In our journey of studying sacred knowledge, we often ask:
Is it better to read to a shaykh or to hear the ḥadīth directly from their mouth?
This very question was debated by the great scholars of the past, and three primary opinions emerged. The scholars of the Ummah held three main views:
1. Equality Between the Two Methods
The first opinion is that reading to the shaykh and hearing directly from his mouth are equal in value. This was the view of Imām Mālik, his companions, and several others. According to this position, both methods are acceptable ways of receiving and transmitting knowledge.
2. Reading to the Shaykh is Superior
The second opinion, held by scholars such as Imām Abū Ḥanīfah and Ibn Abī Dh’īb, is that reading to the shaykh is superior to listening from him. Their reasoning? A student reading carefully may articulate better, ensuring clarity — while the shaykh can correct any mistake.
3. Hearing from the Shaykh is Superior
The third view, and the one preferred by the majority of scholars from the eastern regions of the Muslim world (Ahl al-Mashriq), is that hearing the ḥadīth directly from the shaykh is superior. This opinion was supported by the ḥadīth scholar Zayn al-Dīn al-ʿIrāqī, who stated:
وهو الصحيح. ولعل وجهه: أنه كان ﷺ يقرأ على الصحابة وهم يسمعون منه، وكذلك كانوا يُئدّون إلى التابعين وأتباعهم. لكن هذا ظاهر في المتقدمين؛ لأنه كان لهم قابليّة تامة بحيث إنهم كانوا يأخذون الحديث بمجرد السماع أخذًا كاملًا، بخلاف المتأخرين لقلة استعدادهم، وبطء إدراكهم فقراءتهم على الشيخ أقوى، فإذا أخطؤوا بين لهم الشيخ موضع خطئهم.
And this is the correct view. It’s likely reasoning is that the Prophet ﷺ would read to the Companions while they listened to him, and likewise, they would transmit it to the Tābiʿūn and those who followed them. However, this is particularly evident among the earlier generations, because they possessed a complete ability and readiness; they would fully grasp the ḥadīth simply by hearing it. This differs from the later generations, due to their weaker capacity and slower understanding — for them, reading to the shaykh is stronger. If they made a mistake, the shaykh would point out to them the place of the error.[1]
Summary of the Three Views
Discussion adapted from Nafḥ al-ʿUrf al-Shadhī fī Sharḥ Shamāʾil al-Tirmidhī, vol. 1, p. 94.
[1] Zayn al-Dīn al-ʿIrāqī, Jamʿ al-Wasāʾil fī Sharḥ al-Shamāʾil, vol. 1, p. 11.
