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From Issue: 530 [Read full issue]
Reckless Rejection of Sahih Hadith
Haste in rejection of any Hadith, though it is Sahih (authentic) and affirmed, makes its having been understood doubtful. Those deep-rooted in knowledge do not venture recklessness in rejecting Sahih Hadiths. Rather, they approve the opinion held by the early generations of the Community (Salaf). For when it is established that they accepted a Hadith, and no esteemed leader censured it, then necessarily they did not recognize any criticism of it on grounds of irregularity nor any cause of objection to it.
A fair-minded scholar must let the Hadith stand, and study the intelligible meaning or the appropriate interpretation of it. This is the point of division in this field between Mutazilis (absolute rationalists) and Ahl al-Sunnah (the Sunnis, those who followed the Prophetic tradition). The former were prompt to dismiss every difficulty of Hadith that resisted what they had accepted as principles of knowledge and religion. But Ahl al-Sunnah applied their minds to interpretation of the difficult Hadith, and to bringing together what, outwardly, was at variance, and reconciling what was contradictory.
Once the evidence of a Hadith's being from the Prophet has been affirmed, a far-reaching, thorough examination into how it may be understood is obligatory; and there must be every caution against dismissing it merely to please far-fetched arguments, which may themselves have a mistake hidden in them.
Compiled From:
"Approaching the Sunnah: Comprehension & Controversy" - Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, p. 37-38.