from its actual strength, such that those to whom its basis becomes clear may affirm it with certainty. Remitting the price of produce lost to calamities falls into this category. It is established by an explicit text, by longstanding practice from which no Companion or Successor is known to have dissented, by clear analogy, and by established principles. Indeed, careful consideration reveals that no scholar truly opposes this hadith.
This is because accepting it has been the position of the scholars of Medina, both earlier and later, and their practice has followed it from the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) until the time of Mālik and others. It is well known as the position of their scholars, such as al-Qāsim ibn Muhammad, Yahyā ibn Saʿīd the judge, Mālik, and his followers. It is also the position of the jurists versed in hadith, such as Imam Ahmad and his followers, Abū ʿUbayd, and al-Shāfiʿī in his earlier position.
As for his later position, he made accepting it conditional upon its authenticity being established, because he was unaware that it was authentic. He said (may Allah be pleased with him):
“It has not been established to my satisfaction that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the remission of the price of produce lost to calamities. Were it established, I would not depart from it. Were I to hold that such losses warrant remission, I would apply it to losses both small and large.”
He thus explained that he refrained from affirming it categorically only because he was unaware of its authenticity. He made accepting it conditional upon its being established, saying:
“Were it established, I would not depart from it.”
The hadith is established as authentic among hadith scholars. None of them has impugned it; rather, they have declared it authentic and transmitted it in the collections of authentic hadith and the Sunan collections. It was narrated by Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, Ibn Mājah, and Imam Ahmad. Thus, the obligation to accept it becomes clear