Matrūk and Munkar Reports

Classification by narrator defect Read the bilingual lesson for Matrūk and Munkar Reports and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. In this lesson

We previously introduced narrator defects. We now study two report categories: • Matrūk: a report whose chain contains a narrator accused of lying. • Munkar: here, a report involving frequent error, frequent inattention or fisq. We study each example, its reason and its stated ruling.

2. Matrūk: definition

A matrūk report has a narrator in its chain who is accused of lying. Here, fabrication of a Prophetic statement has not been established; indications have led to a reputation for falsehood in Hadith. 1. Indications (qarāʾin): Circumstances or signs supporting an inference. 2. Matrūk: Abandoned or left aside.

3. The matrūk example

Example of a matrūk report كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقْنُتُ فِي الْفَجْرِ وَيُكَبِّرُ يَوْمَ عَرَفَةَ مِنْ صَلَاةِ الْغَدَاةِ وَيَقْطَعُ صَلَاةَ الْعَصْرِ آخِرَ أَيَّامِ التَّشْرِيقِ Translation of the wording: The report states that the Prophet ﷺ performed qunūt at Fajr, began the takbīr with the morning prayer on ʿArafah, and ended it at ʿAṣr on the last day of the days of Tashrīq.

4. The wording and the reason

The chain of this example includes ʿAmr ibn Shamir, who is described as accused of lying. That narrator is the stated reason for using it as a matrūk example. 1. Qunūt: Supplication in prayer. 2. Ṣalāt al-ghadāh: The morning prayer, Fajr. 3. Days of Tashrīq: The three days following Eid al-Adha.

5. The ruling on matrūk

The report of a narrator accused of lying is abandoned and weak, and is not used as evidence for practice. The stated ruling includes an exception concerning repentance. Distinguish this from the preceding lesson's case of established fabrication. Accusation and proven false attribution are not the same.

6. The chain is the reason

The example mentions qunūt and takbīr, but its stated classification is due to the narrator accused of lying, not its subject matter. We are explaining the classification of this particular report, not issuing a separate legal ruling on those practices.

7. Munkar: definition

In this discussion, a munkar report has a narrator who: • makes many errors; • or is frequently inattentive; • or is characterised by fisq. These are alternative causes; all three need not occur in one narrator.

8. The munkar example

Example of a munkar report كُلُوا الْبَلَحَ بِالتَّمْرِ فَإِنَّ ابْنَ آدَمَ إِذَا أَكَلَهُ غَضِبَ الشَّيْطَانُ Translation of the wording: “Eat unripe dates with dried dates, for when the son of Adam eats them, Satan becomes angry.” 1. Balaḥ: Dates before ripening. 2. Tamr: Ripe dried dates.

9. The narrator in the example

The chain of this example includes Abū Zukayr. Some Hadith authorities assessed him as weak; that is the information supplied with the example. 1. Taḍʿīf: Assessing a report or narrator as weak according to Hadith criteria. 2. “Some authorities” does not claim unanimous agreement.

10. The ruling on munkar

Munkar is weak and not used as evidence for practice. In this comparison, its weakness is less severe than that of matrūk. Being less severely weak than matrūk does not make it sound; the comparison is between two weak categories.

11. Accusation and other defects

• Matrūk: Accusation of lying is the key cause. • The stated definition of munkar: Frequent error, frequent inattention or fisq is the cause. Not every narrator defect means lying. The shared general label “weak” does not make their specific causes identical.

12. Summary

• Matrūk has a narrator accused of lying; the example names ʿAmr ibn Shamir. • Accusation differs from established fabrication; repentance is mentioned as an exception in the matrūk ruling. • The stated munkar definition concerns frequent error, inattention or fisq; its example mentions criticism of Abū Zukayr. • Both are weak; in this comparison, munkar is less severely weak than matrūk.

Practice questions

Question 1

What specifically defines matrūk?

  • A narrator accused of lying.
  • A short text.
  • Many narrator names.

Question 2

Are accusation and established fabrication identical?

  • Yes, always.
  • No, they are distinct.
  • Both only mean forgetfulness.

Question 3

Which narrator is named in the matrūk example?

  • Mālik.
  • Abū Zukayr.
  • ʿAmr ibn Shamir.

Question 4

Which exception accompanies the matrūk ruling?

  • Repentance.
  • A short text.
  • Changing the translation.

Question 5

Which cause occurs in this definition of munkar?

  • Only text length.
  • Frequent error, inattention or fisq.
  • Only an Arabic name.

Question 6

What is stated about Abū Zukayr?

  • He is not mentioned.
  • All agreed on soundness.
  • Some authorities assessed him as weak.

Question 7

Does less severe weakness than matrūk make munkar sound?

  • No, both are weak.
  • Yes, necessarily.
  • It is always sound without considering the text.

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