has some shortcoming that necessitates rejecting his Hadith. Therefore, as long as this Rawi, who is missing, is not known, it is difficult to comment on this Hadith. That is why the position of this Hadith is uncertain.

Normally, when a beginner starts learning the principle of Hadith, he knows only this extent. It is absolutely normal that one cannot confuse the mind of one who has just started to learn. Now, if this person pursues his studies to a slightly more advanced level, he will learn a bit more in detail.

For example, he will learn that a Hadith Munqati is a weak Hadith. However, if it gets the support of another Hadith, albeit a bit weak, or if it gets the support of another Munqati, it becomes strong. It will no longer remain weak to the extent that it cannot be taken into consideration. 

Therefore, when we see a person rejecting a Hadith merely because it is a Hadith Munqati, without analysing it in the light of other elements, it gives us a strong impression that he has not completed his course even if he may be declaring himself as a B.A or an M.A. in the Shari’ah.

Let's see an example of how a Hadith Munqati can become strong when it is supported by another Munqati.

Allaamah Bin Hajar Al-Asqalani, an eminent scholar of Hadith of (773 H - 852 H) says in his commentary of Fath-ul-Baari which he wrote regarding Saheeh Bukhari:

"This (Hadith) is Munqati between (Ibraheem) An-Nakh'i and (Abu Bakr) As-Siddique (Radiyallahu Anhu). This was also reported by Ibraheem At-Taiymi from Abu Bakr As-Siddique (Radiyallahu Anhu). This is also Munqati. But one reinforces the other."

This is how Allaamah Bin Hajar Al-Asqalani (Rahmatullahi alayh) considered a Munqati when he found it being reinforced by another Munqati. This principle is too advanced for those who hold B.A in the Shari’ah nowadays. That is why they reject a Munqati without analysing other elements. Perhaps, due to being mentally disturbed, they refrain from going into depth.

Analysis of the Hadith of Hazrat 'Umar (Radiyallahu Anhu) regarding the Khutbah of Jummah

For example, they say that the Hadith, in which Hazrat 'Umar (Radiyallahu Anhu) has said that the Khutbah of Jummah represents 2 Rak'aat, is a Hadith Munqati. That is why it is weak. However, they ignore the fact that just as this Hadith was reported by Yahya Bin Abu Khatheer from Hazrat 'Umar (Radiyallahu Anhu), it was also reported by Amr Bin Shu'aib from Hazrat 'Umar (Radiyallahu Anhu). According to the established principle, just like Allaamah Bin Hajar Al-Asqalani pointed out, here also one hadith will strengthen the other thereby making it a strong Hadith as a whole. Leave alone this! The Taabi'een such as Ata Bin Abu Rabah, Said Bin Jubair, etc. have also made such a statement. All in all, it becomes a strong Hadith without any setback.

But our "students" declare this Hadith weak by following the like of Albaani blindly. As if it is permissible to follow Albaani blindly and it is not permissible to follow Imam Abu Hanifah (Rahmatullahi Alaiyh). This is what is called "a blind following another blind". That is why they often slip. And this happens when one refuses to follow someone who knows.

New discovery

Sometimes, it turns out that they do not know the meaning of a Hadith Maqbul. They believe that a Hadith Maqbul means a Hadith in whose sanad there is an unknown narrator, thus, it must be rejected. And yet, a Hadith Maqbul means an accepted Hadith. But they do not know the difference between Maqbul and Mardud. It is this way of following a blind blindly that makes them see Maqbul as Mardud and yet, Mardud is the opposite of Maqbul. 

Another slip 

Similarly, they present a Hadith found in Tirmizi regarding the subject of Salat-ul-Awwabeen, saying that there is a narrator called 'Umar Bin Rashid in its Sanad. However, this narrator is not mentioned in its Sanad. It seems that they have not verified this Hadith in Tirmizi. They have copied it from somewhere and they have wrongly copied it. This way of following the blind blindly, the lack of knowledge and not knowing the scope of what they say, made them say things in Deen in an irresponsible manner. Adab (respect) is a great thing. If there is no Adab, one must expect these things. We repeat that this happens when one refuses to follow one who knows.

[English version of "Hadice Mounqati et les fameux étudiants!" – Al Jamiat – Vol.3 No.9]