Ilm al-Jarh wat Ta’deel…. An Introduction

Ilm al-Jarh wat Ta’deel…. An Introduction

There are numerous types and categories of Uloom al-Hadeeth. Among the Mutaqaddimeen, Imaam Haakim al-Neesaaboori (rahimahullah) has mentioned 52 types in his book “Ma’rifah Uloom al-Hadeeth”. Ibn as-Salaah in “Muqaddimah Ibn as-Salaah”, Imaam Nawawi in “al-Taqreeb fun Usool al-Hadeeth” and Ibn al-Mulaqqin in “Al-Muqni fi Uloom al-Hadeeth” have mentioned 65 types, while Suyooti has mentioned 93 types of Uloom al-Hadeeth in “Tadreeb ar-Raawi fi Sharh Taqreeb al-Nawawi”

Allaamah Suyooti has said:

اعلم أن انواع علوم الحديث كثيرة لا تعد.

“There are numerous types of Uloom al-Hadeeth which cannot be counted”

[Tadreeb ar-Raawi fi Sharh Taqreeb an-Nawawi: P. 22]

Allaamah Haazmi is said to have stated:

علم الحديث يشمل علي انواع كثيرة تبلغ مائة، كل نوع منها علم مستقل، لو انفق الطالب فيه عمره ما أدرك نهايته

“Ilm al-Hadeeth consists of numerous categories exceeding the number of 100; each category among them is an independent science, if a student was to spend his whole life in it, he would not be able to reach its end.”

[Ibid]

And one of the most important sciences among them is the science of “Jarh and Ta’deel”

The Literal meaning of Jarh:

The word “Jarh” comes from ((جرح يجرح)) from the Baab ((ف)). In literal sense, it can have many meanings, for example: If this word is from the Baab of ((س)) then it refers to the “Weakness of Testimony” as Ferozabaadi and Zubaydee write:

اصابته جراحته وجرحت شهادته

[Al-Qaamoos al-Muheet: 1/328]

And if it is with a Damma on Jeem then it comes in the meaning: to injure with a pointed thing or an iron as it is said:

أَثَّرَ فيه بالسلاح

[Lisaan al-Arab: 2/233]

From the Baab of ((ف)), it means: “to defame or revile”, “to invalidate the testimony of a witness”, and “criticizing with tongue”, e.g. it is said:

جرح فلانا بلسانه اذا سبه وشتمه

[Lisaan al-Arab (2/234), Al-Qaamoos al-Muheet (1/328), Taaj al-Uroos (4/24)]

The people of Language also use this word to criticize the testimony of a witness as Ibn Manzoor (rahimahullah) writes:

ويقال جرح الحاكم الشاهد اذا عثر علي ما تسقط به عدالته من كذب وغيره.

“And it is said that a ruler criticized a witness when he came to know of his weakness which would invalidate his Adaalah such as Lying etc”

[Lisaan al-Arab (2/234)]

Zamakhshari has used this word in the meaning of “Fasaad (transgression)” and he took evidence from the sermon of Caliph Abdul Malik bin Marwaan:

قد وعظتكم فلم تزدادوا علي الموعظة الا استجراحا (فسادا)

 [Al-Zamakhshari: 1/208]

The Technical Meaning of Jarh:

In technical meaning, Jarh refers to the appearance of a trait in a narrator which would prove the deficiency in his Adaalah and the weakness in his Hifdh and Dhabt. Ibn al-Atheer writes:

الجرح وصف متي التحق بالراوي والشاهد سقط الاعتبار بقوله، وبطل العمل به

“Jarh is a trait (accusation) which if found in a narrator and a witness then trusting his saying becomes invalid, and acting upon it becomes Baatil”

[Jaami al-Usool fi Ahaadeeth ar-Rasool: 1/126]

Abdul Fattaah Abu Ghuddah explains this as follows:

الجرح هو الغمز في الراوي بما ينال من عدالته أو ضبطه

“Jarh is to criticize a narrator concerning his Adaalah or Dhabt”

[Lamhaat (P. 93)]

‘Ajjaaj al-Khateeb writes while describing the meaning of Tajreeh that:

وصف الراوي بصفات تقتضي تضعيف روايته أو عدم قبولها.

