Q: I believe that the Muhadditheen checked only the Isnaad for Ahadith classification. However, someone recently told me that they checked the Matan as well as the Isnaad. What were their criteria for it? He asked me for the name of book as well. May I know where I can find it?
A: Just as there was a criteria to cross check isnaad, there was a criteria to check the matan. For example, if the hadeeth is coming from one raawi and the raawi has got various students, and out of ten students one is reporting the matan differently, so this is one of the ways that they would cross check the matan.
And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Answered by:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)