Lesson 23 Identification of Narrators

The science of Hadith criticizes the narrators according to: -Documentation: their names, surnames, nicknames, dates, generation, and Shaykhs -Evaluation: judging the accuracy according to positive and negative factors.

The Generations of Narrators These are groups of contemporary narrators who were similar in age and in their quoting of Shaykhs. They are divided into twelve generations, starting with the Companions, then the early Successors to the six Imams of Hadith.

Knowing the generations of narrators is important in differentiating the narrators having similar names, and in discovering breaks in the chain of transmission.

Homeland of the Narrators Knowing the homeland of the narrators is important to investigate if the narrator met with the one from whom he transmitted the Hadith. Also their identities are thus verified.

Dates Knowing the dates of birth and death of the narrators is important to make sure the continuity of the chain of narration and to uncover any fabrication.

Names, Surnames, and Epithets Knowing and comparing the names, surnames, and epithets helps in making sure of the narrator’s identity, avoiding ambiguity, and disclosing deception.

Reliability Ratings The reliability of a narrator is realized if he meets two conditions : a) Moral integrity: being a Muslim, mature, and sane, and being free from vice and all that is dishonorable.

b) Exactitude: to directly hear from the narrator, to completely understand the meaning, and to learn it by heart till the time he transmitted it to another, also, he should be known for his strong ability to learn by heart and possess good scrutiny.

According to these criteria, narrators are ascribed different reliability, unreliability or intermediate reliability ratings.

Ranks of Reliability Reliability ranks: Commander of believers in Hadith, ruler, expert, narrator, trustworthy, reliable

These ranks are judged by comparing the narrations of the narrator in question with those of trustworthy narrators known for their exactitude.

Ranks of Unreliability These include: accused of lying or fabrication, on the verge of death, steals Hadith, fabricator, weak, unknown. Their narrations should not be taken as evidence by any means.

Intermediate Ranks Their narrations are not taken as evidence but may be taken as a lesson. They include: truthful, approximates Hadith, his narrations are disturbed, knows yet denies, his narrations are renounced …