Muhaddith or verifier?

[zaid_ibn_ali]

Nowadays, how can one tell if someone is truly a muhaddith or merely a verifier? I mean with such easy access to numerous sources of hadith nowadays, one can sit and open the books (files on pcs too!) and study & give explanations (obviously they need hadith knowledge to do this proficiently).

During the time of the well known hadith scholars throughout the centuries, they memorised astonishing amounts of hadith, how many of these so called muhaddith's of today have actually committed to memory the 6 books, etc?

And does it matter now? Does one need to be a Hafiz in hadith, when he can be a verifier with access being so easy nowadays?

[JayshAllah]

I asked this question to Shaykh Abu Salman Deya ud-Deen Eberle, and his opinion was that the idea that you need to memorize X number of books or Y number of hadeeths is exaggeration. And he said that a scholar should use whatever resources he can, including the computer and internet, and that to fail to maximize such resources would not be wise.

And does it matter now? Does one need to be a Hafiz in hadith, when he can be a verifier with access being so easy nowadays?

My impression from my conversation with him was that he thinks it does not matter any more, for exactly the reason you mentioned.

[kamran]

Assalam o alaikum,

If memory is the yardstick then my computer has to be one of the all-time great scholars...

Kamran

[Abu_Abdallah]

But memory is important. I mean, scholars are normally not consulted to answer questioners by saying:

"Hmm, just wait.. I have to consult al-shamilah or consult my library. Come back when I've researched!"

A scholar, or let say a Mufti, should have knowledge of the Book and the Sunnah on the tip of his tongue, so he can dispense with in time of need.

A certain amount of knowledge, particularly the proofs from the Qur'an and the sound Sunan, is necessary. You don't have to be a Bukhari or someone of his calibre, but scholarship is defined - then - by at least a fair amount of retentiveness and its understanding. I dont see why this is different today.

Beside, the famous narration of the Prophet wherein he makes du'a: "May Allah brighten the face.." is all about preserving, particularly by memorization.

[Abuz Zubair]

Memory is important, but when a person learns and teaches the Sunan and Jarh and Ta'dil for more than a decade, he cannot help but memorise the Kutub Sittah, their tabweeb and tahdheeb of Ibn Hajar.

One of the mashaykh, Shaykh Khalid Fawzi, if you give him a laqab, he would tell you the full names of all the narrators with that laqab, when they were born, their tabaqa and the jarh/ta'dil regarding them, all of that on the spot.

This is why they say, Ilm al-Hadeeth is a lifelong art. It is learnt from practice more than theory.

[Abu Ma'mar]

Yeah this is so true.

There is a shaykh called Yahya Al-Yahya who if you tell him any word in the dictionary he can tell you a hadith with that word.

I think its like crafts. People who are craftsmen know their trade inside out because they have been doing it their whole life.

[Abu_Abdallah]

One of the mashaykh, Shaykh Khalid Fawzi, if you give him a laqab, he would tell you the full names of all the narrators with that laqab, when they were born, their tabaqa and the jarh/ta'dil regarding them, all of that on the spot.

You remember the Shaykh who tested al-Dhahabi when he was young:

"Who is Abu Muhammad al-Hilali", he was asked.

Ibn al-Dhahabi answered, "Sufyan b. 'Uyayna".

Great!

[Abu_Abdallah]

Yeah this is so true.

There is a shaykh called Yahya Al-Yahya who if you tell him any word in the dictionary he can tell you a hadith with that word.

I think its like crafts. People who are craftsmen know their trade inside out because they have been doing it their whole life.'

He he he he..

I know kids - yes, less then 14 year old - who memorized the Risalah of Ibn Abi Zayd in full, by the letter! Beside the Qur'an in warsh (which is more difficult than Hafs), and several small booklets along..

In fact, you find very few people today who memorize like people from the Magrib, espec. if they are berbers from the souss mountain area.. :P

[Abu Ma'mar]

In fact, you find very few people today who memorize like people from the Magrib,

Maghrib haha yeah bro ok ....

There are teens in yemen who have memorized Saheehyane with isnad!

[justabro]

You remember the Shaykh who tested al-Dhahabi when he was young:

"Who is Abu Muhammad al-Hilali", he was asked.

Ibn al-Dhahabi answered, "Sufyan b. 'Uyayna".

Great!

Ibn Daqiq al-`Id : )

And he answered without a moment's hesitation. This is truly impressive when you consider that Sufyan b. `Uyayna is never actually referred to as Abu Muhammad al-Hilali, per se.

If memory is the yardstick then my computer has to be one of the all-time great scholars...Imam al-Hakim stated:

الحجة عندنا الحفظ والفهم والمعرفة لا غير"The proof with us (Ahl al-Hadith) is memory, understanding, and knowledge, nothing else!"

[Abu_Abdallah]

Maghrib haha yeah bro ok ....

There are teens in yemen who have memorized Saheehyane with isnad!

The poorer the countries, the better the memorizers.. a local teacher use to say that the skinniest students who walked daily the most (to reach the local mosque) were the best memorizers!

I think we all have to eat less.. LOL