"ليث بن أبي سليم في ميزان الجرح والتعديل "دراسة استقرائية تحليلية "

Layth Ibne Abī Sulaym in the sphere of Al-Jarḥ watt-aʿdīl (The Science of Criticism and Praise) "An inductive and analytical study"

Abstract

The objective of this research work is to present a general introduction of (Layth  Ibne Abī Sulaym) and to bring together the opinion of Jurists in the field of Al-Jarḥ watt-aʿdīl  (The Science of Criticism and Praise), adopting the inductive and analytical approach. This research work consists of three main studies. In the first part Layth  Ibne Abī Sulaym is briefly introduced together with his pedagogues and prominent disciples in scholarship. The second part describes opinions of the Jurists examining Layth  Ibne Abī Sulaym in his work Al-Jarḥ watt-aʿdīl. The third part of the research work provides analysis of the sayings of the Jurists of this science with respect to Layth concluding with a brief summery.

In the course of this research work I have reached to a concrete understanding that he was the most prominent Jurist and Muhaddith (Traditionist) of Kufa and has left behind outstanding scholars e.g. Sufyān Al-Thawrī and Shuʿba etc. However, the Jurists have diverse approach towards his legitimacy and disparaging. Those who trusted him, in fact, doing it laterally or relatively or establishing ruling on the basis of weak approach or superstition. And those who criticized him was due to his poor memory and mixed standards. After examining the Juristic approaches, it is apparently evident that those Jurists who trusted him associated with his balanced nature, faith and trustworthiness. Whereas the conflicting approach is established based on weighing the narrations, poor memory or mixed standard in the last phase of his life. Nevertheless, he has a bunch of valid Prophetic traditions that can be followed upon as well-ordered by Imam Muslim his Ṣaḥīḥ with the narration about him in conjunction with him.