The Expression “Under Scrutiny” According to Imam Abu Ahmad Al-Hakim in His Book 'Al-Asami wa Al-Kuna': A Critical Comparative Analysis" A Critical Comparative Analysis

Abstract

   This research sheds light on the statement of the expression “Under Scrutiny” as used by Imam Abu Ahmad al-Hakim in his book al-Asma' wa al-Kinna. The problem addressed in the study lies in the fact that this term is ambiguous and open to multiple interpretations. Al-Hakim applied it to twenty-three narrators without clarifying his precise intention behind using it. The significance of this study stems from its analytical, critical, and comparative examination of the conditions of these narrators to determine what Abu Ahmad al-Hakim meant by this expression. The research uses the inductive method to gather relevant material, followed by analytical and critical approaches to achieve its objectives. The study examined the twenty-three narrators to whom Al-Hakim applied the term “under scrutiny” in his book Names and Nicknames, analyzing their status in terms of criticism (jarḥ) and validation (taʿdeel) through a comparative approach. The research reached several conclusions, most notably:He agreed with other hadith critics regarding the judgment of sixteen narrators: eight of them were deemed weak, five severely weak to the point of abandonment and even accusation of fabrication, two were disputed between authenticity and weakness