ISSN 2039-2117 (online) ISSN 2039-9340 (print) Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy Vol 6 No 2 S1 March 2015 284 Al-Jarh Wa Al-Ta’dil (Criticism and Praise): It’s Significant in the Science of Hadith Mohd Akil Muhamed Ali 2 Mohamad Norazan Ibrahim 2 Abur Hamdi Usman 1 Mohd Arif Nazri 2 Muhd Najib Abdul Kadir 2 1 Institute of Islam Hadhari, The National University of Malaysia, Malaysia Corresponding Author Email: aburhamdiusman@yahoo.com 2 Department of Qur’an and Sunnah, Faculty of Islamic Studies, The National University of Malaysia, Malaysia Doi:10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n2s1p284 Abstract This study aims to investigate a hadith (prophetic tradition) whether it is acceptable or unacceptable based on the trustworthness and weaknesses of narrator in the hadith scholars view. The issues arise when numerous of hadith are found not supported by references, resources and status. This study allows us to make an assessment from the point of acceptance to the hadiths which are carried by a person whether authenticated (sahih), weak (da’if), or fabricated (mawdu’) and from its sources and references. This study focuses on the study of hadith literature which will be analyzed individually to determine its validity. This science is the cornerstones in the field of hadith as a science that very important for us to know the status of a hadith. By using descriptive analysis methodology this study aims and expected as contribution to the Muslim community because the people often use hadith without explaining the status. The study found that most of the Hadiths that have been documented are not specified in term of source and status. The existence of this science could help the public to understand how the precision of hadith scholars in maintaining the authority of hadith as the second foundational source after the Qur’an should be guarded. Keywords: Hadith, Narration, Criticism, Praise, Sanad, Matan. 1. Introduction The science of criticism and praise (al-jarh wa al-ta’dil) is a part of science of Hadith, dealing with identifying the narrators whether they are reliable or not. Al-Jarh (criticism) is finding a deficiency whether it is in His righteousness (adil) or in His accurateness (dabit), or in both. This science is a reliability scale of hadith narrators. If the scale in favor is the al-ta’dil (praise) then admissible or degree of fairness then should be rejected. With this science, we would also know someone who has narrated is accepted and who is unaccepted. Abadi (1999) defined al-jarh wa al-ta ’ dil as a science that study of transmitters in side of their al-ta ’ dil which qualify them or al-tajrih which demonize them. This science is important to the community to determine the hadith whether authenticated or weak. However, nowadays most of Muslim not clearly yet the significant of this science to the Muslim religious life, the issue then has prompted the authors to examine this topic as a locus for the proliferation of knowledge and enlighten the Muslim community. The study gives some contribution to the hadith researchers or Muslim community to determine the quality of a hadith itself. The Muslim community often served with an authenticated narration that no source or status of hadith, because without exposure in purpose of giving a warning, but after identified (takhrij) many hadith spread through cyberspace are mostly weak. Hence, this paper provides an exposure to the Muslim community to be cautious in the transmission of hadith, especially with unknown resources and status. 2. Definition of al-Jarh wa al-Ta c dil Linguistically, term of Al-Jarh is derivative word from jaraha yajrihu means who intend accusation or censure (in narration