Introduction
What Khabar al-Wahid conveys — certainty or assumption — is an issue that scholars of the Islamic Ummah debate over quite a bit. This is the foundation of the question, and several other questions follow. Among them, the most well-known and frequently debated is the question of whether Khabar al-Wahid’s teachings should be accepted as the foundation of the aqida, or creed. Despite the prevailing belief that Khabar al-Wahid should be rejected, the majority of Hadith scholars acknowledge it as the foundation of knowledge.
The Khabar al-Wahid Controversy
Even with all of the talk on this topic, one will still discover that most people who speak about it do not really grasp the nature of the problem. Even those who discuss the need to accept Khabar al-Wahid in aqida assert that it conveys an assumption (zann); yet, this is acknowledged as the foundation for beliefs (aqida) (Malik, 2021). The most well-known advocate for this viewpoint is Sheikh al-Albani.
Those who hold such a view are unaware that akyda is a belief and an unquestionable certainty that does not rely on conjecture. Some of them even write books that, in their view, disprove people who supposedly disagree with Khabar al-Wahid. Conversely, they prohibit disbelieving Khabar al-Wahid because it implies something and lacks conviction, but “yakyn” and “ilm” denote certainty and firm knowledge, respectively (Malik, 2021). As the followers of the first group of Muslims attempt to portray it, the latter do not reject the prophetic Khabar al-Wahid, which further suggests that they do not comprehend the viewpoint of other Muslims who hold dissenting opinions.
The second group of Muslims states that since Khabar al-Wahid makes an assumption, it is improper to reject it and should instead be accepted. However, this hadith lacks conviction and is unable to inspire confidence in an individual (Malik, 2021). This is a really understandable and clear explanation. Those who understand everything the other way around, or the way they wish to understand it, on the other hand, attempt, at best, to interpret this statement in light of their views and conclusions.
Telling them that some think Khabar al-Wahid lacks conviction would be accurate. This occurs when people are unable to effectively communicate their ideas and opinions (Malik, 2021). After all, when someone presents their perspective incorrectly, it makes people automatically distrust them — as if they do not believe what the Prophet Muhammad said. They should, then, convey their ideas as simply and clearly as they can for everyone to grasp them and avoid giving the impression that rejecting the prophetic hadiths entails rejecting the Khabar al-Wahid as the source of belief.
The scholars’ claim that Khabar al-Wahid lacks conviction does not imply a rejection of the Prophet Muhammad’s teachings. Scholars who assert that Khabar al-Wahid fails to produce “ilm” (solid knowledge) also contend that it fails to provide conviction and establish confidence (Malik, 2021). The majority of Islamic scholars agree that Khabar al-Wahid alone is not sufficient justification for Islamic teaching. A select few Muslim theologians constitute an exception, the most well-known of whom are Ibn Hazm among his forebears and al—Albani among his contemporaries (Malik, 2021). The majority of Islamic scholars and Hadith scholars have always held the opinion that does not align with the minority opinion.
The scholars who discussed the need to accept Khabar al-Wahid as the cornerstone of the Islamic religion did so only under specific conditions that strengthen it and elevate it to the level of certainty known as “yakyn” (Malik, 2021). Stated differently, they concede, if subtly, that Khabar al-Wahid does not, by himself, impart conviction or instill confidence in an individual (Malik, 2021). Regarding the details of the criteria leading to confidence, the Hadith Scholars referenced in the preceding paragraph disagreed with one another. They still concurred that Khabar al-Wahid had to abide by the Quran, Khabar Mutawatir, and Sharia, the body of Islamic law as a whole.
Common Viewpoint
All Hadith Scholars, both in the past and now, are unanimous in the need to be guided by Khabar al-Wahid in doing things. Only some Mu’tazilites believed that one should not be guided by the hadith of Ahad even in doing things (Malik, 2021). Some scholars, in particular Ibn Taymiyah and Ibn as-Salah, held that acceptance of certain hadiths by the Ummah is a prerequisite for confidence (Malik, 2021). Although others, in particular Imam al-Nawawi, did not agree with this. Sheikh Nasser al-Albani, who declares the need to adopt Khabar al-Wahid as the basis of the Islamic creed — aqidah, himself says the opposite of his opinion in other places (Malik, 2021). However, Sheikh Nasser al-Albani is known for his controversial statements.
In the books of those who maintain that Khabar al-Wahid should serve as the basis of belief, one can find many quotes from Hadith scholars in favor of the former view. However, upon closer examination of these quotations, it becomes clear that, in their context, they have nothing to do with the opinion of supporters of adopting Khabar al-Wahid in Aqida (Malik, 2021). This is because the Hadith Scholars’ quotes indicate the need to follow Khabar al-Wahid in performing actions (Malik, 2021).
