What is meant by khabar al-ahad, a singular report?
News, in terms of its transmission methods, is divided into mutawatir (concurrent) and ahad (singular). Mutawatir refers to that which is narrated by a group whose agreement upon a lie is deemed impossible by custom, and this continues through all layers of the sanad (chain of narration), with its origin being sensory. It is divided into mutawatir in both wording and meaning, such as the "Whoever intentionally fabricates a lie against me," and mutawatir in meaning only, such as the hadiths about intercession. As for ahad, it is whatever is not mutawatir, and it is divided into mashhur (well-known, narrated by three or more), aziz (precious, narrated by only two), and gharib (strange, narrated by only one). The mutawatir hadith is definitively authentic. As for ahad, some are authentic (), some are good (), and some are weak (da'if), among other categories. If an ahad report is authentic, it provides knowledge and becomes a proof in matters of creed and rulings.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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