The views of men according to Sheikh Muslim al-Dawari in his book "Principles of the Science of Men: Between Theory and Application"

Abstract

explores the perspectives on 'Ilm al-Rijāl (the science of evaluating narrators) as presented by Sheikh Muslim Al-Dawori in his book "Fundamentals of Rijāl Studies: Between Theory and Practice." Among the key aspects examined are the critique and assessment of hadiths and narrators, emphasizing the evaluation of their attributes, particularly justice and reliability. These attributes encompass ideas like relying on conjecture or seeking the opinions of specialists, with the possibility of classifying this topic under testimony and reporting.From a practical application standpoint, the research delves into three main possibilities. The first is the claim of consensus regarding reliance on conjecture derived from the views of 'Ilm al-Rijāl scholars. The second involves consulting expert opinions in cases where certainty is unavailable as a methodical necessity. The third and most critical possibility addresses the required fulfillment of testimonial criteria in the statements of 'Ilm al-Rijāl scholars to ensure credibility. Sheikh Al-Dawori also highlights the impact of Rijāl studies on jurisprudence and its connection to the fundamentals of this discipline within theoretical and practical contexts. Key issues analyzed include the absence of evidence mandating authorization for narrating hadiths, as well as the lack of explicit evidence negating such a requirement. The study further discusses the criteria used to distinguish authentic hadiths from weak ones, including mechanisms such as audition, reading and writing, authorization, transmission, notification, testament, and discovery—all deemed valid methods for documenting and conveying narrated traditions.