But he foregoes them without any consideration...

But he foregoes them without any consideration, since if he undertakes criticizing or correcting whatever he discovers of errors, in this case he would never find enough time, nor the tranquillity required for doing this job’. Sometimes he may be energetic, taking the initiative to expose every mistake he may find, especially when coming across a matter regarding which it is improper to keep silent or be inattentive.

As an example for this, when I was reading in the 2nd volume of al-Bayan wa al-tabyin of al-Jahiz that was verified and expounded by Abd al-Salam Harun, I came across in page 322 of it the following: “Ibn Awn said: I came across three men showing strictness toward hearing and three others showing leniency (in regard of maghani – i.e. songs).

Those showing leniency are: al-Hasan, al-Shi’bi and al-Nakha’i whereas those showing strictness being: Muhammad ibn Sirin, al-Qasim ibn Muhammad and Raja’ ibn Hayat. 140 Al-Ustadh Harun has taken hearing in this report to mean hearing of songs! Preferring to use the non-Arab word maghani he found in some copies of usul books, than using it with its neglected pronunciation that was cited in some other copies of usul books.

He embarked then on interpreting it according to his surmise in a way unknown to be pleasing or angering the eminent linguists and grammarians! In explaining the word he said: “Maghani is the plural of maghna – a mimi root of the verb: ghanna – yughanni! (to sing). In the Taymuriyyah version the word al-ma’ani (the meanings) with the obsolete letter (‘ayn) is a misinterpretation, i.e.

this word was stated in the version of Koberly Library (maghani), while it was cited in the Taymuriyyah version with the obsolete (muhmalah), which is a misinterpretation (tahrif). That which is regarded by this man (Harun) as tahrif is verily the correct word, as veracity of the word al-ma’ani (meanings) with the obsolete ‘ayn is confirmed in these two versions, and hearing here is hearing the Prophetic hadith, not hearing the songs!

This statement is set forth by Ibn Awn, due to the fact that conveying hadith of the Messenger of Allah with its genuine words or meaning was a controversial topic among the , which continued and reached the Tabi’un and those succeeding them. Hence, the were divided into two groups: the first permitting narration of hadith by meaning, among whom being Ali, Ibn Abbas and Anas and their followers. And the second one who was represented by Ibn Umar, was forbidding this practice.