[The Relationship between the Irregular (shādh) and the Repudiated (munkar)]
From this (1) it follows that between the irregular and the repudiated reports (2) there exists, from one perspective, a relationship of generality and specificity (3). Both share the requirement of contradiction, yet they differ in that an irregular report is the narration (4) of a trustworthy or upright transmitter, whereas a repudiated report is the narration (5) of a weak (6) transmitter. Whoever has treated the two as identical (7)(8) has overlooked this distinction, and Allah (9) knows best (10).
[Follow-up Corroborations (mutābaʿāt) and Their Levels]
As for a relatively singular report (al-farad al-nisbī), if—after one had assumed (11) it to be unique—another narrator is discovered who corroborates it, that corroborator is called a mutābiʿ (12) (pronounced with a kasrah on the letter bāʾ).
Follow-up corroborations are of two ranks:
- If the corroboration is found for the very same transmitter, it is the complete (tāmm) mutābaʿa.
- If it occurs (13) for his teacher or anyone (14) higher in the chain, it is the partial (qāsirah) mutābaʿa, which still contributes to strengthening the report.
(1) MS B reads: “min hadha” (from this).
(2) MS D reads: “wa-bayna al-munkar” (and between the rejected report).
(3) The phrase “umuman wa-khususan min wajh” (general and specific from one aspect) is absent in MS T.
(4) MSS A, B, D, H, T, L, M, and a copy on the margin of K read: “rawiyihi” (its transmitter); MS J has: “rawiyatuhu” (its transmission).
(5) MSS A, B, H, L, M read: “rawiyihi” (its transmitter); MS J has: “rawiyatuhu” (its transmission).
(6) MS D has the word “daif” (weak) in the nominative with tanwin.
(7) MS J reads “ghafila,” with a kasra on the fa; the adopted wording follows MSS H and K. Al-Razi, Mukhtar al-Sihah, p. 228, classifies the verb under the pattern of dakhala, whereas al-Laqani, Qada al-Watar, p. 853, places it under the pattern of nasara.
(8) See Ibn al-Salah, Muqaddima, p. 87.
(9) MSS H, W, Z add: “taala” (Most High).
(10) Margin of MS A, in the author’s hand: “then it reached likewise”; margin of MS J: “then it reached by recitation and investigation.”
(11) MS Z reads: “bi-kawnihi” (by virtue of his being).
(12) MS H reads: “al-tabi” (the follower). Al-Qari, Sharh Sharh al-Nukhba, p. 343, explains: “(fahuwa) i.e., that other person, (al-mutabi) meaning his corroborator, or the one corroborating the hadith.”
(13) MS A reads: “hasala” (occurred).
(14) MS Z reads: “mimman” (from those who).