Al-Ahwaa’; singular: hawaa’ (Arabic:الھوٰی);  refers to vain or egotistical desire, individual passion and/or impulsiveness. Islam is a religion of discipline and mankind is a creature of desire but by following the Shari’ah laid out by Allah subhana wa ta’ala, mankind too can go through with life with minimal chaos. True freedom, from the Islamic perspective, does not mean aimlessly following all of your human desires for food, drink, wealth and sex. On the contrary, freedom means being able to control one’s base desires and fulfilling them in a proper and legal way. 

“Verily, Al Hawaa (the desire) is the Hithaar of the Hell Fire which surrounds it, he who walks across it will fall in Hell, just as the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallum said in hadeeth reported in the Saheehayn 

[Al Bukhaaree and Muslim]

*Note: Hithaar means anything forming a barrier, an obstruction, a partition or a fence)

Allaah has created man in a world of trials and tests, and He has made Paradise the abode of His friends and beloved ones, who preferred His pleasure over their own and preferred obedience to Him over their physical comfort. And He has made Hell the abode of those among His slaves who disobey Him and preferred their own whims and desires to the pleasure of their Lord.

But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination,

Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge.

-79:40-41

Following desires can develop into a very destructive sin and indeed the salaf have warned over and over about following and interacting with the people of desires as they may corrupt our own imaan as well. A person while following his own desires [against the shari’ah], is disobeying Allah.

Ibn Al-Qayyim said,  It is feared that he who follows Al Hawaa (the desire) may become altogether detached from Eemaan (Faith) while being unaware.

Though people seem to think that Islam is very restrictive, the truth is, that it encourages balance in your way of life. Allah azzawajal gives a lawful outlet for your desires but in moderation so that you wouldn’t indulge in this dunya so much so that you would forget your hereafter. You can eat but you eat in moderation, you can obtain wealth, but you utilize it in Allah’s way and give zakah to get rid of your greed for it, you can have women yet you have to lawfully marry them so on and so forth. Islam doesn’t cut you off from the dunya, rather it teaches you to balance it out.

Abu Hurayrah radiAllahu anhu narrated that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallum said:

“When Allaah created Al Jannah and An Naar (the Hell Fire), He sent Jibreel to Al Jannah and said: Go and look at it and at what I have prepared therein for its people. He went and looked at it and at what Allaah has prepared therein for its people, then came to Him and said:

By Your Might, no one who hears of it will fail to enter it. 

He gave an order repsecting it and accordingly it was surrounded with undesirable things, and said (to Jibreel): Go and look at it and at (the things) which I have prepared therein for its people. He went and looked at it, and found that it was surrounded with disliked and undesirable things, then came to Him and said:

By Your Might, I am afraid that no one will enter it.

He (Allaah) then said: Go to An Naar (The Fire) and look at it and at (the things) which I have prepared therein for its people. (He went) and found that it was heaped up, one part upon the other, then he came to Him and said:

By Your Might, no one who hears of it will enter it.

He (Allaah) gave a command respecting it, and it was surrounded with desirable things and passions and then said: Go back to it. He went and said:

By Your Might, I am afraid that no one will remain who does not enter it.”
-Sunan at-Tirmidhi

(Shaykh Al Albaanee authenticated it in Saheeh Al Jaami’)

Ali Ibn Abi Talib said, 

The thing I fear for you most is following desires and having extensive hopes (about this worldly life). Following one’s desires blocks you from the truth, and having extensive hopes makes you forget the hereafter. Verily, this worldly life is departing and the hereafter is approaching and each of them has its children. So be children of the hereafter, not children of this world, for today there are (opportunities to do) deeds and there is no reckoning, but tomorrow there will be reckoning and no deeds.

-Bukhari

A believer must strive to obey Allah to the best of his abilities and strip himself of his desires so he can truly submit to his Lord. Verily, the protection and the aid of Allah is only for those who obey Him. The reward in the hereafter is only for those who remain patient in this world. Whoever desires the rewards in this world will get it, and whoever desires the next world, will get it. The best form of gratitude to Allah azzawajal is obedience.

