Causes of Ṭa’n

Ṭa’n[1] (criticism) occurs for one of more of the following reasons:

1. Kidhb al-rāwi – Narrator lying
2. Tuhmat al-kidhb – Narrator is accused of lying
3. Fuḥsh ghalaṭ – mistake from the teacher when narrating
4. Ghaflah ‘an itqān – Being heedless in preserving the narration whilst listening or studying
5. Fisq – Sinner, for example one who doesn’t pray or drinks alcohol
6. Wahm – there is doubt in the ḥadīth
7. Mukhalāfah li al-thiqāt – opposes the narration of a thiqah narrator[2]
8. Jahāla – ignorance regarding the rāwī  
9. Bid’ah – innovation
10. Sū` ḥifdh – weak memory[3]

From these ten, the first five are concerned with the adālah of the rāwī, whereas the last five are concerned with the ḍabṭ[4] of the rāwī. 

The list of ṭa’n mentioned above decreases in severity, thus number (1) is more severe than number (10).

Ruling of aḥādīth

We can make a few generalisations:

1. Those aḥādīth with narrators with ṭa’n from categories (1) and (2),[5] are generally classified as mawḍū’. However, it is important to note that not all aḥādīth will fall into this category.[6]
2. Those aḥādīth with narrators with ṭa’n from categories (3) and (4) are matrūk i.e. ḍaīf jiddan (very weak). 
3. A ḥadīth from category (5) is generally classed as ḍaīf shadīd (severely weak). 

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[1] Literally; stabbing.

[2] Contradiction can also occur from the side of a thiqah narrator. This ḥadīth will be classified as shādh. 

[3] A lot of sū ḥifdh can lead to fuḥsh ghalaṭ.

[4] Precision of narration

[5] Not all aḥādīth with someone who is mutaham bi al-kidhb is mawḍū’ as the change of words could have been by someone else. 

[6] If a kadhdhab narrates a ḥadīth with no mutāba’āt or shawāhid, we say that this ḥadīth is possibly mawḍū’.