(The two Sheikhs from Abu Hurairah (ra))
At-tarjeeh (outweighing)
The meaning of At-Tarjeeh:
Linguistically At-Tarjeeh means At-Tamyeel (to incline) and At-Taghleeb (to be put before or above s.th.) At-Tarjeeh in the Istilaah of the Usooliyeen:
Giving strength to one of the two Daleels over the other in order to work with it due to the existence of a distinguishing factor within the Daleel Ar-Raajih (outweighing evidence).
Example of At-Tarjeeh:
- ‘Aa’ishah (ra) and Umm Salamah (rah) related: “That the Nabi (saw) used to awaken in a state of major impurity (Janaabah) after having engaged in sexual intercourse and not a wet dream and then fast (the fast of) Ramadan” (Bidaayat ul-Mujtahid Wa Nihaayat ul-Muqtasid, Ibn Rushd Al-Qurtubi.
- He (saw) said:
Whoever awakes in a state of major impurity then there is no fasting for him
The first Hadeeth indicates that the Messenger of Allah (saw) used to have intimate relations in Ramadan before the rise of Fajr and remain in a state of major impurity (Janaabah) after the rising or start of Fajr, and then fast.
The second Hadeeth indicates that there is no fasting for the one who is in a state of major impurity (Janaabah) when Fajr comes.
At-Tarjeeh (the outweighing):
The first Hadeeth outweighs because its narrators are ‘Aa’ishah and Umm Salamah (rah) who were the wives of the Messenger of Allah (saw). They were therefore more aware of the actions of the Messenger of Allah (saw) in regards to that which is related to the marital life than the relator of the second Hadeeth (Abu Hurairah).
Therefore, the distinguishing factor or attribute that made the first Hadeeth stronger than the second Hadeeth is due to the narrator being more aware of the particular situation of the Nabi (saw) than the narrator of the second Hadeeth.
Another example:
- Abu Raafi’ related that the Nabi (saw) married Maymoonah whilst he was Halaal, meaning not in a state of Ihraam for Hajj, as recorded by Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi.
- Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) narrated about the Nabi (saw) that he married Maymoonah whilst he was in a state of Ihraam in Sirf (name of place) as recorded by a collective (Jamaa’ah). The Riwaayah (report) of Abu Raafi’ outweighs the Riwaayah of Ibn ‘Abbaas because Abu Raafi’ was the emissary between the Messenger (saw) and Maymoonah (ra).
This distinguishing attribute or factor makes his Hadeeth outweigh the Hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas due to him being an active participant in the action that was mentioned in the Hadeeth.