Aishas Critique of Authentic Hadith Content

via Quranic Universals

1


Jasser Auda


This paper approaches the relationship between the Quran and Sunnah from the angle
of using the Quranic universals to critique the content (matn) of hadith narrations.
Aisha Bint Abu Bakr, the Mother of the Believers, gave us a strong example and a
clear illustration for applying this method. This article will present a number of
illustrative examples of hadith, in which Aisha confidently rejected other
companions narrations, despite being authentic according to the sanad verification
criteria that had developed later. Aishas rejection was based on the contradiction of
these narrations with the clear universals of the Quran that revealed the higher
principles (usul) and purposes (maqasid) of Islam. This paper will also prove that
Aishas method is coherent with the classic verification of the content (tahqeeq al-
matn) method, despite the fact that, historically, this verification was not a common
practice.


Sunnah in Relation to the Quran

Sunnah (literally, tradition) is what is narrated at the authority of the companions
about the Prophets (pbuh) sayings, actions, or approvals. The Prophets (pbuh)
witnessing of certain actions without objection is considered an approval from him,
by definition. The Sunnah, in relation to the Quran (refer to Chart 1), implies a
meaning that is (1) identical to the Qurans, (2) an explanation or elaboration on a
general meaning mentioned in the Quran, (3) a specification of certain conditions for
rulings implied in the Quran, (4) an addition of certain constraints to the general
expressions of the Quran, or finally, (5) an initiation of independent legislation.
Schools of law approve the first three of the above five relations and differ over the
last two, as follows.



Chart Chart Chart Chart 1 11 1. A classification of the possible relationships between the Sunnah and the Quranic verses. . A classification of the possible relationships between the Sunnah and the Quranic verses. . A classification of the possible relationships between the Sunnah and the Quranic verses. . A classification of the possible relationships between the Sunnah and the Quranic verses.


1
Draft submitted to IIIT 2010 Summer Scholarly Seminar.
The Sunnah in relation to the Quran The Sunnah in relation to the Quran The Sunnah in relation to the Quran The Sunnah in relation to the Quran
Identical
meaning
Explanation Specification Adding conditional/
constraints
Independent
legislation
If the Quranic expression is general and the Sunnah expression is specific
regarding the same topic, Shafies, Hanfis, Zahiris, Zaidis and Jafaris consider the
(single-chained) Sunnah to be specifying the general expression of the Quran and,
thus, restricting its general expression. Hanafis consider this specification to be a
sort of invalidation of the confirmed and absolute general expression of the Quran
and, therefore, reject the single-chained narration that place constraints on the Qurans
general expressions.
Maliks opinion on this issue is to look for supportive evidence to the single-chained
hadith that specifies the general meaning of the verse before rejecting it. His
additional supportive evidence should be some amal (tradition) of the people of
Medina (an evidence which is invalid to all other schools), or a supporting analogy
(qiys). Otherwise, Malik applies weighed preference (tarjh) and invalidates the
single-chained narration.
If the hadith implies a ruling that has no relation with the Quran, all schools of law
accept it as legislation on condition that it does not fall under actions that are specific
to the Prophet (pbuh). Actions specific to the Prophet (pbuh) could be actions
exclusive to him out of prophethood considerations or actions that he did out of
custom (dah) of a man living in seventh centurys Arabia. Chart 2 shows this
classification.


Chart Chart Chart Chart 2 22 2. Types of Prophetic actions according to their implications on legislation. . Types of Prophetic actions according to their implications on legislation. . Types of Prophetic actions according to their implications on legislation. . Types of Prophetic actions according to their implications on legislation.

Some Malikis and Hanbalis had added two other types to the Prophets (pbuh) actions
that do not fall under generally abiding legislation, namely, actions out of being a
leader and actions out of being a judge. Al-Qarafi, for example, included all of the
Prophetic actions during wars in his leadership actions, as well as governance-
related decisions. He said that identifying the type of the Prophets (pbuh) action
according to his classification has implications for the law. For example, he
considered the Prophets (pbuh) actions out of being a judge to be valid legislations
only for judges when they assume their role in courts, rather than for every Muslim.
Recently, following al-Qarafis example, al-Tahir Ibn Ashur (also from the Maliki
Types of Prophetic actions Types of Prophetic actions Types of Prophetic actions Types of Prophetic actions
For legislation Actions specific to him Human/customary actions
school) added other types of actions for specific intents, which are meant to imply
general and abiding legislation, such as, advice, conciliation, discipline, and
teaching high ideals to specific people.
2 22 2

