Gharib (lit. rare/strange) is an
Islamic term used in the science of
Hadith.www.jamiat.org explains it:Tirmidhi's understanding of the Gharib Hadith (weak tradition), concurs to a certain extent with that of the other traditionists. According to Tirmidhi a Hadith may be classified as Gharib for one of the following three reasons:Firstly, a Hadith may be classified as Gharib since it is narrated from one chain only. Tirmidhi mentions as an example a tradition from Hammad b. Salama from Abu 'Usharai on the authority of his father who enquired from the Prophet (S.A.W.) whether the slaughtering of an animal is confined to the gullet and throat. The Prophet (S.A.W.) replied that stabbing the thigh will also suffice.Secondly, a tradition can be classified as Gharib due to an addition in the text, though it will be considered a sound tradition, if that addition is reported by a reliable reporter. The example cited by Tirmidhi is a tradition narrated through the chain of Malik (d. 179 A.H.) from Nafi' (d. 117 A.H.) on the authority of Ibn 'Umar (d. 73 A.H.) who stated that the Prophet (S.A.W.) declared alms-giving at the end of Ramadan (month of fasting) obligatory upon every Muslim, male or female, whether a free person or slave from the Muslims. However, this tradition has also been narrated by Ayyub Sakhtiyani and 'Ubaid Allah b. 'Umar, without the addition "from the "Muslims", hence the above mentioned example due to the addition of "from the Muslims" in the text is classified as Gharib.Thirdly, a tradition may be declared Gharib since it is narrated through various chains of transmitters but having within one of its chains an addition in the Sanad. According to Tirmidhi, these definitions prove that a Gharib Hadith, does not necessarily mean weak, but it might be Sahih or Hasan, as long as it comes through a single Sanad.
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"Tafsir Gharib al-Qur'an" Commentary by al-Qasim b. Salam, Abu `Ubayd al-Harawi (d. 224 AH/839 CE).
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