Did Imam Al-Bukhari, Imam Muslim, and Yahya ibn Ma'in state that a weak hadith is not acceptable, even regarding فضائل (virtues)?

Summary of the Answer:

It has been attributed to Ibn Ma'in, Al-Bukhari, and Muslim, may Allah have mercy on them, that they did not consider weak narrations absolutely.

However, what is understood from Ibn Ma'in's words is that he differentiated between virtues (fada'il) and rulings (ahkam), as he held a lenient view regarding the narration of soft-hearted (raqa'iq) hadith.

As for Al-Bukhari, there is no explicit text from him, and his condition for his Sahih suggests not acting upon weak narrations. However, his practice in other books, such as "Al-Adab Al-Mufrad," suggests his leniency in hadith related to manners (adab) and soft-heartedness (raqa'iq).

Meanwhile, it is understood from Muslim's words in the introduction to his Sahih that he did not condone leniency in narrations regarding the virtues of deeds (fada'il al-a'mal), and that narrations of encouragement (targhib) and warning (tarhib) should only be narrated from those from whom rulings (ahkam) are narrated.