The Second Part, which is the Second Matter

[This was  written  to put a stop to and solve a significant  argument about the Hadith which describes how Moses (Upon whom be peace) struck Azra’il (Upon whom be peace) in the eye, and the rest of the story.(1)]

I heard a scholarly argument in Eğridir. It was wrong to hold such an argument especially at this time, but I did not know it was an argument. I was asked a question and  shown  a  Hadith  in  a  reliable  book  marked  with  a  qaf,  which  signifies  the agreement of the two Shaikhs [Bukhari and Muslim]. They asked me: “Is it a Hadith or isn’t it?”

I replied that one should have confidence  in someone who, in a reliable  book such as that, cites the agreement of the two Shaikhs concerning a Hadith; it means it is a Hadith. However, Hadiths may contain allegorical obscurities like the Qur’an, and only experts can ascertain their meanings. Even the literal meaning of this Hadith suggests that it may belong to the allegorical category of those obscure ones. If I had known that it was a point of argument, I would not have given such a short answer, and would have replied as follows:

Firstly:  The primary condition  for discussing  matters  of this sort is to  argue fairly, intending to discover the truth. It is permissible for those who know about the subject to discuss it, so long as they do not do so stubbornly nor give rise to misunderstanding. Evidence that such an argument is for the sake of the truth is that if the truth emerges through the opposite party, a person is not upset but pleased. For he will have  learned  something  he did not know. If it had  emerged  through  him, he would not have learned much and might well have become arrogant.

Secondly:  If the argument is about a Hadith, the categories of Hadiths have to be known,  as well as the types of implicit  revelation,  and  the  varieties  of prophetic speech.

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[1] Bukhari, Jana’iz, 69; Anbiya’, 31; Muslim, Fada’il, 157-8; Nasa’i, Jana’iz, 121; Musnad, ii, 269, 315, 351.