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallum said:

“Three(things) lead to safety and three cause destruction. Those that lead to safety are: fearing Allaah in secrecy and in the open, uttering the truth at times of satisfaction and anger, and moderation at times of poverty and wealth. As for three that lead to destruction, then they are, the Hawaa being followed, niggardliness being obeyed and conceitedness.”

-[Al Muhaddith Shaykh Al Albaanee said that the hadeeth is hasan is As Silsilah As Saheehah and Saheeh Al Jaami’]

Read More:

• The result of following desire- Ibn al-Qayyim
• Dispraise for al-Ahwaa’- Ibn al Qayyim

Tawakkul (Arabic: توكل) means to depend sincerely in one’s heart upon Allaah Almighty, for bringing blessings and warding off harms, for this world and the Hereafter. If people were to sincerely trust and depend upon Allaah to bring them that which benefits them and to keep away that which harms them, and if they take reasonable, practical steps themselves, Allaah will send their provision to them by the simplest of means. Just as Allaah Almighty gives the bird provision when it simply leaves in the morning, seeking its sustenance, and returns at the end of the day. Yes, it does go out to search, but it is an easy effort. Tawakkul in reality does not deny actually working and striving for provision, for Allaah Almighty has decreed that we should work and it is from His ways that he gives people when they strive. In fact, Allaah Almighty ordered us to both depend upon Him and to work, to take the necessary steps needed to achieve our goals, and so the act of striving for our sustenance is an act of physical worship while trusting and depending upon Allaah is faith in Him. 

“And in Allaah let believers put their Trust” 

[Ibrahim 14:11]

He made Tawakkul like Taqwa which is to establish the means that have been ordered, while depending upon Allaah. Dependence without working and striving is mere impotence, even though, when one does this, he may appear to depend on Allaah to a certain degree. No one, then, should transform his trust into mere impotence and weakness. One should rather deem his trust in Allaah to be like working and striving: it is one of the necessary steps one must take to achieve his goal.

“Were you to depend upon Allaah with true dependence, He would have provided for you like He provides for the bird; early in the morning he leaves hungry, but returns at the end of the day with a full stomach.” 

-At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ahmad etc

Reliance on Allah does NOT mean not working and striving for sustenance in this life. Al-Bahaiqiy (one of the major collectors of hadith) said:

“There is no support in this hadith for resigning from working to earn. On the contrary, it in fact supports working and seeking earnings. This is because the bird when it flies out in the morning does so in pursuit of its sustenance. And so the meaning – and Allah knows best – is: if they were to rely on Allah while setting out and while returning and when acting/interacting and believed during all of that that all good id in the hands of Allah and comes only from Him, they would never set out except in a state of health and success like the birds who set out hungry and return full. If, however, they rely on their own strengths and abilities and then engage in deception, lying and insincerity, this is opposite to reliance on Allah.”

Read More

[ Qur’an 27:46]

Al-Mizaan (Arabic: ميزان) refers to the scale of balancing a measuring deeds against their sins on the Day of Resurrection. All servants of Allah will thus be held accountable for all their good and bad deeds and rewarded or punished accordingly. Mizan will be set up on the Day of Resurrection to weigh the deeds of the servants of Allah, whose Mizan (of good deeds) will either be heavy or light. 

Then as for one whose scales are heavy [with good deeds],

He will be in a pleasant life.

But as for one whose scales are light,

His refuge will be an abyss.

-101:6-9

 Whoever’s Mizan will be heavy will receive the record of their deeds by their right hand and vice versa. The affair of sinful people who die without making Tawbah (repentance to Allah) will be decided by Allah. Allah (Glorified be He) will forgive whomever He wills, admit them to Jannah, so such people will receive the record of their deeds with their right hands; those are the people of salvation and happiness. Conversely, Allah (Glorified be He) will punish whomever He wills in hellfire due to their sins and bad deeds. After being purified, Allah will take such people out of hellfire and make them accompany their brothers in Jannah. It is worth mentioning that the people of Jannah will enjoy blessings there forever. They will not urinate, defecate, or even blow their noses. Rather, they will be in permanent comfort and continuous goodness. All that they eat or drink will be extracted in the form of belching and sweat. Unlike the dwellers of the Fire, who will be in continuous torment forever; may Allah grant us safety. 