Ibadis include acts of worship in actions specific to the Prophet (pbuh). These are
actions that he (pbuh) did not practice regularly. Other schools of law consider such
actions recommended. A few Mutazilis differentiated between the Prophets (pbuh)
acts of worship (ibdt), which they considered the only type that is abiding to all
Muslims, versus all of his other actions, which they considered matters of worldly
judgements (mumalt). The question of how to differentiate ibdt from mumalt
remains an open question, even in the Mutazili theory.
The relation between the hadith and the Quran that this article is dealing with does not
belong to any of the categories above! It is the case when the hadith contradicts the
Quran; not in the explanation, elaboration, specification, addition, or independent
legislation sense. It is also the case where the hadith is not addressing an action that is
specific to the Prophet, peace be upon him, whether in the legislation sense or the
human customary sense. It is the case where the hadith simply contradicts the
meanings of the Quran without reservation. The next section will discuss the
definition of contradiction in the Islamic legal theory.
Contradiction versus Contradiction versus Contradiction versus Contradiction versus Opposition Opposition Opposition Opposition

In Islamic juridical theory, there is a differentiation between opposition or
disagreement (taru or ikhtilf ) and contradiction (tanqu or taanud) of evidences
(verses or hadith).
3
Contradiction is defined as a clear logical conclusion of truth and
falsehood in the same aspect (taqsum al-idqi wal-kadhib).
4
True contradiction takes
the form of a single episode narrated in truly contradicting ways by the same or
different narrators.
5
This kind of discrepancy is obviously due to errors in narration
related to the memory and/or intentions of one or more of the narrators down the
chain of narration.
6
The logical conclusion in cases of contradiction is that one of

2 al-Tahir Ibn Ashur, Maqasid Al-Shariah Al-Islamiyah, ed. al-Tahir al-Mesawi (Kuala Lumpur: al-
Fajr, 1999), Chapter 6.
3 al-Ghazaly, Al-Mustasfa Fi Usul Al-Fiqh p279, al-Shatibi, Al-Muwafaqat vol.4, p.129, Ibn
Taymiyah, Kutub Wa Rasail Wa Fatwa vol.19, p.131.
4 al-Ghazaly, Maqasid Al-Falasifah p.62.
5 For examples, refer to: Auda, Fiqh Al-Maqasid p.65-68.
6 al-Subki, Al-Ibhaj Fi Sharh Al-Minhaj vol.3, p.218.
the narrations is inaccurate and should be rejected (perhaps both narrations, if one
could prove that). This is the case that this article is dealing with.
On the other hand, conflict or disagreement between evidences is defined as an
apparent contradiction between evidences in the mind of the scholar (taruun f
dhihn al-mujtahid).
7
This means that two seemingly disagreeing (mutari) evidences
are not necessarily in contradiction. It is the perception of the jurist that they are in
contradiction which can occur as a result of some missing information regarding the
evidences timing, place, circumstances, or other conditions.
8
Cases of taru are
disagreements between narrations because of, apparently, a missing context, not
because of logically contradicting accounts of the same episode.
9
There are three main
strategies that jurists defined to deal with these types of disagreements in traditional
schools of law:
1. Conciliation (Al-Jam): This method is based on a fundamental rule that states
that, applying the script is better than disregarding it (iml al-nai awl min
ihmlih).
10
Therefore, a jurist facing two disagreeing narrations should search
for a missing condition or context, and attempt to interpret both narrations
based on it.
11

2. Abrogation (Al-Naskh): This method suggests that the later evidence,
chronologically speaking, should abrogate (juridically annul) the former.
This means that when verses disagree, the verse that is (narrated to be)
revealed last is considered to be an abrogating evidence (nsikh) and others to
be abrogated (manskh). Similarly, when prophetic narrations disagree, the
narration that has a later date, if dates are known or could be concluded,
should abrogate all other narrations. The vast majority of scholars do not
accept that a hadith abrogates a verse of the Quran, even if the hadith were to
be chronologically subsequent. This is related to comparing degrees of
certainty.
3. Elimination (Al-tarjh): This method suggests endorsing the narration that is
most authentic and dropping or eliminating other narrations. The
eliminating narration is called al-riwyah al-rjiah, which literally means

