Comment on Proof of God by abdullah

abdullah · 4/12/2025, 6:00:12 PM · permalink

To put it in simple terms, for a hadith report to be accepted, it must pass stringent tests and checks to verify its authenticity. Authenticity meaning how certain we are that the hadith was stated by the one it is attributed to.  
  
I say 'one it is attributed to' because a 'hadith' can refer to a statement or action or tacit approval that is attributed to the Prophet PBUH, one of his Companions, or one of the salaf (the two generations of pious successors to the  Companions). Classically, the scholars of hadith used the term 'hadith' for all three groups.  
  
In terms of which of these should be taken as sources of divine revelation, most definitely the Hadith of the Prophet PBUH, as I pointed out previously when I listed the verses clearly stating that its an obligation to obey the Prophet PBUH and follow him. Some scholars also took the Hadith of the Companions as authoritative sources for Islamic legal rulings.  
  
Going back to the authenticity of a Hadith, the scholarship of Islam have collectively determined and canonized the methods and criteria through which a Hadith’s authenticity can be determined. To sum it up in a few sentences, this involves dissecting and critiquing the following aspects of a Hadith:  
1\. The chain of narrators  
2\. The contents of the Hadith, i.e. the statement, description of an event, etc  
3\. Subtle defects within the contents or chain of narrators  
  
Examining the chain of narrators involves investigating each narrator to determine their trustworthiness, character, reliability in transmitting the Hadith, whether they actually met the narrator they took the Hadith from and the narrator they passed it down to, and many more things.  
  
Examining the contents of the Hadith involves determining of the Hadith contradicts a verse or verses of the Quran (which, if it did, would automatically make it inauthentic).  
  
A subtle defect in a Hadith is something which could render an otherwise authentic Hadith to be inauthentic or reduce its level of authenticity. For example, a hadith which mentions that the Prophet PBUH used to eat pineapples would be considered a fabrication because we know that pineapples were not even known to people in the mainland until the year 1493 BCE. Another example is, if a narrator with some Shia sentiments who is also a trustworthy and reliable narrator narrates a Hadith about the virtues of the Household of the Prophet PBUH; even though we know such a narrator is not a liar, this presence of potential conflict of interest is enough to add a subtle defect to his narration.  
  
I should also mention that there are gradations in the authenticity of a Hadith, ranging from undeniably attributable to its source (Prophet PBUH, companions, or salaf) all the way to complete fabrications. Which gradation a hadith receives is based on the scholar’s methodology for grading Hadith, so when we look at the grading of a Hadith, we need to first see who gave it that grading and what was their criteria.  
  
So to answer your question: a hadith can be accepted as long as it meets the criteria laid out by the scholar’s of hadith with no exception and standup to extreme scrutiny (this would include Shia sources).  
  
Let me also mention that if we were to apply the criteria and methods of the Hadith scholars to any other historical event or persons, would find that most historical accounts cannot be proven to be authentic! This is how stringent and strict the criteria and methods of the scholars of Islam are.

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