Abdullah bin Abdur Rahmaan bin Ya'la at-Taa'ifi

عَبْد اللَّهِ بن عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بن يعلى بن كعب الطائفي أَبُو يعلى الثقفي

Name: Abdullah bin Abdur Rahmaan bin Ya’la bin Ka'b, at-Taaifi, Abu Ya'la, ath-Thaqafi

Tabaqah: Seven (7) – One of the major Ittiba ut-Taabi’een

Narrations narrated by: Al-Bukhaari in al Adab al Mufrad – Muslim – Abu Dawood – At Tirmidhi in Shumayil – Nasaa’ee – Ibn Majah and others.

Teachers/Narrated from: Abdullah bin al-Hakam bin Sufyaan ath-Thaqafi, Abdullah bin Iyaadh ath-Thaqafi, Uthmaan bin Abdullah bin Aws, Ataa bin Abi Ribaah, Amr bin Shu’ayb, and others.

Students/Narrated by: Azhar bin al-Qaasim, Ishaaq bin Sulemaan ar-Raazi, Sufyaan ath-Thawree, Abdullah bin al-Mubaarak, Abdur Rahmaan bin Mahdi, Abdur Razzaq bin Hammaam, Abu Nu’aym al-Fadal bin Dukayn, Wakee bin al-Jarraah, Abu Dawood at-Tiyaalsi, Muhammad bin al-Hasan ash-Shaybaani, and others.

Status: Thiqah, Hasan ul-Hadeeth - according to the Jumhoor
 

Opinions of Ahl ul-Jarh wat Ta’deel
 

Jaariheen:

1-    Imaam Yahya ibn Ma’een said:

“He is Da’eef” [Al-Kaamil: 5/276, Chain Saheeh]

Note: The tawtheeq of Imaam Ibn Ma’een is also proven, as you will see down. And the tawtheeq of Imaam Ibn Ma'een is given precedence to his Jarh because his Jarh is not explained, while his tawtheeq is explained. And according to the principles of Muhadditheen, the explained Ta'deel takes precedence over vague Jarh.

Moreover, Imaam Ibn Ma'een often used to call the thiqah narrators "Da'eef" in comparison to other narrator who is trustworthier than him, as mentioned by Imaam Ibn Hajar who said in Badhal al-Maa’oon: “Yahyaa ibn Ma’een, Nasaa’ee, Daarqutnee and Muhammad bin Sa’ad authenticated Abu-Balj and Ibn al-Jawzee writes, Ibn Ma’een said Abu Balj was weak. So if this is established (as the case is) then it may be that someone may have asked Ibn Ma’een about Abul-Balj and another narrator who may have been trustworthier then Abu Balj and Ibn Ma’een may have said Abu Balj is weak compared to the more trustworthy narrator. This is a lofty principle concerning those narrators about whom there are statements of praise and criticism from Ibn Ma’een. This principle was mentioned by Abu Waleed Baajee in his book, ‘Rijaal al-Bukhaari’.” (as cited in ar-Raf’a Wat-Takmeel, There is also something mentioned from Haafidh as-Sakhawee in his Fath ul-Mugeeth which is again cited in ar-Raf’a)
 

2-    Imaam Nasaa’ee mentioned him in his book of weak narrators and said:

“He is not strong” [Ad-Du’afa wal Matrokeen: 1/61]

Note: The Jarh of Imaam Nasaa'ee is very light. This Jarh is used to negate the highest position of Thiqaahat from the narrator. In fact some Muhadditheen have even said that Laisa Bi Qawi is equal to saying "Sudooq" instead of Thiqah.
 

