Discussion Seven: Their reliance on weak ḥadiths and flimsy reports, and their stubborn insistence on citing them even after they have learned the very defects that—were they fair and not slaves to whim—should bar them from using them as proof.

Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah said in al-Fatāwā (1/246):
“Reports transmitted from the early generations and from the scholars must be examined to establish the wording and the import, just as reports transmitted from Allah and His Messenger must be examined.”

The Shaykh in question seems unaware of this statement of Ibn Taymiyyah, for he neither verified what he quoted from the salaf nor its meaning; indeed, some of it is evidence against him. Here are a few examples:

First ḥadith, from Ibn ʿAbbās:
(Weak) “Allah commanded the believing women, when they leave their houses for some need, to cover their faces … yet show one eye.” It will be discussed later in the book (p. 88).

There I demonstrated that the report has two defects, but they all shut their eyes to them and continued to cite it. Al-Sindi (pp. 19–20) even pronounced its chain sound without scrutinising it according to the methodology of the ḥadith experts—may Allah requite him as he deserves. This escaped al-Iskandarānī, so he endorsed the verdict (2/265)—and Allah’s help is sought. Shaykh al-Tuwijrī repeated the narration several times (pp. 163, 226, 265), and because I disagreed with him he accused me of heresy, saying (p. 233):
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