7 Ibn Taymiyah, Kutub Wa Rasail Wa Fatwa vol.19, p.131.
8 Abdul-Aziz al-Bukhari, Kashf Al-Asrar (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-ilmiyyah, 1997) vol.3, p.77.
9 Auda, Fiqh Al-Maqasid p.64.
10 al-Suyuti, Al-Ashbah Wal-Nazair vol.1, p.192.
11 Ayatollah Mohammad Baqir al-Sader, Durus Fi Ilm Al-Usul, 2nd ed. (Beirut: Dar al-Kitab al-
Lubnani, 1986) vol.2, p.222.
the narration that is heavier in the scale. Obviously, a hadith cannot eliminate
a verse of the Quran.
12

And because the case this article is dealing with is not a case of disagreement, but
rather a case of contradiction, the above three methods do not apply to our analysis.

Degrees of Fame (Shuhrah) of Hadith

Valid hadiths are classified into most famous, famous, and single-chained (Chart 3).
Most famous narrations are as absolute as the Quran, according to all schools, since
they are narrated after a large number of companions (there are various estimates of
the number large), who could not possibly and logically agree to lie. Hadith
included in this category are related to Islams most famous acts of worship (basic
actions of prayers, pilgrimage, and fasting). The most famous narrations are very few.
Estimates range from a dozen to eighty narrations.
There comprises a category of famous narrations narrated by a number of narrators
not numerous enough to define it as logically impossible for them to agree on lying.
This category includes a small number of the hadith available in traditional sources
(less than one hundred hadith according to all accounts), which makes its impact on
the law limited, from a practical point of view.



Chart Chart Chart Chart 3 33 3. Types of Prophetic narrations in terms of their number of narrators. . Types of Prophetic narrations in terms of their number of narrators. . Types of Prophetic narrations in terms of their number of narrators. . Types of Prophetic narrations in terms of their number of narrators.

The category of hadith which this article is concerned with, and which includes the
vast majority of narrations is the d (single-chained) category. All schools of
Islamic law, except for some Mutazilis, relied on this type in their derivation of their

12 Badran, Adillat Al-Tarjeeh ch.4.
Sunnah Narrations Sunnah Narrations Sunnah Narrations Sunnah Narrations
Most
Famous
(mutawatir)
Famous
(mashhur)
Absolute
Single-chained (ahad)
Invalid if one chain
(some Mutazilites)
Valid and absolute
(Zahiris)
Practically valid but
not absolute
(All other schools)
fiqh. These are narrations conveyed via one or a few chains of narrations, usually
with slightly different wordings.
Verification procedures of d narrators and narrations are detailed extensively in
the Sciences of Hadith.
13
The narration has to be valid in terms of its chain of
narrators (al-sanad) and its content (al-matn). Trusting a narrations sanad entails a
group of conditions for bearing (haml) or learning the hadith and another group for
conveying or narrating (riwayat) the hadith, which all schools agreed upon in
principle. For being accepted as a bearer of a hadith, a narrator has to be mature and
known to have a reliable memory (al-dabt). For narrating a hadith, a narrator has to be
mature, Muslim, pious, has a reliable memory, and has a connected (muttasil) chain of
narrators between him/her and the Prophet (pbuh). The exact specifications of each of
these conditions are subject to differences of opinion amongst scholars of hadith.
The narration has to be valid in terms of its chain of narrators (al-sanad) and its
content (al-matn). For the content of a hadith to be acceptable, the main criteria is to
be linguistically correct and not to be in opposition with another hadith, reason, or
analogy, in a way that cannot be reconciled.
14
However, practically speaking,
authenticity of hadith (al-iah) was judged based on the chain of narrators (al-
sanad). Differences of opinion in judging the sanad had implications on the law. Chart
4 summarises basic criteria for accepting sanad and matn.
Acceptable narrations by the Zahiris are certain and absolute, i.e., valid for
juridical derivation and required for correct belief, even if they were single-
chained. All other schools consider single-chained narrations to be juridically valid
but not part of the Islamic creed. Some Mutazilis differentiate between sayings and
actions (including approvals) narrated in hadith. They do not consider actions to be
valid evidences of legislation (that are abiding to every Muslim), except in the area of
acts of worship (ibdat). On the other hand, they consider sayings to be valid
evidences of legislation in ibdt as well as mumalt (worldly transactions). The
question of how to differentiate ibdt from mumalt is another open question. Most
schools believed that ibdt are the issues that cannot be rationalised,
15
which also
keeps the question open.


