Introduction - Sahih Muslim Introduction 11

The noble hadith "It is enough of a lie for a man that he narrates everything he hears" serves as a foundational principle in Islamic scholarship regarding the transmission of knowledge.

Meaning and Significance

This profound statement warns against the indiscriminate transmission of information without verification. The phrase "enough of a lie" indicates that narrating everything one hears without scrutiny constitutes a form of falsehood, even if unintentional.

Scholars explain that this teaching establishes the obligation of due diligence (tathabbut) in conveying information, particularly religious knowledge. The listener bears responsibility for verifying what they transmit to others.

Scholarly Commentary

Imam al-Nawawi comments that this hadith emphasizes the gravity of transmitting unverified reports. The Muslim must distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources before narrating.

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explains that the prohibition applies particularly to religious matters but extends to all forms of communication where accuracy matters. The scholar's duty is to preserve the sanctity of knowledge from corruption.

Classical scholars derived from this principle the methodology of hadith criticism (al-jarh wa al-ta'dil), ensuring only authentic traditions entered the Islamic scholarly tradition.

Practical Application

This teaching requires Muslims to verify news, especially religious information, before sharing it. It condemns gossip, rumor-mongering, and the spread of unconfirmed reports.

The principle extends to modern contexts including social media, where sharing unverified information violates this Prophetic guidance. The believer must be a source of truth, not a conduit for falsehood.