Journal of Islamic Studies (Jan 2016)
Implication of the Term "Rawaa 'anhu Al-Naass"for Ta'deel
Abstract
There is controversy over the meanings of the Arabic term "Rawaa a'nhu al-naass …" (People reported/narrated about a particular person that …". This research aims to show the implication of the term for ta'deel (establishing credibility) procedures. It also aims to identify the rank of the term with respect to ta'deel and jarh (opposite of ta'deel; disproving credibility). The research includes two parts: a theoretical part that explores the term's meanings, its synonyms, its contexts, and its place or rank on ta'deel scale; and an applied part that cites and analyzes all the term's related contexts. The research reveals that the term does not suggest acceptance of the narrative in question, for it is void of any ta'deel and control, which are required for a narrative's acceptance. It also reveals that the term has two forms, one single and the other compound, and each form has a specific meaning. It is the single form that is associated with ta'deel, provided that its narrator has not been quoted by a group of narrators.