How can one respond to Abu al-A'la al-Mawdudi's statement that Hadith scholars (muhaddithun) might weaken a narrator based on personal enmity?

The science of Hadith and isnad (chain of narration) in the Muslim Ummah (nation) is distinguished by its preservation of the religion and the Sunnah, whereas the books of other nations fell into distortion due to the absence of isnad. Allah honored this Ummah with isnad, which enables the distinguishing of the authentic from the weak. The imams of Hadith diligently pursued honesty and fairness in judging narrators, even discrediting their fathers and friends if the situation warranted it. They accepted the Hadith of those who differed with them in opinion and belief if their truthfulness was established, guided by the words of Allah Almighty: "O you who have believed, be persistently Qawwameen for Allah , witnesses in justice." Although they are not infallible and minor errors may occur from them, the meticulous scholars among them elucidated these errors. Scholars have not unanimously agreed to authenticate a weak narrator or weaken a trustworthy one. This religion is preserved by Allah, and its scholars cannot agree upon error.