Ruling On Practicing Weak Hadith According To Mutaqaddimin And Muta’akhkhirin Hadith Scholars

Abstract

The ruling on practicing weak hadith is an issue that is still debated to this day. The debate is caused by differences in the opinions of scholars in determining whether it is permissible to practice from weak hadith. Certain scholars wholly reject acting upon weak hadith, while some accept it and a few others have determined several conditions for it. Thus, this paper aims to study the views of hadith scholars on practicing weak hadith by comparing the opinions of Mutaqaddimin and Muta’akhkhirin scholars of hadith. To achieve the outlined objectives, this qualitative study employs literature review to gather the necessary data. Selected works written by Mutaqaddimin and Muta’akhkhirin scholars of hadith are examined. The data obtained are then analysed based on inductive and deductive approaches. The findings show that the differences in opinions of Mutaqaddimin and Muta’akhkhirin scholars of hadith are caused, among others, by several reports attributed to a few Muslim figures such as Ahmad bin Hanbal who said they were strict when reporting hadiths concerning matters of the permissible and forbidden, and lenient when reporting narrations regarding fada’il al-a‘mal. The reports by these scholars were understood differently.