13 Abu Amr Ibn al-Salah, Al-Muqaddimah Fi Ulum Al-Hadith (Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, 1977).
14 al-Khoshoui A. M. al-Khoshoui, Ghayat Al-Idaah Fi Ulum Al-Istilah (Cairo: al-Azhar University,
1992) p. 74.
15 I had previously carried out a survey on related opinions in: Auda, Fiqh Al-Maqasid p 64-67.

Chart 4. Conditions for validating single Chart 4. Conditions for validating single Chart 4. Conditions for validating single Chart 4. Conditions for validating single- -- -chains narrations in traditional Sciences of Hadith. chains narrations in traditional Sciences of Hadith. chains narrations in traditional Sciences of Hadith. chains narrations in traditional Sciences of Hadith.

Trusting a narration entails a group of conditions for bearing (aml) or learning the
hadith and another group for conveying or narrating the hadith, which all schools
agreed upon, in principle. For being accepted as a bearer of a hadith, a narrator has to
be mature (most estimates for his/her age is seven years old) and known to have a
reliable memory (al-ab). For narrating a hadith, a narrator has to be mature, Muslim,
pious, has a reliable memory, and has a connected (muttail) chain of
narrators/teachers between him/her and the Prophet (pbuh). The exact specifications
of each of these conditions are subject to many differences of opinion amongst
scholars of hadith, even within each school. Moreover, there are clear divisions in
terms of trusted narrators between the Sunni schools (Malikis, Shafies, Hanafis,
Hanbalis, and Zahiris), and the Shia schools (Jafaris and Zaidis). Ibadis have their
own group of trusted narrators as well.


Valid Single Valid Single Valid Single Valid Single- -- -chained hadith chained hadith chained hadith chained hadith
Conditions for trusting narrators
(thiqah) of the chain (al-sanad)

For narrating
the hadith
For hearing
the hadith
Conditions for authenticating
the content (iat al-matn)
Reliable memory
Connectivity of
his/her chain
Correct sentences
Maturity
Reliable
memory
Islam
Maturity
Piety
Not to contradict
reason or experience
Not to contradict
what the narrator
practices
Not to contradict a
certain narration
Not to contradict
analogy (for Malikis)
(unless the narrator is a
faqh: For Hanafis)
The Authentication of the Hadith Content ( The Authentication of the Hadith Content ( The Authentication of the Hadith Content ( The Authentication of the Hadith Content (Al Al Al Al- -- -Matn Matn Matn Matn) )) )

Regarding the narrations themselves of the degree ad, their content (matn) has to
follow the following conditions:
16

(1) The hadith is conveyed in complete and sound sentences.
(2) The hadith cannot contradict with other certain scripts.
(3) The hadith cannot contradict with analogy (according to Malikis, and unless
the narrator is considered a faqh, according to Hanafis).
(4) The hadith cannot contradict with the narrators practices.
(5) The hadith cannot contradict with reason, which al-Ghazali, amongst other
jurists, included in the definition of reason, what is acceptable according to
common sense and experience.
17

Despite the above theories, authenticity of hadith, in practice and especially in todays
scholarship, was judged merely based on the chain of narrators (al-sanad) and not on
the matn/content. Todays scholarship could learn from Aishas critique of the matn
of some narrations. The following two sections elaborate.

Aishas Amendments of the Companions Narrations

Aisha Bint Abu Bakr (the Mother of the Believers) was a strong, highly learned, and
independent woman. Her character showed on a number of her fatw and opinions,
in which she advocated womens independence and rights, notably against some of
the other companions direct narrations. Badruddin al-Zarkashi wrote a book
dedicated to Aishas critiques to the other companions narrations, which he called,
Ayn al-Ibah F Istidrk ishah al al-abah (The Accurate Account on
Aishas Amendments to the Companions Narrations).
18


The following are texts that show examples of these narrations. We will quote and
discuss them in order.