Haafidh Ibn Hajar also once narrated this Jarh (Laisa bi qawi) of Imaam Nasaa'ee and said: "This Jarh is very light" [Hadi us-Saari: 2/397]

3-    Imaam Abu Haatim ar-Raazi said:

“He is not strong, he is Layyin ul-Hadeeth” [Al-Jarh wat Ta’deel: 5/97]

Note: The Jarh of Imaam Abu Haatim is also very light, as I said before Laisa Bi qawi is even used for the narrators of the level of "Sudooq"

Moreover, Imaam Dhahabi has said that Imaam Abu Haatim is a Mutashaddid and his Jarh will not be accepted when he goes against the Jumhoor. [See: Siyar: 13/260]

Allaamah Zayla'ee al-Hanafi has also rejected the Jarh of Imaam Abu Haatim due to his tashaddud on the narrators of Saheehain. [See: Nasb ur-Rayaa: 2/439]

4-    Imaam Ukaylee mentioned him in his book of weak narrators and narrated the saying of Imaam Ibn Ma’een who said:

“He is Suwaylih (righteous)” [Ad-Du’afa al-Kabeer: 2/272]

Note: Imaam Ukaylee did not even narrate a single Jarh on him in his book, which cannot be accepted against the explained Ta'deel of Imaam Ibn Ma'een, Imaam Ibn Adee, and the Jumhoor.  

5-    Ibn al-Qaisaraani said:

“Abdullah is Da’eef…. As for his narrations from Amr bin Shu’ayb then they are Mustaqeem (Correct)” [Dhakheerat ul-Huffaadh: 1/457]

This Jarh is rejected because Ibn al-Qaisaraani himself is weak [See, Meezaan: 3/587] 

 Note: The criticism of Imaam Bukhaari that he said: "Feehi Nadhar" is wrongly attributed to this narrator. In reality that Jarh is for the student of Ibn Mughaffal "Abdullah bin Abdur Rehmaan bin Ziyaad"

Mu’addaleen:

1-    Imaam Muslim authenticated him by taking narrations from him in his Saheeh. [4/1767]

2-    Imaam Tirmidhi narrated the hadeeth of Abdullah at-Taifi in the issue of Takbeeraat al-Eed and said:

“The hadeeth of Abdullah bin Abdur Rahmaan at-Taaifi is also authentic and at-Taifi is close to the hadeeth” [al-Illal al-Kabeer by Tirmidhi: 1/93]

Note: Some people object that Imaam Tirmidhi is Mutasaahil so his opinion will not be accepted. But this is not true, his opinion is only not accepted when he is alone in his opinion and the other Muhadditheen go against his opinion and he is not followed by Jumhoor. 

3-    Imaam Daraqutni was asked about Abdullah bin Abdur Rahmaan, so he replied:

“Yu’tabar bihi” [Sawalaat al-Barqaani lil Daraqutni: 1/40]

Note: Some people call Imaam Daraqutni to be Mutasaahil as well, but it is not proven! 

4-    Imaam Yahya ibn Ma’een said:

“He is Suwaylih (righteous)” also “Saalih” [Taareekh Ibn Ma’een by Daarimi: 1/141, Al-Taareekh Ibn Abi Khaythamah: 1/75]

Imaam Ibn Adee narrated from Ali bin Ahmed bin Sulemaan who narrated from Ahmed bin Sa’d, who heard Imaam Yahya Ibn Ma’een saying:

“There is nothing wrong in him, write his narrations” [Al-Kaamil:5/276, Chain Saheeh]

Note: Ali bin Ahmed bin Sulemaan is declared “Thiqah Katheer ul-Hadeeth” by Imaam Ibn Yunus al-Misri in his Taareekh [1/355]

5-    Imaam Abul Hassan al-Ijlee mentioned him in his book of thiqah narrators and said:

“He is Thiqah” [ath-Thiqaat: 2/45]

Note: Some people after the 14th century have called Imaam Ijlee a Mutasaahil but this is not true as well. Imaam Dhahabi has mentioned him in his book "Zikr man Yu'tamad Kalamuhu fi al-Jarh wat Ta'deel" 

6-    Imaam Abu Hafs Ibn Shaaheen mentioned him in his book of thiqah narrators. [ath-Thiqaat: 1/129]

7-    Imaam Ibn Hibbaan mentioned him in his book of Thiqah narrators. [Ath-Thiqaat: 7/40]

Note: Even though Imaam Ibn Hibbaan is a Mutasaahil, but here, he is not alone in his Tawtheeq.
 

