Imam Abu Dawud’s Methodology in Presenting Expressions of Doubt (Shakk) and Their Attribution to Narrators

This Paper Explores the methodology of Imam Abū Dāwūd in recording expressions of doubt found in his Sunan and attributing them to the narrators, as this issue represents one of the subtle and intricate matters related to the science of hidden defects (ʿIlal), as well as the precision of texts and chains of transmission. The study adopts an inductive-analytical approach by tracing and collecting the hadiths in Sunan Abū Dāwūd that contain expressions of doubt, then analyzing his method of presenting them and commenting on them. The study concludes that Imam Abū Dāwūd did not devote an independent chapter to expressions of doubt, nor did he articulate explicit theoretical rules for them. However, his practical methodology reveals precise principles, most notably: preserving expressions of doubt exactly as transmitted from the narrator, indicating their location when necessary, remaining silent regarding doubt that does not affect legal judgment, and refraining from preferring one wording over another unless supported by a recognized indication. The importance of this study lies in highlighting the precision of Abū Dāwūd’s methodology and his scholarly integrity in transmitting narrations, as well as its contribution to understanding how hadith scholars dealt with expressions of hesitation and doubt