Critique Of The Book Taysīr Muṣtalah al-Ḥadīth: An Analysis Of Islāh Al-Istilāh's Work By Tāriq ‘Iwaḍullah

The science of Muṣtalah al-Ḥadīth is one of the most important branches in the study of hadith. Therefore, the selection of a quality curriculum is crucial for fostering a holistic understanding among students. In Malaysian higher education institutions, the chosen syllabus for this subject is the book Taysīr Muṣtalah al-Ḥadīth by Mahmud al-Ṭaḥḥān. However, Ṭāriq ‘Iwaḍullah has authored a critical work scrutinizing Taysīr Muṣtalah al-Ḥadīth, particularly in the discussion of definitions of terms, raising concerns about the credibility of the book to continue as the main curriculum. Consequently, this study represents a critical analysis of Islāh al-Istilāh by Tāriq ‘Iwaḍullah to determine the relevance of Taysīr Muṣtalah al-Ḥadīth as the primary syllabus in Malaysian higher education institutions. The research employs a qualitative approach, utilizing documentation as the data collection method and content analysis as the means of data analysis. The study concludes that Ṭāriq highlights two main issues: first, al-Ṭaḥḥān’s approach of sufficing with a single definition without discussing differing scholarly views, and second, the accuracy of several definitions that are perceived as inconsistent with classical scholarly perspectives. Despite these criticisms, the study finds that al-Ṭaḥḥān consciously adopted a simplified approach to facilitate understanding for beginner students. The study suggests conducting similar analyses on other Muṣtalah al-Ḥadīth texts to ensure the discourse on hadith sciences continues to evolve critically and dynamically.