When is an Hadith classified as ‘Hasan’?

Benefit:

The Hasan Hadith

(2) Al-Hasan

And indeed I said to you: “Verily the Hasan is that which it’s chain is a little less (in strength) than the grade Saheeh, and it will become clear to you in an example.

So don’t think that for the Hasan Hadith there is a principle that all the Hasan Hadiths fall under, for I have lost hope in that!

For how many Hadiths have the Huffaadh (strong memorisers) gone back and forth concerning them: Are they Hasan? or Dhaeef? or Saheeh?

Rather one Haafidh would change his ijtihaad concerning one Hadith: So one day he will describe it with authenticity, and the next day with being Hasan, and perhaps he will consider it weak!

And this is true, for verily the Hasan Hadith Al-Haafidh considers it weak from reaching the grade of Saheeh. So in this consideration it has a type of weakness in it. For Al-Hasan is not free from a type of weakness. And had it not been free from that, it would of been Saheeh by unanimous agreement.

The statement of Tirmidhi: (This Hadeeth is Hasan, Saheeh) is problematic: because Al-Hasan is less than Saheeh, so by combining between the two phrases for a single Hadith is conflicting!

And it has been answered on this thing with what doesn’t hold weight at all, whereby it was said that it goes back to the chain of narration: so it will be that it has been reported with a Hasan chain, and a Saheeh chain.

So how about when it is said: (Hasan, Saheeh, we don’t know it except by this chain), this answer is rendered void!,

And the reality of that is – that if it was like that – it would be said: (Hadith Hasan and Saheeh). So how to act with a Hadith he said about it: (Hasan, Saheeh we don’t know it except from this chain)?

So this renders void the statement of the one who says: That it is due to two chains.

And it was said he could of intended with Al-Hasan: the linguistic meaning not the technological meaning, and it’s the dedication of the soul and attentiveness of the hearing to the beauty of the text, and eloquence of its wording, and what is in it of reward and good. And a lot of the Prophetic texts are of this type.

Our Shaykh Ibn Wahb said: So upon this, it necessitates pronouncing Al-Hasan upon some fabricated Hadiths, and there is none who said this. Then he said: “Therefore I say: There is no restriction necessitated for Al-Hasan to be lesser than Saheeh, this falling short is only when it is restricted to: (Hadith Hasan). So the falling short comes from the restriction, not from its reality and essence”.

Then he said: “For the narrators have attributes which necessitates accepting their narration, and these attributes have ranks, some higher than others, like full awareness and good memory and precision.

So the presence of a lesser rank (in the chain of narration), like truthfulness for example and absence of being accused (of lying), doesn’t negate the presence of what is higher than it of precision and strong memory. And if the higher rank is present it doesn’t negate the presence of a lesser rank like good memory with truthfulness.

So its correct to say (Hasan) in consideration to the (presence of the) lesser rank, (Saheeh) in consideration to (presence of the) the higher rank. And it necessitates upon that for every Saheeh is Hasan, and this can be complied with. And upon it is the abbreviations of the early comers, for indeed they say according to what is Saheeh: (This is a Hasan Hadith).”

I say: So the highest ranks of Al-Hasan:

  • Bahz bin Hakeem, from his father, from his grandfather.

And:

  • Amr (1) bin Shu’ayb, from his father, from his grandfather.

And:

  • Muhammad bin Amr, from Abi Salamah, from Abi Hurairah.

And

Ibn Ishaaq, from Muhammad bin Ibraaheem At-Taymee. And the likes of that.

And it is a division which is contested between Saheeh and Hasan. For indeed a number of Huffaadh (strong memorisers) declare these chains of narrations to be Saheeh, and describe them to be from the lowest rank of Saheeh.

Then after that, plenty examples where they dispute concerning it: Some of them declare it Hasan, and some declare it weak. Like the Hadith of Al-Haarith bin ‘Abdillaah, and ‘Aasim bin Dhamrah, and Hajjaaj bin Artaah, and Khusaif, and Darraaj Abi As-Samh, and many other than them.

Benefited from: Shaykh, the Allamah, the Trustworthy Advisor, Abu Abdirrahman Yahya bin Ali Al-Hajuri – may Allah preserve him.

Source: https://t.me/sh_yahia_duroos/10182

Translated by: Abū ‘Abdillāh ‘Omar bin Yahya Al-‘Akawi