Ṭa’n[1] (criticism) occurs for one of more of the following reasons:
- Kidhb al-rāwi – Narrator lying
- Tuhmat al-kidhb – Narrator is accused of lying
- Fuḥsh ghalaṭ – mistake from the teacher when narrating
- Ghaflah ‘an itqān – Being heedless in preserving the narration whilst listening or studying
- Fisq – Sinner, for example one who doesn’t pray or drinks alcohol
- Wahm – there is doubt in the ḥadīth
- Mukhalāfah li al-thiqāt – opposes the narration of a thiqah narrator[2]
- Jahāla – ignorance regarding the rāwī
- Bid’ah – innovation
- Sū` ḥifdh – weak memory[3]
From these ten, the first five are concerned with the adālah of the rāwī, whereas the last five are concerned with the ḍabṭ[4] of the rāwī.
The list of ṭa’n mentioned above decreases in severity, thus number (1) is more severe than number (10).
Ruling of aḥādīth
We can make a few generalisations:
- Those aḥādīth with narrators with ṭa’n from categories (1) and (2),[5] are generally classified as mawḍū’. However, it is important to note that not all aḥādīth will fall into this category.[6]
- Those aḥādīth with narrators with ṭa’n from categories (3) and (4) are matrūk i.e. ḍaīf jiddan (very weak).
- A ḥadīth from category (5) is generally classed as ḍaīf shadīd (severely weak).
[1] Literally; stabbing.
[2] Contradiction can also occur from the side of a thiqah narrator. This ḥadīth will be classified as shādh.
[3] A lot of sū ḥifdh can lead to fuḥsh ghalaṭ.
[4] Precision of narration
[5] Not all aḥādīth with someone who is mutaham bi al-kidhb is mawḍū’ as the change of words could have been by someone else.
[6] If a kadhdhab narrates a ḥadīth with no mutāba’āt or shawāhid, we say that this ḥadīth is possibly mawḍū’.