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If a shaykh categorically disowns the report attributed to him, the report is rejected; but if his disavowal is expressed only as a possibility (1), it is—according to the sounder opinion—accepted. Under this heading falls the case of someone who narrates a report and then forgets it.
When the narrators agree (2) on the formulas of delivery, or on any other shared circumstance (3), the report is classed as musalsal (serially linked).
(1) MS D reads: “wa-ihtimalan” (and possibly).
(2) MS B reads: “ittafaqat” (agreed).
(3) MS H reads: “al-ahwal” (conditions).
وَإِنْ جَحَدَ الشَّيْخُ مَرْوِيَّهُ جَزْماً: رُدَّ، أَوِ احْتِمَالاً (١): قُبِلَ - فِي الأَصَحِّ -، وَفِيهِ: مَنْ حَدَّثَ وَنَسِيَ.
وَإِنِ اتَّفَقَ (٢) الرُّوَاةُ فِي صِيَغِ الأَدَاءِ، أَوْ غَيْرِهَا مِنَ الحَالَاتِ (٣)؛ فَهُوَ المُسَلْسَلُ.
(١) في د: «واحْتِمَالاً».
(٢) في ب: «اتفقت».
(٣) في ح: «الأحوال».