16 Mohammad al-Basri, Al-Mutamad Fi Usul Al-Fiqh, ed. Khalil al-Mees, 1st ed. (Beirut: Dar al-
Kutub al-ilmiya, 1983) vol. 2, p. 153.
17 al-Ghazali, Al-Mustasfa vol. 1, p. 142.
18 Badredin al-Zarkashi, Al-Ijabah Liirad Ma Istadrakathu Aisha Ala Al-Sahabah, ed. Saeed Al-
Afghani, 2nd ed. (Beirut: Al-Maktab al-Islami, 1970).
_ =..== ,>'=\' = _ , ,= ',' _' -=.'= _\, ' = _= _=\' _=
,\= -,\= =' _\= =' ' _=\' .'>,, ,.=, .,=\' _' -.`.\' = _.\' .\
-=.'= .\' ,= ',' =' ,= -,'= .'=' '=== .'=' = _.\' .\ -\ '='
_'> '=. '.= _\= .,.=\' _>, ,\ -.`.\' =' _\= =' = _., _,'.=\' _= =
,\= -,\= , _` _= _..=, _= ' ' _. .\ -, '= _= -. =' = ', =
-.`.\' = _\'=. =' , ) _=' ' . . ( \' _ -\ '=' ,.=, .,=
_>, ,\ _=\' .'>,, =' = _>\ '.= _\= .,.=\' ,\= -,\= =' _\= = '., =
.'= . .,,\' _= >,, -\=' ' -,\= _ -,\= _>,,\ ,,. -. ,.=,\ , =' ) .
',== . '=. =' \>, ( ,\' 285 -,' _ .\' -=.'= _'\' ,>,== ) .
' ' . _= ( ..'=\' 164 .'=,' 15

In this hadith, Aisha is resorting to the principle universal value in the Shariah, which
is justice. She referred the questioner to the Quran that, no bearer of burdens shall be
made to bear anothers burden, (6:164, and 17:15) and rejected therefore the
narrations that, the deceased is tortured because of peoples crying after him, and
that the child of adultery is worse than his parents, etc.
Ibn al-Qayyim gave us the following golden rule:

Sharah is based on wisdom and achieving peoples welfare in this life and the
afterlife. Sharah is all about justice, mercy, wisdom, and good. Thus, any ruling
that replaces justice with injustice, mercy with its opposite, common good with
mischief, or wisdom with nonsense, is a ruling that does not belong to the
Sharah, even if it is claimed to be so according to some interpretation.
19


Thus, no perceived narration or interpretation should ever contradict with justice,
mercy, wisdom, or common good. These are the universals (kullyat) of Islam that
should reign over the details (juzyt).

_ = ..= .' -=.'= _\= `=. _,\= _' .==' = ',' _ _\= =' _,. _' ..=, ,
,\= -,\= =' , _'> -,'.\' '=\' _ ,=\' '=. '.\' .\' .' _.\'
= '= ,='\' _,' _\= _'\' -,'.\' '=\' _ ,=\' , _'> '.> '.\' .' ,.
-=.'= ) '= -,,== _= ,'=' _ . _.' _ ' , _= ,'.> _ . ,>=. _'
'=',. ( .,.=\' 22

19 Shamsuddin Ibn al-Qayyim, Ilam Al-Muwaqieen, ed. Taha Abdul Rauf Saad (Beirut: Dar Al-Jeel,
1973) vol.1, p. 333.

So, despite Abu Hurairahs narration that, bad omens are in women, animals, and
houses,
20
Aisha relied on the Quranic verse that, No calamity can ever befall the
earth, and neither your own selves, unless it be [laid down] in Our decree before We
bring it into being (57:22). This verse, and there are a few similar other verses, set a
universal principle that go against the idea of bad omens altogether. This is in
addition to the other hadith that says, no bad omens in Islam, and other similar
narrations.
21

Moreover, Aisha narrated in other narrations that the Prophet (pbuh) had said, instead:
People during the Days of Ignorance (jhilyah) used to say that bad omens are in
women, animals, and houses.
22
There is another narration where she is saying that
Abu Huraira heard the second part of the narration but missed the first part. All these
authentic narrations are at odds with Anu Hurairas, which Aisha rejected, not out of
mistrust of Abu Huraira, but out of realising the error that he made in the narration.
Yet, it is telling that most commentators rejected Aishas narration, rather than Abu
Hurairas, even though other authentic narrations supported her. Ibn al-Arabi, for
example, commented on Aishas rejection of the above hadith as follows: What she
said is nonsense (qawluha qawlun sqi). This is rejection of a clear and authentic
narration that is narrated through trusted narrators.
23
Ibn Al-Arabis defence of his
sanad-based method of authentication disabled him from showing the appropriate
respect for the Mother of Believers in this context!

