The Methodology of Hadith Scholars in Detecting Defects (*ʿilal*) in Hadith Texts: An Analytical Study in Light of Contemporary Criticism

Abstract

This research examines the issue of defects in the text (matn) of Prophetic Hadith, as one of the precise and significant subjects in Hadith criticism and verification. Identifying hidden defects plays an important role in distinguishing authentic reports from defective ones and in evaluating the accuracy and reliability of transmitters in conveying the words and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family.

The study does not limit the examination of Hadith defects to the chain of transmission and its narrators, but also focuses on the text itself and the hidden errors that may occur within it. Such defects are not of a single type or degree. Rather, they may appear in several forms, including solitary transmission, the addition of a trustworthy narrator, insertion, contradiction, irregularity, repudiation, textual inversion, textual corruption or misreading, contradiction of the explicit meaning of the Qur'an, contradiction of established principles of Islamic law, historical facts, or other reliable evidence.

The research aims to clarify the efforts of Hadith scholars and critics in identifying defects within Hadith texts by explaining the nature and types of these defects and examining the methods used to discover them. These methods include both internal and external criticism. Internal criticism focuses on the linguistic structure, wording, style, coherence, and content of the text, as well as comparison between different versions of the same report. External criticism examines the text in relation to the principles and objectives of Islamic law, established historical facts, and other reliable sources and evidence.

The study concludes that textual criticism constitutes an essential aspect of the methodology of Hadith scholars. Their identification of defects was not based merely on personal impressions or subjective preferences, but rather on precise methodological principles, comparative analysis, contextual examination, and a combination of linguistic, legal, historical, and textual evidence. This demonstrates the scientific precision of Hadith critics in identifying subtle defects that may not be apparent through a superficial reading of the Hadith.