“A narrator being described with attributes which would deem his narration weak or unacceptable”

[Usool al-Hadeeth (P. 103)]

The Literal meaning of Ta’deel:

This word comes from “Adl”

العدل: ضد الجور: ما قام في النفوس انه مستقيم

“Al-Adl: it’s the opposite of Injustice: something which stands out in heart; that is Mustaqeem”

[Lisaan al-Arab (9/83), Taaj al-Uroos (10/471), Al-Qaamoos al-Muheet (2/1361)]

Putting something on its correct place is also called Ta’deel:

التعديل: التسوية: وتقويم الشئ وموازنته بغيره

“Al-Ta’deel: to correct something: and comparing it with some other thing”

[Lisaan al-Arab: 11/432]

Issuing a Saheeh and correct verdict is also called Adl:

عدل الحاكم في الحكم الحكم بالحق

“A ruler giving fair verdict with truth”

[Lisaan al-Arab (9/83), Taaj al-Uroos (15/471)]

The technical meaning of Ta’deel:

In Istalaah, Ta’deel refers to being ascribed with “Adaalah (uprightness)” and “Dhabt (precision)”.

Abdul Fattaah Abu Ghuddah writes:

“هو الحكم علي الراوي بأنه عدل ضابط”

“It refers to a narrator being ruled with uprightness and precision”

[Lamhaat min Taareekh as-Sunnah wa Uloom al-Hadeeth (P. 93)]

Imaam Haakim writes concerning the attribute of Adaalah of a narrator that:

“واصل عدالة المحدث ان يكون مسلما لا يدعو الي بدعة ولا يعلن من أنواع المعاصي ما تسقط به عدالته”

“And the default in the Adaalah of a Muhaddith is that he is a Muslim, he does not call towards his Bid’ah, nor does he indulge into the kind of sins which would revolt his Adaalah”

[Ma’rifah Uloom al-Hadeeth (P. 53)]

The introduction of Ilm Jarh and Ta’deel:

Taash Kubra writes while making an introduction to this science:

“هو علم يبحث فيه عن كيفية اتصال الأحاديث بالرسول عليه الصلوة والسلام من حيث أحوال رواته ضبطا وعدالة من حيث كيفية السند اتصالا او انقطاعا وغير ذلك من أحوال التي يعرفها نقاد الأحاديث”

“This is a science in which is discussed about the conditions of Ittisaal (connection) of Ahaadeeth with the Messenger (May peace and blessings be upon him) with regard to the conditions of its narrators as in precision and uprightness, and with regard to the condition of the chain whether its connected or disconnected, and other aspects from the conditions which are known to the critiques of ahaadeeth.”

[Miftaah as-Si’aadah (1/397)]

Nawaab Siddeeq Hasan Khaan writes:

“هو علم يبحث فيه عن جرح الرواة وتعديلهم بألفاظ مخصوصة وعن مراتب تلك الألفاظ”

“It is a science in which is discussed about the criticism of narrators and their praise with specific words and from the levels of those words”

[Abjad al-Uloom (2/179), Muqaddimah Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi (11/141)]

Ajjaaj al-Khateeb explains this as follows:

“فهو علم يبحث في أحوال الرواة من حيث قبول رواياتهم او ردها”

“It is a science in which the conditions of narrators with regard to accepting or rejecting their narrations is discussed”

[Usool al-Hadeeth (P. 261)]

The Basis of Jarh wa Ta’deel:

The following verse of Surah al-Hujuraat has been declared the basis of this entire science:

“…يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُو”

“O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate”

[49: 6]

Although this verse was revealed on a specific occasion, but in it Allaah Ta’ala has guided the Muslims to a principle that when an important news comes based on which a big decision is to be taken, then investigate the condition of the person who brought this news before extracting any conclusions from it. If he is a Faasiq (disobedient) i.e. whose apparent condition suggests that his news is not worth trusting, then investigate before acting upon his report, and you must adopt a permanent conduct of investigation and inquiry.

