Alhadith Almursal to the Altuwfii and Almuhdithin: AComparative Study

God has honored this nation with the chain of transmission (isnad), distinguishing it from all previous peoples. To safeguard this chain, He has raised, in every era, eminent scholars and critical experts who have dedicated themselves to preserving and verifying it. The continuous chain of transmission serves to distinguish between authentic and weak hadith. The study of the noble Hadith and its related legal rulings is of significant importance, as it constitutes the second source of Islamic legislation. Consequently, the "mursal" hadith, due to the ambiguity surrounding its missing link in the chain of narration, is considered a defect that renders it unacceptable as evidence. This is because the anonymity of the missing narrator creates uncertainty and poses a risk to the reliability of the hadith. Scholarly disagreement on the acceptance of mursal hadith has been prevalent throughout history, with varying opinions and approaches. Some scholars accept it unconditionally, while others reject it outright. Others adopt a more nuanced approach, detailing the conditions for its acceptance. This divergence of opinions has led to differing legal rulings on several issues, such as the validity of ablution after laughing aloud in prayer, the obligation to make up voluntary fasts, and the necessity of a guardian's consent for marriage. This study aims to elucidate the concept of mursal hadith according to the prominent hadith scholar and legal theorist, Najm al-Din al-Tufi, and to compare his views with those of other leading hadith critics. Key findings: Al-Tufi adopts a broader definition of mursal hadith, in line with the prevailing approach among legal theorists, while hadith scholars typically restrict it to narrations by a successor (Tabi'i), regardless of their status. Both al-Tufi and hadith scholars agree that the underlying reason for questioning the mursal hadith is the uncertainty regarding the missing narrator in the chain.