Imam Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Nufayli (d. 234 AH) and His Statements on the Narrators, Both In Terms of Criticism and Validation (A Comparative Critical Study)

Research topic: Imam Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Nufayli and His Statements on the Narrators, Both In Terms of Criticism and Validation (A Comparative Critical Study). It aims to: introduce him, clarify his position among the leading scholars of hadith criticism, collect his statements on narrators and compare them with those of the other leading scholars, and explain his approach in terms of strictness, leniency, and moderation. The researcher followed an inductive, analytical, and critical approach. The research included the concept of criticism and validation (jarḥ wa ta’dīl), a biography of Imam Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Nufayli, and a comparison of his statements on the validation and criticism of narrators with those of the critics. The most significant findings include: The status, majesty, and high standing of Imam Abu Ja’far al-Nufayli, and his leadership in hadith and its sciences were revealed. The leading scholars mentioned him, and the number of narrators whom Imam Abu Ja’far al-Nufayli criticized or validated reached (16) narrators, (7) of whom he considered trustworthy, and (9) of whom he criticized. Imam al-Nufayli’s approach to validating the narrators was moderate, as he agreed with the leading scholars on their consensus, or agreed with most of them or some of them. He was not odd or dissenting in his rulings. He was strict in criticizing the narrators, as he was unique in criticizing some narrators, and he was unique in using the harshest terms of criticism regarding some of them. The research recommendations include: paying attention to the statements of obscure scholars whose leadership and memory were attested by the leading critics, but who were not known for a written work, and studying their critical approaches and opinions.