Then We will surely relate [their deeds] to them with knowledge, and We were not [at all] absent.

And the weighing [of deeds] that Day will be the truth. So those whose scales are heavy - it is they who will be the successful.

And those whose scales are light - they are the ones who will lose themselves for what injustice they were doing toward Our verses.

-7:7-9

As for what will be placed on the Balance on the Day of Resurrection, it has been said that the deeds will be placed on it, even though they are not material objects. Allah will give these deeds physical weight on the Day of Resurrection. The meaning of the scales of balances is known to us, however the way in which it would be carried out is known to only the Lord of the Worlds.

Al-Qurtubi said: “When the Reckoning is completed, then people’s deeds will be weighed, because the weighing has to do with reward and punishment. So it is apt that it should come after the Reckoning. The Reckoning is to evaluate the deeds, and the weighing is to determine the amount of reward or punishment.” 

The texts indicate that the Balance is a real Balance, with two pans, in which people’s deeds will be weighed. It is a huge Balance, the size of which is known only to Allaah. The scholars differed as to whether it is one Balance in which people’s deeds will be weighed, or whether there are numerous Balances, so that each person will have his own Balance. 

 Abu’l-Darda’ narrated: “I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘There is nothing that will be placed in the Balance that will weigh more heavily than a good attitude. The one who has a good attitude will attain thereby the status of one who fasts and prays (a great deal).’”

-Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi 

Indeed each sin and deed is recorded by our angels in our scrolls of deeds, and indeed a person will only receive what their own hands sent forth. No injustice would be done against them, for Allah is the most Just. If one does a deed, it is only for the salvation of their own soul and if one does a bad deed and doesn’t repent, it is only against their own soul and Allah is free of all needs.

And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be treated unjustly at all. And if there is [even] the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as accountant.

-21:47

May Allah azzawajal grant us heavier scales on that day, may we open our eyes and hearts to the right path and prepare for that day before death befalls us and may He have mercy upon us for without that, we are surely doomed.

Manhaj (Arabic: والمنهاج) refers to the methodology of receiving, analyzing and applying knowledge. So, if you go by the correct understanding of the Quran and Sunnah then you are on the correct Manhaj. The correct understanding of the Quran and Sunnah is that of the righteous predecessors. It refers to the specific way and methodology adopted by Ahl us-Sunnah, that is derived from the Book and the Sunnah, upon the fahm (understanding) of the Salaf, in the various affairs of the deen, be they related to beliefs, or other aspects of knowledge, or aspects of action.

And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth. To each of you We prescribed a law and a method.

-5:48

So for example, Ahl us-Sunnah have a specific methodology in the way that they make tafseer of the Book of Allaah, likewise they have a specific methodology in the way that they derive their aqeedah, and they have specific methodologies in the subject of ahaadeeth, and they have a specific methodology in the way that they perform the da’wah to Allaah, and they have a specific methodology in refuting, warning, and they have a specific methodology in behaving during specific circumstances, such as oppressive rulers, or empowerment of the kuffar over the Muslims, and so on. So many other affairs can be listed.

So from this we understand that manhaj is something that is very broad and vast. In light of this, it also becomes clear that it is of the utmost importance that we are precise and exact in these methodologies, which is really a matter that returns back to gaining a proper understanding of the Book and the Sunnah in light of the understanding of the Salaf. When subtle mistakes are made in the methodologies underlying these fields they can lead, over time, to great innovation and misguidance.

Shaykh al Fawwzaan [Raheemullah] said, “Manhaj is broader than aqidah, manhaj (methodology) occurs in aqidah, and in sulook (behaviour) and in akhlaaq (manners) and in mu’aamalaat (dealings), and in all the life of a Muslim. As for aqidah, then the foundation of eemaan (faith) is intended by it, and the meaning of the two testimonials and whatever is required by them both, this is aqidah.”