However, the former interprets their words out of context and uses them to support their opinion. The former takes their statements out of context and uses them to bolster their viewpoint. They use the sayings of Hadith scholars to shift from the obligation to do things to the obligation to believe in them (Malik, 2021). They apply the sayings of the Hadith scholars regarding the duty to believe in them. This action can be qualified as deception or a misunderstanding of the Hadith scholars’ dictum.
Different Scholar Interpretations
Abu Bakr Al-Jassas
Hadith scholar Abu Bakr Al-Jassas interprets the verses as suggesting that Khabar al-Wahid does not provide specific knowledge. If they had given accurate knowledge, then it would not have been necessary to clarify the message. This is verse 49:6, “If the wicked brings you news”(Pickthall, 2023). Some Muslim scholars cite this text as proof of acceptance of the message of a just transmitter and believe that confirmation of authenticity is required exclusively in relation to a sinner, that is, an unreliable transmitter who tends to commit sins (Malik, 2021). However, this statement is erroneous, since the mention of one of the provisions of the transmitter does not indicate that the decision on the other provisions is the opposite.
Tafsir al-Nisaburi
Hadith scholar Tafsir al-Nisaburi also interprets Khabar al-Wahid. He uses verse 2:246: “They said to their prophet, ‘Appoint a king for us to fight in the way of Allah’” (Pickthall, 2023). There is no reliable knowledge about this verse as to who this prophet was and what kind of people he was, since there is no Khabar al-Mutawatir, that is, a message with categorical transmission. Therefore, Khabar al-Wahid does not convey anything except an assumption.
Tafsir al-Kushayri
Hadith scholar Tafsir al-Kushayri uses a verse that indicates that Khabar al-Wahid does not commit to unquestioning acceptance, that is, to faith, which means that one should stop at the line of tolerance. This is verse 27:27: “He said: ‘Let’s see if you’re telling the truth or if you’re one of the liars’”(Pickthall, 2023). The verse says that such information should not be rejected; rather, it should be verified to determine whether the information transmitter is telling the truth or lying. According to the verse, such information should not be disregarded; rather, it is essential to confirm it and ascertain whether the source is telling the truth or lying.
Tafsir Mustafa al-Istanbul
Khabar al-Wahid provides only conjecture, and such conjecture is not considered in issues concerning the core principles of aqida. Referring to the same verse (27:27), Tafsir Mustafa al-Istanbul argues that Khabar al-Wahid is information transmitted by one, two, or more transmitters, the number of which has not reached fame and abundance. This would eliminate any suspicion and provide reliable knowledge. Khabar al-Wahid, with all its terms and conditions, cannot convey anything other than an assumption, which is taken into account in matters of practical affairs, but not in matters of the fundamentals of the doctrine of aqida.
Tafsir al-Shawkani
Generalized instructions, a judgment by analogy, that is, a qiya, which is a single message, that is, Khabar al-Wahid, and similar Sharia arguments are based on assumptions. Hadith scholar Tafsir al-Shawkani writes about this, arguing that the assumption has its place and should be followed (Malik, 2021). Thus, most of Sharia law is based on assumptions such as judgment by analogy (qiyas) and a single message (Khabar al-Wahid). He states that acting in accordance with these arguments amounts to doing things based on assumptions (Malik, 2021). These Sharia arguments should guide Muslims in matters of practical affairs.
Conclusion
Although many believe that Khabar al-Wahid should be dismissed, most Hadith scholars recognize it as a primary source of knowledge. Some mistakenly imagined that the righteous predecessors adhered to the opinion of mandatory acceptance of the Khabar al-Wahid into the aqida, that is, into the basis of the Islamic creed. However, almost all authoritative scholars of the early period of Islam, including Ibn Taymiyyah, held that Khabara al-Wahid presents an assumption rather than a conviction. As a result of the critical analysis, it was revealed that only a small number of Hadith Scholars hold the view that Khabar al-Wahid is accepted into the aqida, that is, the basis of the Islamic faith, and consider anyone who disagrees with them an unbeliever or a grave sinner. Thus, this is a radical opinion, disputed by most Hadith Scholars and often misinterpreted.
References
Malik, S. A. (2021). Islam and evolution: Al-Ghazālī and the modern evolutionary paradigm. Routledge Science and Religion.
Pickthall, M. (2023). The Holy Quran: English translation of the Noble Qur’an. Independently published.