A deep science: Ilm al-Rijal is a deep science. Scholars spend years learning it. A beginner does not need to grade Hadith himself — and he should not try.
What a beginner should do: Here is what a beginner should do, step by step:
- Learn from trusted scholars and books. Read Hadith from reliable Shia collections, like Al-Kafi, and from scholars you trust. Do not take a Hadith from a random post on social media.
- Ask when you are not sure. If a Hadith sounds strange, or it disagrees with the Quran, ask a scholar, or check whether the scholars have graded it Sahih, Hasan, Muwaththaq, or Da'if.
- Do not pass on what you have not checked. Before you forward a Hadith to your family or friends, ask: is this from a reliable source? If you are not sure, do not share it — or share it with the words "I have not checked this yet."
- Remember the heart of Rijal. The whole science is about honesty: be honest in what you pass on, just as the narrators were asked to be honest.
Respect the chain: You do not need to become a scholar of Rijal. You only need to respect the chain, and to be careful with the words of the Prophet (SAW) and the Imams (as).
Example
A message to forward: Imagine someone sends you a message: "The Prophet (SAW) said, if you forward this to ten people, you will get good news tomorrow." You have never seen this Hadith in a book.
A careful beginner does not forward: A careful beginner does not forward it. He asks: where is this from? What is its chain? If he cannot find it, he leaves it — because the words of the Prophet (SAW) are too precious to pass on without checking.
Key Terms
- Al-Kafi (الکافی) — the most famous Shia collection of Hadith
- Muwaththaq (موثق) — trustworthy; all narrators Thiqa, but not all Imami
Quran or Hadith
Quran 49:6 — "O you who believe! If a wicked person brings you news, verify it…" — to be checked. The verse guides a beginner too: verify before you share.
Fresh diagram to be drawn: A simple checklist with three boxes to tick: "1. Is it from a reliable book or scholar? 2. Have scholars graded it? 3. Am I sure before I share it?"
- A beginner does not need to grade Hadith himself — and should not try.
- Learn from trusted scholars and reliable books, not from random social media posts.
- Verify before you share — the words of the Prophet (SAW) and the Imams (as) are too precious to pass on without checking.