Is it permissible to reject a Hadith that contradicts scientific fact and to rule it as unsound? And is one judged to be an apostate for rejecting a Hadith due to its contradiction with reality or a scientific fact?

Scientific truth cannot contradict the texts of the Quran and Sunnah, because their source is one, which is Allah. If a contradiction appears between them, it is merely superficial, and the researcher must pursue several avenues to resolve this apparent contradiction:

1. Lack of Authenticity of the Hadith: The hadith attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, might have a weak chain of transmission (isnad), and scientific truth can be a means to discover its defect in the isnad.

2. Incorrectness of the Scientific Fact: The scientific hypothesis might not be a proven fact, but rather merely a theory or a mistaken understanding of science.

3. Misunderstanding of the Hadith: The contradiction might be due to an incorrect understanding of the Prophetic hadith, and precise interpretation is the way to remove this contradiction.