Is it correct to reference Hadith back to contemporary scholars or secondary books of Hadith rather than original sources?

Quran

Hadith

Islamic Text

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

This is incorrect, Hadith must be referenced back to original sources.

Classical Scholars

The correct way to reference Hadith is abundantly clear to anyone who is familiar with the methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah. Any credible traditional or even contemporary Islamic book will reference back to original sources and not a contemporary scholars. Even a cursory glance at the footnotes of Islamic works will demonstrate this point.

Imam Al-Bayhaqi explained the importance of going back to the original books of Hadith.

وَذُكِرَ عَنْ الْحَافِظِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الْبَيْهَقِيّ أَنَّ الْأَحَادِيثَ الَّتِي قَدْ صَحَّتْ أَوْ وَقَعَتْ بَيْنَ الصِّحَّةِ وَالسَّقَمِ قَدْ دُوِّنَتْ وَكُتِبَتْ فِي الْجَوَامِعِ الَّتِي جَمَعَهَا أَئِمَّةُ الْحَدِيثِ وَلَا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَذْهَبَ شَيْءٌ مِنْهَا عَلَى جَمِيعِهِمْ وَإِنْ جَازَ أَنْ يَذْهَبَ عَلَى بَعْضِهِمْ لِضَمَانِ صَاحِبِ الشَّرِيعَةِ حِفْظَهَا فَمَنْ جَاءَ الْيَوْمَ بِحَدِيثٍ لَا يُوجَدُ عِنْدَ جَمِيعِهِمْ لَمْ يُقْبَلْ مِنْهُ

It is reported that Imam al-Bayhaqi said, “The Hadith that have been considered authentic (Sahih) or between authentic and weak have indeed been recorded in the major books of Hadith. The imams of Hadith have collected them so it is not possible for a Hadith to be missing from all of them. It is possible that some of the imams missed out certain Hadith but for all of them to miss out a (sound) Hadith is not possible because the One who revealed the Sharia (Allah, Most High) has taken it upon Himself to preserve the sharia. For this reason, if somebody brings a Hadith today which is not present in any of those recognised books, it is not going to be accepted.” (Imam Ala al-Din al-Bukhari, Kashf al-Asraar Sharh Usool al-Bazdawi, Vol. 3, p49).

Imam al-Sayuti also highlighted this in his celebrated work, Tadreeb al-Rawi:

وَقَالَ ابْنُ الْجَوْزِيِّ: مَا أَحْسَنَ قَوْلَ الْقَائِلِ: إِذَا رَأَيْتَ الْحَدِيثَ يُبَايِنُ الْمَعْقُولَ أَوْ يُخَالِفُ الْمَنْقُولَ أَوْ يُنَاقِضُ الْأُصُولَ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ مَوْضُوعٌ. قَالَ: وَمَعْنَى مُنَاقَضَتِهِ لِلْأُصُولِ: أَنْ يَكُونَ خَارِجًا، عَنْ دَوَاوِينِ الْإِسْلَامِ مِنَ الْمَسَانِيدِ وَالْكُتُبِ الْمَشْهُورَةِ. (تدريب الراوي)

(Imam) Ibn al-Jowzi said, how correct is the statement of the one who said: If you see a Hadith opposing rationality, contradicting transmission, or undermining the sources, then know that it is fabricated. He said: And the meaning of ‘undermining the sources’ is that it is outside of the Islamic works of transmission (Isnad) and recognised books. (Imam Jalal al-Deen al-Sayuti, Tadreeb al-Raawi).

Concluding Remarks

It is a sign of ignorance to reference Hadith narrations to contemporary scholars or secondary books of Hadith. It would be incorrect for a person of limited knowledge to do this. Whereas, it is absolutely unacceptable for a learned person to do so. Rather, such behaviour demonstrates a lack knowledge in the field of Hadith.

It is important to recognise that the onus is upon people narrating Hadith to reference correctly. Some ignorant people respond to questions regarding Hadith they narrate by putting the onus back on the questioner. They ask the questioner to prove that it is not a sound Hadith. This contradicts the way of the Sahabah (May Allah Most High be pleased with them),. They used to ask people to prove anything they said about the Deen.

And Allah (Most High) knows best.

– Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (10.07.2021)