Journal of Islamic Studies > Volume 26, No. 2, 2014

Describing Hadith Narrators as "Devils" or "Jnn": Implications for Accrediting & Discrediting Narrators / Tariq Oudah Abdullah Al-Oudah

The research aims to study the Hadith narrators whom critics described as devils or jinn. It inVol.ves the investigation of their
status and the impact of the description on evaluating their credibility. It also inVol.ves the surveying of evidences and implications for
accrediting and discrediting operations. It takes into consideration the text context and statements made by other critics about the narrator in
question, and it adopts a critical inductive approach. The research identifies eighteen Hadith narrators described as “devils” or “jinn”. It
shows that the two descriptions were used mostly by Iraqi critics and scholars, and their use was typical of the then Iraqi school of criticism.
Apparently, when a narrator was proven free from “bid’ah” (invented non-Islamic act introduced into Islam,, the description “devil” was
basically considered a sign of credibility and meticulousness, while the description “jinn” was considered absolutely credible. The research
recommends that special attention be given to the study and explanation of the terms used by critics, particularly terms with double
meanings; some terms may suggest at the surface to be accrediting the narrator, but in fact it means the opposite.