Science of Narrators (ELMUR REJAAL) LESSON 5

1. Science of Narrators (ELMUR REJAAL)LESSON 5 The evaluations of trusted non-IMAMIS The weak ones in the book of DHO’AFAA The Principle or the rule of ADAALAT (JUST) The Evaluation of the MOTAQADIMOON The Evaluation of the MOTA-AKHIREEN Dua/ Testimony/Representation of Imam (AS) The sheikhs of NAJASHI The link of a trusted narrator

2. The evaluations of the ones who are non-IMAMIS and are trusted • There is a debate in the opinion of the scholars regarding the evaluation of the trusted from the NON-IMAMIS, such as: • IBN FADDHAAL the father • IBN FADDHAAL the son • IBN O’QDA • These scholars followed the method of AHLUL BAYT (AS) and their followers in their evaluation, in every aspect. But there are few scholars who do not rely on their work, and there are many scholars said that these are proven to be trusted, so there is no harm in relying on their evaluation.

3. And that difference or the discussion is all based on whether a narrator needs to be trusted only, or his being JUST is required. • S. ALKHOEI mentioned that it is enough that the narrator is trusted, being JUST is not necessary, as long as the narrator is trusted. And he endorsed the three non-IMAMI REJAALIS mention above. He said they were trusted and he relies on them.

4. The weak ones in the book of DHO’AFAA • We have discussed that the relation of the book to IBN ALGHADHAERI, was rejected by • S.ALKHOEI and other great scholars, but those who considered it the book of ALGHADAERI, they said some of his opinion is narration and some are his EJTIHAAD.

5. The Principle of ADAALAT (JUST): • This is one of the principles used to consider a narrator JUST (ADIL) when doubted in his status. • When is this principle implemented? • There is a ruling which says that every Muslim is Just, unless proven to be an unjust through the evidence, this was mentioned by Sh. TOOSI. • As mentioned previously that there are two important components in order to evaluate a narrator, the identity of a narrator and his status. Based on this the narrator can be divided in to as following:

6. A narrator whose identity is unknown, such is not reliable and his word is not proof (Principle of ADALAT cannot be implemented). • A narrator whose identity is known and he is known to be trusted or not trusted (Principle of ADALAT cannot be implemented). • A narrator whose identity is known but his status is unknown, and this type is also divided into two kinds: • A-A narrator who has been verified by the REJAALIS that he is unknown, in this case the narrator is rejected and his words are not reliable, because the REJAALIS gave a testimony about him being unknown.

7. B-A narrator whom nobody declared him as unknown, he was not titled by the REJAALIS as unknown, and his name was not mentioned in their book, or it was mentioned, but without any description of being, trusted, not trusted or unknown. He is unknown in his status, this type of the narrator is considered to be a candidate for ESALATUL ADAALAT or the principle of ADALAT, and after implementing the principle on him, his words will be reliable. • This principle is deduced by EJTIHAAD, so there are scholars they do not use it, and it is not proven to them that the use of the principle is an evaluation, and there are others who use it because it is proven to them, by their EJTIHAAD.

8. The Evaluation of the MOTAQADIMOON: (the early ones) • We had mentioned before that most of them they are considered narrators and not MUJTAHID, so their words are taken as a trusted person’s narration, unless proven that a specific evaluation was based on EJTIHAAD.

9. The Evaluation of the MOTA-AKHIROON: (the later ones) • Most of the scholars consider their work EJTIHAAD, except for S. ALKHOEI; he divided the later REJAALIS in to two categories: • The ones whom he considered them narrators, because their style of evaluation was the style of narrators, and they were very close to the early ones (MOTAQADIMOON), so he considers them narrators, and they are four REJALIS, among them is ALLAMA HILLI in his KHOLASA, and IBN DAOOD HILLI in his REJAAL, the students of IBN TAOOS. But if there was a proof that a specific evaluation was their EJTIHAAD, then it should not be taken. • The other MOTAKHIROONS their work is considered EJTIHAAD, unless proven to be a narration.

10. The Testimony of Imam (AS) as an evaluation: The praise or the defamation of an Infallible (AS) is taken into consideration, but it is dealt like any hadeeth narrated by trusted narrator, and the narration should not be in the praise of the narrator himself, because such creates a logical circle, or a loop. • Is the Dua (prayer of an Infallible (AS) considered an evaluation: There have been some incidences where REJAALIS have considered DUA or blessings of an Imam (AS) a testimony of praise for the narrator. The same is said about the curse of an Imam (AS), which is a narration of defamation. So if the narration of dua or curse is narrated by a trusted narrator then it is a source of evaluation.

11. The representation of an Infallible: • Many scholars considered that if the Infallible (AS) give a representation to a person then it is considered praise, but there is a difference in the opinion, the scholars who considered the representation a source of evaluation, they said that the Infallible (AS) can never represent a corrupted person. The others said that being Just person is not required in representation. And there were representatives who were defamed. • S. ALKHOEI rejected this type of evaluation, because it is allowed to represent a non Just person. So just being a represent of Imam (AS) does not mean that he is a trusted person.

12. The SHIEKHS of NAJASHI: • It was ruled out by many scholars that the teachers or the SHIEKHS (the ones from whom NAJASHI took the narrations) of NAJASHI are trusted people, because NAJASHI does not take from the weak narrators, his style and method was to only take from a trusted person. • S. ALKHOEI considered all the SHIEKH of NAJASHI trusted.

13. The Evaluation based on the link (SANAD) of a trusted narrator: • So for example if a narrator is trusted and he has a link between him and the Infallible (AS), does that mean that all of the narrators in the link are trusted. This issue happened regarding several books, such as: • The TAFSEER of QOMMI, which is the narrations Imam Hassan ALaskari (AS), narrated by ALI IBN EBRAHEEM ALQOMMI, • The book of visiting the Infallibles (AS), called KAMIL AZZIARAAT, narrated by IBN QOOLAWAY, They both mentioned that they narrated their narrations through trusted narrators. They both by themselves are praised and trusted by the REJAALIS.

14. S. ALKHOEI considered all what was narrated in these both books linked to the Infallibles (AS) through trusted narrators based on the testimony of the authors of such books, and he said they both are very well known in their being trusted narrators, and if they say that they relied on trusted narrators in their link until the Infallible (AS), then it has to be as they both said. But it was mentioned by one of the trusted students of S. ALKHOEI, that he changed his opinion regarding KAMIL AZZIARAAT later, he found that some of the narrators are unknown in the link. (And God knows better.)