Back to search
The question

Is verifying and confirming information required only when hearing it from a wicked person, or does it also include those known to be righteous, taking into account the possibility that the wicked person's information might be true?

Share this answer

Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

What you mentioned regarding the verse's implication is questionable, because its mafhum al-mukhalafah (inference by opposition) is the acceptance of a trustworthy person's report unless suspicion arises, which is what Ibn al-Qayyim held. The majority of scholars are of the opinion that if a singular report (khabar al-wahid) is accepted by the Ummah, it necessitates certain knowledge (ilm). This is what has been stated by authors in the principles of jurisprudence (usul al-fiqh), contrary to a small group of later scholars. A trustworthy person may err, and if their error becomes apparent, their report is rejected. This is known as the science of ilal al- (defects of hadith), which is among the noblest sciences and enables the distinction of hadiths in which a trustworthy narrator made a mistake, as in examples mentioned by Ibn Taymiyyah.

Summary from Ftawy's records · added here

Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.

Read the full answer on Ftawy
Where this answer came from
Source platform
Ftawy
Original fatwa ID
136454
Added here
. This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
Text
Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full ruling
Read the full answer on Ftawy