Al-Marwazee (ra) said: 'I departed to go see Al-Karaabeesee, at
the time when he was of good standing (i.e. he hid his innovations), for he used
to defend the Sunnah and demonstrate support for Abu 'Abdillaah (Ahmad Ibn
Hanbal). So I said to him: 'Indeed, the people wish to present this book
Al-Mudalliseen to Abu 'Abdillaah. So It is best that you regret
what you wrote or I will inform Abu 'Abdillaah.' So he said to me: 'Indeed, Abu
'Abdillaah is a righteous man, a man of his status has been granted the ability
to attain the truth. And I am very pleased that my book will be presented to
him. Abu Thawr, Ibn 'Aqeel and Hubaish have already asked me to destroy this
book, but I refused and said to them: Rather, I will intensify my promotion of
it!' So he persisted in that and he refused to go back on what he wrote in it.
So I brought the book to Abu 'Abdillaah, while he was unaware of who authored
it. And in the book, there was disparaging of Al-A'amash and support in favor of
Al-Hasan Ibn Saalih. And there was written in it: 'If you say that Al-Hasan Ibn
Saalih took the views of the Khawaarij, then this Ibn Az-Zubair is truly
the one who has accepted the views of the Khawaarij!' So when it was read
to Abu 'Abdillaah (ra), he said: 'This book compiles, for those who oppose
(the Sunnah), that which they are not able to use as substantial proof. Warn
others about this book!' And he renounced it.'" [28]
Ibn Rajab (ra) continued:
"Large groups of innovators from among the
Mu'atazilah and others have gained supremacy in attacking the scholars of
hadeeth, through his book (Al-Mudalliseen), such as Ibn 'Ibaad
As-Saahib and his likes. Likewise, some hadeeth scholars transcribed from it,
its schemes to discredit Al-A'amash (ra) and others. This was perhaps because
the condition of the book was not known to him, as was the case with Ya'qoob
Al-Fasawee and others.
As for the scholars of Ahl-us-Sunnaah wal-Jamaa'ah, then
indeed they only mentioned the defects of the hadeeth in order to advise others
in the Religion, to preserve and safeguard the Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) and to
identify what befell the narrators of hadeeth from error, forgetfulness, and
weakness. It is not required that this (criticizing of narrators) be done for
discrediting the non-defective ahaadeeth. Rather, the correct
ahaadeeth, according to them, were strengthened by that, due to their
being free of defects and errors. Thus, these individuals are the true scholars
who are knowledgeable of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam). They are
the great intellectual critiques that review and examine the hadeeth skillfully
and proficiently, with true criticism as opposed to false criticism."
Al-Haafidh Ibn Rajab (ra) said:
"When a statement would reach the Salaf that they would
reject, they would say: 'This person has lied.' This example is taken from the
statement of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam): 'Abu As-Sanaabil has lied', when news
reached him (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) that he issued a ruling that a woman whose husband passed away,
while she was pregnant, was not permitted to relocate until fourteen months had
passed by, due to her pregnancy.
And indeed the righteous scholars have gone to great lengths in
forsaking the weak treatises of some scholars. And they have refuted them with
the highest degree of refutation, as Imaam Ahmad (ra) used to censure Abu Thawr
and others for weak treatises they had written specifically, apart from their
other works. And he went to great extremes in refuting them.
This is the ruling for the matters on the outward. As for the
inner affairs, then if ones objective in doing that (criticizing) is to clarify
the truth and so that the people will not be deceived by the works of those who
erred in their writings, then there is no doubt that this individual’s aim
will be rewarded. And his doing this, along with this intention, causes him to
fall into the category of being from those who show sincerity to Allaah, His
Messenger and the scholars of the ummah and its common folk. And it is
the same whether the one who clarifies the mistake is young or old. Thus, he has
a good example in Ibn 'Abbaas in refuting written works of the
scholars…"
Then he mentioned Sa'eed Ibn Al-Musayyib, Al-Hasan, 'Ataa,
Tawoos and others, saying: