Reproduced here with thanks from
http://www.central-mosque.com/index.php/Aqeedah/establishing-matters-of-aqeedah-with-ahad-narrations.html
By Shaykh (Mufti) Muhammad Ibn Adam (HA)
Question:
Could you please explain the difference between Ahad and Mutawatir
Hadith? In particular, could you specify how many narrations make a
Hadith Mutawatir? Also, are Ahad hadith taken into Aqeedah or only
Mutawatir?
Answer: In the Name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
A Hadith
Mutawatir (continuous) is that which is related by whole groups of
individuals from whole group of individuals, in multiple contiguous
channels of transmission leading back to the Messenger of Allah (Allah
bless him & give peace), such as that the sheer number of separate
channels at each stage of transmission is too many for it to be possible
for all to have conspired to fabricate the Hadith.
As such, a Hadith is classified as Mutawatir only when it fulfils the following conditions:
1 It is reported by such a large number of narrators that under normal circumstances it would be impossible for them to conspire a lie.
2 Such a number exists throughout the chain of narration, i.e. from the beginning to the end.
3 The reporters must base their report on sense perception, i.e. on something that is heard or seen.
4 That the narration necessitates certain knowledge for the listener. (Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, Sharh Nukhba al-Fikr, P.21).
Example of a Mutawatir Hadith is:
"Whoever lies
about me deliberately must prepare himself for a place in the fire of
Hell" (Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih muslim).
Imam an-Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him)
states that this narration has been narrated from approximately 200
Companions (Allah be pleased with them all) (Introduction to Sahih
Muslim).
The Ahad or solitary Hadith (also known
as Khabar al-Wahid) is the Hadith which fails to fulfil the requirement
of Mutawatir. Ahad Hadith may be sound (sahih), good (hasan) or weak
(Da'eef). It is a Hadith which does not impart positive knowledge on its
own unless it is supported by extraneous or circumstantial evidence.
According to the majority of the four
Sunni schools, acting upon Ahad is obligatory even if Ahad fails to
engender positive knowledge provided certain conditions are met.
As far as establishing matters of Aqidah
is concerned, the majority of the scholars are of the view that Ahad
may not be relied upon as the basis of belief (aqidah), for matters of
belief must be founded in certainty. Therefore, issues that revolve
between belief (iman) and disbelief (kufr) can not be proven by Ahad
narrations (Fawatih al-Rahmut, 2/136).
However, this refers to beliefs on which
the actual Iman is dependent. As for Ahad narrations pertaining to
subsidiary matters which are not essential to belief such as
intercession (shafa'ah), etc..., these must be accepted and believed.
Anyone who denies them is a sinner (fasiq) but not a Kafir, as he denies
something which is not decisively proven (Abu Zahra, Usul al-Fiqh,
P.85).
None of the previous scholars rejected
any belief that was not established by Hadith Mutawatir. In fact, the
great Hadith expert, Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani (Allah have mercy on him)
states in his monumental commentary of Sahih al-Bukhari that, Ahad
narrations are a source of evidence when the Ummah accepts it and acts
upon it. It then has the power to become firm belief (Fath al-Bari,
V.13, P.234).
Many beliefs have been established by
Ahad narrations, yet they have not been rejected by the great scholars
of this Ummah. Beliefs such as the intercession (shafa'ah) of the
blessed Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give peace),
descriptions of the angels, Jinn, Jannah, Jahannam, and much more.
In conclusion, matters of Aqidah can and
have been proven by Ahad narrations and accepted by the majority of the
Ummah. Yes, those integrals of Aqidah on which an individual's Iman
depends can not be established by Ahad narrations. As a result, denying
beliefs that are proven by Ahad will not constitute Kufr, rather a sin.
And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
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