Questions 61 with Shaykh Saleh as-Sadlan

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Questions asked to Shaykh Saleh ibn Ghunam as-Sadlaan [May Allaah preserve him] in his house after Salaat al-Jumu‘ah, ar-Riyadh

15/8/1435 – 13/6/2014

Question: What are prescribed deeds that one can do during the month of Sha’baan?

Answer: Sha’baan is like any month, every righteous deed in the Book and Sunnah is prescribed and this is a broad matter, but there is nothing specific to the month of Sha’baan.

Question: Imaam Ahmad used to give precedence to the view of a Companion before using weak Hadeeths. Could you explain this? Also, if a Hadeeth is weak, does this mean we do not attribute it to the Prophet even if there are supporting chains and narrations which solidify its meaning?

Answer: Yes, Imaam Ahmad used to derive rulings by looking in order; Quraan, Sunnah, Ijmaa, Qiyaas, weak Ahadeeth that have supporting chains and then the Qawl as-Sahaahbee (the statement of the Companion). This was his Madhab and then Qawl as-Sahaahbee has different levels too. He brought forward the Qawl as-Sahaahbee before using weak Ahadeeth, because the Companions witnessed the revelation and they understood the Arabic language the best. So their understanding is correct and we can use this to derive rulings before relying on weak narrations because they are not affirmed.

As for weak narrations being ascribed to the Prophet, then weak narrations are of different degrees. Some are completely baseless, this is not asrcribed to the Prophet nor are they used to derive rulings. As for narrations that are supported or narrations are good (Hasan) but have some weakness, then this is attributed to the Prophet and used to derive to the Prophet. There are other weak narrations that are weak to the Prophet but can be correctly attributed to the Companions or those who came after them (using these to derive rulings has been discussed above).

And Allaah Knows best.