The subject of manhaj is more vast than the subject of tawheed and aqeedah, the affairs of manhaj are more broad and they underlie the affairs of the deen in general, so they underlie the affairs of Tawheed, because Ahl us-Sunnah have particular methodologies in understanding Tawheed and explaining it, and teaching and calling to it, likewise in Aqeedah, likewise in Fiqh, likewise, in dealing with the Innovators, likewise in refuting and warning from deviation, likewise in rectifying the society, likewise in correcting the rulers and so on. The affairs of manhaj cover both knowledge based matters, such as the affairs of tawheed, and tafseer, and aqeedah and fiqh, and they also cover action based matters, such as how to behave with the rulers, how to behave with the Innovators, how to rectify the society, how to perform da’wah, where to begin, what are the priorities, and how to implement the aqeedah of walaa and baraa and so on.

In contemporary times, the word manhaj has been identified primarily with the affairs of da`wah and whatever is connected to them. This has occurred because in the last century, due to the birth of political activist ideologies imported from the Kuffar and spread under the banner of “Islam”, many mistakes and deviations were made in these methodologies that relate to da`wah and rectification of the Ummah (and as a consequence in other fields also, such jarh and ta`deel, dealing with the Innovators, and jihaad, and takfeer, and cooperative work, walaa and baraa and other affairs).

In light of that, when we speak about “the manhaj” and “correcting ones manhaj” and “understanding the Salafee manhaj” and the “importance of knowing the manhaj” and phrases such as these, then what is meant is knowing exactly what was the manhaj (way, methodology) of the Salaf in the various affairs subject to controversy, and returning to them, and being exact and precise with respect to them and implementing them.

Shaykh Ubayd ibn Jabiree [Raheemullah] said, “And Islaam is composed of these two: correctness in belief and soundness in manhaj (methodology), and its uprightness. One of them does not separate from the other. Thus, whoever’s manhaj is corrupt, then have trust that it springs from corruption in his aqidah. So when the aqidah is upright upon the correct manner, then the manhaj will also be upright.”

This is why the Salafee Shaykhs always stress the importance of correcting and being precise and exact in the Salafee manhaj, as this is what distinguishes the Salafees from all the people of deviation, innovation and hizbiyyah.

And many people from the hizbiyyeen, the takfeeriyyeen, the qutbiyyeen and surooriyyeen and others now also ascribe themselves to Salafiyyah and call themselves Salafees, fraudulently. However,what distinguishes the true Salafees from them is that the Salafees have distinct and clear methodologies and also clear positions that they hold on issues, events, individuals organisations and groups and one can quite easily identify those who make false ascriptions to Salafiyyah by looking at where they stand and what positions they hold on these same matters.

Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan - may Allaah preserve him - said, The reasons for disunity are many. From amongst the main causes are: Firstly, opposing the Manhaj (methodology) of the Salaf, the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger and those who follow them. So the Salaf had a Manhaj that they adhered to; a Manhaj in aqeedah (creed), a Manhaj in da’wah (calling to Allaah), a Manhaj in enjoining good and forbidding evil, a Manhaj in how to judge between people. This Manhaj, in all situations, was based upon the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of our Messenger .

islamic-dictionary:

[ Quran 3:139 ]

Taqleed (Arabic: تَقْليد) in Islamic legal terminology connoting “imitation”, that is; following the decisions of a religious authority without necessarily examining the scriptural basis or reasoning of that decision, such as accepting and following the verdict of scholars of jurisprudence (fiqh) without demanding an explanation of the processes by which they arrive at it, hence adherence to one of the classical schools (madhhab) of jurisprudence.

Linguistically, taqleed means: Placing something around the neck, which encircles the neck. Technically it means: Following he whose sayings is not a proof (hujjah).

Exlcuded from our saying, “following he whose saying is not a proof” is: following the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) , following the ijmaa and also following the saying of the sahaabee - for those who consider the saying of a single sahaabee to be a proof. So following any of these is not called taqleed, since there is a proof for doing so. However this type of following is sometimes referred to as taqleed in a very metaphorical and loose sense.

