The Condition for Arguing from a Weak Hadith

Question

If a certain hadith has a break in the chain (inqita‘) at two points, can it be presented as a proof (istidlal), and can the desirability (istihbab) or recommendation (nadb) of some act be established by it? — even though this hadith, weak as it is, has neither a shahid (corroborating narration) nor a tabi‘ (supporting narration).

Answer

In terms of isnad, such a narration is weak (da‘if). Imam Nawawi wrote in “al-Taqrib”: [ar]وَيَجُوزُ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْحَدِيثِ وَغَيْرِهِمُ التَّسَاهُلُ فِي الْأَسَانِيدِ، وَرِوَايَةُ مَا سِوَى الْمَوْضُوعِ مِنَ الضَّعِيفِ، وَالْعَمَلُ بِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ بَيَانِ ضَعْفِهِ، فِي غَيْرِ صِفَاتِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَالْأَحْكَامِ كَالْحَلَالِ وَالْحَرَامِ وَغَيْرِهِمَا، وَذَلِكَ…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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