as a liar, yet [no human being](1) was free from error. Hence, when one of them—or one of their peers—is graded weak, it is said: “Some(2) scholars criticized him on account of his memory,” meaning because his memory was poor, causing him to err(3) and forget—not because he deliberately lied.

As for Hasan and Husayn, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—died when they were both young and at the age of discernment. Their narrations from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—are therefore few.

As for the rest of the Twelve, they never met the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Thus, when someone says(4), “They transmitted from their grandfather,” if he means that what their grandfather said(5) was revealed to them, then that would be prophethood, just as the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—received revelation concerning what other prophets had said.

If he means that they heard it from others, then it could equally be heard from the very people from whom they heard it(6), whether those people belonged to Banū Hāshim or not. What special distinction, then, did they possess in transmitting from their grandfather, except insofar as they exercised consummate care and attention? Whoever devoted greater care and attention to the Prophet’s hadiths and received them from their proper sources would have greater knowledge of them.

This(7) was not exclusive to these men; rather, among others were those who had greater knowledge of the sunnah