The Place of Taqleed:

Taqleed is done in two cases:

1. When the muqallid is an ‘aamee (a common person) who does not have the ability to aquire knowledge of the sharee’ah ruling by himself. So taqleed is obligatory upon him, due to the saying of Allaah - The Most High, “ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.” So he does taqleed of one whom he considers to be a person of knowledge and piety. If there are two such people who are equal in his view, then he chooses any one of them.
2. The mujtahid when he encounters a new situation, for which an immediate solution is required, but it is not possible for him to research into this matter. So in this case he is permitted to perform taqleed.

Some stipulate as a condition for the permissibility of taqleed, that the matter is not from the fundamentals of the deen - those matters which must be held as aqeedah - since matters of aqueedah require certainty, whereas taqleed only amounts to dhann (knowledge which is not certain).

However the correct saying in this matter is that this is not a condition, due to the generality of his - the Most High’s - saying, “ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.” [16:43/21:7] And this verse is in the context of affirming the Messengership - which is from the fundamentals of the deen. And also because the common person cannot aquire knowledge of the sharee’ah rulings with it’s proofs by himself. So if he is unable to arrive at the truth by himself, then nothing remains for him except taqleed, due to the saying of Allaah - the most High, “fear Allaah as much as you can”

Types of Taqleed:

Taqleed is of two types: general and specific.

• The general type: that a person sticks to a particular madhhab (school of thought), accepting it’s concessions and non-concessions, in all matters of the deen.

The scholars have differed about such a state. So some amongst the late-comers have reported that this is obligatory upon him, due to his inability to perform ijtihaad. Others report it as being forbidden for him, due to its being a case of necessitating unrestricted following of other than the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam).

Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said,

“The saying that it is obligatory, causes obedience to other than the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) in every matter of command and pohibition, and this is in opposition to the ijmaa’. And the allowance of it contains what it contains.”

He (RH) also said,

“He who sticks to a particular madhhab, and then acts in opposition to it - without making taqleed of another scholar who has given him a ruling, nor does he use an evidence as a proof which necessitates acting in opposition to his madhhab, nor does he have an acceptable Sharee’ah excuse which allows him to do what he has done - then such a person is a follower of his desires, doing what is haraam - without a Sharee’ah excuse - and this is evil and sinful.

However, if there becomes clear to him, something which necessitates preference to one saying to another - either due to detailed proofs if he knows and understands them, or because he holds one of two people to be more knowledgeable about this matter and having more piety with regards to what he says - and so he leaves the saying of that one for the saying of the other one, then this is permissible, rather, it is obligatory. And there is a text from Imaam Ahmad about this.”

• The particular type of taqleed is that he accepts a saying about a particular matter. This is permissible if such a person is unable to arrive at knowledge of the by ijtihaad - whether he is unable to in reality, or he is able, but with great difficulty.

Fatwaa of a Muqallid:

Allaah - the Most High - said, “Ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.” And the Ahludh Dhikr are the Ahlul Ilm (the people of knowledge), whereas the muqallid is not a person of knowledge who is followed - rather he himself is a follower of someone else.

Ibn Abdul Barr (d.463) and others have said,

“the people are united in ijmaa that the muqallid is not counted as being from the Ahlul Ilm, and that knowledge is the realisation of guidance along with it’s proof.”

Ibn al-Qayyim said,

” And it is as Abu Umar (Ibn Abdul Barr) said: Indeed, the people do not differ about the fact that knowledge is the realisation attained from proof, but without proof, it is only taqleed.”

Ibn al-Qayyim then quotes,

“There are three sayings about the permissibility of giving fatwaa based upon taqleed:

1. It is not permissible to give fatwaa based upon taqleed, because it is not knowledge; since issuing a fatwaa without knowledge is forbidden. This is the saying of most of the Hanbalee scholars and the majority of the Shaafi’iyyah.
2. That it is permissible with regards to himself, but it is not permissible to give a fatwaa to others based upon taqleed.
3. That it is permissible when there is a need for it, and there is no mujtahid scholar. And this is the most correct of the sayings and is what is acted upon.”’

