Term: Not a Reliable Source According to Imam al-Dhahabi in his book Mizan al-I'tidal Presentation and Study

Abstract

Research Title: The Term "Not a Primary Source" in Imam al-Dhahabi's Book, Mizan al-I'tidal. This research examines the term "not a primary source" as used by al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi in his book, "Mizan al-I'tidal fi Naqd al-Rijal" (The Balance of Moderation in the Criticism of Men). This term is one of the critical terms al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi used in his assessment of several narrators within the book. This research came to clarify what is meant by this term, and to clarify the level to which it belongs among the levels of criticism and praise, through the study of some of the narrators whom Al-Hafiz Al-Dhahabi judged by saying: He is not a reliable source. This research employs an inductive-analytical approach, tracing the biographies of narrators described by al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi in his book, *Mizan al-I'tidal*, and examining the opinions of scholars of hadith criticism regarding them. The nature of this research necessitates its division into an introduction, a preface, a main body, a conclusion, and indexes. The introduction includes: the importance of the research, its objectives, its problem, its limitations, previous studies, the research methodology, and the research plan. The preface contains three sections The first section: A brief biography of Imam al-Dhahabi. The second section: An introduction to the book *Mizan al-I'tidal*. The third section: The levels of criticism and commendation according to the leading scholars of hadith. The second topic: The second topic: Narrators about whom Al-Hafiz Al-Dhahabi said in Mizan Al-I’tidal: “He is not a reliable source