Imaam Muslim writes under the explanation of this verse that:

“أن خبر الفاسق ساقط غير مقبول”

“The report of a Faasiq is invalid and unacceptable”

[Muqaddimah Saheeh Muslim (1/9)]

This verse apparently only tells us to investigate the narration of a Faasiq, but if we examine and analyze then it becomes evident that the awareness of someone being a Faasiq can only be achieved in a condition when we know his conditions, his life, his days and nights, his good and bad etc.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself has also stressed, through his sayings, that it is necessary to examine the authenticity and reliability of the report and the reporter.

He says:

“كَفَى بِالْمَرْءِ كَذِبًا أَنْ يُحَدِّثَ بِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعَ ‏"”

“It is enough lying for a person to relate everything he hears”

[Muqaddimah Saheeh Muslim (5)]

Hence, these texts are enough for the basic foundation of this science. The need of research and investigation becomes especially important when the narration of a narrator is related to the basis and the foundation of Sharee’ah and Deen.

Jarh wa Ta’deel in Qur’aan:

Apart from this reasoning, Jarh and Ta’deel is found in the verses of Qur’aan itself as there are many places in Qur’aan where the Tawtheeq of Sahaabah Karaam has been done by Allaah himself.

The Most High Lord says:

“وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ”

“And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhaajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct - Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him”

[Tawbah 9:100]

“أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ”

“It is those who are the truthful.”

[Al-Hujuraat 49:15]

“فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ”

“It is those who will be the successful”

[Al-Hashr 59:9]

“هُمُ الْفَائِزُونَ”

“They are the attainers [of success]”

[Al-Hashr 59:20]

“الصَّابِرِينَ وَالصَّادِقِينَ وَالْقَانِتِينَ وَالْمُنفِقِينَ وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالْأَسْحَارِ”

“The patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend [in the way of Allah], and those who seek forgiveness before dawn”

[Aal-e-Imraan 3:17]

“أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ”

“Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous”

[Al-Baqarah 2:177]

Similarly, besides Ta’deel we also find Jarh in Qur’aan:

“أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ”

“Those are the defiantly disobedient”

[An-Noor 24:4 & Al-Hashr 59:19]

“فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ”

“It is those who are the losers.”

[Al-A’raaf 7:178]

“أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ”

“It is they who are the heedless.”

[Al-A’raaf 7:179]

“وَهُم مُّشْرِكُونَ”

“And they are Mushrikoon (associate others with Allaah)”

[Yoosuf 12:106]

“وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ”

“And they do not perceive”

[Yoosuf 12:107]

Etc.

Jarh wa Ta’deel in Hadeeth:

Besides Qur’aan, we also find many examples of it in the Sunnah; and under this heading, Scholars have mentioned some instances where the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) himself has done Jarh and Ta’deel.

Faatimah bint Qays (radiallah anha) said that I said to the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam):

“O Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) Abu Jahm and Mu’aawiyah bin Abi Sufyaan have sent proposal of marriage to me”, so he (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: “As for Abu Jahm, he does not put down his stick from his shoulder, and as for Mu’aawiyah he is a poor man who has no property”

[Saheeh Muslim, Kitaab at-Talaaq (3697)]

Similarly, it is narrated from Sayyidah Aa’ishah (radiallah anhu) that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said while doing Jarh on a person:

“بِئْسَ ابْنُ الْعَشِيرَةِ ‏"‏‏‏ أَوْ ‏"‏ بِئْسَ أَخُو الْعَشِيرَةِ”

“What an evil man of the tribe he is!” or “What an evil brother of the tribe he is!”

[Saheeh Bukhaari (6032)]

While doing Ta’deel of Abdullah bin Umar (radiallah anhu), the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said:

“إِنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ رَجُلٌ صَالِحٌ”

“Indeed Abdullah is a righteous man”

[Saheeh Bukhaari (374)]

Similarly the following saying of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) is also a Ta’deel:

“خَيْرُ النَّاسِ قَرْنِي، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ،”

“The people of my generation are the best, then those who follow them, and then those who follow the latter”

[Saheeh al-Bukhaari (6429)]

This proves that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) revealed the defects of people and praised them based on the benefit of people.