Shaykh al-Albaanee says in his, ‘The Hadeeth is a Proof in itself’ after mentioning the statements of the Imaams on Taqleed as found in the introduction to ‘The Prophets Prayer Described’ brings a chapter heading, “Taqleed for whoever cannot search for proofs by himself” (pp94+),

‘”Some may ask: “Not everyone has the ability to be a Person of Knowledge, as explained before?” We say: yes indeed. No one disputes this fact. Allaah said, “So ask the People of Knowledge if you do not know.” (16:43) and, “ask the knowledgeable about it” (25:59). The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) , for those who issued fatwa without knowledge: “Could not they have asked if they did know? The cure for the confused one is to ask. “However, we did not mention all of the above evidence to show who can and who cannot be a scholar. Our research is with regards to those few who are considered to be People of Knowledge. Taqleed is upon the common person and the ignorant one. The scholars, who can search for the evidence, are excluded from this group. They are the ones whose responsibility is not to do Taqleed. Rather, their responsibility is to perform Ijtihaad.

Shaykh ibn Uthaymeen [raheemullah] believes that to generalize about the common folk by saying that they all must perform taqleed is invalid. Taqleed is to follow others without evidence. Many intelligent people can clearly understand evidence if it is presented to them. Who can deny that a common person can understand the evidence contained in the hadeeth, “Tayammum is one strike (of the hands on the dust) for the face and hands”? Even people lacking intelligence can understand this hadeeth.

Therefore, the truth is that we must say that Taqleed is allowed for whosoever cannot search for or understand the evidence, Ibn al-Qayyim also was of this opinion. Even scholars are forced to do Taqleed sometimes, when a scholar cannot find a text from Allaah or His Messenger, but only sayings of more knowledgeable scholars.

Read More:

•  Fataawaa of the Major Committee of Scholars on Taqlid and Madhhabs - Various Authors
• Guidelines concerning Taqleed and Madhab
• The Prohibited & Permissible Forms of Taqleed
• Sayings of the Four Imams on Taqleed

[Qur’an 21:37]

Jarh wa Ta’deel (Arabic: الجرح  وتعديل) is two sciences: the science of jarh (criticizing) and of ta’deel (praising). The science of jarh  is an independent science and this refutes the false minhaj of mentioning the good with the bad. The science of jarh is an independent science, and for this reason many of the Imams wrote books with just jarh (criticizing) in them. 

O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful.

- 49:6

The knowledge of al-Jarh wat-Ta’deel has been proven in the Kitab (Qur’an) and Sunnah and by Ijma’ (consensus). So this ayah is a clear text about the acceptance of the news of one trustworthy person. And the point of that is that Allaahu subhanahu wa taa’ala commanded confirming and verifying once some news comes via a faasiq (a disobedient sinner). And the understanding of that is that the trustworthy narrator does not require confirmation of his news. And the trustworthy narrator is the one who is known for truthfulness, trustworthiness and verification in narrating his reports. And this ayah is also a proof for splitting the people up into two categories.   

The first of them is the one whom it is obligatory to confirm and verify. And this one is the faasiq, whose fisq is known. And the second is the one whom it is obligatory to accept his report because his honesty is known. So therefore the first of the two categories is majruh (disparaged). And due to this, his report is discredited and the second category is trusted and praised. And due to this, his report is accepted.   

Your Salafiyyah will be not be sound whilst [holding that] no one is to be disparaged. Loving for Allaah and hating for Allaah and allegiance for Allaah and enmity for Allaah - if a person is devoid of these four matters, then that means that his Islaam is weak. And the Messenger, salallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam, said: “Whomsoever amongst you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he is not able, then [let him change it] with his tongue [by speaking against it with knowledge]; and if he is not able, then with his heart [by hating it for Allaah’s sake], and that is the weakest of Eemaan.” - The weakest of Eemaan is that you forbid falsehood with your heart. However as for the one who does not forbid falsehood with his heart, then where is the Eemaan in his heart?!! Meaning that his Eemaan is weak, of no benefit. And we ask Allaah for pardon and good health, and Allaah is sufficient for us and what a fine trustee He is.

