0/5.1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 62 — Narrator Trust in Hadith
Unveiling Defects of the Transmitters of Ḥadīth and Relaters of Reports and the Statements of the A’immah Regarding That
Hadith Authentication and Narrator Trust
Sahih Muslim : 62
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 62
وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، وَحَجَّاجُ بْنُ الشَّاعِرِ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، قَالَ قَالَ مَعْمَرٌ مَا رَأَيْتُ أَيُّوبَ اغْتَابَ أَحَدًا قَطُّ إِلاَّ عَبْدَ الْكَرِيمِ - يَعْنِي أَبَا أُمَيَّةَ - فَإِنَّهُ ذَكَرَهُ فَقَالَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ كَانَ غَيْرَ ثِقَةٍ لَقَدْ سَأَلَنِي عَنْ حَدِيثٍ لِعِكْرِمَةَ ثُمَّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عِكْرِمَةَ .
Ma'mar Narrated from:
I did not see Ayyūb speaking ill of anyone, ever, except for Abd al-Karīm- meaning Abū Umayyah’. So he mentioned him and said, may Allah have mercy on him ‘He is not trustworthy- he had asked me about a Ḥadīth of Ikrimah then said ‘I heard from Ikrimah’ [when relating the Ḥadīth].’
Reference : Sahih Muslim Introduction 62In-book reference : Introduction, Narration 61
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 62
This narration focuses on narrator trust, one of the main parts of hadith authentication. Ma’mar says he never saw Ayyub speak badly of anyone except Abd al-Karim, and even then the reason was linked to reporting Hadith. The concern was not personal anger. The issue was that Abd al-Karim asked about a Hadith of Ikrimah, then later claimed, “I heard from Ikrimah.” That changes the source of the report. In simple terms, this report teaches that a Hadith narrator must be honest about where he got a narration. Accurate attribution protects the meaning and chain of Hadith.
What we learn from this hadith
- A narrator should clearly state where he heard a Hadith.
- Changing “I asked about it” into “I heard it” harms trust.
- Speaking about a narrator may be done to protect Hadith reports, not for personal attack.
- Reliability in Hadith depends on honest attribution.
