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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Light On the Muhammadan Sunnah Or Defence of the Hadith Asking For Hadith Without Fiqh (and What the Traditionists Nicknamed With) There remained one point worth mentioning, which is asking for the hadith in the recent eras, since it being relevant to the topic of my book.

Abu Umar ibn Abd al-Barr said: In regard of seeking the hadith, as done by a large number of present time 719 people without comprehending it or deliberating its meanings, is something reprehensible among a group of men of knowledge 720 . Al-Dhahabi (d.748) in his book Bayan zaghal al-ilm wa al-talab an ilm al-hadith, writes: Most of the muhaddithun, have no knowledge (of hadith), and are not resolved to comprehend the hadith, or following it.

And it is not to blame Sufyan al-Thawri for saying: Had the hadith been good, it would have gone away as the good goes away! (The full text of statement of Sufyan is thus: Had this hadith been good (khayr) it would have decreased as the good decreases, but it is evil, so it increases as the evil increases). By God he said the truth!

As what good is there in a hadith whose sahih and weak words being intermixed, and not verified, nor its transmitters be investigated, nor being fit for recognizing teachings of the Din. He continued by saying: By God, it is better to forget about these things, as we have become a subject of teasing and mockery for men of intellect, who started to look at us differently, saying: These are the people of hadith!!

After reviewing the course of riwayah and notable narrators in the earlier ages, he said: This intense situation retreated in the 4th Century as compared to the 3rd century, and it is continuing to come down up to the present time. Now the best of today traditionists — though numbering so few — are equal to those who were of low position in the past, despite their large number.

Also there can be someone renowned with fiqh and opinion in the past who excels many among the latters in hadith, besides, some of ancient time mutakallimun being more knowledgeable in ilm al-athar than the chiefs (mashayikh) of present time... etc. 721 These were the statements of leaders of hadith in regard of the condition of muhaddithun during the 5th and 8th Hijrah centuries...

so how would be the case with those claiming nowadays to be among the muhaddithun, with their level of knowledge being only reading some of hadith books, and learning by heart a few of the traditions contained in them?