-Shaykh Ahmad bin Yahyaa an-Najmee

Imam as Suyuti [raheemullah] gathered various terms and arranged them in order of strength. He quoted four levels of strength for praise from Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn al-Salah, adding that al-Dhahabi and Abd al-Rahim ibn al-Husain al-‘Iraqi added an additional level and Ibn Ḥajr one above that. Thus according to al-Suyūṭī, there are six levels of praise. Similarly, al-Suyūṭī described six levels of terms used to criticize a narrator; he arranged them beginning with the least severe and concluding with the most severe criticism.

Levels of praise

1. Ibn Ḥajr held that the highest level of praise was expressed was through the use of the superlative, for example, the most established of the people (athbat al-nās), or the most reliable of the people (awthaq al-nās).
2. Al-‘Iraqi and al-Dhahabi were of the opinion that the highest level was the repetition of adjective, or adjectives, in praising a narrator. For example, reliable, reliable (thiqah thiqah), or reliable, firm (thiqah thabt).
3. The highest level according to Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn al-Salah the highest is the use of a single adjective in describing a narrator. Examples of this are: reliable (thiqah), precise(mutqin) or firm (thabt).
4. Trustworthy (ṣadūq) and worthy of trust (maḥallahu al-ṣidq) are both examples of the next category to Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn al-Salah while al-‘Iraqi and al-Dhahabi consider the latter term to be from the next level.
5. Next is respectable (shaykh) along with worthy of trust (maḥallahu al-ṣidq) according to some. This level would also be inclusive of an individual accused of heresy.
6. The lowest of the levels of praise is, for example, satisfactory in hadith (ṣāliḥ al-ḥadīth), meaning according to Ibn Ḥajr, this includes acceptable (maqbūl) meaning, when supported by other narrators.

Levels of criticism

1. The least severe level for the criticism of a narrator is soft in hadith (layyin al-ḥadīth) and, according to al-‘Iraqi, they have spoken about him (takallamū fīhi). This level would also be taken into consideration as a corroborating narrator, but at a level less than the lowest level of praise.
2. Next is he is not strong (laysa bi l-qawī). The hadith of a narrator determined to be at this level would also be taken into consideration, as with the previous level, however, this narrator is weaker than one of the previous level.
3. More severe than he is not strong is weak in hadith (ḍaʻīf al-ḥadīth), however, none of these first three categories are rejected outright.
4. The fourth of the levels of severity of criticism includes terms such as: his hadith is rejected (rudd al-ḥadīth) and very weak (ḍaʻīf jiddan).
5. The fifth includes terms such as: his hadith is abandoned (matrūk al-ḥadīth) and destroyed (hālik).
6. From the most severe level of terms of criticism are: compulsive liar (kadhdhāb), he lies (yakdhib) and fabricator (waḍḍāʻ) among other terms.

 The noble Scholar, Muhammad ibn Uthaymeen was asked about al-Jarh wat-Ta’deel in modern times and he affirmed that, not only is al-Jarh wat-Ta’deel recorded in the books of Hadeeth, but it also exists today in the Sharee’ah courts and it exists today in refuting and warning against the callers to innovation and misguidance.

Existence & practice till the day of judgement

And Shaykh Rabee’ al-Madkhalee said, “And the time of narrations ended in the third generation.  So why did Ibn Taymiyyah raise the banner of criticism (an-naqd) and the banner of al-Jarh wat-Ta’deel?!  Likewise, so did adh-Dhahabee, Ibnul-Qayyim, Ibn Katheer, Ibn Hajr and others and they will continue until the Day of Judgement!  As long as there is this fight between the truth and falsehood and between the guidance and misguidance and between the people of the truth and falsehood and between the people of guidance and the misguidance, then it is inevitable that the swords of criticism and al-Jarh wat-Ta’deel be unsheathed against the people of falsehood.?

- Refer to As’ilah Abee Rawaahah al-Manhajiyyah (p. 26).

Read More:-

• The Methodology of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah in Jarh wa Ta’deel - Shaykh Rabee’ al Madkhalee [turn to chapter 3 & read onwards]
• Is the science of Jarh wa ta’deel abrogated?

Audio:-

• Shaykh ibn Uthaymeen [raheemullah] on Jarh wa ta’deel
• Is Jarh wa Ta’deen only for scholars?