Al-Badr Al-Aini�s approach to criticizing the prophetic texts through his book �Umdat Al-Qari: A Critical & Analytical Study selected samples.

Abstract

The science of text criticism is considered one of the most important sciences in the present age. The book of �?Umdat al-Q?r? Sharh ?a??? al-Bukh?r?� by Imam Badr ad-Deen al-?Ayn? is regarded as one of the important books of explaining hadiths as it explains the hadiths of Imam al-Bukh?r?�s �al-Jami� as-Sah?h� which is the most authentic book of hadith; this is why the researcher chose this book to be the subject of her research. This study aims to refute the claim that the former scholars gave credence to the chain of narrators but not the text by studying the history of the science of text criticism. Also, it aims at to explore Imam Al-Aini's methodology in criticizing the texts in his book, ?Umdat al-Q?r? so that it answers about the problematic hadiths of Sahih Al-Bukhari. The purpose of studying Imam al-?Ayn?'s methodology in criticizing texts is to benefit from it in identifying the right way to criticize texts. The researcher employed several approaches in this study: The first is the historical approach, in tracking the developments that the science of text criticism has undergone, as well as in examining the historical pages of Imam al-?Ayn?. The second is the inductive approach, in collecting scientific materials related to the science of textual criticism and what is related to Imam al-?Ayn? and his book ?Umdat al-Q?r? and tracking the hadiths contained in the book ?Umdat al-Q?r?. The third is the deductive analytical approach, which analyses what Imam Al-Aini criticized in the texts of hadiths, then extracts his criteria and method in criticizing the texts. The fourth is the critical approach, which is in criticizing Imam al-?Ayn?�s approach to criticizing texts by comparing his opinions with the opinions of other scholars. The researcher arrived at several significant findings. Chief among them is that one of the most frequently employed methods of textual criticism by Imam al-?Ayn? in ?Umdat al-Q?r? is his systematic effort to reconcile apparently conflicting ?ad?ths and uphold all relevant narrations wherever possible. In his commentary on ?a??? al-Bukh?r?, when he encounters a ?ad?th that appears problematic�either due to its seeming contradiction with the Qur�?n, the authentic Sunnah, scholarly consensus (ijm??), established companion reports (mawq?f), sound reasoning, or verified historical facts�he undertakes a thorough examination of the narration in light of these authoritative sources, striving to harmonize the texts to the fullest extent. In jurisprudential matters, Imam al-?Ayn? consistently prioritizes the views of the ?anaf? school, deviating from them only in rare instances. When reconciliation between conflicting ?ad?ths proves unattainable, he applies the principle of abrogation (naskh). Moreover, if a conflicting narration is weak or flawed, he rigorously identifies its defects and dismisses it accordingly.