has been narrated, not so that it may be acted upon or relied upon.

The point here is that the reports transmitted from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and others among the early generations in al-Risāla and similar works of jurisprudence, Sufism, and hadith include authentic, weak, and fabricated reports. An authentic report is one whose truth is established by evidence; a fabricated report is one whose falsehood is established by evidence—upon them, nor are they to be cited as evidence, for their weakness is apparent, even though he does not act deliberately; or because he is suspected. Nevertheless, he may be truthful in what he relates, for an evildoer may tell the truth, and someone prone to error may remember accurately.

Most chapters of al-Risāla contain all three categories. These include the chapter on contentment, in the course of which he cites an authentic hadith from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: the hadith of al-ʿAbbās ibn ʿAbd al-Muttalib, who reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “He has tasted the sweetness of