When to Reject Hadith?

Here is a SaHīH (Authentic) hadīth from Imām al-RiDā (عليه السلام) having a discussion with Abū Qurrah (Mūsa bin Tāriq al-Yamānī (d. 220 AH)). He asks Imām al-RiDā (عليه السلام) if he rejects narrations, and he (عليه السلام) said, he does if it contradicts the Qur’ān. It is a fairly lengthy hadīth, so I will just quote an excerpt.

فَقَالَ أَبُو قُرَّةَ فَتُكَذِّبُ بِالرِّوَايَاتِ فَقَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ ع إِذَا كَانَتِ الرِّوَايَاتُ مُخَالِفَةً لِلْقُرْآنِ كَذَّبْتُهَا

So Aboo Qurrah said: “So do you reject narrations?” So Abū al-Hasan (عليه السلام) said: “If the narrations contradict the Qur’ān, reject it.”

Source:

1.     Al-Kulayni, Al-Kaafi (Tehran: Daar al-Kutub al-Islaamiyyah, 3^rd Edition, 1388 AH), vol. 1, pg. 95 - 96, hadeeth # 2

2.     Al-Sadooq, al-TawHeed (Qum: Jamaa`ah al-Mudariseen fee al-Hawzah al-`Ilmiyyah, n.d.), ch. 8, pg. 111, hadeeth # 9

Grading:

1.     Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)
à Mir’aat Al-`Uqool (Tehran: Daar al-Kutub al-Islaamiyyah, 1410 AH), vol. 1, pg. 328

2.     Al-BaHraani said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)

à al-Hadaa’iq al-NaaDirah (Qum: Mu’asasah al-Nashr al-Islaamee, n.d.), vol. 1, pg. 38

3.     Ahmad al-Bahraani said this hadeeth is SaHeeH (Authentic)

à al-Risaa’il al-aHmadiyyah (Qum: Daar al-Mustafa, 1419 AH), vol. 3, pg. 171

(Taken from my personal copy of al-Bahraani’s Hadaa’iq al-NaaDirah (Beirut: Daar al-Adwaa’, 2^nd Edition, 1405/1985), vol. 1, pg. 38)

(Click to enlarge)

Sanad of the Hadīth

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى قَالَ

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ (Ahmad bin Idrīs Al-Qummī) is thiqah (trustworthy) according to:

1.       Al-Najaashee, Rijaal, pg. 92, person # 228

2.      Al-Toosi, Al-Fihrist, pg. 64, person # 81

3.      Ibn Dawood, Rijaal, pg. 23, person # 57

4.      Al-Hillee, Al-KhulaaSah, pg. 16, person # 14

مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ (Muhammad bin `Abd Al-Jabbār) is thiqah (trustworthy) according to:

1.       Al-Toosi, Rijaal, pg. 391, person # 5765

2.      Al-Toosi, Rijaal, pg. 401, person # 5889

3.      Al-Hillee, Al-KhulaaSah, pg. 142, person # 25

صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى (Safwān bin Yahya) is thiqah (trustworthy) according to:

1.       al-Najashee, Rijaal, pg. 198, person # 524

2.      al-Toosi, Rijaal, pg. 338 & 359, person # 5038 & 5311

3.      al-Toosi, Fihrist, pg. 241, person # 356

4.      al-Hillee, al-KhulaaSah, pg. 89, person # 1