The Need & the Importance of this Science

Based on the above mentioned basis from the Qur’aan and Hadeeth, it is of extreme importance in Ilm al-Hadeeth to investigate and research about the Narrators of Hadeeth. That is because, if not until the narrators are tested through the strict scrutiny of Jarh and Ta’deel in relation to their Adaalah and Dhabt, none of their sayings or narrations will be considered trustworthy. Like this, neither would any reliable compilation of hadeeth have come into existence nor would the pure Sharee’ah have remained complete without its second basic source. Hence, the Liars and the trustworthy ones are distinguished through this act and thus authentic narrations are separated from the weak and fabricated ones.

Ajjaaj al-Khateeb writes while describing the importance of this science:

“ومن أهل علوم الحديث، وأعظامها شأنا وأبعدها أثرا، اذبه يتميز الصحيح من السقيم، والمقبول من المردود”

“And this is the greatest of Ilm from the Uloom al-Hadeeth in rank, and the farther in benefit. The authentic from the weak, and the accepted from the rejected it distinguished through this science.”

[Usool al-Hadeeth Uloomuhu wa Mustalahahu (P. 261) & Al-Mukhtasar al-Wajeez (P. 103)]

While pointing to this aspect, the author of the Muqaddimah of Al-Kaamil fi Du’afa ar-Rijaal says:

“هذا هو ميزان الرجال، وهو ميزان توزن به معادنهم، فيتميز الذهب من النحاس والفضة من الرصاص، وهذا الفن هو عماد السنة: اذا به يتميز الصحيح من السقيم وبه ينكشف حال الضعفاء والكذابين من الرواة واقامة النكير عليهم صيانة للدين، وهو امر واجب علي المسلمين”

“This is a scale of men; it is a scale with which their ma’adin are measured, thus with it, the gold is distinguished from the copper and the silver from the lead, and this field is the pillar of Sunnah; It is with this science that the authentic is distinguished from the weak, and it is with it that the conditions of Weak and Liar narrators is revealed and abstinence is established (from their narrations) for the sake of Deen, and this is an obligatory matter upon the Muslims”

[Al-Kaamil (1/34)]

The importance and need of this science is also apparent from the fact that Imaam Nawawi has brought a chapter on this, saying:

“باب بيان أن الإسناد من الدين وان الرواية لا يكون الا عن الثقات وان جرح الرواة بما هو فيهم جائز بل واجب وانه ليس من الغيبة المحرمة بل من الذب عن الشريعة المكرمة”

“Chapter: the clarification that the isnaad is from The religion, and narration is only from the Trustworthy, and that the criticism of narrators due to what is found in them is permissible, rather it is obligatory, and that it is not from the impermissible backbiting, rather it is from the defense of the noble Islamic religion”

[Sharh an-Nawawi Ala Saheeh Muslim (1/84)]

Its Genesis & Origin:

The un-compiled or un-official form of Jarh wa Ta’deel started and existed from the beginning of Islaam because the practice of investigation, caution, and research had always been prevalent among the Muslims from the direct guidance of Qur’aan and the training of Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam).

The First Century Hijri:

In this era, the practice of caution in accepting a narration was very common among the Khulafa Raashideen and Many Sahaabah. Some of the important names of Sahaabah in this regard include: Ubaadah bin as-Saamit al-Khazraji al-Ansaari radiallah anhu (D. 34 H), Abdullah bin as-Salaam al-Israa’eelee radiallah anhu (D. 43), Zayd bin Thaabit radiallah anhu (D. 48), Imraan bin Husayn radiallah anhu (D. 52), Abu Hurayrah radiallah anhu (D. 59), Abdullah bin Amr bin al-Aas radiallah anhu (D. 65), Abdullah bin Abbaas al-Qurashi al-Haashimi radiallah anhu (D. 68), Abdullah bin Umar radiallah anhu (D. 73), Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri radiallah anhu (D. 74), and Anas bin Maalik radiallah anhu (D. 90).

Whereas among the Taabi’een the names of Sa’eed bin al-Musayyab rahimahullah (D. 94), and Sa’eed bin Jubayr rahimahullah (D. 95) are important.

These people have done Tawtheeq and Tad’eef of people in their own way but it was in its most basic form.