_.=.\' _=' _',= _,' ' -, .=== _' ' .\ -=.'= , =' _,\' ) . ->..
=., = '=,.' '=,.' ( - .' ,'=. 103 = _,=,==\' _ _== .,.= _ .\
-, .=== _' = '.=' ', .\' _== .\ .\ '== '.=== _' =..= _= _\=
,\= -,\= =' ,.> . -, _' .' ,. ) = '=,.' ->.. . '=,.' =.,
,,=\' ,=\\' = ( -,' _ ' .\ -=.'= ' , = = =' _' _==. ,\ ) '=
=,\ _'> ' ',= . =' -=\>, _' .= =, ' ,'== .' _= '= -..,, _=,
,,>= _\= -. .'=, ( - _=\' 51

20 al-Bukhari, Al-Sahih p69.
21
Auda, Fiqh Al-Maqasid p106.
22 Ibid.
23 Abu Bakr al-Maliki Ibn al-Arabi, Aridat Al-Ahwadhi (Cairo: Dar al-Wahy al-Mohammadi, without
date) vol.10, p.264.
Again, Aisha is rejecting an authentic ahad narration that the Prophet, peace be upon
him, had seen his Lord, based on a Quranic principle that states that human sight
cannot comprehend God. No human vision can encompass Him, whereas He
encompasses all human vision (6:103). And if God is to speak to a human, it is not
face to face, according to the Quran. And it is not given to mortal man that God
should speak unto him otherwise than through sudden inspiration, or [by a voice, as it
were,] from behind a veil, or by sending an apostle to reveal, by His leave, whatever
He wills [to reveal] (42:51). Here, the Quran has more authority in matters of faith
than ahad hadith.

' == _,' _= _'=,\' _=' _,.\' _\= ,\= -,\= =' ' ., ,,\ _\=
) '= ,>, .= '= ,..= = ( ' ,. ' '= _===, _.' ,,. -=.'=\ .>.
.\' ,\= -,\= =' _\= _,.\' ' '=. ' _.' _=\=,\ ,,. _= ,,\ ' ..> '= _
.'= _' _ _\'=. -\, .=.=' -= ) ,\' _ _= _===, ..' '= ( - =' 22

Here, Aisha is resorting to a Quranic verse in addition to reason to reject a narration
that implies that the Prophet, peace be upon him, was talking to the disbelievers who
were buried in Badr. Aishas perspective was that the Quran was clear when it stated:
thou canst not make hear such as are the dead in their graves (35:22).

Discussion

Aishas method outlined above is not unique in the history of the Islamic legal theory.
Imam Malik, for one example, rejected the (authentic) narration of washing your plate
seven times if a dog drinks from it based on the verse that states: They will ask thee
as to what is lawful to them. Say: "Lawful to you are all the good things of life." And
as for those hunting dogs which you train. (5:4). Ibn Rushd, for another example,
rejected the (authentic) narration of killing black dogs based on the Quranic and
Prophetic principles of being kind to animals and not to transgress against living
beings. And so on.
In todays scholarship, the criteria that Aisha utilised to critique hadith could apply to
some hadiths that have significance. In such cases, although the hadith are
authentically chained, in terms of their sanad, they do contradict some Quranic
principles in terms of their matn. Sheikh Taha Al-Alwani rejected the authenticity
and/or the common understanding of the narration, Whoever changes his religion,
kill him, based on its contradiction to the principle verse, no compulsion in matters
of faith (2:256). Sheikh Mohammad Abu Zahra rejected the authenticity and/or the
common understanding of the narrations of stoning the adulterer (rajm al-zani)
based on the general principles of mercy in the Quran in addition to the verse that
prescribed half of the punishment in some cases (and stoning cannot be divided in
half, he said). Sheikh Al-Ghazali rejected the authenticity and/or the common
understanding of the narration, a people who entitle their affairs to a woman will
never be successful, based on its contradiction with a number of verses and other
narrations that support the juridical principle of equality of men and women. Sheikh
Al-Ghazali also rejected the authentication of Sheikh Nasser Al-Albani to such
hadiths as, there is disease in cow meat, and do not travel by sea, based on their
contradiction with Quranic verses such as, And likewise they declare as unlawful
either of the two sexes of camels and of cows. Ask [them]: "Is it the two males that
He has forbidden, or the two females (6:144), and And His are the lofty ships that
sail like [floating] mountains through the seas. Which, then, of your Sustainers
powers can you disavow? (55:24-25).
In conclusion, the methodology that Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, has
followed in the examination and critique of the matn of ahad hadith, even they were
claimed to be authentically transmitted, is needed for todays projects of renewal in
the Islamic law in order to align the details of the law to its firmly based principles of
justice, mercy, wisdom, or common good.