Imaam Ibn Hibbaan also took narrations from him in his Saheeh. [6/272 etc]

8-    Imaam Ibn Khuzaymah authenticated him by taking narration(s) from him in his Saheeh [3/140]

Note: Imaam Ibn Khuzaymah is not Mutasaahil according to the most authentic copinion. 

9-    Imaam Ibn al-Jarood took narrations from him in his al-Muntaqa [645] and he only narrated authentic narrations in his book [according to him].

Ashraf Ali Thanvi Deobandi writes:

“Ibn al-Jarood has narrated this narration in al-Muntaqa, thus it is Saheeh according to him because he only brings Saheeh narrations in his book as Suyooti has affirmed in introduction to Jama’ al-Jawami” [See: Bawadir al-Nawadir: Pg 135]

Note: The authentication of a lone narration is considered the authentication of all the narrators present in it. [See: Nasb ur-Rayaa] 

10-          Imaam Bayhaqi authenticated one of his ahadeeth by saying:

“The hadeeth of Abdullah bin Abdur Rahmaan at-Taaifi from Amr bin Shu’ayb in this chapter is Saheeh” [Ma’rifat us-Sunan wal Athaar: 5/69]

11-          Imaam Abu Ahmed bin Adee al-Jarjaani said:

“He narrated from Amr bin Shu’ayb, his ahadeeth are Mustaqeem (correct), and he is from those whose narrations are written down” [al-Kaamil: 5/277]

 

12-    Imaam Nawawi narrated a hadeeth narrated by this narrator and said:

“Abu Dawood and others have narrated it with Hasan chains” [Khulasat ul-Ahkaam: 2/831]

Note: The chain of Abu Dawood includes this narrator. The authentication of chain is considered the authentication of all the narrators present in it.

13-    Imaam Ibn Katheer narrated a hadeeth and said:

“It is narrated by Abu Dawood and Ibn Majah from the hadeeth of Abdullah bin Abdur Rahmaan bin Ya’la at-Taaifi, and this chain is Hasan” [Tafseer Ibn Katheer: 1/50]

This proves that this narrator is Hasan ul-Hadeeth according to Imaam Ibn Katheer.

14-    Imaam Dhahabi mentioned him in his book of those narrators who are criticized but they are Thiqah according to him, which is called “Man Takallam feehi wahuwa Mawthaq” [2/103]

And Imaam Dhahabi has already explained in its introduction that the narrations of these narrators (mentioned in the book) are no less than Hasan.

Imaam Dhahabi also said under a hadeeth narrated by him that:

“Its Isnaad is Saalih” [Tanqeeh ut-Tahqeeq by Dhahabi: 2/127]

15-    Imaam Haafidh Ibn Hajar said:

“He is Sudooq makes mistakes and has doubts (sometimes)” [Taqreeb: 3449]

Note: Such a narrator is no less than Hasan ul-Hadeeth.

16-    Imaam Busayri said under a hadeeth narrated by this narrator that:

“Its chain is Saheeh and its narrators are Thiqaat” [Misbaah uz-Zajajah fi Zawaaid Ibn Majah: 1/88]

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17-    Mughaltaai al-Hanafi said under a hadeeth narrated by this narrator that:

“Its chain is Saheeh” and then he narrated the praises of Muhadditheen regarding this narrator. [Sharh Ibn Majah by Mughaltaai: 1/1075]

Note: The Authentication of chain is considered the authentication of all the narrators present in it.

18-    Abdul Hay Lakhnawi al-Hanafi said:

“He is Sudooq” [Ta’leeq al-Mumajjad: 3/353]